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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 3, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 74 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 74. EARLY CHILDHOOD INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM |
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Sec. 74.0001. 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) Department of Family and Protective |
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Services; |
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(C) Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(D) Texas Education Agency; |
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(E) Texas Workforce Commission; and |
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(F) Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office. |
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(2) "Early childhood interagency workgroup" means the |
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workgroup that promotes collaboration across state agencies |
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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 state agency designated |
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under Section 74.0003. |
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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. 74.0002. INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD |
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INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM. (a) Subject to Section 74.0004(1), the |
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early childhood interagency workgroup shall develop the early |
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childhood integrated data system for the purpose of facilitating |
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and strengthening the sharing of data from early childhood programs |
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across state agencies to: |
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(1) better inform policy related to those programs at |
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the state level; and |
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(2) guide improvements to those programs that support |
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this state's early childhood goals and priorities and provide |
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better outcomes for children and families in this state. |
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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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agencies and that contain data derived from early childhood |
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services and programs that serve families with children from birth |
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through eight years of age, including data related to outcomes |
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under those 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 and underserved |
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populations; |
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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) Data other than that described by Subsection (b)(1) may |
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not be collected for purposes of the system. |
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Sec. 74.0003. DESIGNATION OF LEAD AGENCY. During the |
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initial development of the system under Section 74.0002, the early |
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childhood interagency workgroup shall designate from among the |
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state entities listed in Sections 74.0001(1)(A) through (E) one |
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entity to act as the lead agency for the system. |
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Sec. 74.0004. LEAD AGENCY DUTIES. The lead agency shall: |
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(1) complete the development of the system initially |
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developed under Section 74.0002 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 workgroup; |
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(3) provide staff to operate the system; and |
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(4) using system data, conduct data matching using a |
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protocol approved by the cooperating entities. |
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Sec. 74.0005. COOPERATING ENTITIES. (a) The lead agency |
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and 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 74.0002(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. 74.0006. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) Not later than |
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January 1 of each year, the early childhood interagency workgroup |
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shall submit to the legislature a report on the workgroup's, lead |
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agency's, and cooperating entities' progress in developing, |
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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) the state entity the early childhood interagency |
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workgroup designated to act as the lead agency; |
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(2) 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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(3) a standardized process for updating the memorandum |
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of understanding into which the cooperating entities entered under |
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Section 74.0005; |
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(4) a design plan that focuses on: |
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(A) data security, storage, retention, |
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management, processing, transportation, 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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(5) information on the status of: |
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(A) hiring project management full-time |
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equivalents; |
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(B) grant funding applied for and grant funding |
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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 Subsections |
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(a)(2) through (5); |
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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. 74.0007. FUNDING. (a) The early childhood |
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interagency workgroup, the cooperating entities, and the lead |
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agency may use any available state or federal money to develop the |
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system. |
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(b) The lead agency shall actively pursue grants or other |
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money available from the federal government to operate the system. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, the early |
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childhood interagency workgroup shall: |
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(1) designate the lead agency for the early childhood |
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integrated data system as required by Section 74.0003, Human |
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Resources Code, as added by this Act; and |
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(2) submit to the legislature the initial report |
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required by Section 74.0006, Human Resources Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |