Texas PN-3 Newsletter
Greetings PN-3 Collaborative,
As the 89th Texas Legislature heads into its crucial final weeks, our advocacy for young Texans and their families is more critical than ever. With key legislative deadlines looming and decisions being finalized, our collective voice must be strong to ensure early childhood education remains a priority in the closing policy discussions.
In this May newsletter, we’ll provide updates on the latest developments at the Capitol, highlighting the significant impact of your continued engagement and actions you can take to support and advocate for Texas families and children. We also encourage you to join PN-3 partners at upcoming events and explore our newest blog posts, offering timely insights to effectively advocate for Texas child care as the session draws to a close.
Let’s finish strong and continue to champion the call to #FundChildCare.
Policy Priorities Update
Engaging in the 89th Legislative Session
The 89th Texas Legislative Session has entered a critical phase—bill filing is nearly complete, and committee hearings are in full swing. This period of rigorous bill examination and amendment proposals is crucial for advocates ready to influence early childhood education policies in Texas. Engage now with your representatives to shape the legislation that will impact our youngest citizens and their families. Your advocacy is vital in swaying decisions on key bills during upcoming votes in both legislative chambers.
Click here to view the Texas PN-3 Collaborative Policy Priorities
Access advocacy resources from CHILDREN AT RISK
Access advocacy resources from Texans Care for Children
Access advocacy resources from TexProtects
Federal Advocacy Opportunity
Congressional Leaders Release Plan to Cut Medicaid
Late on Mother’s Day, Congressional leaders released their plan to cut Medicaid. They are aiming to push their plan through the House before Memorial Day. We’re very concerned that the proposed Medicaid cuts would knock children off of their health insurance.
Contact Congress today to urge lawmakers to oppose the Medicaid cuts!
Bills on the Move at the Texas Legislature
Early Learning Legislation On The Move
- The House HB 500, the supplemental budget bill, which includes an historic $100 million investment in more child care scholarships. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
- The House and Senate both passed SB 599, which reduces obstacles for the creation of new licensed and registered child care homes. It has been sent to the Governor. (Learn more.)
- The Senate passed SB 462, which adds child care educators to the priority list for child care scholarships. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week. (Learn more.)
- The House passed HB 2294, which gives Local Workforce Development Boards flexibility to reimburse providers at the established rate, regardless of their published rate. (Learn more.) It now goes to the Senate for next steps.
- The House passed HB 2, the school finance bill, which includes a provision to extend pre-k eligibility to children with disabilities. (Learn more.) HB 2 also reduces administrative obstacles to develop public-private Pre-K partnerships. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
- The House passed HB 2310, which will bring agency leaders from TEA, TWC, and HHSC together to collaboratively improve the early learning environments and outcomes for preschoolers with disabilities and delays. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
- The House passed HB 6, a school discipline bill, which includes a concerning provision to expand the use of out-of-school suspensions in pre-k through 2nd grade. The Senate recently held a hearing on the bill. (Learn more.)
Healthy Families Legislation On The Move
- The House and Senate both passed HB 136, which improves support for breastfeeding by covering lactation services under Medicaid health insurance. (Learn more.)
- The House and Senate both passed SB 1, the budget bill, which includes additional funding for Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) and a large investment in modernizing the Medicaid enrollment system. (Learn more.)
- The House passed HB 1201, which creates a pilot program to cover doula services under Medicaid. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
- The House passed HB 321, which helps eligible but uninsured kids enroll in Medicaid health insurance by notifying parents if SNAP application data show that their children are eligible for health coverage. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
- The House passed HB 3940, which improves health coverage for newborn babies by providing additional information to parents and providers. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
Supported Families Legislation On The Move
- The house passed HB 4870, which will create a grant program at the Office of Court Administration to help offset legal fees for informal kinship caregivers to be able to make decisions on behalf of the children in their home. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
- The House passed HB 38, which will make improvements to 211 that will help better connect families to resources. The Senate has not taken up the bill yet. (Learn more.)
- Several budget items that would fund a full continuum of supports for families are still being considered, such as funding for programs for fathers, military families, and kinship navigators, as well as improvements to 211 and a study for Medicaid reimbursement of home visiting service.
Recently
CHILDREN AT RISK VIRTUAL TEXAS TOUR
Spring 2025 Community Conversation, Legislative Updates and New Data
Texas Tour CHILDREN AT RISK just wrapped up a 12-stop Texas Tour across the state, which kicked off with a virtual press conference on April 14th. The tour focused on addressing Child Care Deserts, providing updates from the 89th Legislative Session on early childhood education, and discussing the specific needs of each region.
Click here to view the recap
Click here to explore the latest data release
PRESS CONFERENCE
Spring 2025 Child Care Desert Data Release
Child Deserts Presser CHILDREN AT RISK’s latest analysis highlights the ongoing challenge of Child Care Deserts in Texas, affecting 56% of low-income children under six with working parents. While significant progress has been made in increasing Texas Rising Star seats, overall deserts persist, and the state has seen a concerning drop in family child care homes.
HARRIS COUNTY ECE ECOSYSTEM CONFERENCE
Collaborating to Build Bridges for Early Childhood Outcomes
Harris County ECE ecosystems convening PN-3 partners First3Years and CHILDREN AT RISK presented at the Harris County ECE ecosystems convening, “Building Bridges: Connecting Systems for Stronger Early Childhood Outcomes.” Hosted by the Harris County Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity, their session explored the connection between county initiatives and the Texas Prenatal-to-Three Collaborative. View conference photos and a video of the session.
AMPLIFYING COLLABORATIVE IMPACT
PN-3 Partners Advocate Via Local Radio
PN-3 — Amplify Houston On April 11, 2025, the Texas PN-3 Collaborative was featured on KPFT 90.1’s Amplify Houston radio show. Adriana Kohlor (Texans Care for Children) discussed the vital role of Medicaid for Texas children, while Lyn Lucas (CHILDREN AT RISK) spoke about the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. Listen to the recorded audio.
D.C. FLY-IN EVENT
“Child Care Means Business” with First Five Years Fund
PN-3 representatives traveled to Washington D.C. for the “Child Care Means Business” Fly-in, an advocacy event organized by the First Five Years Fund. Meetings were held with six congressional offices, bringing the collaborative’s message to a national audience. Check out the Instagram video and event photos.
