Author: Suzie Ruel

Whether it’s new parents seeking support through parenting programming or families looking for quality child care, every day, countless Texans rely on state government agencies. But how does Texas ensure these critical services are delivered effectively and that agencies are held accountable? It’s all thanks to the state’s unique Sunset process.  

What is Sunset? 

Almost every state agency in Texas has an expiration date built right into its founding law. This “Sunset date” means that agencies aren’t guaranteed to keep functioning if they aren’t serving the Texas public efficiently and effectively. The Sunset review process is an opportunity to review how each state agency does its work and where there could be opportunities to change.  

The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission oversees the thorough review process of any agency up for Sunset, which could result in: 

1. The Agency is Continued: The Legislature passes a bill to continue the agency’s existence. This outcome can include improvements to make the agency more effective and responsive to the public.  

1. The Agency is Abolished: If the agency’s functions are no longer needed and/or can be better managed elsewhere, the Legislature can abolish an agency entirely. For example, in 2025, the Texas Lottery Commission was abolished, and its functions were transferred to the Department of Licensing and Regulation.  

1. The Agency is Restructured: The Sunset process can also be used to restructure government to be more efficient. For instance, as a result of the Sunset process, the 84th Legislative Session in 2015 significantly restructured how Texas manages health and human services, dissolving several agencies to consolidate their services under a single commission, the Texas Commission on Health and Human Services. 

Who is Under Review? 

For the upcoming 2026-2027 review cycle leading to the 90th Legislative Session, several significant state agencies are under review that directly impact the lives of Texas children and families: 

• Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC): Administers programs like Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) for infants with language delays; provides support for families in need; and supports the Family Health Services grant programs, such as Texas Home Visiting, HOPES, FAYS, Texas Thriving Families and others, as well as 2-1-1 Texas, which connects families to services. 

• Department of State Health Services (DSHS): Houses critical programs for expectant mothers and newborns, as well as Help Me Grow, which also connects families to services including developmental diagnostics.  

• Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS): Supports children who have been removed from their families due to crisis.  

• Texas Workforce Commission (TWC): Manages workforce development and supports to individuals to sustain employment such as the Child Care Services (CCS) program, which helps families access child care services.  

• Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD): Works to help high-risk youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system to be successful in life.  

Click here for a full list of agencies under review.   

How Does the Process Work? 

For each of these agencies, Sunset is a multistep journey of accountability: 

1. Self-Evaluation: Each agency that is under review kicks things off by assessing its own operations and challenges. Click here to check out the self-evaluations of the agencies up for Sunset.     

1. Sunset Staff Review: The Sunset Commission staff then reviews each agency’s self-evaluation, conducts their own review of the agency, gathers public input and, ultimately, publishes a report with recommendations for improvements or abolition.  

1. Public Hearings: The Sunset Commission then holds public hearings to discuss the staff’s findings and to hear input directly from the agency itself and to solicit input from public on each agency’s services and programs.   

1. Legislative Action: All of this leads to the Legislature. A Sunset bill is filed during the following Legislative Session that includes the desired recommendations to make each agency more effective. If the bill is passed, the agency’s existence continues and proposed changes go into effect. The agency is also set for another Sunset review sometime within 12 years. If no bill is passed to continue an agency, then it is abolished. However, there can be a one-year period for the agency to conclude its work or transfer its functions to another state agency. 

Why Sunset Matters?  

The Sunset process is a powerful tool for Texans to influence state government and to ensure state agency work truly does benefit Texas families. Your input at public hearings, for example, can directly inform the Sunset Commission’s recommendations, leading to positive improvements. Ultimately, the Sunset process can be an essential part of how we help strengthen families because it allows us to advocate for state agencies that are more effective, efficient and responsive to the needs of communities across the state. This critical process holds our government accountable and helps promote systems that ensure Texas children are safe, nurtured and thriving.