Preparing for the 90th Legislative Session
By Tanisha Rosas, Director of Government and Stakeholder Relations
The 90th Texas Legislative Session convenes on January 12, 2027, and adjourns on May 31, 2027. During the 140-day regular session, the Texas Legislature is responsible for passing a two-year state budget, considering legislation affecting Texans, and addressing the state’s most pressing policy priorities.
The Legislative Process
The Texas Legislature is composed of the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate. During the session, legislators file bills proposing new laws or changes to existing laws. Proposed legislation moves through committee review and debate in both chambers before being considered by the Governor. Only a small percentage of filed bills ultimately become law. For example, during the 89th Legislative Session, lawmakers filed 8,719 bills, and 1,208 ultimately became law.
The State Budget
One of the Legislature’s most important responsibilities is adopting the state’s biennial budget.
Before the regular session begins, every state agency submits a Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB). These requests outline each agency’s funding needs, priorities, and resource requirements for the upcoming biennium.
The LBB reviews agency requests, conducts hearings, and develops the state’s General Appropriations Bill, which serves as the foundation for budget discussions during the legislative session. The Legislature then considers, amends, and ultimately passes the budget. Once signed into law, the budget provides funding for state agencies, institutions, and programs for the next two fiscal years.
Why it matters: The state budget directly affects agency operations, staffing, programs, services, technology investments, and strategic priorities across Texas government. The budget process ultimately determines the funding available to support TJJD’s mission and initiatives.
The 90th Legislative session will be a little different as Governor Greg Abbott, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued guidance to state agencies, appellate courts, and universities directing them to reduce spending by 3% in their budget requests for the next biennium.
TJJD’s Legislative Appropriation Request
TJJD’s mission is, at its core, a public safety mission. The proposed LAR incorporates the required 3 percent General Revenue baseline reduction while identifying targeted exceptional items for critical public safety, capacity, and operational needs that cannot be absorbed within existing resources.
TJJD’s reduction strategy focused on identifying savings in vacant positions, administrative functions, and discretionary expenditures before considering reductions that would directly impact youth services or secure facility operations. Approximately $14 million of TJJD’s budget reduction affects funding for local juvenile probation services, including supervision, programming, and residential placements. In developing the reduction strategy, TJJD partnered with local juvenile probation departments to reduce impacts on youth services. Even so, departments may need to adjust services based on available funding.
TJJD’s Exceptional items are organized into three tiers based on the immediacy of the public safety need and the role each investment plays in strengthening the juvenile justice system:
- Tier 1 – Immediate Public Safety: Investments necessary to safely operate secure facilities, appropriately supervise high-risk youth, and maintain critical staffing, security, and infrastructure.
- Tier 2 – Violence Prevention: Investments that reduce institutional violence and behavioral crises, strengthen treatment and oversight, and expand prevention and community-based interventions.
- Tier 3 – Community & Long-Term Public Safety: Investments that support successful reentry, strengthen system sustainability, and modernize the technology and infrastructure necessary for long-term operational effectiveness.
One Separate Priority –New Facility Activation & Operational Readiness: Ensures the two new secure facilities can be staffed, equipped, and operational when construction is completed, allowing the State’s investment in new capacity to be used immediately.
To review the agency’s full appropriation request and the exceptional items, visit this link and click on ‘Legislative Appropriations Request (2028-2029).
To listen to the Joint Budget Hearing on the Juvenile Justice Department, visit the Texas House of Representatives’ website.
Sunset Review
TJJD is currently undergoing Sunset Review. Sunset is the regular assessment of the continuing need for a state agency or program to exist. This gives the legislature a unique opportunity to closely examine an agency’s mission, priorities, and performance and to take action to address problems identified
TJJD’s current Sunset Review is unique as it is a Limited-Scope review, focusing on a specific topic chosen by the legislature. HB 1545 from the 89th regular session limited the scope to assessing the administration of the agency’s regionalization duties aimed at prioritizing the use of local levels of the juvenile justice system over placement or commitment to state-level secure facilities.
The tentative public hearing for the TJJD Sunset Review is scheduled for December 15-16, 2026. More information on Sunset Commission meetings can be found here. The legislature will consider Sunset recommendations and public comments to help inform their final directive. Those recommended modifications will come in the form of a bill that goes through the legislative process during the 90th legislative session.
Key Takeaway
The 90th Texas Legislative Session will shape Texas’ and TJJD’s policy and funding priorities for the next two years. Understanding the budget process, legislative process, and key policy discussions can help you stay informed and engaged as decisions are made that affect communities and organizations across the state.
We look forward to sharing updates throughout the Sunset review and legislative session and providing information on developments that may impact TJJD and the communities we serve.
Only 130 days until the 90th Texas Legislative Session.
How Can You Stay Engaged?
We are only 133 days from session! Legislative sessions move quickly, and policy decisions can have long-term implications for agencies, communities, businesses, and Texans across the state. Throughout the session, you can stay informed by:
- Participating in public hearings and stakeholder discussions
- Following budget development and funding decisions
- Reviewing agency updates and legislative reports
Legal Disclaimer:
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