Texas PN-3 Newsletter
Greetings PN-3 Collaborative,
As promised, we’ve been busy building momentum to guide our advocacy in the 89th Legislative Session. The next step in increasing our collaborative strength will be hosting public events that engage and share meaningful information with advocates across Texas. Throughout the rest of the summer, we’ll be busy strategizing to provide testimony at upcoming interim hearings, hosting the PN-3 Collaborative’s Open Meeting, and connecting with our communities through virtual learning events.
Read on to see what we’re up to, and stay tuned for our next update in September!
PN-3 Open Meeting
Wednesday, August 21st, 1:00 – 2:30 PM CT | Virtual via Zoom
We are excited to welcome all to our first Open Meeting of 2024!Presented in partnership with TexProtects, Texans Care for Children and CHILDREN AT RISK, the PN-3 Collaborative has developed a 90-minute Open Meeting to share updates from Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI), and Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), before breaking-out into three individual sessions to discuss child and maternal health, early childhood education, and family supports.
Invite your network by sharing this digital flyer! We welcome returning and new members to this event.
Building Strong Families Through Community Programming
July 25, 2024 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT
When families have access to supports at the right time, a crisis can be averted and, in most cases, can ensure that families stay together safely. Join TexProtects for a virtual conversation about what it looks like to support stronger families here in Texas. Come ready to learn from a panel of experts about the efforts that have been under way and the opportunities before us. Register today!
Connecting Families to Resources
Sep 26, 2024 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT
Each community in our state has their own unique way of connecting families to the local resources and the community-based organizations that provide these, such as churches, healthcare systems, schools, and nonprofits. Join TexProtects for a conversation about the importance of connecting families to resources. Come ready to learn from a panel of experts about what needs to change to ultimately better support families and to help children thrive. Register Here!
Policy Priority Updates
The Legislature Should Help Uninsured Kids Connect with Health Coverage
Texas has the highest children’s uninsured rate in the US. However, about half of those uninsured kids are eligible for insurance from Medicaid or CHIP. The state can help by notifying parents when their kids are confirmed eligible for health coverage. Read more from Texans Care for Children!
Child Care Property Tax Relief Approval Update
In 2023, the Texas Legislature sent a Constitutional Amendment to voters to allow cities and counties to provide property tax relief to child care providers. In November 2023, the people of Texas overwhelmingly voted YES on Proposition 2 – allowing cities and counties to cut property taxes from for child care providers who serve working parents.Has your city voted yes on Prop 2 to cut property taxes for child care providers? Learn more (and access advocacy resources) at the Child Care Tax Relief website. There are also multiple toolkits for both advocating to get the tax relief approved in your area as well as how to apply for the exemption once adopted.
Interim Charges & Continued Advocacy
During the interim period between Texas Legislative Sessions, the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House assign select committees and members to research key issues Texans are facing today. The Texas Senate has assigned the Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development (NRED) an interim charge related to enhancing workforce productivity, specifically regarding access to child care. The Texas House has assigned the Committee on International Relations & Economic Development (IRED) an interim charge related to the ECE Industry. Members are to evaluate the current state of the early childhood education industry and review current early childhood policies to evaluate their effectiveness, including barriers to enter the Child Care Services program.
Upcoming Interim Charge Hearings
August 12th | House Committee on Public Education
August 13th | House Committee on Public Education
September 17th | Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development