Table of Contents
Welcome to the latest edition of Texas Legislative News for the 89th Texas Legislature. In this regular feature, we provide information on disability-related issues and bills under consideration at the State Capitol. We also explain how lawmakers conduct business, and we share details on upcoming TCDD events.
TCDD Bill of the Week
Have you been following our Bill of the Week updates? Each Friday, we highlight a disability-related piece of legislation. We provide background information on why the bill was filed; break down what the bill would do; summarize who supports the bill and why; and share a quote from the author as to why they think the bill is important. We also provide a helpful one-pager that summarizes the major points, which you can share with your network or elected officials.
We’ve highlighted six bills so far this session on topics such as special education, postsecondary job skills training, and peer support services for people with developmental disabilities (DD).
Register for Office Hours at the Capitol
There’s still time to register for our in-person office hours at the Capitol, which begin Wednesday, March 12. The office hours will take place from 1-3 p.m. Central time (CT) every other Wednesday throughout the legislative session. During these 30-minute meetings, TCDD staff can help you with your advocacy goals for the session. This assistance may include:
- answering questions about the legislative process;
- accompanying you to meetings with your lawmakers or their staff;
- helping you prepare legislative testimony; and
- helping you prepare a personal “elevator speech.”
Registration is open for meetings on March 12 and March 26. When scheduling a meeting, please indicate your availability for the times and dates listed on the sign-up sheet. We’ll follow up with you to confirm your meeting’s time and location. Meetings should not be considered scheduled until you have received confirmation from TCDD staff. Availability may be limited depending on demand.
Apply for CTD Advocacy Corps
The Coalition of Texans with Disabilities (CTD) is looking for people with disabilities and their family members who want to learn about Texas legislative advocacy and are willing to commit to a program of training, workshops, and advocacy events. During the program, which begins this month, participants will get on-the-job training throughout the 89th Texas Legislature.
This is not your basic advocacy training. The Advocacy Corps (A-Corps) will train the next generation of disability advocates to educate decision-makers, break down stereotypes and barriers, and promote independence for all Texans with disabilities.
Applications for the program are due by midnight CT on Friday, March 7. Use the A-Corps online application to find more information and apply.
Five Hearings To Watch
The following section includes a sample of the hearings we’re monitoring this week. During these hearings, legislative committees may consider important disability-related issues. You can find live and archived broadcasts of committee hearings on the House and Senate websites. Visit the Capitol website for a full list of upcoming hearings.
The Senate Committee on State Affairs held a hearing (PDF) on Monday morning, March 3. The committee heard testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- Senate Bill (SB) 1505 by Sen. Charles Perry, relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis and the administration of the Texas Compassionate-Use Program.
The House Committee on Human Services held a hearing (PDF) on Tuesday morning, March 4. The committee heard invited testimony from the following state agencies:
- Health and Human Services Commission
- Department of Family and Protective Services
- Behavioral Health Executive Council
The House Committee on Public Education held a hearing (PDF) on Tuesday morning, March 4. The committee heard invited testimony on the following bill:
- House Bill (HB) 2 by Rep. Brad Buckley, relating to public education and public school finance.
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services will hold a hearing (PDF) on Wednesday morning, March 5. The committee will hear testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- SB 961 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, relating to fraud prevention and verifying eligibility for benefits under Medicaid.
The House Committee on Public Education will hold a hearing (PDF) on Thursday morning, March 6. The committee will hear public testimony on the following bill:
- HB 2 by Rep. Brad Buckley, relating to public education and public-school finance.
Bill Filing Continues
Now 50 days into the legislative session, lawmakers have filed over 5,500 bills to consider in the coming months. Recently filed proposals related to disability issues include:
- HB 3312 by Rep. Valoree Swanson, relating to the preservation and release of video surveillance recordings of special education settings.
- HB 3325 by Rep. Alma Allen, relating to a public school student’s transition from an alternative education program to a regular educational environment, including parental rights related to that transition and the admission of certain students with criminal or disciplinary histories.
- HB 3328 by Rep. Alma Allen, relating to the approval of purchases under the supplemental special education services and instructional materials program by a public school student’s admission, review, and dismissal committee.
- HB 3494 by Rep. Ana Hernandez, relating to wages paid to certain workers with disabilities.
- HB 3633 by Rep. Josey Garcia, relating to the retention of certain public school student records related to special education.
- SB 1653 by Sen. Bryan Hughes, relating to the provision of certain co-navigation services to people who are deaf-blind.
- SB 1671 by Sen. José Menéndez, relating to individualized education program requirements for students in alternative special education settings and the monitoring of alternative special education settings.
- SB 1678 by Sen. José Menéndez, relating to health benefit plan coverage for certain treatments prescribed for autism spectrum disorder.
- SB 1679 by Sen. José Menéndez, relating to the establishment of the Building Better Futures Program to support educational and job skills training opportunities and support services for students with DD at public and private institutions of higher education.
- SB 1683 by Sen. José Menéndez, relating to staff development requirements for public school educators.
- SB 1770 by Sen. Molly Cook, relating to the accommodation of pedestrians, bicyclists, people with disabilities, children, older adults, users of public transportation, movers of commercial goods, and motorists on streets and highways.
Stay Informed
Throughout the 89th Texas legislative session, you can stay up to date on how lawmakers address disability issues by following us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also check out our Policy section to learn more about our legislative engagement and find resources to support your own advocacy.
