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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an early childhood integrated data system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 2, Education Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 10 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 10. EARLY CHILDHOOD INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM |
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Sec. 10.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Cooperating entity" means the: |
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(A) Children's Learning Institute at The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; |
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(B) Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(C) Texas Education Agency; and |
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(D) Texas Workforce Commission. |
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(2) "Early childhood interagency work group" means the |
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work group established to promote collaboration across state |
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agencies serving families with young children and that consists of |
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representatives from the following state agencies: |
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(A) Department of Family and Protective |
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Services; |
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(B) Department of State Health Services; |
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(C) Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(D) Texas Education Agency; and |
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(E) Texas Workforce Commission. |
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(3) "Lead agency" means the Texas Education Agency. |
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(4) "System" means the early childhood integrated data |
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system established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 10.002. INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD |
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INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM. (a) Subject to Section 10.003(1), the |
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early childhood interagency work group shall initiate the |
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development of the early childhood integrated data system for the |
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purpose of facilitating the sharing of data from early childhood |
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programs across state agencies to: |
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(1) inform policy related to early childhood programs |
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at the state level; and |
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(2) guide improvements to early childhood programs to |
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provide better outcomes for children and families. |
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(b) The system must be developed in a manner that: |
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(1) allows for the integration of existing state and |
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federal data systems that are accessible to the cooperating |
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entities and that contain data derived from early childhood |
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services and programs; |
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(2) allows for the identification of and reporting on: |
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(A) specific outcome measures using aggregated |
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data that does not contain any identifying information, to the |
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extent state or federal law, as applicable, expressly authorizes |
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that use of the information; |
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(B) gaps in services; |
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(C) opportunities to align services and |
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programs; and |
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(D) coordination needs across services and |
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programs; and |
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(3) complies with state and federal laws relating to |
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privacy, cybersecurity, and data collection, including rules |
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establishing procedures to ensure that there is no unauthorized |
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duplication or removal of confidential information. |
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(c) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to authorize |
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the collection of data other than that described by Subsection |
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(b)(1). |
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Sec. 10.003. LEAD AGENCY DUTIES. The lead agency shall: |
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(1) oversee the completion of the system initially |
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developed under Section 10.002 in a manner consistent with the |
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requirements of that section; |
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(2) implement and maintain the system with assistance |
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from the early childhood interagency work group; |
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(3) provide staff to operate the system; |
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(4) using system data, conduct data matching using a |
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protocol approved by the cooperating entities; and |
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(5) in coordination with the cooperating entities, |
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oversee research projects related to the system. |
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Sec. 10.004. COOPERATING ENTITIES. (a) The lead agency and |
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each cooperating entity shall enter into a memorandum of |
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understanding regarding the sharing of data for purposes of the |
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system. The memorandum of understanding must specify the data to be |
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shared consistent with Sections 10.002(b)(1) and (c) and the |
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frequency and manner of that data sharing. |
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(b) Each cooperating entity shall participate in the system |
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and share data for purposes of the system as required by the |
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memorandum of understanding. |
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Sec. 10.005. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) Not later than |
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September 1 of each year, the lead agency shall submit to the |
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governor and the legislature a report on the progress in |
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developing, establishing, and operating the system. |
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(b) The initial report required by Subsection (a) must |
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include: |
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(1) an interagency data governance plan that includes: |
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(A) objectives relevant to the system and a |
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framework for achieving those objectives; |
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(B) the roles and responsibilities of all state |
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entities involved in establishing and maintaining the system; and |
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(C) documentation of relevant state and federal |
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privacy, cybersecurity, and data collection laws, including rules; |
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(2) a design plan that includes: |
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(A) data integration, security, storage, |
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retention, management, processing, and analytics and other |
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products; and |
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(B) roles and responsibilities of relevant state |
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entity personnel regarding data integration; and |
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(3) information on the status of: |
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(A) hiring staff described by Section 10.003(3); |
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(B) funding applied for and secured; and |
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(C) the development of an Internet website that |
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includes a preliminary, publicly available consumer data |
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dashboard. |
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(c) Each report required by Subsection (a) following the |
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initial report must include: |
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(1) updates to the information required by Subsection |
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(b); |
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(2) an overview on business use cases the system can |
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support; and |
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(3) information on the development of analytic tools |
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based on the business use cases described by Subdivision (2). |
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Sec. 10.006. FUNDING; ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS, GRANTS, AND |
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DONATIONS. (a) The early childhood interagency work group, the |
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cooperating entities, and the lead agency may use any available |
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state or federal money to develop the system. |
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(b) The lead agency shall actively pursue grants or other |
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money available from the state and federal government to operate |
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the system. |
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(c) The early childhood interagency work group, the |
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cooperating entities, and the lead agency may accept gifts, grants, |
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and donations from any source for the purposes of this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Education Agency shall undertake to |
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ensure that the early childhood integrated data system established |
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under Section 10.002, Education Code, as added by this Act, is |
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completed not later than January 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |