Public Policy Updates + Reminders

We have several updates and reminders from our Public Policy Team to share! Use the clickable table of contents below to jump directly to each section and explore the latest legislative news, resources and ways to stay engaged. And, as always, when you meet or engage with legislators, please make sure to complete the Legislative Visit Feedback Form. Thank you for continuing to meet with your legislators across the state! To find who your CASA program legislators are, visit this page. 

Legislative Priorities for the 90th Session

The heart of the Texas CASA legislative priorities is something we can all agree on: Children and families deserve a child welfare system that is strong, responsive, and collaborative enough to meet them where they are and help them move toward stability.

The 90th Texas Legislature is on the horizon, and for months, our Public Policy team has been working alongside local CASA programs and volunteers to build a shared advocacy strategy, strengthen the CASA Story, and ensure lawmakers understand what children and families are facing across Texas. We’re excited to share the legislative priorities for the upcoming session, recently unveiled at the Texas CASA Conference. These priorities are grounded in what CASA volunteers and staff see every day — where the child welfare system is working, where it falls short, and what children and families need to thrive. Together, these priorities help us tell a clear, consistent story about the changes needed to strengthen child welfare and improve outcomes for children and families.

As we look ahead to the legislative session, we encourage everyone across the CASA network to take a few minutes to explore Texas CASA’s legislative priorities and learn more about how we’re preparing to take the CASA Story to the Capitol.

  • Priority 1: Invest in a stronger child welfare system for children and families, and sustain CASA’s funding.
  • Priority 2: Support family preservation, reunification, and kinship care.
  • Priority 3: Ensure access to safe placements, services, and permanency supports.
  • Priority 4: Improve system collaboration and accountability.
  • Priority 5: Promote long-term stability and wrap-around services for youth in and aging out of care.
check out our legislative priorities

Legislative Appropriation Requests Update

On August 14, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) published its Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for the 2028-29 biennium. On September 4, the Health and Human Services Commission published its Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for the 2028-29 biennium. Legislative Appropriations Request is essentially a state agency’s “wish list” for funding and budget priorities for the next two-year budget cycle. Through the LAR process, agencies outline the programs, services, and initiatives they believe need funding to carry out their responsibilities.

The DFPS and HHSC LARs are only the budget starting point. Once the Texas Legislative Session begins, legislators review agency requests as they develop the General Appropriations Act (GAA), the state’s official budget. Legislators may fund requests included in an agency’s LAR, add funding for priorities that were not requested, or remove funding that was included. While legislators often give significant consideration to agency recommendations in the LAR, they ultimately decide how state funds will be allocated in the GAA.

The DFPS and HHSC 2028-29 LARs also reflect the direction Texas state agencies received to identify 3% reductions to their base budgets. Despite this 3% cut, both LARs reflect continued budget commitment to much of what our policy priorities include – such as preventative services for families, mental health support, and placement support. HHSC outlines a summary of their 3% cuts in a budget document published online here. During the 90th Legislative Session, the Texas CASA Public Policy team is grateful to partner with Molly Spratt as we work together to navigate the appropriations process and advocate for CASA funding priorities with legislators. The Texas CASA Public Policy team is currently conducting a detailed analysis of both the DFPS and HHSC LAR and its potential impacts on CASA programs and will provide key takeaways in a future update.

Updated DFPS Sunset Timeline

As a reminder, in 2027 the Texas Legislature will review 16 state agencies through the Sunset process, including the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). As part of the review, agencies submit self-evaluations identifying major challenges, which help inform the Legislature’s evaluation and recommendations. You can read HHSC’s full self-evaluation report aquí y el informe de autoevaluación completo de DFPS aquí. 

Since our last update, the DFPS Sunset review has continued to move forward, with several key milestone’s ahead:

  • October 2026: Sunset Staff Report Published
  • November 2026: First Public Hearing
  • January-February 2027: Second Public Hearing
  • July 2027: Final Sunset Commission Staff Report

Texas CASA’s Public Policy Team remains actively engaged in the DFPS Sunset review and will continue advocating for the needs of children and families and the priorities identified by local CASA programs in Texas CASA’s Recommendations for DFPS Sunset Review. The team is currently planning to testify at the upcoming public hearing, expected to take place in November 2026, to ensure the voices of CASA volunteers, staff, and the children and families we serve are represented throughout the Sunset Commission’s review of DFPS and the broader Sunset process. 

Próximos eventos

The Public Policy team will host office hours on the following dates to engage in discussions around CASA’s legislative priorities and answer any follow-up questions:

  • Pre-elections Office Hours: October 21, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00pm 
  • Post-elections Office Hours: November 16, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00pm 

November General Elections + Advocacy Reminders During Election

Texas will hold its 2026 General Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. This election will determine federal, state, and many local offices, and you can review which offices are up for election aquí. 

The last day to register to vote in Texas for general elections is October 5, 2026. This deadline is less than a month away and approaching very quickly! Please spread the word and remind your community to do the following:

If you can, please take a moment to check your voter registration status now, especially if your information or home address has recently changed. It is always best to double-check your status now rather than to risk not being able to exercise your right to vote in November. 

Advocacy Reminders

As election and campaign season approaches, this is a helpful reminder that as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, local CASA programs must remain strictly nonpartisan. Advocacy related to CASA’s mission is always encouraged, but federal law prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from supporting or opposing specific political candidates, parties, or campaigns. As you have legislative meetings, we recommend you focus on meeting with incumbents before the election season. 

Advocates may of course engage in political activity in a personal capacity, but care should be taken to clearly separate personal political views from any CASA-related role, representation, or event participation. Thank you for continuing to advocate thoughtfully and responsibly on behalf of children and families!

As you meet and engage with legislators, please make sure to complete the Legislative Visit Feedback Form. This will help the Public Policy team track outreach efforts, identify follow-up opportunities, and better coordinate statewide advocacy strategy. Additionally, if you have questions for the Public Policy Team, email publicpolicy@texascasa.org , and we will find the best person to respond to your inquiry. If you haven’t already, be sure to join the Texas CASA LAT Facebook Group.

Coming Up…
  • CASA Day at the Capitol is Thursday, March 25, 2027! Registration will open the first day of the 90th legislative session, on January 12, 2027. 
  • If you were unable to attend the Policy Institute at the Texas CASA conference, the public policy team will be recording a training that will be sent out to the network. Be on the lookout for that in October! 
  • The Texas CASA public policy team is also finalizing the updated CBC guide and 90th session supplemental guide that will be released in the fall. 
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