State Representative, Texas House District 148

Penny Morales Shaw has represented Texas House District 148 in Houston since January 2021¹. She is an attorney and a native Houstonian who previously served as deputy chief for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2, overseeing policy and legislative affairs⁴. She faces Republican Amanda LaBrie on Nov. 3, 2026²³. No 2026 campaign website or candidate questionnaire was found, so her positions here come from her House votes.

Where they stand 14 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• MarijuanaDecriminalize small amounts (fines, not jail)medium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 218, which would have reduced the criminal consequences of possessing small amounts of marijuana; it passed the House 87 to 59 but did not pass the Senate. (2023-04-27) source
  • Voted no on SB 3, which would have banned most consumable hemp-derived THC products; it passed the House 87 to 54 and was later vetoed by the governor. (2025-05-22) source
• AI data centersWelcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 6, which set rules for how very large electricity users such as data centers connect to the grid and share related costs; it passed the House 103 to 25. (2025-05-27) source
• AbortionNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 8, the Texas Heartbeat Act, which bans most abortions after cardiac activity is detected and is enforced through private lawsuits; it passed the House 83 to 64. (2021-05-06) source
  • Voted no on HB 1280, which banned abortion once Roe v. Wade was overturned, with an exception only for the life or a major bodily function of the mother; it passed the House 81 to 61. (2021-05-06) source
  • Voted no on HB 7, which set prohibitions on making and providing abortion-inducing drugs; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
• Gender care for minorsNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 14, which banned gender transition procedures and treatments for minors; the House passed it 87 to 56. (2023-05-15) source
• Transgender athletesNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on HB 25, which requires public school students to compete in school sports based on biological sex; it passed the House 76 to 54. (2021-10-14) source
  • Voted no on SB 15, which requires college athletes at public universities to compete based on biological sex; it passed the House 95 to 50. (2023-05-18) source
• DEI programsNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 17, which banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices and related practices at public colleges; it passed the House 83 to 62. (2023-05-22) source
  • Was away from her desk when SB 12, which prohibited diversity, equity and inclusion duties in K-12 public schools, passed 88 to 47, and filed a House Journal statement that she would have voted no. (2025-05-25) source
• Religion in schoolsNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Her vote did not register when SB 10, requiring the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, passed 82 to 46; she filed a House Journal statement that she would have voted no. (2025-05-25) source
  • Voted no on SB 11, which allows schools to set a period for prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts; it passed the House 88 to 48. (2025-05-23) source
• Curriculum and booksNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on HB 900, which regulated library materials sold to or kept in public school libraries; it passed the House 95 to 52. (2023-04-20) source
  • Voted no on SB 13, which set up local school library advisory councils and parental rights over school library materials; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
• ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 4, which made illegal entry into Texas a state crime and allowed state judges to order people to leave the country; it passed the House 83 to 61. (2023-11-14) source
  • Voted no on SB 8, which requires certain sheriffs to enter agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law; it passed the House 86 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
• China policyNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 17, which restricts purchases of Texas real property by certain foreign governments, entities and people, including from China; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
• GunsNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on the final version of HB 1927, which allows adults 21 and older to carry a handgun without a license; the House adopted it 82 to 62. (2021-05-23) source
• Kids onlineNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on HB 186, which would have prohibited minors from using social media platforms; it passed the House 116 to 25 but did not become law. (2025-04-30) source
  • Voted yes on SB 2420, which requires app stores to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors; it passed the House 120 to 9. (2025-05-09) source
• RedistrictingNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on HB 4, the mid-decade redrawing of Texas congressional districts, at second reading; it passed 88 to 52. (2025-08-20) source
  • Voted no on HB 4, the mid-decade redrawing of Texas congressional districts, on final passage; it passed 88 to 52. (2025-08-20) source
• Election rulesNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Was excused when the House adopted the final version of SB 1, the 2021 election law, 80 to 41, and filed a House Journal statement that she would have voted no. (2021-08-31) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, School choice, Property taxes, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, 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, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate.