Public Policy

Public policy and Texas priority issues

What is Public Policy?

AAUW’s public policy work connects and rallies advocates at the local, state, national, and global levels to empower women and girls. At the national level, AAUW’s priority is to remove bias from education, fight for fair pay and economic equity, and to advance women in leadership.

Learn more about these national positions and advocacy work on major issues by going to our national website https://www.aauw.org/  A nonpartisan guide about key issues is available at https://www.aauw.org/app/uploads/2024/06/Its-My-Vote-2024-Voter-Issue-Guide-English.pdf

What is the purpose of having Texas Public Policy Priorities?

The Texas Public Policy priorities help focus our AAUW Texas legislative advocacy.    During the legislative session it guides our decisions on which bills to support/oppose.  The legislature meets for regular sessions every other year. A total of 8,535 House and Senate bills were filed during the 88th regular session in 2023. It is impossible to follow all of the proposed bills.  The priorities narrow our efforts on the most important issues to AAUW Texas.

In 2023 only 866 bills passed both chambers and were sent to the Governor. Upon receiving a bill, the Governor had ten days to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.  774 laws took effect on Sept. 1, 2023.

How are the AAUW Texas Public Policy Priorities determined?

Approximately every two years we survey our members as to which issues are most important to them. The AAUW Texas Public Policy Committee is guided by the survey results and makes sure that our state priorities are in line with and do not conflict with our National AAUW priorities.  During the legislative session as legislation is introduced and bills are considered by legislative committees, the AAUW Texas Public Policy Committee may expand the issues it follows.

AAUW Texas Priorities for the 2025 legislative session

In Texas, at the state and local levels, public policy work includes identifying, tracking and assessing legislation, regulations, and policies which match our current legislative priorities listed below:

  • Women’s Healthcare
    • Support reproductive rights
    • Support reproductive health services including birth control and access to abortion
    • Support Medicaid expansion
  • Education-related issues
    • Oppose vouchers / education savings accounts which take funding away from public education
    • Oppose book censorship
    • Support sufficient public education funding
    • Support increased teacher pay and improved working conditions
    • Support additional teacher training
    • Support incentives to increase teacher retention
  • Reducing Gun Violence
    • Support age restrictions and red flag regulations
    • Support standards for gun ownership including licensing and storage
    • Support increased funding of mental health programs especially for children and teens
  • Free and Fair Elections
    • Support online voter registration
    • Support extended early voting days and hours
    • Support making voting by mail easier for all voters
    • Support increasing voter registration opportunities
    • Oppose limits on who can vote by mail
    • Oppose new restrictions to voting
    • Support enforcement of a Texas law requiring high schools to distribute voter registration forms to students who will be 18 years old by Election Day.
    • Support student IDs as an acceptable form of required identification
    • Support polling locations at colleges and universities
  • Equal Pay/ Pay Equity
    • Support family leave
    • Support increasing wages of home health nursing personnel and other professions that are predominately staffed by women
    • Support child care funding and increased wages of childcare workers
    • Support continued improvements of the Texas Rising Star program, a state quality rating and improvement system for child care programs
    • Support policies that would give families more access to high-quality child care.

Online Resources for priority issue information

There are many other resources to consult regarding public policy issues, but here are some recommended by the AAUW Texas Public Policy Committee:

SAMPLE

Public Policy Chair/Officer Job Description

Public Policy Defined

Public policy is generally considered to be a series of on-going, goal-oriented actions that handle real and perceived problems in government and society. For the most part, public policy is undertaken by public, private, legislative, or executive organizations.

Public Policy Chair/Officer

The Public Policy Chair/Officer provides public policy information to members through monthly branch newsletters and other forms of communication, as needed, to keep members up to date with current public policy issues, positions, and actions. Public policy issues are directly tied to the AAUW mission of “advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research” and the AAUW Vision of “Equity for all.” Public policy priorities from AAUW National and AAUW State are used to guide Branch decision-making and actions including:

  • Monthly Programs
  • Strategic Plan
  • Budget
  • Fundraising
  • Member activities

Responsibilities

  • Become familiar with national and state AAUW priorities using resources provided on the national and state websites. Find AAUW Public Policy Resources at https://www.aauw.org/act/policy-center/
  • Read and share information that national provides on public policy issues through email, newsletter articles, and at board meetings.
  • Encourage members to be Two-Minute Activist https://www.aauw.org/act/two-minute-activist/ enabling them to contact legislators and make their voice heard.
  • Attend national and state Public Policy Zoom Meetings and share pertinent information with Board and members as appropriate using communication and social media forums.
  • Promote activities with the League of Women Voters on common issues, such as, getting out the vote and voter education

Timeline

  • Prepare and send Public Policy article for each month’s newsletter according to your branch President and Newsletter instructions and deadlines.

Current AAUW Public Policy Priorities: For in-depth information go to www.aauw.org

  • To support a strong system of public education that promotes gender fairness, equity, diversity, and inclusivity, and to address the barriers and implicit biases that hinder the advancement of women and girls.
  • To achieve economic security for all women
  • To guarantee equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse and inclusive society

Useful Public Policy Links

How Texas Laws Are Made

Source: https://coolinfographics.com/blog/2013/2/5/how-texas-laws-are-made.html

 

  • Appoint a Branch Public Policy Chair
  • Assist on your branch Public Policy Committee
  • Become involved: Post on Facebook and Twitter
  • Pledge to distribute LWV Voter’s Guides
  •  Volunteer with the League of Women’s Voters
  • Become active in contacting your local, state & US legislators on policy issues by using AAUW’s Two Minute Activist

Introducing Kate Kuhlmann of Hillco Partners 

As we head into the 88th Legislative Session in January 2023, AAUW Texas will be working with Kate Kuhlmann of Hillco Partners to assist us in finding legislation to support (or oppose) in our quest for equity.

On December 1, AAUW Texas hosted a Zoom meeting with Kate Kuhlmann from Hillco Partners, our lobbyist for the 2023 legislative session.  In her presentation, she encouraged us to contact our representatives locally to have an impact on legislation of interest.  To find who represents your area, go to capitol.texas.gov for the representative lookup.  You can also search bills, amendments, and other information related to the Texas government. Kate will periodically send updates to the Public Policy Committee headed by Pat Rehm. The updates will be posted on this website.  This information can be used to stay informed on important issues that will impact the women and girls of Texas.

Listen to recording of the call at:  AAUW Texas Legislative Update with Kate Kuhlmann