Public Policy & Advocacy
CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN
Research & data without action are not enough. CHILDREN AT RISK leverages its expertise to educate policymakers and advocate for policies that improve the lives of children.
Public Policy and Law Center (PPLC)
The Public Policy and Law Center (PPLC) was established in 2006 as an outgrowth of CHILDREN AT RISK’s longtime research and advocacy work and in response to the American Bar Association’s appeal to the private bar, “[to] get involved and use its legal expertise on behalf of Houston’s children (American Bar Association Children’s Rights Litigation Committee, 2004).”
PPLC is led by a Law Advisory Board of over 35 attorneys from the legal and business communities and staffed with a dedicated and creative group of attorneys and public policy analysts, which has enabled it to be tremendously successful in its years of operation.
The mission of CHILDREN AT RISK’s Public Policy and Law Center is to improve the lives of children across Texas through:
- Legal and policy research and advocacy
- Legislative and administrative rule drafting
- Drafting of amicus briefs and impact litigation
- Continuing education for attorneys and other professionals on children’s legal and policy issue
86th Texas Legislative Session
POLICY PRIORITIES
During the 86th Texas Legislative Session CHILDREN AT RISK will support policies that:
1. Build Strong Families and Spend Public Dollars More Efficiently
2. Increase Access to Quality Early Education to Ensure All Children Are Ready for Kindergarten
3. Invest in Programs and Strategies that Improve Children’s Physical, Mental and Social Development
4. Prevent Human Trafficking and Protect Survivors
CHILDREN AT RISK also prioritized legislation that impacted low-income families in Texas and Hurricane Harvey recovery.
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Recent Posts
Child Care Subsidy & Policy Resources
Issues impacting the child care industry in Texas are complex and while solutions exist, it is often difficult to understand how to get there. With input from stakeholders across Texas, Children at Risk created resources with specific strategies for state and local...
read more86th Texas Legislative Session Report: Legislation Impacting Children
With 27 freshman lawmakers along for the ride, the 86th Texas Legislative Session began on January 8, 2019, and the regular session ended 140 days later on May 27, 2019. On May 26, 2019, Governor Abbott signed a $250.7 billion budget of for the 2019-2021 biennium....
read moreWhat is HBO 680 and how does it impact children?
Child care providers (often referred to as “day care”) are important to our communities, and in Texas, about half of them care for low-income kids with working parents who receive financial assistance (or “subsidy”) from the Texas Workforce Commission. Even though...
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