Texas 2036 unveils 2027 legislative agenda on affordability and accountability

Texas 2036 released its 2027 Policy Playbook on Nov. 5, outlining research-backed priorities for the next legislative session as lawmakers prepare to file bills beginning Nov. 9. The agenda focuses on lowering costs, improving schools and healthcare, expanding infrastructure and making state government more accountable.

Why it matters: - Texas enters the 2027 legislative session with pressure points across healthcare, childcare, schools, water, energy and government performance. - Texas 2036 says its new playbook is designed to translate voter priorities into policy changes that could affect families, businesses and state spending. - The organization argues the next session is a chance to improve affordability while supporting growth in the nation’s second-most populous state.

What happened: - Texas 2036 released its 2027 Policy Playbook on Nov. 5 in Austin. - The nonpartisan policy group said the agenda draws on years of research, policy development and conversations with Texans. - Legislators begin filing bills on Nov. 9. - The playbook centers on four areas: healthcare and childcare affordability, education and workforce, infrastructure, and government accountability.

The details: - Texas 2036 president and CEO David W. Leebron said voters want affordable healthcare, strong schools, reliable infrastructure and a government that delivers results. - The education section highlights a gap between graduation and credential attainment: 91% of Texas students graduate from high school, but only 37% earn a postsecondary credential within six years. - Texas 2036 says grade 4 math and reading performance has continued to decline at the Basic level, and grade 8 students have reached their lowest levels in both subjects since 2003. - The playbook calls for earlier identification of learning challenges, proven reading and math interventions, and clearer information for parents. - Texas is one of eight states without statewide model guidance for AI in education, according to the playbook. - Texas 2036 says guidance could protect student privacy, support teachers and improve learning. - More than 54,000 Texans earned at least 60 college credits without finishing a credential between 2012 and 2022. - The playbook recommends recognizing credits already earned and creating stronger incentives for colleges to help students finish. - Family health insurance plans now average over $28,000 annually, including employer and employee contributions. - Sixty-one percent of Texans report delaying or skipping care because of cost. - Texas 2036 backs greater oversight of healthcare mergers and upfront, binding prices for nonemergency care. - The playbook says those approaches are supported by 81% and 79% of Texas voters, respectively. - Rising health insurance premiums are cutting into teachers’ pay raises, according to the playbook. - Texas 2036 says using the state’s purchasing power through TRS-ActiveCare to negotiate lower hospital prices could reduce premiums. - That approach is supported by 69% of Texas voters in the organization’s most recent poll. - Childcare-related workforce disruptions cost Texas employers $7.9 billion annually, the playbook says. - At least five state agencies oversee childcare programs, with no single entity accountable for statewide results. - Texas 2036 proposes a single entity with authority to act, set measurable goals and preserve parental choice. - Texas faces more than $200 billion in water infrastructure needs over the next 50 years. - The playbook calls for better planning, prioritizing urgent projects and tracking progress to improve water reliability. - Texas needs an “all of the above and below” energy strategy, according to the playbook, to expand generation and strengthen grid reliability. - Floods, wildfires and other disasters are driving property insurance costs higher, Texas 2036 says. - The organization recommends stronger disaster preparedness, better flood protection and improved risk data. - Texas has an approximately $338 billion state budget, making management and oversight a major focus of the playbook. - Texas 2036 says outdated technology and disconnected data systems can limit service delivery and weaken state oversight. - The group calls for modernized technology, better information sharing and stronger fiscal oversight. - Texas spends approximately $108 billion annually on education and workforce programs. - The ongoing Sunset review of the Texas Workforce Commission is presented as a chance to improve transparency about which programs lead to credentials and jobs. - Better workforce data transparency is supported by 85% of Texas voters, according to Texas 2036. - John Hryhorchuk, senior vice president for policy and advocacy at Texas 2036, said the next legislative session is an opportunity to build on what is working and advance solutions that strengthen communities.

Between the lines: - The playbook uses public opinion data to frame policy proposals in politically durable terms. - The agenda reflects a bipartisan-friendly message: lower costs, better outcomes and tighter accountability rather than ideological overhaul. - The focus on implementation suggests Texas 2036 sees process failures, not just funding gaps, as a major barrier to progress.

What's next: - Texas lawmakers will begin filing bills on Nov. 9, setting up the 2027 session fight over which ideas move forward. - Texas 2036 says its policy experts are available for interviews and background briefings. - The organization is directing readers to read the 2027 Policy Playbook and related research and subscribe to its newsletter.