Morales calls Vanessa Guillén Memorial Highway an ‘important step to take’ in preserving her memory

A piece of legislation that would rename a portion of Highway 3 in Harris County to the Vanessa Guillén Memorial Highway, after U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén, recently passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature.

State Rep. Christina Morales (D-Houston) took to Twitter to give her view on the significance of Senate Bill 1185.

“I’m honored to report that SB 1185 has passed the Texas House,” Morales said in a tweet. “This bill renames a portion of SH 3 to the Vanessa Guillén Memorial Highway, and is an important step to take to ensure the memory of Spc. Guillén and the movement she inspired will remain with us forever.”

Guillén, a 20-year-old soldier serving at Fort Hood, was found murdered last year after being considered missing for several months, according to coverage by ABC. She had reported being sexually harassed, but nothing came of the charges.

Spc. Aaron Robinson, who took his own life during an encounter with law enforcement, is suspected to have killed Guillén, ABC reported. While there has been no connection established between reports of sexual harassment from Guillén that were ignored by her command, some have alleged the culture within her unit contributed to her death.

Guillén’s death has spurred significant changes within the military regarding how allegations of sexual assault and harassment are conducted, according to coverage by the Houston Daily.