[00:00:02]
[Call to Order]
IT IS, UH, 9 32 ON MONDAY, MARCH 3RD.I WILL CALL IN TO ORDER THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
SO I WILL, UH, BRING US IN AT 1132.
ALRIGHT, UH, FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, IS ANYONE IN PERSON WHO HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IS THERE ANYONE IN PERSON? NO.
UH, DO WE, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY CALL, ANY CALLERS IN? OKAY, SO HAVING NO CALLERS, HAVING, UH, NOBODY HERE.
[II. Approval of Minutes ]
ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 3RD, 2024 MEETING.
IT'S BEEN, BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BARAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED.
WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING OF DECEMBER THE SIXTH, 2024.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[III. Legislative Updates ]
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES.AND, UH, SINCE, SINCE, UH, WE ARE HERE AT TRAVIS COUNTY TODAY, I THINK, UH, WE, WE WILL CALL HOME COURT
AND, UH, AND, UH, WILL, UH, MAKE PRESENTATION FOR US.
WE HAVE A VERY CAPABLE GROUP THAT HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FULLY INFORMED AND FULLY ENGAGED.
SO, UH, UM, LET ME TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
I AM THE DEPUTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICER FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
I'M JULIE WHEELER, THE IGR OFFICER SINCE HER REGRETS, SHE'S IN DC TODAY, SO SHE'S, SORRY SHE COULDN'T BE WITH US, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE TODAY ON LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES THAT THE TRAVIS COUNTY IGR OFFICER OFFICE IS CURRENTLY TRACKING AND INVOLVED IN.
SO, JUST, UH, TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, UM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME MAJOR SESSION DEADLINES AND DATES.
UM, IT'S SOME LEGISLATIVE STATISTICS.
UM, THEN SOME UPDATES ON OUR LOCAL LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
THEN WE'LL GO OVER QUICKLY THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY ITEMS, AN UPDATE ON THE CHAVEZ COUNTY LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AND THEN THE KEYS BILLS BEING DISCUSSED AT THE LEGISLATURE, THE IMPACT COUNTY OPERATIONS.
SO THIS LEGISLATION LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAS ALREADY STARTED.
IT RUNS THROUGH JUNE 2ND, SIGNY DYE.
UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR DEADLINES FOR THIS SESSION.
UH, THE BIGGEST ONE IS MARCH 14TH.
THAT'S THE LAST DATE OF FILE BILLS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME TECHNICAL CAVEATS TO THESE DEADLINES.
YOU CAN SEE SOME ASTERISKS THERE WHERE THOSE EXIST.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE LIKE VERY LIMITED ABILITIES TO FILE BILLS AFTER THE MARCH 14TH DEADLINE.
ALL RIGHT, SO HERE ARE SOME STATISTICS ON HOW ACTIVE THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN ALREADY THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UM, HERE I'M VEERING IN ON THE PRE-FILING PERIOD.
SO PRE-FILING, UH, BEGINS THE MONDAY AFTER THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION, AND THEN IT RUNS THROUGH THE FIRST DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO IT'S LIKE ABOUT A TWO MONTH PERIOD THERE.
SO THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ON THE FIRST DAY, JUST A SINGLE DAY OF PRE-FILING, THEY FILED ALMOST AS MANY BILLS AS THE ENTIRE PRE-FILING PERIOD, THAT TWO MONTH PERIOD, LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO THEY WERE OFF TO A RUNNING START.
UM, SO WE CAN EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE.
UM, SO TYPICALLY IN THE LAST DECADE OR SO, THE LEGISLATURE FILES BETWEEN 7,000 AND 8,000 BILLS EVERY SESSION.
THE TRAVIS COUNTY IGR OFFICE TRACKS BETWEEN 20 503,000 OF THEM.
UM, AS AN ARM OF THE STATE, WE HAVE A LOT OF MANDATES ON US.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF BILLS THAT IMPACT OUR OPERATIONS.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE JUST GONNA KEEP ON RISING FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO.
ALL RIGHT, SO ZOOMING IN ON OUR LOCAL LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
SO HERE, UM, IN THE SENATE, I'VE PUT THE
[00:05:01]
FOLKS THAT REPRESENT, UM, I'VE INCLUDED SOME PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT PARTS OF AUSTIN, BUT NOT TRAVIS COUNTY, SO THAT YOU'VE GOT SOME ASTERISK THERE TO LIKE INDICATE THAT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, SENATOR SHORTENER REPRESENTS PARTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT IT'S IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.UM, Y'ALL HAVE GOT THE SLIDE, SO I WON'T GO OVER EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, BUT I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD REPRESENTATION ON SOME OF THE COMMITTEES THAT IMPACT, UM, CITY, COUNTY, AND SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATIONS.
SO THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY ITEMS. SO WHEN THE GOVERNOR DESIGNATES AN EMERGENCY ITEM, THAT MEANS THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN MOVE MORE QUICKLY ON IT.
THIS SESSION, HE HAS DESIGNATED SEVEN EMERGENCY ITEMS. SO THOSE COVER, UH, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, BAIL REFORM, INVESTMENT IN WATER.
THE TEXAS CYBER COMMAND EXPANDING CAREER TRAINING.
AND THEN SCHOOL CHOICE AND INCREASING TEACHER PAY.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT I TOOK THIS LANGUAGE DIRECTLY FROM THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY ITEMS ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SO I DID NOT EDITORIALIZE THIS AT ALL.
SO HERE IS THE LONG LIST OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PRIORITY BILLS.
HE'S ACTUALLY SAID THAT HE'S GOT SENATE BILLS 26 THROUGH 40 COMING STILL, BUT WE DON'T HAVE DETAILS ON THOSE YET.
UM, SOME OF THESE HAVE ALREADY PASSED THE FULL SENATE LIKE BAIL REFORM AND SCHOOL VOUCHERS.
SO NOW JUMPING INTO THE CHAVEZ COUNTY LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
SO, UM, OUR IGR OFFICE IS CURRENTLY PURSUING PASSAGE OF SIX PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
I'M GONNA START WITH OUR BILL ABOUT THE AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL.
SO THIS BILL WOULD ALLOW FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ENTER INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY TO UTILIZE VACATED BUILDINGS AND EMPTY LAND ON THE AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL CAMPUS FOR JAIL DIVERSION EFFORTS.
SO FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS NOW, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN WORKING ON FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COUNTY JAIL, NEEDING CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
UM, JAIL IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE VENUE FOR SUCH TREATMENT.
UM, AND SO THE COUNTY'S BEEN PRIORITIZING DIVERTING THESE PEOPLE FROM THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM WHILE ALSO KEEPING THE REST OF OUR TRAVIS COMMUNITY SAFE.
SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE LACK OF CRISIS CARE BEDS FOR THIS POPULATION.
WE ALSO KNOW THERE'S A LACK OF A SINGLE NO WRONG DOOR DROP OFF LOCATION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO DROP OFF INDIVIDUALS HAVING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS.
SO THIS GAP IN THE COMMUNITY, WE RECOGNIZE IT.
AND SO WE HAVE COMMITTED TO CREATING A TRAVIS COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH JAIL DIVERSION CENTER TO TACKLE THAT ISSUE.
UM, WE KNEW IT WAS NECESSARY TO INCLUDE THE STATE IN PLANNING FOR THIS EFFORT.
SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS WITH STATE LEADERSHIP AND THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION.
THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.
UM, BUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAVE LED TO DETERMINING THAT WE NEED A BILL TO BE ABLE TO AUTHORIZE HHSC TO LEASE US THOSE DECOMMISSIONED BUILDINGS.
WE HAVE SECURED A SENATE IN HOUSE SPONSOR, BUT WE HAVE NOT FILED THE BILL YET.
UM, OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE CITY HEARING ABOUT OUR PROPOSAL FOR THE ASH CAMPUS HAVE ASKED TO BE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT BILL.
AND SO, UM, THAT THEY CAN HELP BUILD OUT FURTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS.
SO THIS IS A VERY TRANSFORMATIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THE BILL FILED ANY DAY NOW, UM, BUT DEFINITELY BEFORE MARCH 14TH.
OKAY, OUR NEXT BILL, ACTUALLY GO BACK PLEASE, IS, UM, ABOUT FIRE CODES.
AND SO THIS ONE HAS BEEN FILED BY SENATOR ZINI AND REPRESENTATIVE LULU FLORES.
IT WOULD ALLOW FOR COUNTIES AND EMERGENCY SERVICE DISTRICTS TO ENTER INTO INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS FOR THE ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE COUNTY FIRE CODE.
OUR NEXT BILL IS THE SURPLUS PROPERTY DONATION BILL.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN FILED BY REPRESENTATIVE CHERYL COLE.
IT'S ACTUALLY ALSO BEEN FILED IN THE SENATE, BUT RIGHT AFTER WE HAD TO TURN THIS PRESENTATION INTO STAFF, SO IT'S NOT INCLUDED HERE ON YOUR SLIDE, BUT ALSO BEEN FILED BY SENATOR Z AND THE SENATE SB 1713.
SO THE UM, REASON BEHIND THIS BILL IS THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY HAS A VERY LOVELY PROGRAM CALLED THE COMMUNITY PC PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHERE THE CITY FACILITATES AND CONTRIBUTES TO DONATING SURPLUS COMPUTERS AND DEVICES TO LOCAL NONPROFITS.
UM, OUR COUNTY STAFF WANTED TO DONATE OLD COMPUTERS TO THAT PROGRAM.
UH, BUT WE FIGURED OUT THAT STATUTE PREVENTED US FROM DOING SO.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OFTEN TO US AT THE COUNTY.
UM, AND SO 'CAUSE WE LIVE AND DIE BY STATUTE.
[00:10:01]
SO THE REASON WHY WE CAN'T DO THAT IS THERE IS CURRENTLY A FREE PART TEST IN STATUTE IF YOU WANNA DONATE OLD COUNTY SURPLUS PROPERTY.UM, AND ONE OF THOSE PARTS WE FAILED BECAUSE THERE WAS STILL A VERY, VERY SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNT ATTACHED TO THOSE COMPUTERS.
SO OUR BILL MODIFIES THAT THREE PART TEST AND WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO DONATE THOSE COMPUTERS TO THE CITY'S PROGRAM.
AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNEW PC DID NOT STAND FOR POLITICALLY CORRECT
UM, OUR NEXT BILL IS ABOUT COUNTY BAIL BOND BOARD MEETINGS, WHICH IS A MOUTHFUL.
UM, IT HAS BEEN FILED BY SENATOR ZINI AND THEN ALSO FILED IN THE HOUSE BY REPRESENTATIVE LULU FLORES AS HB 3 5 6 6.
SO CURRENT STATUTE REQUIRES COUNTY BAIL BOND BOARDS TO MEET MONTHLY, EXCEPT FOR VERY SMALL COUNTIES CAN MEET FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
UM, OUR COUNTY BAIL BOND BOARD, UM, OFTEN STRUGGLES TO MEET QUORUM FOR THEIR MONTHLY MEETINGS.
THEY USUALLY DON'T HAVE BUSINESS TO TAKE UP AT ALL.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, FOLKS ON LIKE STATUTORILY REQUIRED TO BE ON THAT BAIL BOND BOARD THAT HAVE A LOT OF DUTIES.
OUR COUNTY JUDGE, OUR DISTRICT CLERK, A LOT OF OTHER JUDGES, UM, AND SO WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET A LITTLE BIT LESS FREQUENTLY SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESS TO TAKE UP.
SO THIS BILL, UM, WOULD ALLOW THEM TO MEET AT LEAST SIX TIMES IN A YEAR.
AND IT'S ONLY FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
OKAY, NEXT BILL, PLEASE DEAR MANAGEMENT.
UM, SO THIS BILL HAS TO DO WITH DEER MANAGEMENT ON THE BA COUNTY'S CANYON LAND PRESERVE.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY UNIQUE PROPERTY WHERE WE ARE FEDERALLY REQUIRED TO PROTECT SEVERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES.
UM, IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BACK UP TO ABOUT 19,000 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ACROSS THE COUNTY.
SO DEER MANAGEMENT HAS TO BE DONE IN A VERY SAFE, PRECISE MANNER.
UM, SO THIS BILL WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW FOR US TO HIRE PROFESSIONAL AGENTS TO DO THAT.
DEAR MANAGEMENT ON THE BCP, UM, REPRESENTATIVE Z WIENER HAS FILED THAT, AND THEN WE'RE FINALIZING A SENATE SPONSOR RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN NEXT SLIDE, OR I'M SORRY, NOT NEXT SLIDE.
UM, GOING BACK WASTE MANAGEMENT.
SO THIS BILL'S BEEN FILED BY REPRESENTATIVE CHERYL COLE IN THE HOUSE, AND THEN SENATOR ZINI FILED IT, THE SENATE AS SB 17 14TH.
SO STATUTE CURRENTLY PROHIBITS COUNTIES FROM PROVIDING WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN THE ETJ.
EVEN IF A CITY DOESN'T PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES IN THE ETJ, UM, WE SPEND AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR CLEANING UP ILLEGALLY DUMPED WASTE IN RIDE OF WASTE.
UM, SO WE WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM HAVING MORE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO PREVENT FOLKS FROM ILLEGALLY DUMPING WASTE.
SO THIS BILL WOULD ALLOW FOR THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN THE ETJ IF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT DECIDES TO IMPLEMENT THAT PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE.
THAT IS THE END OF OUR CURRENT LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE.
UM, LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO FOCUS IN ON A COUPLE OF TOPIC AREAS THAT ARE VERY IMPACTFUL TO COUNTY OPERATIONS.
AND THEN, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE ARE TRACKING A LOT OF BILLS, SO WE DECIDED TO FOCUS IN ON THE ONES THAT MIGHT, UH, THAT ALSO IMPACT OUR OTHER INTERGOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS.
UM, SO THIS SLIDE HAS TO DO WITH BILLS, UM, THAT ARE TOUCHING ON CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
SO THERE'S BEEN INCREASING INTEREST OVER THE LAST FEW LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO MODIFY THE WAY THAT POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS CAN ISSUE DEBT.
UM, THESE BILLS HERE FOCUS ON CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
THE MAIN THEME IS THAT THEY'RE IMPACTING WHAT WE COULD ISSUE CEOS FOR.
UM, SO SEVERAL WOULD LIMIT ISSUING COS ONLY FOR THINGS NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH STATE OR FEDERAL LAW, OR COMPLY WITH A COURT ORDER OR IN RESPONSE TO A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, UM, OR A NATURAL DISASTER.
UM, SEVERAL OTHER OF THOSE WOULD PROHIBIT CO ISSUANCE IF A BOND FOR THE SAME PURPOSE FAILED THE ELECTION DURING THE PROCEEDING FIVE YEARS.
THIS LAST CHUNK OF BILLS, UM, THESE WOULD PLACE NEW LIMITATIONS ON ELECTIONS TO ISSUE BONDS OR INCREASE TAX RATES.
SEVERAL WOULD PLACE A TWO THIRDS OR 60% VOTE THRESHOLD REQUIREMENT IN ORDER FOR BOND ELECTIONS OR TAX RATE ELECTIONS TO PASS.
AND THEN SOMEONE RESTRICT FUTURE BOND PROPOSITIONS FOR TWO YEARS IF A PROPOSAL IS SIMILAR TO ONE THAT VOTERS DID NOT APPROVE.
SO THAT IS IT FOR ME AND I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? THIRD TIME? ANY QUESTIONS? I HEAR NONE.
UH, THEN I'LL ASK FOR DOCTOR'S REACH AND BUTS TO MAKE THE A ISD PRESENTATION.
REACH WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT, SO IT'S, AND IT'S JUST, I'M NOT A DOCTOR
IT, IT EX IT EXTENDS YOUR REACH A LITTLE BIT.
[00:15:01]
SO, UM, THE, UH, HOUSE AND THE SENATE PASSED OR HAVE FILED HB ONE AND SB ONE.UM, AND THEY BOTH HAVE 5.25 BILLION IN, UH, NEW MONEY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BOTH HAVE 400 MILLION TO INCREASE THE, UH, SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT.
AND, UH, THEN THE 4.85 BILLION FOR INCREASED PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING CONTINGENT ON PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION.
THE, UH, AND THEY BOTH HAVE 1 BILLION SET ASIDE FOR VOUCHERS, UM, AND THEN OTHER FUNDING FOR ITEMS REQUIRED BY LAW.
UM, THE, THE TWO BILLS GO, UH, APPROACH HOW THEY WANT TO SPEND THE FUNDING DIFFERENTLY.
UM, THE SENATE, WELL, LET ME, LET ME BACK UP A MINUTE.
THE CURRENT BASIC ALLOTMENT OF $6,160 HAS NOT BEEN RAISED SINCE 2019, DESPITE OVER 20% INFLATION.
UM, THE BUYING POWER OF THE BASIC ALLOTMENT HAS DECREASED BY $1,340 SINCE 2020.
UM, AND AS I JUST MENTIONED, BOTH BILLS, EACH BILL DIFFERS ON HOW TO SPEND THE 4.85 BILLION.
UM, THE, UM, AND THIS JUST SHOWS, IT'S JUST A, THIS IS A JACOB SLIDE, SO WE CAN GO PAST THAT ONE.
THE ONE AT THE VERY BOTTOM SPECIAL EDUCATION IS UNDERFUNDED BY $73.2 MILLION.
UH, TRANSPORTATION IS UNDERFUNDED BY $32.4 MILLION.
AND ALL OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS ARE, ARE UNDERFUNDED.
SO SCHOOLS HAVE HAD TO FIND WAYS TO, UM, TO PAY FOR THESE.
SO UNDER UNDERFUNDED, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WE'RE DEFINING THAT AS WHAT THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S HAVING TO PICK UP? YES.
UM, SENATE BILL 26 BY CREIGHTON IS THE BILL THAT THE SENATE HAS PROPOSED FOR HOW TO SPEND THAT $4.3 BILLION.
THERE IS NO INCREASE TO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT UNDER THE SENATE'S VERSION.
UM, WHAT THEY PROPOSE TO DO IS TO GIVE PROPERTY ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX BREAKS.
UM, AND THEY, LIKE THEY DID LAST TIME, THEY PASSED A PROPERTY TAX BREAK LAST SESSION, THEY WILL HOLD SCHOOLS HARMLESS FOR THE MONEY THAT THE SCHOOL DOES NOT RECEIVE IN PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THAT HOLD HARMLESS CAN ALWAYS BE REPEALED.
AND, UM, AND THAT'S VERY RISKY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS BECAUSE, UM, THE STATE HAS AGREED TO MAKE UP THE MONEY THAT THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL NOT BE GETTING.
UM, BUT THEY CAN ALWAYS TAKE THAT AWAY AND WE WILL RECEIVE LESS MONEY AS A RESULT.
UM, SO WHAT THE, THE, THE SENTENCE VERSION DOES IS IT INCREASES TEACHER PAY, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE HOW THEY PROPOSE TO, UM, TO ALLOCATE THE TEACHER PAY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH 5,000 STUDENTS OR LESS.
FOR TEACHERS WITH THREE TO FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE, THE RAISE WOULD BE $5,000, AND FOR FIVE OR MORE YEARS EXPERIENCE 10,000.
AND THEN FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH MORE THAN 5,000 STUDENTS, UM, THE, UH, CORRESPONDING RAISE WOULD BE $2,500 AND, UH, $5,500.
IT ALSO EXPANDS THE TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT BOOSTING PAY TO INSTRUCTORS BASED ON STUDENTS' ACADEMIC GROWTH.
AND IT ALSO EXPANDS, UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE INCREASED PAY TO PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
AND THEN IT ALSO, UH, PROVIDES THAT THE TEACHERS, THE CHILDREN OF TEACHERS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE PRE PRE-K.
UM, THE SENTENCE VERSION OF THE BILL, UM, HOUSE BILL TWO, UM, WOULD INCREASE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT BY $220.
UM, IT WOULD, UH, INCREASE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING.
CURRENTLY, SPECIAL EDUCATION IS BASED ON FUNDING, IS BASED ON WHERE THE CHILD IS, UH, RECEIVING, UH, SERVICES, RECEIVING EDUCATION.
AND THIS BILL WOULD CHANGE IT TO THE INTENSITY OF THE SERVICES.
UM, IT WOULD INCREASE THE SMALL AND MID-SIZE ALLOTMENT WEIGHT BY 1.1 BILLION.
UH, IT INCREASES THE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION ALLOTMENT BY $32 PER STUDENT.
AND THAT'S THE ALLOTMENT FOR, UM, FOR LOW INCOME STUDENTS.
AND IT CREATES A NEW FINE ARTS ALLOTMENT OF $51 PER STUDENT.
UM, IN ADDITION, SO THAT BILL WILL BE HEARD TOMORROW, UM, BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE, THEY WILL HEAR, INVITE A TESTIMONY ONLY TOMORROW AND THEN THURSDAY THEY
[00:20:01]
WILL HAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.UM, SENATE BILL TWO IS THE SENTENCE VERSION OF, THERE WE GO.
UH, ONE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, 1 BILLION IS SET ASIDE.
UM, THIS IS A, UH, A UNIVERSAL VOUCHER, WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S, UH, THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE ELIGIBLE SO LONG AS THE CHILD IS ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SO, IF A, IF A CHILD IS ELIGIBLE FOR KINDERGARTEN, UH, ON THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, UM, THAT CHILD IS, UM, IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS VOUCHER.
IT'S CALLED AN EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
UM, AND ANYONE, AS I'VE MENTIONED, ANYONE CAN APPLY FOR IT.
IF THEY HAVE MORE APPLICATIONS, UM, THAN THEY HAVE SEATS AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF THE MONEY, THE MONETARY RESTRICTION, THEN THEY WILL HAVE A LOTTERY.
AND THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE LOTTERY OR THE WAY THAT THE LOTTERY, THE THE SEATS WILL BE ALLOCATED ARE FOUR.
UM, IS 80% OF POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
THE LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD IS DEFINED AS A HOUSEHOLD WITH A TOTAL ANNUAL INCOME THAT IS AT OR BELOW 500% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, WHICH IS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR THAT IS $160,750.
UM, THE VOUCHER AMOUNT IS $10,000, UM, 1100, 500, 11,500 FOR A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY, 2000 FOR HOMESCHOOLERS AND 2,500 FOR A HOMESCHOOLER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
UM, THIS BILL HAS PASSED THE SENATE AND IT IS, UH, HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THE HOUSE VERSION OF, UM, EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS IS HOUSE BILL THREE BY CHAIRMAN BUCKLEY.
IT IS ALSO UNIVERSAL OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOL.
AND AGAIN, IF THERE ARE MORE APPLICATIONS AND THERE ARE SEATS AVAILABLE, 85% OF, UM, OF THE, OF THE SEATS WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO STUDENTS WHO ARE, UM, FIRST A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY AND A HOUSEHOLD INCOME BELOW 500% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES.
AND THEN TO A STUDENT WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME BELOW 200% OF FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES, THEN TO A STUDENT WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME BETWEEN 200 AND 500% OF POVERTY GUIDELINES.
AND THEN, UH, STUDENTS WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF 500% OF FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES.
UM, THE VOUCHER AMOUNT, UH, WOULD BE BASED ON 85% OF THE ESTIMATED STATEWIDE AVERAGE OF STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING PER STUDENT IN AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE, WHICH THAT'S UP TO, UM, INTERPRETATION BECAUSE SOME STATE OFFICIALS, UH, SAY THAT, UH, SCHOOLS RECEIVE $15,000 PER STUDENT.
HOWEVER, IN THAT $15,000 AMOUNT IS, UM, UH, INS INCOME, WHICH IS OUR BOND INCOME, IT'S FEDERAL MONEY.
IT IS MONEY THAT IS PUT INTO THE TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
IT IS NOT MONEY THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS OR GOES TO A CLASSROOM.
AND SO IT, IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER THE 85% WILL BE, WILL BE BASED ON THAT 15,000 OR WHETHER IT WILL BE BASED ON THE ACTUAL AMOUNT THAT THE SCHOOLS GET TO PLACE IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO THIS WILL BE INTERESTING TO, TO FOLLOW.
UM, AND THEN THE AMOUNT FOR A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY WOULD BE EQUAL TO WHAT THEIR HOME DISTRICT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED UP TO $30,000.
AND THEN HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD RECEIVE UP TO 2000 STUDENTS.
THE NEXT, UH, SET OF THE NEXT BILL I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS SJR TWO AND SB FOUR.
AND THAT'S THE HOMESTEAD BILL, UM, THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHICH THAT WOULD INCREASE THE CURRENT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FROM $100,000 TO $140,000 AND TO 150,000 FOR DISABLED INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE STATE WOULD HOLD SCHOOL DISTRICTS HARMLESS FOR THE REVENUE LOSS, UM, AND IT WOULD REQUIRE VOTERS TO APPROVE SJR TWO.
AS Y'ALL WILL RECALL THAT THE LAST SESSION THERE WAS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WAS APPROVED.
UM, IT IS PENDING, UM, REFERRAL INTO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.
UM, ANOTHER BILL THAT'S BEEN FILED THAT'S OF INTEREST IS SB 12, UM, BY CREIGHTON, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO FACTOR IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AND HIRING AND EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS.
[00:25:01]
DEVELOPING POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND TRAINING THAT REFERENCE RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER IDENTITY, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.UM, IT WOULD REQUIRE DISTRICTS TO CREATE POLICIES FOR DISCIPLINING EMPLOYEES WHO ENGAGE IN OR ASSIGN DEI RELATED TASKS TO OTHERS.
IT WOULD BAN CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION ON GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
UM, AND IT AMENDS TRANSFER PROVISIONS.
IT SET SETS UP THE LOTTERY ORDER OF TYPES OF STUDENTS PRIORITIZED IF MORE APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED THAN THE NUMBER AVAILABLE SEATS.
IT ALSO AMENDS THE GRIEVANCE POLICIES.
UH, SENATOR CREIGHTON HAS ALSO FILED SENATE BILL 1565, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO SB 12.
UM, I HAVEN'T REALLY PARSED ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, WHETHER THERE IS DIFFERENT LANGUAGE FROM WHAT I COULD TELL.
THE DEI LANGUAGE IS THE SAME IN BOTH BILLS.
UM, OTHER BILLS OF INTEREST, UM, SENATE BILL 200 AND IT'S 260 BY HUFFMAN.
UH, THIS INCREASES THE ALLOTMENT.
THIS SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT TO $20 PER STUDENT, WHICH CURRENTLY IT'S $10 PER STUDENT AND TO, UH, 30,000 PER CAMPUS, WHICH RIGHT NOW IT'S 15 PER CAMPUS.
UM, HOUSE BILL SIX BY LEACH REMOVES FROM MANDATORY, UM, DAEP PLACEMENT.
ANY OFFENSES REGARDING MARIJUANA AND E-CIGARETTE POSSESSION, USE, SALE, OR DELIVERY.
SO RIGHT NOW, IF A STUDENT IS, UH, CAUGHT WITH AN E-CIGARETTE OR MARIJUANA, IT'S AUTOMATIC PLACEMENT IN DAEP.
AND THIS MAKES IT, UM, THIS REMOVES THE MANDATORY, UM, UH, PLACEMENT.
UM, AND IT ALLOWS EXPELLED STUDENTS TO BE PLACED IN VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON DAEP AND PROVIDES, UH, AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE FOR, FOR SUCH STUDENTS.
UM, SENATE BILL 12 BY SENATOR KING, UH, REQUIRES THE DISPLAY OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS IN CLASSROOMS. UM, SENATE BILL 11 BY SENATOR MIDDLETON PROVIDES, REQUIRES A PERIOD OF PRAYER AND READING OF THE BIBLE OR OTHER RELIGIOUS TEXTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, BOTH THOSE BILLS WERE SET FOR HEARING ON SATURDAY.
THEY WERE SET ON SATURDAY FOR TOMORROW.
UM, HOUSE BILL 180 3 BY PATTERSON IS A REGULATION AND REVIEW OF CERTAIN LIBRARY MATERIALS INCLUDED IN PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
UM, THEY PASSED, THE BILL SENT, I THINK IT WAS HOUSE BILL 600 LAST SESSION.
PART OF THAT BILL, UH, WAS CHALLENGED IN COURT BY BOOKSELLERS.
UM, AND PART OF THE BILL WAS ENJOINED.
AND, UM, THIS BILL, UM, ADDRESSES SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, UM, AND SORT OF REPEATS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE IN, IN HOUSE BILL 600.
AND THEN, UH, FINALLY, UM, THESE BILLS ARE AFFECT ALL OF OUR POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL BILLS, UH, THAT PROHIBIT LOBBYING BY, UM, POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS AND PROHIBIT, UM, UH, PAYING DUES TO ASSOCIATIONS THAT HIRE LOBBYISTS.
SO FOR US, FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IT'S TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS, TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, TEXAS SCHOOL COALITION, UM, FOR YOU ALL, IT'S THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES OR TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
UM, SO IT, IT WOULD NOT PROHIBIT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THEMSELVES GOING TO THE CAPITOL AND SHARING YOUR VIEWS WITH, WITH YOUR LAWMAKERS.
UM, BUT AS, AND WHAT I SHOULD MENTION IS IT'S SENATE BILL 19 APPEARS TO BE THE ONE OF ALL OF THESE BILLS THAT IS MOVING FORWARD.
THIS WAS HEARD, UH, LAST WEEK BY THE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IN THE SENATE.
UM, THEY HAVE NOT PASSED IT OUT OF COMMITTEE.
THERE WERE SOME WHO TESTIFIED THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CITIES, MUNICIPALITIES THAT LIVE, YOU KNOW, 10, 10 HOURS AWAY, UH, TO COME AND, UM, VISIT WITH THEIR LEGISLATORS ABOUT HOW BILLS AFFECT THEM.
AND SO THEY DO RELY ON OUR, ON THE ASSOCIATIONS TO, TO FOLLOW THESE BILLS FOR THEM.
UM, AND THAT'S ALL WE, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
UM, AND IF YOU WANT TO BE, UH, WELL, YOU ALL KNOW HOW TO BE INVOLVED, CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR, ET CETERA.
UM, UM, I, I HAVE A, AN EMAIL THAT GOES OUT ON FRIDAY AFTERNOONS THAT, UH, SUMMARIZES WHAT HAPPENED THAT WEEK AND WHAT'S COMING UP THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO, UH, RECEIVE THESE FRIDAY EMAILS, UM, YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT, UH, EDNA DOT BUTTS@AUSTINISD.ORG.
[00:30:01]
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.I LOVE, 'CAUSE IF THAT'S NOT THE RECORD, MY YOLANDA WILL GET MAD AT ME.
SHE PROBABLY WATCHING AT HOME.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, UH, MY MOTHER AND EDNA WORK TOGETHER FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
UH, ON PAGE, UH, THREE OF YOUR REPORT, YOU HAVE THE, IS THAT BASIC ALLOTMENT, IS IT, THAT'S PER STUDENT, RIGHT? YES.
AND, AND THAT HADN'T BEEN INCREASED.
I, I WAS CURIOUS 'CAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS AT A ISD FOR FOLKS THAT DON'T KNOW, I USED TO WORK AT A ISD, UM, IN THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT.
UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS CLOSER TO LIKE 7,000 AM AM I, AM I JUST REMEMBERING THAT INCORRECTLY OR WAS THAT A DIFFERENT NUMBER? WELL, SO IT'S, THE BASIC ALLOTMENT IS THE AMOUNT PER STUDENT, $6,160.
AND THEN IF A STUDENT HAS CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS, FOR EXAMPLE, A SPECIAL ED OR, UH, THEY RECEIVE THE COMPENSATORY, UH, ALLOTMENT IF THEY'RE LOW INCOME OR IF THEY, UH, ARE GIFTED AND TALENTED, THERE'S AN ALLOTMENT FOR THAT.
SO, SO THOSE, THOSE WEIGHT, THEY CALL 'EM WEIGHTS ARE ADDED ONTO THE 6,160 AND THEN THEY AVERAGE OUT WHAT THEY CALL WADA, THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
SO YOU HEARD ME, I THINK, TALK EARLIER ABOUT, UM, THE CLAIM BY SOME THAT SCHOOLS RECEIVE 15,000 PER STUDENT, BUT IT'S REALLY MORE A LITTLE ABOVE 10,000 BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHTS.
AND ON PAGE, UH, EIGHT, HOW MANY OF THE SCHOOLS, UH, AT A IC FALL IN THAT LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD DEFINITION BY THE STATE? THE 500% YES.
OF THE POVERTY LEVEL? UM, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION I HAVE BECAUSE I KNOW AT LEAST 71 ARE TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND THEN THAT LEAVES ABOUT ANOTHER 1920 NUMBERS COULD BE OFF ON THAT.
BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY OF, OF OUR A IC SCHOOLS FALL WITHIN THAT RANGE? YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW.
PROBABLY NOT THAT MANY, BUT I WILL FIND OUT AND GET THAT NUMBER TO ALL OF YOU.
ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE? GO AHEAD.
I'M CURIOUS ON SLIDE SEVEN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOUSE BILL TWO TO, WITH THE $220 INCREASE AND SOME OF THE OTHER INCREASES, HAVE Y'ALL DONE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH A ISD WOULD NET IF THIS WERE TO PASS AS IT'S CURRENTLY ENVISIONED? WE HAVEN'T DONE AN IN-HOUSE ESTIMATE.
UM, WE HAVE OTHERS WHO DO THE, AS YOU CALL, THEY'RE CALLED THE RUNS AS YOU KNOW.
UM, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THERE WILL BE A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE.
UH, SO THEY'LL PROBABLY, THE CHAIRMAN MAY LAY OUT A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE TOMORROW.
UM, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, SOME OF THE URBAN DISTRICTS WOULD RECEIVE, UM, MUCH UNDER THE CURRENT, THE CURRENT BILL.
YOUR CURRENT ENROLLMENT IS WHAT? 70 WHAT? THOUSAND 72? ABOUT ABOUT 72,000.
SO KIND OF BACK IN THE NAPKIN YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING 15 ISH MILLION.
THEY, BUT, AND THE REASON I'M ASKING THAT IS I, I'VE SEEN, AS I'M SURE MANY HAVE THE RECENT DISCUSSION OF Y'ALL'S BUDGET DEFICIT AND WHERE THAT IS OR GROWN TO OR, UH, AND SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS WOULD PLAY INTO BRIDGING THAT GAP.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE AT 110, THIS IS JUST, UH, SCRATCHING THE SURFACE.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
AS I SAID, THE RUNS, THE RUNS ESTIMATING HOW MUCH EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD GET UNDER THIS CURRENT VERSION OF THE BILL HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED BY ANYONE.
AND I THINK THAT MAY BE WHY THEY ARE LOOKING AT A COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE.
SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL FIND OUT HOPEFULLY TOMORROW.
THEY, THEY ALWAYS HOLD THAT BACK.
WELL, AND, AND I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THAT NUMBER VERSUS THE NUMBER YOU REFERENCED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE OF THE 1340 MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, IF YOU APPLIED THAT NUMBER AND ONCE AGAIN, KIND OF BACK TO THE NAPKIN, BUT THAT'S OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, THAT THAT IS THE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE INFLATION THAT HAS NOT KEPT UP.
AND SO I, I'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK ME, WHY, WHY IS AUSTIN ISD, HOW COME THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY? YOU KNOW, HOW COME THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO BE IN A DEFICIT? I THINK THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT TELLS YOU RIGHT HERE THAT Y'ALL ARE NOT YOU, YOU'VE NOT KEPT UP WITH INFLATION BY ITSELF.
AND WE HAVE, YOU HASN'T KEPT UP WITH THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S HASN'T KEPT UP WITH MUCH BETTER.
WE HAVE INSURANCE COSTS, WE HAVE MEDICAL, YOU KNOW, INSURANCE COSTS, WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION COSTS, COST OF GASOLINE.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY EXPENSES THAT WE'VE HAD TO, UM, WE'VE HAD TO FIND MONEY IN OUR, IN OUR OWN BUDGET TO, UH, TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE TO KEEP OPERATING.
WE'RE STILL GETTING REIMBURSED AT LIKE THE 1985
[00:35:01]
RATE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION STAFF AND TRANSPORTATION COSTS.SO YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE HOW MUCH WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE UP.
I THINK ONE OF THE, UM, THINGS I, I WANTED TO POINT OUT IF, IF IT'S OKAY, AND, AND THEN YOU DID A GREAT JOB SUMMARIZING THE DISMAL STATE OF AFFAIRS
I THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY, UM, YEAH, SCHOOL FUNDING GETS ALL THE ATTENTION, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOBBYING, THE ANTI LOBBYING BILL, UM, THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, TIES OUR HANDS BEHIND OUR BACK GOING FORWARD FOR ANY SORT OF ADVOCACY GOING FORWARD.
AND, UM, REGARDING YOU, THERE WAS SOME MENTION OF THE, UM, TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT AS WELL, WHICH A ISD JUST GOT APPROVED, UM, AFTER A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE US ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.
AND SO THAT COULD HELP OUR TEACHERS.
UM, THE, THE STRINGS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THAT THOUGH ARE WE START GETTING MORE INTO LIKE A PAY PERFORMANCE TYPE OF SCENARIO.
SO TEST SCORES BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, THAT'S GOOD OR BAD DEPENDING ON
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT, UM, I BELIEVE EDNA IS THE, THE, UM, THE HOUSE AND SENATE BILL, NEITHER OF THEM TAKEN TO, OR OR MENTIONED WHAT WE HAD LAST SESSION, WHICH WAS IF YOUR CHILD IS ALREADY IN PRIVATE SCHOOL, LAST LAST SESSION, IF YOUR CHILD WAS ALREADY IN PRIVATE SCHOOL, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN INELIGIBLE TO GET VOUCHERS.
UM, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT THOUGHTS ON THAT.
SO THE WAY THAT IT WAS WRITTEN IS YOU HAD A CHILD HAD TO HAVE BEEN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR A YEAR BEFORE BECOMING ELIGIBLE FOR A VOUCHER.
UM, AND, AND A LOT OF OTHER JUST, UH, STATES THAT HAVE VOUCHERS HAVE THESE, UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE BEEN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF, A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT YOU HAVE TO, THAT THE PRIORITY, NOT PRIORITY, JUST IF THERE ARE MORE APPLICATIONS THAN, THAN SEATS AVAILABLE, BUT JUST PRIORITY PERIOD FROM THE, FROM THE GET GO.
AND THAT IS FOR SPECIAL ED FOR STUDENTS WHO, UH, WHO ARE LOW INCOME, WHICH IS BELOW THE 500.
IT'S MORE LIKE, YOU KNOW, 200% OF FEDERAL, FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
UM, AND THEY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ENTRY, THEY, THEY HAVE THESE PRIORITIZATIONS THAT THIS BILL TOTALLY DOES NOT HAVE, THAT THESE BILLS DO NOT HAVE.
THERE'S ANOTHER BILL, UM, CECILY IT MAY HAVE BEEN ON YOUR LIST OF, THAT'S ALSO OF CONCERN IS CHANGING THE REQUIREMENT.
FOR, UM, VOTER APPROVAL FOR BONDS AND TAX INCREASES FROM CURRENTLY IT'S A MAJORITY OF, OF THOSE VOTING.
UM, THERE ARE BILLS THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT TWO THIRDS OR 66% OF THE VOTERS APPROVE ANY BOND OR, UM, TAX INCREASE.
SO THAT WOULD BE SUPER MAJORITY.
AND THAT'S, THOSE, THOSE BILLS ARE ALSO CONCERNING.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY? NO SIR.
HEARING NONE, UH, THEN WE WILL GO TO RICK RAMIREZ FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PRESENTATION.
THIS IS CARRIE ROGERS AND I AM THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, RICK WAS UNDER THE WEATHER TODAY, AND SO I AM FILLING IN FOR HIM AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE IN PERSON, BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH ALL OF YOU.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY WANNA THANK OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY AND OF COURSE AUSTIN, ISD, UM, FOR THE CONTINUED COMMUNICATION, ET CETERA ON OUR LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS.
UM, I THINK THEY COVERED A LOT OF THE HARD STUFF, BUT I'M GONNA, UH, SKIM THROUGH HERE AND SEE WHAT WE MAY HAVE LEFT TO TALK ABOUT.
UM, SO SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED ITS LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS IN DECEMBER.
AND THE BIG ASK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN THIS YEAR IS RELATED TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS PENSION FUND.
UH, REPRESENTATIVE BUSEY, ONE OF OUR AUSTIN DELEGATION MEMBERS HAS THAT BILL, UM, HOUSE BILL 28 0 2.
AND SO I EXPECT THAT YOU'LL, UH, PROBABLY HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE NEXT, UM, SEVERAL WEEKS.
BUT THIS IS SPECIFIC TO JUST THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS, UH, RETIREMENT FUND AS A LOCAL BILL.
UM, UH, BOTH SICILY AND EDNA COVERED THIS, AND I, UM, WILL TELL YOU, AND THE MAYOR CAN JUMP IN HERE AS WELL.
UM, OUR BIG, UM, CONCERN AND, AND THE, UM, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SHARING WITH OUR DELEGATION MEMBERS AND OTHERS IS THE CONCERN RELATED TO REVENUE IMPACTS,
[00:40:01]
SPECIFICALLY AS EDNA WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PROPOSED TWO THIRDS VOTE FOR ANY TAX RATE ELECTION OR BOND ELECTION.UM, I THINK THERE'S ALSO A BILL OR TWO OUT THERE THAT WOULD LIMIT CITY'S ABILITY TO SPEND MORE THAN WHAT THEIR BUDGET WAS LAST YEAR.
AND SO WHEN YOU LAYER THESE, UM, WHEN YOU LAYER THESE BILLS IN WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE POTENTIAL CUTS TO, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING AND GRANTS, UM, AND THEN SOME OTHER LOCAL MATTERS, UM, WORKING HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I THINK THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR US SPECIFICALLY.
UM, WE COVERED ALL THIS WITH, UM, WITH, AND THEN SICILY.
UM, THIS IS A, A BILL, UM, THAT WAS FILED BY, UH, REPRESENTATIVE KANE.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT HOUSE BILL 1715 WOULD DO IS, UH, PROHIBIT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, OR THE CITY OR EVENTS FROM PROHIBITING GUNS, UM, AT THEIR EVENTS.
AND SO, UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY IS A, IS A THE PLACE TO BE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF EVENTS THAT OCCUR HERE.
AND SO THIS IS A BILL OF, UM, THAT WE ARE WATCHING CLOSELY, UM, ON BEHALF OF THOSE EVENTS AND WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMAIN BOTH BUSINESS FRIENDLY, BUT ALSO PUT PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST.
UM, A NUMBER OF THESE BILLS HERE ARE RELATED TO LAND USE, AND I THINK, UH, THIS MAY BE, MAY BE A TOPIC WE HAVEN'T YET COVERED.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS FIRST IN THE NATION BY MANY ACCOUNTS IN TERMS OF BRINGING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AS I SAID, EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE HERE.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT AS A HIGH DEMAND FOR HOUSING.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED THAT ARE INTENDED TO, UM, REMOVE BARRIERS TO TRY AND GET, UM, THOSE SHINGLES UP SOONER.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THOSE PARTICULAR AUTHORS AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS TO SEE WHERE WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THOSE BILLS.
UM, BUT OVERALL, I THINK WHAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM US AND OUR LEADERSHIP IS, UH, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF ADDITIONAL TOOLS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, WE WANT TO REMAIN BUSINESS FRIENDLY.
WE WANNA HAVE, UM, COMPATIBLE LAND USE WITH OUR, UM, WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE, UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR, UH, LEGISLATIVE PARTNERS.
UM, HOMELESSNESS, THIS IS A, UM, A TOPIC THAT I KNOW, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS PARTICIPATED IN.
SENATOR PARKER OUT OF THE NORTH TEXAS AREA HAD PULLED TOGETHER A COALITION, UM, MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, TO WORK ON LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS BOTH HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH, UH, NEEDS ACROSS THE STATE.
AND SO ACTUALLY AS WE HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE, UH, SENATOR PARKER'S, UH, DRAFT BILL HAS LANDED IN ALL OF OUR INBOXES.
AND, UM, AND WHAT I'LL SAY HERE, AND THIS IS REALLY BACK TO WHAT SICILY WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER ON, UH, THE MENTAL HEALTH APPROACH AND, UM, SENATOR PERRY CARRYING SOME LEGISLATION ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY.
WE ARE SO PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY.
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN I HAVE.
THE MAYOR HAS REALLY BEEN A LEADER IN PUSHING FOR ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK WITH THIS IN MIND, WITH SENATOR PERRYVILLE AND WITH SENATOR PARKSVILLE, WE'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF, UM, OVERLAPPING CONCENTRIC CIRCLES, IF YOU WILL COME TOGETHER, UM, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS BEEN REALLY ENCOURAGING IS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF SUPPORT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
IT HAS NOT BEEN A PARTISAN ISSUE.
THERE'S THE POLITICAL WILL THERE AND FINGERS CROSSED I THINK SOME OF THE FUNDING THERE FROM LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP AS WELL TO GET THIS DONE.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A BIG PRIORITY AND WE ARE, UM, EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO OUR, UM, SENATE LEADERSHIP AND OTHERS WHO HAVE HELPED GET US TO THIS POINT.
BUT THERE, I EXPECT THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME ON THIS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS HOMELESSNESS.
UM, ONE OF THE NEEDS THAT WAS IDENTIFIED OUT OF SENATOR PARKER'S ROUND TABLE WAS ESTABLISHING SOME SORT OF STATEWIDE DATA SHARING NETWORK.
AND SO WE EXPECT, UM, REPRESENTATIVE WALLY HAS A BILL AND I EXPECT THAT SENATOR PARKER IS PROBABLY GONNA PICK UP THAT BILL ON THE SENATE SIDE.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER PROVISIONS HERE RELATED TO SHELTER AND HOUSING SERVICES.
AND THEN LASTLY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT, UM, WHICH IS, UH, REQUIRING PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE CONVERTING CITY PROPERTY INTO HOMELESS HOUSING.
THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A TOOL THAT HAS BEEN USED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, TO TRY TO GET, UM, MORE OF THOSE AFFORDABLE OR UNSHELTERED HOUSING UNITS
[00:45:01]
IN PLACE.SO, UM, THE SENATOR'S LOOKING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT THERE.
UM, THESE ARE AGAIN, UM, THE LAST SLIDE ARE JUST A NUMBER OF TOPICS.
WE OF COURSE FOCUSED ON WATER.
I THINK CECILY MENTIONED THAT EARLIER.
UM, A NUMBER OF PREEMPTION BILLS HAVE BEEN FILED, BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR DELEGATION ON THOSE, UH, ON THOSE TOPICS.
UM, I'M GONNA TOUCH ON, UH, THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM HERE BRIEFLY.
A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO US THERE, OF COURSE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, ET CETERA.
UM, THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE RIGHT NOW IS IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS KNOWN WAY BACK IN THE DAY AS EARMARKS.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE DONE A CALL FOR PROJECTS INTERNALLY AND EXPECT TO BEGIN, UM, SUBMITTING THOSE TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
WHAT I WILL SAY TO TO THE COUNTY AND TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS PARTNERS AND ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE LISTENING, UH, THE CITY HAS ESTABLISHED A CENTRALIZED GRANTS UNIT HERE IN OUR OFFICE IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING, NOT JUST WITH THE COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST, BUT IN GRANTS IN GENERAL, THAT THERE IS SOME COLLABORATION WHERE WE'RE NOT, UM, COMPETING FOR THE SAME FUNDS.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY WHEN THOSE BIG GRANT DOLLARS BECOME AVAILABLE AND FINGERS CROSSED THAT, THAT THOSE WILL STILL BE ON THE HORIZON FOR US.
UM, BUT WHEN THOSE GRANT DOLLARS BECOME AVAILABLE THAT WE PARTNER TO BUILD AN EVEN STRONGER APPLICATION AND SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ONE LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY COMPETING AGAINST ANOTHER.
UM, BUT WE WILL, AS YOU, UM, ALL LIKELY KNOW, WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A CONGRESSIONAL ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET.
UM, THE HOPE HAD BEEN THAT THAT WOULD GET ADOPTED SO THAT CONGRESS CAN SHIP THEIR EYES TO THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET.
UM, BUT THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE CASE BASED ON THE LAST INFORMATION I SAW THIS MORNING, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR PARTNERS UPDATED.
YOU ALL KNOW, UH, I KNOW YOU ALL ARE RECEIVING COMMUNICATIONS FROM ME REGULARLY THAT WE SEND TO OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS REGARDING THE VARIOUS EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND FEDERAL ACTIONS OUT OF WASHINGTON.
I THINK NOT UNLIKE MANY OF YOU, WE ARE, UM, WATCHING TO SEE WHERE THOSE, UH, POTENTIAL CUTS AND REDUCTIONS COULD HAVE A REAL TIME IMPACT ON THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO I THINK IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER SO THAT WE'RE, UH, NOT DOING DUPLICATE WORK, BUT IDENTIFYING, UM, WHERE THOSE IMPACTS MAY BE AND WHAT POTENTIAL MITIGATION STRATEGIES CAN BE PULLED TOGETHER, UM, TO MAKE SURE SERVICES ARE NOT, UH, REDUCED HERE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE SERVING.
UM, WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION I'M RECEIVED TO, UM, PLEASED TO TAKE ANY COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND OF COURSE WE'LL CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR OUTREACH GOING WITH YOU AND OF COURSE OUR OWN MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, THEN WE WILL
[IV. After-School Care/ Child-Care Update ]
GO TO OUR AFTERSCHOOL CHILDCARE UPDATE AND THAT WILL BE COREY DARLING.ALRIGHT, NOW THIS IS, UH, ING BY PRETTY FAST.
OH WELL YEAH, I HEARD THEY WERE POSTING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.
I WAS HOPING THEY MIGHT FOLLOW THEM.
SO I'M CORY DARLING, THE RESEARCH AND PLANNING DIVISION DIRECTOR AT TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VOTER APPROVED FUND FOR CHILDCARE AND OUTTA SCHOOL TIME.
THIS SLIDE INCLUDES SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT I KNOW Y'ALL ARE VERY WELL, WELL WELL AWARE OF, BUT JUST AS SOME CONTEXT.
UM, IN NOVEMBER, 2024, THE TRAVIS COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED A 2.50 CENT TAX RATE INCREASE THAT WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY 75 MILLION.
AND THE FUND WILL PROVIDE CHILDCARE AND OUTTA SCHOOL TIME SERVICES, WHICH ALSO PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO GO TO WORK, SCHOOL, OR JOB TRAINING.
AND THE FUND WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEMS BY PROVIDING TRAINING AND OTHER SUPPORTS FOR PROVIDERS.
THE, THERE ARE FOUR STRATEGIES THAT WERE DEVELOPED AS PART OF THE PROPOSAL FOR THE VOTER APPROVED FUND, AND THESE WILL SERVE AS THE BASELINE AS TRAVIS COUNTY WORKS WITH THE COMMUNITY TO EXPAND CHILDCARE AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMMING IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, THE FUND WILL EXPAND SLOTS FOR
[00:50:01]
CHILDCARE AND OUT OF AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING.UM, IT WILL SUPPORT INCREASING ACCESS TO NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS CARE DURING EARLY MORNING EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS.
IT WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE QUALITY AND CAPACITY OF THE CHILDCARE AND OUTOF SCHOOL TIME SYSTEM BY OFFERING ENTREPRENEURIAL AND BUSINESS SUPPORT TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATION PATHWAYS.
AND FINALLY, IT WILL BUILD A BUS BUSINESS GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP TO LEVERAGE BUSINESS CONTRIBUTIONS AND MATCH PUBLIC FUNDS TO HELP REDUCE EMPLOYEE CHILDCARE COSTS.
AND WHEN I PRESENTED TO THIS GROUP IN DECEMBER, I SHARED A DRAFT OF OUR TRANSITION PLAN.
AND SO, UM, TODAY THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSITION PLAN ARE UNDERWAY AND I'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON EACH ONE.
THE FIRST ONE IS HIRING AND WE'RE ACTIVELY IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING STAFF AT THE COUNTY SO THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM.
UM, THE POSITION THAT WILL LEAD THIS EFFORT WILL BE THE STRATEGIC ADVISOR FOR CHILDCARE AND OUTTA SCHOOL TIME, AND THEY'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH ME AND OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE PILAR SANCHEZ AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO HELP START UP THIS PROGRAM.
AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THIS LEAD POSITION ACTUALLY CLOSES TODAY AND WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, UM, OVER THIS MONTH AND HOPEFULLY HAVE SOMEONE ON BOARD IN APRIL.
THE COUNTY'S ALSO IN PROCESS OF HIRING, PROGRAM PLANNING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF AT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AS WELL AS STAFF TO ENSURE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN OUR HHS FINANCE DEPARTMENT, OUR COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, AND OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE SECOND AREA OF FOCUS IS IN OUR TRANSITION PLAN IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL PROCESSES UNDERWAY IN ORDER TO SHARE AN UPDATE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TO GATHER INSIGHT AND FEEDBACK.
AND I'LL PROVIDE A FEW MORE DETAILS ON THIS ON OUR NEXT SLIDE.
WE'RE ALSO PLANNING FOR A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL AND OUR TEAM HAS CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF ADVISORY COUNCIL MODELS HERE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO CONNECTED WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE CHILDCARE AND OUTTA SCHOOL TIME INITIATIVES TO LEARN ABOUT HOW THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED THEIR ADVISORY COUNCILS.
AND SO BASED ON THIS RESEARCH, WE'RE IN PROCESS OF DEVELOPING SOME OP OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, UM, FOR THE CHILDCARE AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND WE EXPECT THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO HAPPEN IN LATE SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER.
AND THEN OUR FINAL FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON OUR SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS.
SO TRAVIS COUNTY WON'T BE IMPLEMENTING OR PROVIDING THESE SERVICES DIRECTLY.
WE'LL BE CONTRACTING WITH ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAN TAKE ON THE DAY TO DAY ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND WE'LL NEED TO GO THROUGH, UH, OUR MULTI-STEP PROCUREMENT PROCESS, UM, TO CONTRACT WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES.
THIS CAN TAKE A PRO, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS CAN TAKE MORE THAN A YEAR FROM PLANNING THROUGH CONTRACT EXECUTION.
AND SO IN THE MEANTIME WE KNOW THERE'S ALREADY A BIG NEED FOR SERVICES AND MONEY AVAILABLE.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING OUR PLAN, UM, TO EXPLORE EXPANDING.
WE'RE STILL ON THE LAST SLIDE, SORRY.
UM, WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING OUR PLAN TO EXPAND CONTRACTS WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE CONTRACT ALREADY HAS.
UH, THE COUNTY, I'M SORRY, ALREADY HAS CONTRACTS WITH, UM, FOR OUTTA SCHOOL TIME AND FOR CHILDCARE SO WE CAN SERVE MORE FAMILIES WHO NEED THESE CHILDCARE AND OUTTA SCHOOL TIME SERVICES.
UM, WE'VE IDENTIFIED CONTRACTS THAT ALIGN WITH THE BALLOT LANGUAGE AND THE STRATEGIES FOR THE VOTER APPROVED FUND.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME INITIAL MEETINGS WITH, UM, SEVERAL CONTRACTORS INCLUDING WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON SCHEDULING WITH OTHER CONTRACTORS FOR THIS MONTH.
UM, WE'VE STARTED ALSO BUILDING OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES AT THE COUNTY FOR THESE SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS AND WE'VE DEVELOPED A TWO-TIERED SCHEDULE, UM, FOR IMPLEMENTING THESE WITH A GOAL OF HAVING SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS IN PLACE WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS OR SO, SO THAT WE CAN ALIGN WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE'VE ALSO STARTED EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSITION PERIOD INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, UM, INCLUDING SOME INITIAL DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN AUSTIN A SD AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
SO AS I MENTIONED, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN A VERY SIGNIFICANT AREA OF FOCUS FOR OUR TEAM.
AS PART OF THE TRANSITION PLAN DURING FEBRUARY, THE TEAM DEVELOPED THREE COMMUNITY INPUT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE SHOWN HERE ON THIS SLIDE.
AND IN MARCH AND APRIL WE'LL BE FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTATION.
WE'RE HOPING TO HEAR ABOUT THE STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
WE'RE HOPING TO GATHER SOME INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO INFORM PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.
[00:55:02]
UM, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR HOW THE COMMUNITY THINKS THAT TRAVIS COUNTY SHOULD IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIES, AND WE ALSO WANT FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW AS WE AS A COMMUNITY SHOULD MEASURE THE IMPACT AND SUCCESS OF THIS INITIATIVE.THE FIRST ACTIVITY IS A SURVEY.
THIS WILL BE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND DISTRIBUTED BROADLY.
UM, WE APPRECIATE AND WELCOME FEEDBACK FROM ALL TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WE ESPECIALLY WANNA HEAR FROM FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
THE SECOND ACTIVITY IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
OUR TEAM HAS BEEN REG ATTENDING REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS WITH GROUPS OF CHILDCARE AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE AND TO COLLECT INPUT.
AND FINALLY, WE'RE, UH, PLANNING ON HOLDING THREE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS AND ONE ONLINE ZOOM SESSION.
THESE ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM FAMILIES.
UM, WE WERE FINALIZING OUR MATERIALS LAST WEEK, SO I DIDN'T HAVE THE FLYER FOR THE PACKET, BUT I CAN PASS ONE AROUND TODAY SO Y'ALL CAN HAVE ONE OF THOSE.
SO THE COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS I JUST DESCRIBED IS REALLY OUR CRITICAL INITIAL STEP PRIOR TO US BEING ABLE TO PLAN FOR OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
ONCE THAT COMMUNITY INPUT IS COMPLETED THIS SPRING, WE'LL MOVE INTO THE PROCESS TO PLAN AND PROCURE SERVICES.
AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE, WE'LL BE USING THE FOUR STRATEGIES AS A BASELINE AND WE'LL BE REFINING THE STRATEGIES AS WE LEARN FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WE ANALYZE THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND AS WE CONSIDER ANY COUNTY SPECIFIC IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES, WE'LL BE BRINGING, UM, ANY POLICIES FOR APPROVAL BY OUR COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND THEN WE'LL DEVELOP SCOPES OF SERVICES THAT DESCRIBE THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PROGRAMS AND THE SERVICES THE COUNTY WISHES TO PROCURE.
WE'LL WORK WITH OUR PURCHASING OFFICE USING OUR TYPICAL PURCHASING PROCESS TO RELEASE SOLICITATIONS, EVALUATE PROPOSALS, SELECT CONTRACTORS, AND NEGOTIATE NEW CONTRACTS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO PROCURING SERVICES ACROSS OUR FOUR STRATEGIES, WE'LL ALSO PROCURE A THIRD PARTY EVALUATOR TO EVALUATE THE SERVICES AND THE IMPACT OF THEM.
AND THIS WORK WILL BE HAPPENING IN A STAGGERED OR A PHASED APPROACH.
FOR THE FOUR STRATEGIES THAT I MENTIONED ON AN EARLIER SLIDE, WE EXPECT THE FIRST SOLICITATIONS FOR SERVICES TO START IN FALL OF THIS YEAR AND NEW SERVICES AND CONTRACTS WILL BEGIN COMING ON BOARD THROUGHOUT 2026.
UM, AND THEN THIS SLIDE IS JUST A SUMMARY AT A 25,000 FOOT VIEW OF ALL THE WORK THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT.
SO IN TERMS OF OUR TIMELINE, UM, RIGHT NOW, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE WORKING ON OUR COMMUNITY INPUT GATHERING THROUGH APRIL.
DURING APRIL AND MAY WE'LL BE REVIEWING AND ANALYZING THE INPUT RECRUITING FOR OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL IN LATE SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER.
WE'LL BE, UM, WE'RE PLANNING TO COME TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT IN SUMMER OF 2025 TO PRESENT THE COMMUNITY INPUT FINDINGS AND SEEK APPROVAL OF ANY PROGRAM POLICIES.
UM, DURING THE SAME TIME WE'LL BE WORKING ON EXPANDING OUR SHORT, OUR CURRENT CONTRACTS, WHICH WE'RE CALLING OUR SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS AND HAVING SOME OF THESE IN PLACE BY SUMMER OF 2025.
WE'LL BEGIN RELEASING OUR PHASE SOLICITATIONS FOR SERVICES IN THE FALL AND THEN HAVING A GOAL OF HAVING CONTRACTS FOR ALL SERVICES IN PLACE BY THE END OF 2026.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK YOU TOLD US, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID.
YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SOLICITATIONS FOR THINGS LIKE WHO'S GOING TO DO THE SURVEY? NO.
UM, SO THE SURVEY WE'RE DOING IN-HOUSE, OUR STAFF IS CONDUCTING THE SURVEY AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE'RE ALL DOING THAT IN-HOUSE.
UM, HOW, TELL ME HOW YOU GO ABOUT THAT.
HOW WE GO ABOUT CONDUCTING THE SURVEY? YEAH, YEAH, MAKING SURE, MAKING SURE IT'S COMPLETE AND WHO, HOW DO YOU PICK WHO IT GOES TO, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE, WE HAVE AN OUTREACH PLAN.
I DON'T HAVE, IT IS NOT A TRICK QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE A A WAY TO DO IT.
I'M INTERESTED IN HOW YOU, HOW YOU MAKE SURE IT'S COMPLETE AND WHO YOU PICK TO GET INPUT FROM.
SO FOR THE SURVEY IT WILL BE ANY, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMUNITY MEMBER, UM, THERE'S A PART OF IT THAT ASK FOR DEMOGRAPHICS, SO WE'LL KNOW WHICH ZIP CODE PEOPLE ARE, UM, FILLING OUT THE SURVEY FROM.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE FOLKS THAT JUST DO THIS KIND OF WORK AND THAT KIND OF, IT'S JUST WHOEVER HAS AN OPINION.
ANY, ANY, ANY COUNTY RESIDENT.
I, I NOW I UNDERSTAND MORE, SO THANK YOU.
DO YOU HAVE A, A DIGITAL COPY OF THIS THAT YOU CAN EMAIL IT TO US? I CERTAINLY CAN, YES.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS.
UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT UH, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THE CONTRACTS THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE
[01:00:01]
AND MAYBE FORMING SOME INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER AGENCIES.COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING BEFORE YOU GO THROUGH YOUR MORE OFFICIAL PROCUREMENT PROCESS? SURE.
SO WE DEFINITELY KNOW THE NEED FOR SERVICES OUT THERE AND WE ALSO KNOW WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE PROCUREMENT RULES.
SO WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, UM, THROUGH DIRECT NEGOTIATION IS EXPAND ANY CONTRACTS TRAVIS COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS, HAS.
SO WE DO HAVE, AS I MENTIONED, A CONTRACT WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS WHO IS OUR SUBSIDY PROVIDER.
SO THAT'S ONE PIECE ON THE CHILDCARE SIDE AND WE HAVE, UM, ENTERED SOME EXPLORATORY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT THEIR CAPACITY IS, WHAT IT, WHAT IT WOULD HAVE TO LOOK LIKE ON THE COUNTY SIDE TO SEE IF THAT'S, UM, A VIABLE OPTION ON BOTH SIDES.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME OUTTA SCHOOL TIME AND UM, SORRY, SUMMER AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING CO CONTRACTS AS PART OF OUR YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES PORTFOLIO.
SO THERE'S JUST A FEW SPECIFIC PROVIDERS THAT DO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
WE HAVEN'T TALKED WITH THEM YET, SO I THINK MAYBE NEXT TIME I CAN COME BACK AND PROVIDE SOME MORE DETAILS ON, ON THAT.
BUT THERE ARE A FEW PROVIDERS THAT DO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES THAT WE CAN LOOK AT EXPANDING.
AND THEN AS FAR AS INTERLOCALS, UM, WITHOUT HAVING MY PURCHASING DEPARTMENT HERE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE ABLE TO, UM, UH, ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH INTERLOCALS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE REGULAR PURCHASING GUIDELINES SO THAT WE ARE EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PO AND POTENTIALLY WITH THE CITY, UM, TO LOOK AT WHERE WE COULD LEVERAGE SOME OF THESE SHORT TERM FUNDS.
AND THAT WOULD BE FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL? LIKE WHAT DAY? WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO START? UM, SO WE ARE AMBITIOUSLY LOOK, REALIZING THAT THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS A GOOD GOAL, UM, FOR THIS.
SO WE ARE, UM, IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO TRY TO START FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, SO STARTING THE CONTRACTS IN THE SUMMER OF 2025, UM, AND GOING FOR TWO YEARS IS WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS.
SO IT WOULD BE, UM, KIND OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, 26, 27, BUT THE SCHOOL YEAR DOESN'T, SO THE NEXT TWO SCHOOL YEARS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND JUST, UH, JUST TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A COUPLE OF PROCESSES WHERE WE HAVE HAD ELECTIONS LIKE PROJECT CONNECT AND, AND LIKE, UH, THE, UH, LAST TAX RATE ELECTION AND, UH, WHAT WE ASKED FROM, UH, FROM, UH, CAP METRO AND, AND I THINK WHAT WE PROVIDED AS WELL, UH, WAS A, A NEW SYSTEM FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE TOUCHED BASES WITH FOLKS.
SO YOU START TALKING ABOUT CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DREAM TOGETHER 2030, UH, FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES HAS HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN VERY STRONG AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES, UH, CHURCH ASSOCIATIONS.
JOHN REGULAR BAPTIST ASSOCIATION WITH 88 CHURCHES.
AND, AND THEN THERE ARE METHODIST ASSOCIATIONS AND CATHOLIC ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL.
AND THEN THERE IS AN INTERFAITH MOVEMENT THAT, UH, WAS ERNIE, KIND OF THE WORKER OF BERNIE CORTEZ THAT STILL EXISTS HERE.
SO MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED, UH, WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, WE TRY TO GO TO PEOPLE TO ASK THEM RATHER THAN ASK THEM TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN AND HEAR US.
AND THEN THE HARVEST FOUNDATION AND PLACES LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO IDENTIFY THE PLACES WHERE INFORMATION IS PASSED, UH, SOUL CITY, UH, IN INTERNET, UH, ON THE INTERNET AND WHATNOT.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE IDENTIFY THE PLACES THAT, THAT, UH, WE GIVE OUR MESSAGES REGULARLY, UH, THAT, UH, THAT ACT AND INTERACT WITH US WHEN WE REACH OUT TO THEM, UH, SO THAT IT DOES BECOME A MORE ROBUST PROCESS, UH, THAT WE CAN RELY ON OVER TIME.
HARD TO CHAIR THE MEETING AND TALK ABOUT TOO.
ANYONE ELSE? I WOULD JUST SAY, YEAH, BRIEFLY.
I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING LIKE REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO YOU KNOW, ME AND ME AND RYAN'S HEART.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN IT WHERE 25% OF CHILDCARE FACILITIES CLOSED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
IT IS SO HARD TO FIND CHILDCARE AND, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, SO EXCITED ABOUT THEIR PRESCHOOL SPOTS, SOMETIMES MANY OF THE AFTERSCHOOL PROVIDERS DON'T PROVIDE AFTERSCHOOL FOR PRE-K, UM, WHICH IS HARD FOR OUR TEACHERS.
SO WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO, TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY ON, ON SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS JUST, THIS IS REALLY WONDERFUL AND I'M EXCITED THAT IT'S OFF TO, TO A QUICK START.
AS HARD, AS HARD AS THAT IS WITH SOMETHING SO BIG, I REALLY COMMEND THAT WORK.
[01:05:01]
THAT WE KNOW EVERYBODY THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING TO, THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR HOUSING AUTHORITIES, THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE.WHEN WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT TELLS US THEY WANT TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE ASK 'EM TO SPEAK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE ASK HIM TO SPEAK TO CAP METRO, WE ASK HIM TO SPEAK TO CENTRAL HEALTH.
SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS NOT ONE DIMENSIONAL, BUT IS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL AND WILL CREATE STABLE COMMUNITIES.
IT'S REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO, I THINK AS A BODY.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER IAN, THIS IS NOT A QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST WELCOME, UH, TRUSTEE CATHERINE, CATHERINE WHITLEY CHU AND TRUSTEE ANDREW GONZALEZ TO THE JSC.
UM, CATHERINE IS NOW OUR BOARD VICE PRESIDENT.
ANDREW IS NOW OUR BOARD SECRETARY.
I'M NO LONGER THE BOARD PRESIDENT, AND THAT'S LYNN BOSWELL AND SHE'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF FORMALLY WELCOME AND ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH OF YOU, SO THANK YOU.
THIS MEAN YOU'LL HAVE LESS MEETINGS AND WE CAN CALL YOU MORE.
UH, YES, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN RYAN AL ALTER AND I BROUGHT A FRIEND WITH US TOO, SO WE WANTED INTRODUCE THIS GENTLEMAN, HIS NAME'S KIRK WATSON, ALSO TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE MICS ARE ALWAYS HOT.
UH, WE HAVE IT DIFFERENT AT THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE TO PRESS ON THE BUTTON.
SO JUST A HEADS UP TO ALL OUR, OUR NEWCOMERS.
YOU GUYS ARE SAYING STUFF WE CAN'T ALL HEAR.
UH, YOU HAVE BEEN, UM, WORKING HARD AND PROVIDING A LOT OF INSIGHT FOR THIS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UH, GLAD TO BE HERE.
WELL IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE WORKED THROUGH OUR PREPARED AGENDA, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, IDENTIFY, UH, THE, UH,
[V. Standing Items (Set at previous meetings) ]
STANDING ITEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS NEXT TIME AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO ADD TO THEM.'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, WE WILL BE TALKING, TALKING AGAIN ON JUNE 19TH AND THEN WELL, JUNE 9TH.
ACTUALLY, I GUESS WE'VE CHANGED OVER, WE'VE CHANGED JUNE 19TH BECAUSE IT'S JUNETEENTH TO JUNE 9TH.
OR ARE WE, ARE WE SUGGESTING THE NINTH, THE 16TH? THE 20TH OR THE 23RD? THOSE ARE OPTIONS.
UM, FROM THE, FROM THE SIDE, UM, WE, WE DID LOOK AT EVERYONE'S, UM, CALENDAR.
UM, AND THE PREFERRED DATE FOR US WOULD BE JUNE 16TH OR JUNE 23RD.
UH, ALIGNS WELL FOR OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UH, COMMISSIONER SHADY IS OUT, SO WE'LL HAVE TO CHECK HER CALENDAR.
SO DOES TWO DATES THE 16TH? MAYBE THE 16TH.
SO, UM, SO WE WILL, WE WILL LET, I GUESS STAFF COORDINATE, UH, WHERE WE'LL, WHERE WE'LL BE AND, UM, ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S SEE.
IS THERE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS, OTHER UNFINISHED BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE TODAY? ALRIGHT.
THE, THE NEXT MEETING I THINK IS GONNA BE, UH, IS GONNA BE, UH, HELD BY THE CITY OR, OR, UM, MANAGED BY THE CITY.
AND DO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS? I GUESS WE'LL HAVE A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
I GUESS WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER CHILDCARE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM UPDATE.
UH, WE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET PRIORITIES AS WE GO INTO OUR BUDGET SEASONS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO COVER IN THOSE, IN THAT MEETING? THAT NEXT MEETING? WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND START WITH THOSE THREE AND THEN IF ANYBODY HAS ANY, LET'S JUST OKAY.
CIRCULATE, WE MIGHT, I HAVE ONE IDEA.
UM, WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT MEASLES,
AND SO IF, IF THAT IS STILL SOMETHING THAT'S RELEVANT TO OUR CONVERSATION, PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE PUBLIC HEALTH, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
I THINK PUBLIC HEALTH BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT BE TALKING AGAIN ABOUT COVID AS WELL.
ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT, UH, THE BODY WISHES TO PUT ON THE, THE AGENDA? OKAY, SO, UH,
[01:10:01]
HEARING NONE.ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE THE, UH, MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MOVE THE, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
SEE, AND I GOT A SECOND THERE.
SO IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO VOTE AGAINST THAT MOTION?