Welcome to the latest edition of Texas Legislative News for the 88th Texas Legislature. In this weekly feature, we provide information on disability-related issues being considered at the State Capitol. We also include overviews of how lawmakers conduct business and provide details on upcoming TCDD events.
Today, May 15, is the 126th day of the legislative session. This means that only 14 days remain before lawmakers adjourn. This past Thursday, May 11, lawmakers hit a major deadline when it was the last day for the House to consider bills that originated in that chamber. Bills that weren’t brought up by midnight effectively died for the session, including bills that were placed on the schedule but that lawmakers didn’t reach in time.
Some of the bills that did pass in the days leading up to the deadline included the following:
- House Bill (HB) 211 by Rep. Mary González, regarding inclusive child care
- HB 381 by Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a previous TCDD Bill of the Week that would ban the death penalty against people with intellectual disabilities
- HB 3159 by Rep. Jeff Leach, which would establish an accessible absentee ballot system
- HB 4164 by Rep. Philip Cortez, regarding the improper use and treatment of a service animal
Each of these bills now heads to the Senate for consideration.
One of the bills that House lawmakers didn’t consider prior to the May 11 deadline was HB 773 by Rep. Alma Allen, a previous TCDD Bill of the Week that would ban school-initiated, undocumented early pickups of students.
Even if a bill missed the deadline, there’s a chance that the bill’s language could be added to another bill in the session’s final days. This is something we’ll watch for as the session winds down.
Some of the Senate bills set for consideration in the House this week include:
- Senate Bill (SB) 944 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, relating to the commitment order for individuals with intellectual disabilities in state-supported living centers
- SB 728 by Sen. Joan Huffman, relating to the reporting of mental health and intellectual disability information with respect to certain children for purposes of a federal firearm background check
For complete lists of bills being considered each day, check out the House and Senate calendars on the Capitol website.
Texas Advocates Honored
On Tuesday, May 9, the Texas House passed House Resolution 1559 by Rep. James Talarico, which honored the 40th anniversary of the Texas Advocates organization. A number of the organization’s members were in attendance, including TCDD Council Member Ronnie Browning.
As a leader of self-advocacy for Texans with disabilities, Texas Advocates fights to stop unfair treatment and advocate for better services and supports for people with disabilities to be included in their communities. You can learn more about the organization by visiting its website at texadvocates.org.
Disability Policy Academy
When the 88th Legislature adjourns on May 29, it will have seen the largest number of bills ever filed in a single session in Texas. Hundreds of those measures relate to disability issues such as special education, employment, guardianship, transportation, and others. Our policy team has watched these bills, offered public testimony, and tracked their progress. Once the session ends, we’ll review what passed, what didn’t, and how the disability community will be impacted.
On Wednesday, June 14, TCDD will host a Disability Policy Academy titled “A Capitol Recap: Disability Policy in the 88th Legislature.” The event is free, open to the public, and will feature:
- an overview of new disability-related laws;
- a summary of disability issues that remain unaddressed;
- a discussion on topics lawmakers may cover in special session; and
- a Q&A session with TCDD public policy analysts.
Registration Details
The event will be held via Zoom. Participants must register ahead of time to attend.
Date: Wednesday, June 14
Time: 1-2:30 p.m. CT
Registration has ended. Thank you for your interest!
Accommodations
Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) service will be provided. If you need other accommodations to participate, please email Koren Vogel or contact her at 512-948-2035.
Hearings To Watch
The following section includes a sample of the hearings that we are monitoring this week. During these hearings, legislative committees may consider important disability-related bills. You can find live and archived broadcasts of committee hearings on the House and Senate websites.
The House Public Education Committee held a hearing on Monday morning, May 15. The committee discussed the following notable bill:
- SB 8 by Sen. Brandon Creighton, relating to public education, including parental rights and public school responsibilities regarding instructional materials and the establishment of an education savings account program
The House Higher Education Committee held a hearing on Monday morning, May 15. The committee discussed the following notable bills:
- SB 55 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, relating to a study and report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding best practices for assisting students with autism
- SB 532 by Sen. Royce West, relating to repayment of certain mental health professional education loans
The House Public Health Committee held a hearing on Monday morning, May 15. The committee discussed the following notable bill:
- SB 26 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, relating to local mental health authority and local behavioral health authority audits as well as mental and behavioral health reporting, services, and programs
The Senate Administration Committee held a hearing on Monday afternoon, May 15. The committee discussed the following notable bill:
- Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 48 by Sen. Bob Hall, directing the Texas Facilities Commission to name the new transit amenity center in the Capitol complex at 207 W. 14th St. in Austin as the “Lead On! Transit Amenity” in honor of Justin Dart
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday morning, May 16. The committee will discuss the following notable bills:
- HB 400 by Rep. Stephanie Klick, relating to innovation grant programs to support residency training programs in psychiatric specialty fields and recruitment, training, and retention programs in behavioral health fields
- HB 729 by Rep. Toni Rose, relating to the statewide intellectual and developmental disability coordinating council
- HB 1009 by Rep. Chris Turner, relating to criminal record reviews of certain people providing services to people with developmental disabilities under Medicaid
- HB 3162 by Rep. Stephanie Klick, relating to advance directives, do-not-resuscitate orders, and health care treatment decisions made by or on behalf of certain patients, including a review of directives and decisions
- HB 3462 by Rep. Candy Noble, relating to the consolidation of ombudsman programs at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- HB 4696 by Rep. Candy Noble, relating to the reporting and investigation of certain allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation; the making and investigation of complaints alleging violations of certain health facility licensing requirements; and the content of the employee misconduct registry
The House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday morning, May 17. The committee will discuss the following notable bills:
- SB 1624 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, relating to guardianships, alternatives to guardianship, and supports and services for incapacitated people
- SB 2248 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, relating to guardianships for incapacitated people
Stay Informed
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