UPDATED February 1, 2022 with revised recommendations for the Senate.
Today we are delivering our "interim charge" recommendations to the Texas House and Senate, suggesting topics that legislative committees should address in their hearings and other preparations for the 2023 legislative session.
Our recommendations focus on the following areas in order to improve the health, development, and well-being of children and achieve savings to the state:
The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on student learning loss and the mental health of children, teachers, and others.
The many current and upcoming changes to health programs in Texas — including changes brought on by the important bills recently passed by the Legislature, the Healthy Texas Women 1115 Waiver, and the upcoming end of the Public Health Emergency — and ensuring that Texans are able to participate in the health programs for which they qualify.
The ongoing foster care crisis, the significant CPS reforms passed during the 2021 regular legislative session, and the recent implementation of the 2018 Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), which changes federal foster care funding and standards for the states.
Other critical policy areas that the Legislature has recently taken steps to address, including child care, Early Childhood Intervention, the 2019 school finance bill (HB 3), strategies for emergent bilingual students (English Learners), school discipline practices, and support for children’s mental health both in school and in the community.
To address these issues, we have interim charge recommendations for the following House Committees:
Appropriations Committee
Human Services Committee
International Relations and Economic Development Committee
Public Education Committee
We also have interim charge recommendations for the following Senate Committees:
Education Committee
Finance Committee
Health and Human Services Committee
We look forward to working with legislative leaders to incorporate as many of these recommendations as possible into the interim charges that the House Speaker and Lt. Governor issue for House and Senate committees, and we look forward to working with legislators and our partners on these issues as we prepare for the 2023 session.