background: Approaches are needed to address barriers to the use of empirical evidence in policy decision-making. The Texas Research-to-Policy Collaboration (TX RPC) Project aims to connect policymakers to research and resources based on policymakers’ public health-related needs for the biennial 2021 Texas Legislative Session. The 2018 Texas elections led to a more diverse Texas Legislature compared to previous years, underscoring the need to assess legislators’ health priorities in preparation for the upcoming session.

objectives: The overall goal of the TX RPC Project is to advance the use of public health scientific information in the policymaking process through strategic researcher-policymaker partnerships. This presentation describes baseline engagement of policymakers and public health-related needs in Texas.

methods: Policymakers in Texas were invited to join the TX RPC Network in November 2019 and project staff conducted emails and phone calls to follow-up with non-responders in 2020. Policymakers/staff interested in participating were scheduled to undergo in-person baseline interviews and policy identification needs assessments, with a goal of enrolling 20 policymakers.

results: To date, 68 policymakers have been invited to participate, 16 have completed the baseline interview, and four are pending completion. Up to four recruitment emails were sent to all 68 policymakers/staff and up to three phone calls were made to a selected 20 policymakers/staff. Few barriers to participation were encountered. The majority (87.5%) of interviews were conducted with a legislative staff member. Legislative needs were assessed for seven Senators and nine Representatives from both parties, representing both urban and rural districts across Texas. Public health priorities identified by policymakers/staff included: sexual health (n=1); school safety and gun violence (n=2); immunizations (n=2); foster care (n=2); substance use (n=3); equity (n=3); obesity (n=3); disabilities (n=4); food access (n=4); healthcare access (n=5); school physical activity/nutrition (n=5); mental health (n=6); vaping (n=6); and maternal and child health (n=9).

conclusion(s): Preliminary findings indicate legislators value the use of research for policy development and plan to prioritize various public health issues during the 2021 Texas Legislative Session.

public health implications: Assessing policymakers’ legislative needs and priorities can help to prioritize researcher expertise and resources, to better inform public health policies.