Sine die, on June 2, marked the close of the regular Texas legislative session. TNOYS is immensely grateful to the many members, youth and young adult partners, and other stakeholders who showed up with energy, expertise, and unwavering dedication during the 89th legislative session. As we reflect on the session’s wins and challenges, we’re excited to publish a recap of the decisions made by the legislature that impact youth and the providers who serve them. Click below to learn about legislative proposals from this session, including bills that did and did not pass.
In the face of a tough political landscape and challenging obstacles, TNOYS was proud to work alongside our partners to put forward a cross-systems, youth-focused agenda of 16 policy and budget priorities, all influenced by young people and providers on the ground. Below are a few key measures that passed, which will strengthen support for young people and providers:
- HB 1211 by Lujan extends the time a young person who aged out of foster care must secure their tuition and fee waiver from 25 to 27.
- HB 4655 by Hull adds the required curriculum in PAL classes to include education around credit scores and predatory lending.
- SB1: The state budget includes new line items to promote efficiency in youth-serving systems, increase capacity, and provide relief and needed resources to young people and the providers that serve them. This includes $6 million in restored funding for transitional living services to serve youth aging out of foster care, funding for a peer support program within the child welfare system, $59.5 million in funding for a foster care data/case management system, a $40 million increase for mobile youth crisis teams, and $100 million in new dollars to fund child care scholarships so parents can go to work or school.
These wins marked an important step forward. However, TNOYS was disappointed that many important measures— all with broad support among young people and youth and family services stakeholders —fell short of passing. This includes a statewide grant program to support youth and young adult homelessness, increased reimbursement rates and funding to serve youth through the YES waiver, raise the lower age/raise the upper age of of who is involved in the juvenile justice system, increased rates for Supervised Independent Living (SIL) programs, and many other priorities proven to help young people thrive.
While the regular legislative session may have ended, TNOYS’ work at the Texas Capitol and with state agencies is ongoing. We’re steadfast in our commitment to protect and advance funding, policies, and programs that create a better world for Texas young people, and we invite you to join us. To learn how you can get involved in TNOYS’ work during the interim and the 90th Texas Legislative Session, please email policy@tnoys.org. We also encourage you to sign up for TNOYS’ monthly newsletter to receive regular updates on our policy work and other programming.
Youth, Young Adult, and Provider Voice During the 89th Texas Legislative Session
Youth-adult partnership is the foundation of everything we do, and our work this session would not have been possible without the TNOYS members and youth and young adult partners on our YALC and TELB who made their voices heard. We’re especially grateful to everyone who joined us at TNOYS’ Capitol Day for Members, TNOYS Day of Action for Youth, and at hearings and legislative office visits throughout the session. Below, check out a round-up of stories and testimonies from throughout the 89th Legislative Session: