Texas Legislature

AAPIs are the fastest growing racial group in Texas and nationwide. 

That number continues to grow every day. January 10th, 2023 marked the start of the 88th Texas Legislature! Session begins every other year and we’re so excited to share with you our first official session and our legislative priorities. We hope to see you advocating and testifying with us soon!

Policy Recommendations

for the 88th Texas Legislative Session

Voting Rights

Legislation passed in 2021 (SB1) led to disproportionate impacts on AAPI Texans’ ability to engage in elections. Overall, 19% of AAPI Texan requests for a ballot by mail were denied. We recommend the 88th Legislature reform voting laws to eliminate SB1’s burdensome mail ballot restrictions.

SB1 also created barriers to vote for the 82% of Asian American adults who speak a language other than English at home. Texas lawmakers should improve access to language support in voting to ensure all Texans have equal access to the ballot.

Public Education

With over 5 million students in Texas’ public education system, data regarding students’ ethnic identity, English language status, and other identities should be captured by school districts to inform policies. Texas lawmakers should encourage the inclusion of Asian American history, cultures, literature, and languages in school curricula at all levels.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the leading cause of death for Asian American youth. The 88th Legislature should expand investments to mental health resources in public schools to provide all youth, including vulnerable AAPI youth, access to the mental healthcare they need.

Healthcare

As the fastest growing racial group in Texas, AAPIs exhibit diverse needs, resources, and levels of access regarding healthcare. To identify and adequately address health disparities, the Legislature should invest additional resources to data disaggregation in healthcare, particularly around issues of mental health, reproductive health, and LGBTQIA+ and gender-based violence.

Texas lawmakers should support increased access to in-language care and in-language educational resources so that AAPI Texans are able to access the healthcare they deserve. The 88th Legislature should revisit the expansion of federal healthcare programs for eligible Texans.