Penny Morales Shaw is a Democratic State Representative for Texas House District 148 . First elected in 2021, she is an attorney and native Houstonian who raised four children as a single mother while managing a multi-state law practice. Age 59, she previously served as Deputy Chief for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2, overseeing policy and legislative affairs, worked at NAACP legal clinics, and advocated for the International Violence Against Women Act.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: J.D.
• Political Experience: Elected in 2021 to the Texas House ; served on House Committees on Environmental Regulation, Urban Affairs, and Elections. Named "Freshman of the Year" by the Mexican American Legislative Caucus . Founding member of the Democratic Progressive Caucus and House Caucus on Climate, Environment, and the Energy Industry; member of House Innovation & Technology Caucus, House LGBTQ Caucus, Legislative Study Group, MALC, Texas Legislative Ports Caucus, and Texas Women’s Health Caucus. Term up for election in 2026.