One session. 140 days. YOU need a seat in the room.

TORCH's 2027 Legislative Fund pays for the lobbying, testimony, and relationship-building that keeps small, individually owned residential care homes from being regulated like — or crowded out by — the large chains. We need to raise $40,000 to make sure your voice is heard — and we're already halfway to our goal. Help us protect your home!

Make your pledge See what we're fighting for ↓

$20,000

pledged toward our $40,000 goal

[5] homes

have pledged so far

140 days

once the gavel comes down

The stakes

The Legislature only shows up every two years. So do we.

The Texas Legislature meets for 140 days every two years. Whatever gets decided — or missed — in that window becomes the rulebook every residential care home in Texas operates under until 2029.

The large, multi-facility operators show up to the Capitol with government-relations staff and relationships built over years. Most TORCH members show up with one home, one license, and a waitlist of residents counting on them.

That gap is exactly why TORCH exists. When members pledge to the Legislative Fund, we pool it into one lobbying presence and one legislative strategy — loud enough for individually owned homes to be heard the same as the chains, without any single owner carrying that cost alone.

“Most of our members show up to this fight with one home and a waitlist of residents. TORCH is how the small home gets the same seat as the chains.”

Our 2027 priorities

What we're taking to Austin

Here's what your pledge funds us to work on at the Capitol this session.

Regulation

Right-sized rules for small homes

Inspection and licensing standards that scale to a 6-bed home the way they scale to a 200-bed facility — not a rulebook written for the big operators and applied to everyone.

License category

Protecting the small-home license itself

Making sure the license category that lets an individually owned, home-based residential care facility exist in Texas doesn't get merged away or regulated out of existence.

Insurance & retrofit

Relief on the costs pricing us out

Liability coverage and life-safety code compliance are pushing small, independently owned homes out of business faster than almost anything else. We're pushing for realistic timelines and relief.

Reimbursement

Medicaid rates that cover real care

Reimbursement that reflects what it actually costs to staff and run a home today, not a rate set for a different market years ago.

Track record

TORCH gets results

Working with HHSC & legislators on provider issues
Addressing Immediate Threat concerns & fair enforcement
Fighting for clearer definitions in regulations
Protecting the future of assisted living in Texas

Where we stand

[5] homes have pledged

$20,000 of $40,000 goal

50% of goalGoal by session convening — Jan 12, 2027

Every pledge counts toward the total our members see — $250 or $5,000. It all funds the same fight, and every home that pledges makes the next one easier to ask.

How to give

Choose what your home can give

$250

Covers a day of Capitol visits during committee hearings.

$500

Prints and distributes testimony and legislator one-pagers.

$1,000

Sends a member to Austin to testify in person.

$2,500+

Recognized as a Legislative Champion in TORCH's session updates.

Every amount helps — there's no minimum to pledge, and monthly giving is available. Prefer to stay anonymous? Just let us know.

Pledge now

Before you give

A few common questions

Why raise money now instead of waiting until session starts in January?: Because influence at the Capitol isn't built during the 140 days of session — it's built in the months before. Lobbying contracts get signed, relationships with legislators get made, and testimony gets prepared well ahead of the gavel. By the time session convenes, the seats at the table are already decided. Pledging now is what buys TORCH a seat before opening day, not after.
Where does my pledge actually go?: Directly to the 2027 Legislative Fund: lobbyist retainer, Capitol travel and testimony costs, printed materials, and member mobilization during session.
Can I pledge now and pay later?: Yes — pledging locks in your support and lets us show momentum to legislators right away. You can fulfill your pledge on your own timeline before session convenes.
Can my business give, or does it have to be personal?: Yes — TORCH accepts contributions from both individual owners and businesses to the Legislative Fund.

Last call

140 days. One voice. Make sure it includes you.

Every home that pledges makes the next one easier to ask.

Make your pledge