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.
Regular Session Enters Final Two Weeks
Today, May 20, is the 127th day of the legislative session. This means only 13 days remain before lawmakers adjourn on June 2.
The Legislature hit a major deadline this past Thursday, May 15, which 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 placed on the schedule that lawmakers didn’t reach in time.
Scheduled House bills that missed the deadline included the following:
- House Bill (HB) 813 by Rep. Philip Cortez, relating to health benefit coverage for autism-related care.
- HB 2929 by Rep. Mano DeAyala, relating to training for law enforcement on interacting with people with autism.
- HB 5465 by Rep. Joe Moody, relating to procedures regarding people who have mental illnesses or intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD).
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. Our policy team will watch for this as the session winds down.
Last week, the Senate passed three bills that had been featured as TCDD Bills of the Week. All of these bills now head to the governor for signature into law:
- HB 1041 by Rep. Chris Turner, relating to the insurable interest of care providers to people with disabilities in long-term care facilities.
- HB 1188 by Rep. Christian Manuel, relating to the referral of certain students receiving special education services to a local intellectual and developmental disability authority for services or public benefits.
- HB 2081 by Rep. John Bucy III, establishing the Building Better Futures Program to support educational and occupational training opportunities and support for students with IDD at public and private institutions of higher education.
For complete lists of bills being considered each day, go to the House and Senate calendars on the Capitol website.
Join TCDD for a Capitol Recap on Disability Policy
On Wednesday, June 25, TCDD will host a Disability Policy Academy titled “A Capitol Recap: Disability Policy in the 89th Legislature.” The free event is 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’s public policy analysts and other disability advocates.
The event will be held via Zoom. Participants must register ahead of time to attend. TCDD will provide Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) service. If you need other accommodations to participate, please indicate that when registering and email Koren Vogel or call her at 512-948-2035.
Date: Wednesday, June 25
Time: 1-2:30 p.m. Central Time
Register to attend
Seven Hearings To Watch
The following section includes a sample of legislative 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. A full list of upcoming hearings can be found on the Capitol website.
The House Committee on Public Health held a hearing (PDF) on Monday morning, May 19. The committee heard testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- Senate Bill (SB) 2487 by Sen. Tan Parker, relating to procedures for certain facilities providing crisis and mental health services.
The Senate Committee on State Affairs held a hearing (PDF) on Monday morning, May 19. The committee heard testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- HB 46 by Rep. Ken King, relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis under the Texas Compassionate-Use Program.
The House Subcommittee on Family and Fiduciary Relationships held a hearing (PDF) on Monday afternoon, May 19. The committee heard testimony on the following bill:
- SB 66 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, relating to the authority of a supporter regarding legal proceedings granted under a supported decision-making agreement.
The House Committee on Human Services held a hearing (PDF) on Tuesday morning, May 20. The committee heard testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- SB 2311 by Sen. Angela Paxton, relating to operational plan requirements for certain general residential operations licensed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
The House Committee on Public Education held a hearing (PDF) on Tuesday morning, May 20. The committee heard testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- SB 570 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, relating to an attendance policy adopted by public schools to prevent truancy.
- SB 1447 by Sen. José Menéndez, relating to standards adopted by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) regarding the use of electronic devices and software applications by public schools. This was previously featured as a TCDD Bill of the Week.
The Senate Committee on Education K-16 held a hearing (PDF) on Tuesday morning, May 20. The committee heard testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- HB 121 by Rep. Ken King, relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the commissioning of peace officers by TEA; the composition of the board of directors of the Texas School Safety Center; public school safety and security requirements and resources; and the reporting of child abuse or neglect by public school employees.
- HB 2310 by Rep. Claudia Ordaz, relating to developing a strategic plan to improve and expand early learning and educational opportunities for young children with disabilities. This was previously featured as a TCDD Bill of the Week.
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services held a hearing (PDF) on Tuesday afternoon, May 20. The committee heard testimony on a variety of bills, including:
- HB 3595 by Rep. Jeff Barry, relating to an emergency preparedness and contingency operations plan, including temperature regulation, for residents of assisted-living facilities during emergencies.
- HB 4666 by Rep. Christian Manuel, relating to certain required reports prepared or submitted by HHSC or in collaboration with HHSC as well as reports submitted to the governor or a state legislator under the Health and Safety Code.
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.
