Paxton Bill Pools Agency Records On Kids Through Age Eight

The text as introduced · 1,082 words

89R5363 CMO-D

By: Paxton
S.B. No. 2194

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an early childhood integrated data system.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 74 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 74. EARLY CHILDHOOD INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM

Sec. 74.0001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Cooperating entity" means the:

(A) Children's Learning Institute at The

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston;

(B) Department of Family and Protective

Services;

(C) Health and Human Services Commission;

(D) Texas Education Agency;

(E) Texas Workforce Commission; and

(F) Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office.

(2) "Early childhood interagency workgroup" means the

workgroup that promotes collaboration across state agencies

serving families with young children and that consists of

representatives from the following state agencies:

(A) Department of Family and Protective

Services;

(B) Department of State Health Services;

(C) Health and Human Services Commission;

(D) Texas Education Agency; and

(E) Texas Workforce Commission.

(3) "Lead agency" means the state agency designated

under Section 74.0003.

(4) "System" means the early childhood integrated data

system established under this subchapter.

Sec. 74.0002. INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

INTEGRATED DATA SYSTEM. (a) Subject to Section 74.0004(1), the

early childhood interagency workgroup shall develop the early

childhood integrated data system for the purpose of facilitating

and strengthening the sharing of data from early childhood programs

across state agencies to:

(1) better inform policy related to those programs at

the state level; and

(2) guide improvements to those programs that support

this state's early childhood goals and priorities and provide

better outcomes for children and families in this state.

(b) The system must be developed in a manner that:

(1) allows for the integration of existing state and

federal data systems that are accessible to the cooperating

agencies and that contain data derived from early childhood

services and programs that serve families with children from birth

through eight years of age, including data related to outcomes

under those services and programs;

(2) allows for the identification of and reporting on:

(A) specific outcome measures using aggregated

data that does not contain any identifying information, to the

extent state or federal law, as applicable, expressly authorizes

that use of the information;

(B) gaps in services and underserved

populations;

(C) opportunities to align services and

programs; and

(D) coordination needs across services and

programs; and

(3) complies with state and federal laws relating to

privacy, cybersecurity, and data collection, including rules

establishing procedures to ensure that there is no unauthorized

duplication or removal of confidential information.

(c) Data other than that described by Subsection (b)(1) may

not be collected for purposes of the system.

Sec. 74.0003. DESIGNATION OF LEAD AGENCY. During the

initial development of the system under Section 74.0002, the early

childhood interagency workgroup shall designate from among the

state entities listed in Sections 74.0001(1)(A) through (E) one

entity to act as the lead agency for the system.

Sec. 74.0004. LEAD AGENCY DUTIES. The lead agency shall:

(1) complete the development of the system initially

developed under Section 74.0002 in a manner consistent with the

requirements of that section;

(2) implement and maintain the system with assistance

from the early childhood interagency workgroup;

(3) provide staff to operate the system; and

(4) using system data, conduct data matching using a

protocol approved by the cooperating entities.

Sec. 74.0005. COOPERATING ENTITIES. (a) The lead agency

and each cooperating entity shall enter into a memorandum of

understanding regarding the sharing of data for purposes of the

system. The memorandum of understanding must specify the data to be

shared consistent with Sections 74.0002(b)(1) and (c) and the

frequency and manner of that data sharing.

(b) Each cooperating entity shall participate in the system

and share data for purposes of the system as required by the

memorandum of understanding.

Sec. 74.0006. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) Not later than

January 1 of each year, the early childhood interagency workgroup

shall submit to the legislature a report on the workgroup's, lead

agency's, and cooperating entities' progress in developing,

establishing, and operating the system.

(b) The initial report required by Subsection (a) must

include:

(1) the state entity the early childhood interagency

workgroup designated to act as the lead agency;

(2) an interagency data governance plan that includes:

(A) objectives relevant to the system and a

framework for achieving those objectives;

(B) the roles and responsibilities of all state

entities involved in establishing and maintaining the system; and

(C) documentation of relevant state and federal

privacy, cybersecurity, and data collection laws, including rules;

(3) a standardized process for updating the memorandum

of understanding into which the cooperating entities entered under

Section 74.0005;

(4) a design plan that focuses on:

(A) data security, storage, retention,

management, processing, transportation, and analytics and other

products; and

(B) roles and responsibilities of relevant state

entity personnel regarding data integration; and

(5) information on the status of:

(A) hiring project management full-time

equivalents;

(B) grant funding applied for and grant funding

secured; and

(C) the development of an Internet website that

includes a preliminary, publicly available consumer data

dashboard.

(c) Each report required by Subsection (a) following the

initial report must include:

(1) updates to the information required by Subsections

(a)(2) through (5);

(2) an overview on business use cases the system can

support; and

(3) information on the development of analytic tools

based on the business use cases described by Subdivision (2).

Sec. 74.0007. FUNDING. (a) The early childhood

interagency workgroup, the cooperating entities, and the lead

agency may use any available state or federal money to develop the

system.

(b) The lead agency shall actively pursue grants or other

money available from the federal government to operate the system.

SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, the early

childhood interagency workgroup shall:

(1) designate the lead agency for the early childhood

integrated data system as required by Section 74.0003, Human

Resources Code, as added by this Act; and

(2) submit to the legislature the initial report

required by Section 74.0006, Human Resources Code, as added by this

Act.

SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act

a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a

federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,

the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or

authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the

waiver or authorization is granted.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.