Texas State Representative, District 28

Gary Gates is a Republican who has represented Texas House District 28 in Fort Bend County since 2020². His House biography says his family-run real estate business renovated thousands of apartment homes around Houston and created jobs for over 500 people². He serves on the Appropriations Committee and is vice chair of Urban Affairs and of Resolutions Calendars², and his campaign site lists property taxes, public schools, border security and being pro-life among its priorities³.

Where they stand 19 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 2 (2025), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program; it passed the House 86 to 61. (2025-04-17) source
  • Voted no on the Raney amendment (Amendment No. 2) to HB 1 (2023, fourth called session), a bill that included the establishment of an education savings account program, which would strike Article 6 of the bill; the House adopted it 84 to 63. (2023-11-17) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 2 (2025), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program (2025) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 3 (2025), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program (2025) source
  • His campaign site says he supports public schools and gives parents a choice to determine the best education opportunity for their kids. (2026) source
• Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 10 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms; it passed the House 82 to 46. (2025-05-25) source
  • Voted yes on SB 11 (2025), relating to a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text in public schools; it passed the House 88 to 48. (2025-05-23) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 1009 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools (2025) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 2696 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms (2025) source
• DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 12 (2025), relating to parental rights in public education, including requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction and diversity, equity, and inclusion duties; it passed the House 88 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
  • Voted yes on SB 17 (2023), relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at public institutions of higher education; it passed the House 83 to 62. (2023-05-22) source
• China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app salesmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; creating a criminal offense; providing a civil penalty (2025) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; creating a criminal offense (2025) source
• Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 13 (2025), relating to school library materials, local school library advisory councils and parental rights regarding library catalogs and access; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
  • Voted yes on HB 900 (2023), relating to the regulation of library materials sold to or included in public school libraries; it passed the House 95 to 52. (2023-04-20) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 4198 (2025), relating to the standards for a school district's library collection development policies; providing a civil penalty (2025) source
• RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagemedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 4 (2025, second called session), relating to the composition of the districts for the election of members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas; it passed the House 88 to 52. (2025-08-20) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 4 (2025, second called session), relating to the composition of the districts for the election of members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas (2025) source
• Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on the final version of SB 1 (2021, second called session), relating to election integrity and security; the House adopted the conference committee report 80 to 41. (2021-08-31) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 16 (2025), relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote, including the eligibility of certain voters to vote a limited federal ballot if the voter cannot supply the required proof and the procedures for the counting of those ballots; creating criminal offenses (2025) source
• Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 9 (2025), relating to the confinement or release of defendants before trial or sentencing, including regulating charitable bail organizations and bail procedures; it passed the House 118 to 25. (2025-05-20) source
  • Voted yes on HB 1900 (2021), relating to municipalities that adopt budgets that defund municipal police departments; it passed the House 90 to 49. (2021-05-07) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 9 (2025), relating to the confinement or release of defendants before trial or sentencing, including regulating charitable bail organizations, and the conditions of and procedures for setting bail and reviewing bail decisions (2025) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SJR 5 (2025), a proposed constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony (2025) source
• School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1586 (2025), relating to an exemption from required immunizations for school enrollment; it passed the House 83 to 54. (2025-05-14) source
• ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site says he supports deploying 1,000 additional National Guard troops to help secure the border and increasing penalties for drug and human trafficking. (2026) source
  • In a 2026 Community Impact Q&A he said secure borders are important but that immigration has been a powerful source of economic benefit in Houston and should not be shut off. (2026-09-29) source
  • Voted yes on SB 4 (2023, fourth called session), relating to prohibitions on illegal entry into or illegal presence in this state by a person who is an alien; it passed the House 83 to 61. (2023-11-14) source
  • Voted yes on SB 8 (2025), relating to agreements between sheriffs and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law; it passed the House 86 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
• Housing and growthAllow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • In a 2026 Community Impact Q&A he said the Legislature should encourage the development of housing supply to make the American Dream more affordable. (2026-09-29) source
  • Was listed as a House sponsor of SB 15 (2025), relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; authorizing a fee (2025) source
  • Authored HB 3172 (2025), relating to municipal regulation of multifamily and mixed-use development on religious land (2025) source
  • Voted yes on SB 15 (2025), relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; it passed the House 86 to 43. (2025-05-28) source
  • Voted yes on the final version of SB 15 (2025), relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; the House adopted the conference committee report 78 to 57. (2025-06-01) source
• Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risemedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • His campaign site says fighting skyrocketing property taxes is a priority and that he supports reforming the appraisal process. (2026) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 4 (2025), relating to an increase in the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district and the protection of school districts against certain losses in local revenue (2025) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 8 (2025), relating to a reduction in the maximum compressed tax rate of a school district (2025) source
• Gender care for minorsNo, ban these treatments for minorsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 14 (2023), relating to prohibitions on the provision to certain children of procedures and treatments for gender transitioning; it passed the House 87 to 56. (2023-05-15) source
• Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 25 (2021, third called session), relating to requiring public school students to compete in interscholastic athletics based on biological sex; it passed the House 76 to 54. (2021-10-14) source
  • Voted yes on SB 15 (2023), relating to requiring public institution of higher education students who compete in intercollegiate athletics to compete based on biological sex; it passed the House 95 to 50. (2023-05-18) source
• GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1927 (2021), relating to the carrying of a firearm by a person 21 or older who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing one; it passed the House 87 to 58. (2021-04-16) source
  • Voted yes on the final version of HB 1927 (2021), relating to the carrying of a firearm by a person 21 or older who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing one; the House adopted the conference committee report 82 to 62. (2021-05-23) source
• AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow

  Said · low confidence

  • His campaign site says he is 100 percent pro-life and will fight in the state house to protect each life. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 8 (2021), relating to abortion, including abortions after detection of an unborn child's heartbeat; it passed the House 83 to 64. (2021-05-06) source
  • Voted yes on HB 1280 (2021), relating to prohibition of abortion; it passed the House 81 to 61. (2021-05-06) source
  • Voted yes on HB 7 (2025, second called session), relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
• AI data centersNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 6 (2025), relating to the planning for, interconnection and operation of, and costs related to providing service for certain electrical loads; it passed the House 103 to 25. (2025-05-27) source
• MarijuanaNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on HB 441 (2021), relating to the criminal and licensing consequences of certain marihuana possession and drug paraphernalia possession offenses; it passed the House 88 to 40. (2021-04-30) source
  • Voted yes on HB 218 (2023), relating to the criminal and licensing consequences of certain offenses relating to the possession of marihuana and certain THC compounds; it passed the House 87 to 59. (2023-04-27) source
  • Voted yes on HB 46 (2025), relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis and the administration of the Texas Compassionate-Use Program; it passed the House 122 to 21. (2025-05-13) source
  • Voted yes on SB 3 (2025), relating to the regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products; it passed the House 87 to 54. (2025-05-22) source
• Kids onlineNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on HB 186 (2025), relating to prohibiting use of social media platforms by children; it passed the House 116 to 25. (2025-04-30) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate.