Jarvis Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jarvis Johnson
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Johnson in 2022
|
|
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 139th district |
|
| In office May 19, 2016 – January 14, 2025 |
|
| Preceded by | Sylvester Turner |
| Succeeded by | Charlene Ward Johnson |
| Member of the Houston City Council from the B District |
|
| In office January 2, 2006 – January 2, 2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Carol Galloway |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Davis |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jarvis Diallo Johnson
September 27, 1971 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Charlene Ward (divorced) |
| Education | Texas Southern University (BA) |
Jarvis Diallo Johnson (born September 27, 1971) is an American politician and businessman. He served as a representative in the Texas House of Representatives. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Mr. Johnson represented the 139th district in Texas from 2016 to 2025. Before that, he was a member of the Houston City Council.
Contents
About Jarvis Johnson
Early Life and Education
Jarvis Johnson grew up in a part of Houston, Texas, called Fifth Ward. He went to Texas Southern University. In 1996, he earned a degree in speech communications.
While he was still in college in 1995, he became the leader of a group called Phoenix Outreach Youth Center. He worked there until 2005. That same year, he was elected to the Houston City Council.
Serving on the Houston City Council
In 2005, Jarvis Johnson ran for a seat on the Houston City Council. This seat represented District B. The person who held the seat before him, Carol Mims Galloway, could not run again.
Johnson won the election in December 2005. He received more than 60% of the votes. He was elected again in 2007 and 2009.
While on the City Council, Johnson led the Human Services and Technology Access Committee. He also worked on committees for the city's budget and housing.
In 2010, there was a situation where a police officer said Johnson did not stop his car when asked. He was cleared of the charges by a grand jury. This means the jury decided there was not enough evidence that he did anything wrong.
Texas House of Representatives
Jarvis Johnson became a state representative for District 139 in 2016. He took over the seat from Sylvester Turner. Mr. Turner left his state job to become the mayor of Houston.
Johnson won a special election on May 7, 2016. He received 85% of the votes. This allowed him to finish Mr. Turner's term. He was sworn in by Sylvester Turner himself. This meant Johnson immediately took on important roles. He became the vice-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Johnson's former wife, Charlene Ward Johnson, won the election to replace him in the Texas House. She became the state representative for District 139 in 2025.
Important Laws and Efforts
Jarvis Johnson worked to get more money for HBCUs in Texas. These are colleges that were first created for African American students. He pointed out that these schools did not always get as much funding as other colleges.
He was the only member to speak against a bill called HB 2908. This bill aimed to protect police officers. Johnson was worried it could make it seem like questioning an officer was a crime.
For several years, Johnson tried to end "Confederate Heroes Day" as a state holiday. He filed bills in 2019, 2021, and 2023. However, these bills did not pass.
Johnson also worked on bills to limit pollution from concrete plants. These plants can affect the air quality in areas like the ones he represented. These bills also did not pass.
Running for Texas Senate
In 2024, Jarvis Johnson ran for a seat in the Texas Senate. This seat was for the 15th district. The previous senator, John Whitmire, had become the mayor of Houston.
Johnson placed first in the first election on March 5. He then went to a second election, called a runoff, against Molly Cook. He was defeated by Molly Cook in that runoff election.
