Advocacy Opportunities & Resources: Progress on Peer Support Legislation

Published: Fri, 04/28/23

Advocacy Opportunities & Resources

Welcome to our Advocacy Opportunities & Resources email detailing updates from the Texas Legislature as well as available opportunities and resources of interest to members of The Arc of Texas. The opportunities and resources listed below are related to issues that could have an impact on Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). All times are listed in Central Daylight Time.

Legislative Updates

Committee Hearings

The following section includes a sample of the hearings that we are monitoring next week. During these hearings, legislative committees will consider the important disability-related bills highlighted below. You can find live and archived broadcasts of committee hearings on the House and Senate websites. For a complete list of the bills we are following visit our website.

Monday, May 1

House Public Health | Public Hearing Notice

8:00 AM | JHR 120

HB 2149 | Relating to notice of rights provided to a patient receiving involuntary inpatient mental health services. (Rep. Gervin-Hawkins)
HB 2417 | Relating to providing a person taken into custody for emergency detention with information concerning the person's rights. (Rep. Cain)
HB 2507 | Relating to procedures for the emergency detention of certain persons with mental illness. (Rep. Jetton)
HB 4989 | Relating to the permissible forms of a medical power of attorney. (Rep. Bhojani)

House Higher Education | Public Hearing Notice

10:00 AM | E2.010

HB 3296 | Relating to reporting requirements regarding certain data related to students at two-year public institutions of higher education. (Rep. Raney)

Tuesday, May 2

House Human Services | Public Hearing Notice

8:00 AM | E2.030

HB 4823 | Relating to the provision and delivery of benefits to certain recipients under Medicaid. (Rep. Oliverson)
SB 182 | Relating to the required report of criminal offenses committed against individuals receiving certain state agency services. (Sen. Miles)
SB 576 | Relating to the definition of exploitation for purposes of investigating reports of exploitation by certain providers against certain elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities receiving services from those providers. (Sen. Menendez)

House Insurance | Public Hearing Notice

8:00 AM | E2.014

SB 1140 | Relating to the adequacy and effectiveness of managed care plan networks. (Sen. Schwertner)

Progress on Peer Support Legislation

Thank you to everyone for their advocacy on IDD Peer Supports legislation thus far this session. House Bill 4702 by Rep. Campos passed out of the House Human Services Committee this week and we are now just waiting for an official committee report to be filed. The Arc of Texas supports HB 4702 because people with intellectual and developmental disabilities living in the community need peer supports. Peer support services focused on mental health and substance abuse disorders are already a proven successful Medicaid-billable service. The bill would build on this model for peer services specific to and for the IDD population.

You can learn more about the legislation here.

Pictured: Front: Brooke Hohfeld, Bill author Rep. Liz Campos, Cindy Whitaker, Lauren Gerken, Dennis Borel; Back, the tall guys, Jordan Smelley, Chairman
James Frank

Advocacy team: Front: Brooke Hohfeld, Bill author Rep. Liz Campos, Cindy Whitaker, Lauren Gerken, Dennis Borel; Back: Jordan Smelley, Chairman James Frank

Hear why peer supports are important from Logan Archer of Beaumont

Peer Support Specialist Logan Archer on the Benefits of Peer Support Programs

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