89th Texas Legislative
Session Outcomes
Informed by the inspiring work of our Texas Prevention Network members and the invaluable experiences shared by families across the state, TexProtects’ Public Policy Advisory Committee drafted five strategic priorities that guided our work.
Strengthening Texas Families
During the 89th Legislative Session, TexProtects advocated for increased investments in a comprehensive continuum of preventative services, aiming to ensure that all Texas families have equitable access to essential strengthening services and supports, regardless of their community. Significant progress was achieved on this front. Both the Fatherhood EFFECT and Service Members, Veterans, and Families (SMVF) programs received an additional $1 million each over the biennium, poised to expand their reach and serve more families across the state. Furthermore, the Thriving Texas Families program saw a substantial expansion with an impressive $60 million investment, reflecting a growing commitment to family well-being.
A critical area of focus was child care access, and the Legislature responded by allocating $100 million for child care scholarships specifically for low-income families, to be administered through the Texas Workforce Commission. Complementing this, Senate Bill 462, championed by Senator Kolkhorst, was passed to directly address the child care workforce by helping to ensure that child care workers themselves can secure child care for their own children. Additionally, Senate Bill 2018 by Senator Paxton, introduced a new Strong Families Tax Credit, creating incentives for businesses to contribute to approved nonprofits dedicated to providing family strengthening services.
Recognizing the mental health workforce shortage, the Legislature took decisive steps to increase the availability of mental health services for families. Senator West spearheaded two key pieces of legislation: Senate Bill 1401, which will establish the Texas Mental Health Profession Pipeline, and Senate Bill 646, designed to expand loan forgiveness opportunities for mental health professionals. These efforts culminated in a notable boost in funding for mental health services. Community mental health services for children received over $41 million more than in the previous session, while community mental health crisis services, serving both adults and children, saw an increase of over $53 million. This substantial allocation likely includes $54 million specifically earmarked to expand Youth Crisis Outreach Teams. Finally, Representative Landgraf’s House Bill 5342 will set up a trust fund to fund the crucial 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and Representative Hull’s House Bill 136 will allow Medicaid coverage and reimbursement for lactation consultation services, further supporting the health and well-being of new mothers and infants.
Connecting Families to Resources
This priority centered on enhancing the coordination among information and referral systems and providing clear guidance to professionals regarding available community connectors. The overarching aim was to ensure families could access necessary services promptly, thus reducing instances of crisis. In pursuit of this, the Legislature dedicated significant attention to strengthening Texas’ benefits and eligibility system. This included an investment of $386 million over the biennium, coupled with the provision of 642 temporary full-time employees. These resources are specifically directed towards technology upgrades, improvements in case management and increasing staffing levels, all designed to streamline the application and management of vital benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid and TANF for individuals. A notable component of this investment is the allocation of $163 million in additional funding to the vendor responsible for managing 2-1-1 Option 2, which serves as the eligibility helpline.
Supporting Informal Kinship Caregivers
TexProtects’ advocacy for this priority aimed to ensure that all caregivers, including relatives and friends who step in to care for a child, are able to access and connect to the resources and supports necessary to appropriately care for the child(ren) in their home. This session, legislators addressed the growing number of informal kin arrangements, helping pass several bills specifically benefiting informal kinship caregivers.
Among these successes, Senate Bill 1923, authored by Senator West, will allow child support to follow the child, providing crucial additional financial support directly to their caregivers. Complementing this, Senator West also championed Senate Bill 226, which grants informal kinship caregivers the essential ability to enroll a child under their care in school. Furthermore, Representative Rose’s House Bill 5394 was enacted to protect formal kinship caregivers from facing additional requirements as they pursue their foster license, streamlining the process and reducing unnecessary burdens for family members who open their homes to children in need.
Family Preservation Efforts
This session, we focused on policy to minimize further CPS intervention by funding and providing more opportunities to divert families and offer supportive services where there is a risk of maltreatment. The 89th Legislative Session achieved a significant milestone in this area through SB 1398 by Senator Kolkhorst, which makes the Texas Family First Pilots permanent. This initiative will now operate under the jurisdiction of Community Based Care (CBC) contractors across the state. Additionally, this bill mandates additional transparency in the program’s processes and outcomes, aiming for greater accountability. The Legislature demonstrated its commitment by allocating $21,275,603 for FY 26 and $22,924,851 for FY 27 specifically for these pilots, and further adopted a budget directive that allows for the use of additional funds, as available, to serve even more families such as families considering relinquishment to the state, family reunification cases, and others determined by CBC contractors within the conservatorship stage of service to be beneficial.
Numerous other bills were passed with the aim of addressing concerns and providing essential flexibility to Community Based Care (CBC) contractors. These measures are particularly critical as family preservation efforts will largely fall under the purview of CBC, necessitating robust and adaptable frameworks to ensure families and children receive the best possible care. Notable legislation in this regard included Senate Bill 513 by Senator Sparks, Senate Bill 1589 by Senator Hancock, Senate Bill 2032 and Senate Bill 2034 by Senator Paxton and House Bill 4129 by Representative A. Davis.
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
Enhancing the protection of children from predators, whether online or in-person, is vital for the wellbeing of Texas children. Significant legislative outcomes were achieved towards this goal. Senate Bill 2420, championed by Senator Paxton and known as the ‘Appstore Accountability Act’, introduces a layer of online protection for children by mandating age verification and parental consent for app downloads and in-app purchases.
In an effort to enhance safety within public schools, bipartisan support led by Senator Bettencourt ensured the passage of Senate Bill 571. This omnibus bill includes TexProtects’ key priority of guaranteeing that allegations of improper relationships between educators and students are investigated by outside law enforcement. Additionally, SB 835 by Senator Paxton will prohibit and invalidate the usage of non-disclosure agreements in settlement agreements related to child sexual abuse. Furthermore, House Bill 451, introduced by Representative S. Thompson, mandates the utilization of the Commercial Sexually Explicit Identification Tool (CSE-IT) with youth involved in juvenile probation or state custody. Crucially, this bill also secured the necessary funding for the tool’s implementation, enabling earlier provision of prevention services for at-risk youth.
Additional measures passed to safeguard children include House Bill 908 by Representative Spiller, which now requires local law enforcement to report runaway or missing youth to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This will aid law enforcement in recovering these vulnerable youth more quickly. House Bill 2000, by Representative Ashby, strengthens legal frameworks by requiring individuals convicted of grooming a child to become registered sex offenders. Complementing these efforts, House Bill 47, a Speaker priority championed by Representative Howard, strengthens protections for survivors of sexual assault by ensuring better access to medical care. House Bill 3153, introduced by Representative Kerwin, further enhances safety protocols by strengthening screening requirements for employees at child-serving entities who work with system-involved youth. Finally, in response to the emergence of artificial intelligence, both chambers of the Legislature recognized the dire need for protections against harmful, artificially created images. This concern was addressed through the passage of both Senate Bill 441 by Senator C. Hinojosa and House Bill 581 by Representative M. Gonzalez, which work to protect children from artificially created sexual abuse materials.