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It’s been 123 days out of the 140 days of the regular legislative session, and today is the deadline for the House to consider House bills or joint resolutions on 2nd reading on the daily calendar (there are three readings total). Some bills are still moving through the larger legislative process, but many are either on the Texas House or
Senate floors or being discussed behind closed doors. Continue communicating with your legislators to let them know where you stand on issues that affect Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Follow The Arc of Texas on Twitter for regular updates and information on ways to act!
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Registering a position to support or oppose a bill is known as "dropping a card." This process requires arriving at the Texas Capitol in person the morning a relevant bill is being heard by a House or Senate Committee. Once you register electronically at a kiosk inside of the Capitol or on your own device on Capitol grounds, your position is entered into the public record. The Arc of Texas leads many advocacy efforts consistent with its
mission and vision. It also supports the advocacy initiatives of likeminded organizations that are well positioned to influence the outcome of a particular piece of legislation due to their mandates and spheres of influence. Dropping a card is an important demonstration of this type of supportive advocacy.
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House Bill 4571, which would create a new Statewide Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Coordinating Council, was engrossed and received by the Senate. Engrossed means the bill has passed the chamber in which it
originated, in this case the House, and is sent to the opposite chamber in hopes of passage. We are working with the bill author’s office, Rep. Toni Rose, to help secure a Senate Sponsor, who carries the bill through the Senate process. If passed, the council would provide input and report on the IDD Strategic Plan. The plan addresses gaps across the IDD system to support high-quality, cost-effective services to Texans with IDD, in the most integrated setting appropriate to the individual. Read or listen to The Arc of Texas's testimony in support of this bill
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- House Bill 2831, a bill that resulted from The Arc of Texas’s efforts on the IDD Task Force, was reported favorably with amendments and sent to the Local & Consent Calendars Committee. The Local & Consent Calendars Committee sets the agenda for
uncontested bills and resolutions, which just means that the bill is not controversial. HB 2831 would create an Advisory Committee to provide recommendations for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) confined in county jails, modify the jail intake screening form, provide jailers with training on interacting with people with IDD, and monitor and improve the jail intake process. Read or listen to The Arc of Texas's testimony
- House Bill 869, which would solidify a process for determining intellectual disabilities (ID) in capital punishment cases, was reported favorably without amendments and sent to Calendars Committee. The Calendars Committee schedules
debate on the major bills, determines their legislative priority, and creates a calendar that legislators use on the floor. HB 869 provides a process for judges to determine whether defendant in capital cases has ID. Read or listen to The Arc of
Texas's testimony
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On May 4, The Arc of Texas dropped a card with the Senate Education Committee in support of House Bill 785, having
also supported this important legislation with the House Public Education Committee earlier in March. Sponsored by Rep. Dr. Alma Allen, this bill revises various rules related to behavior improvement plans and behavioral intervention plans for students in special education. HB 785 was favorably reported out of the Senate Education Committee on May 10 and has been referred to the Local/Uncontested Calendar.
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House Bill 1675, a bill that removes due process for an individual whose parent wishes to be awarded guardianship, was heard today (May 13) in the Senate
Committee on Jurisprudence. Thank you to the many people who came to the Capitol to provide testimony against this bill, including Texas Advocates and The Arc of Texas members, probate court judges, ad litem attorneys, and many other allies.
Public Policy & Advocacy Coordinator Nate Lyon provided testimony on behalf of The Arc of Texas and helped support the members and partners who most impacted by this legislation. The committee heard your concerns, and the bill was left pending in committee. Listen to and read the transcript of testimony from The Arc of Texas
With only a short time left to address issues, we hope that the legislature will not move this bill forward and instead study the real issues and solutions with guardianship process during the interim. Any study needs to reflect both individuals with disabilities rights in addition to parental concerns. HB 1675 take Texas backwards in terms of guardianship reform and the progress we have made towards self-determination. Removing a person’s rights should not be easy, and we will continue to
oppose the legislation.
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- Senate Bill 1, the budget, is still in conference committee, where legislators from both chambers are making final decisions on items such as waitlist funding. We are hearing there will be final decisions any day now. Thank you to the hundreds of you who have emailed
and called the conference committee members! Your personal stories make the difference.
- Senate Bill 7, the omnibus voting bill, was amended and passed in the House with language similar to House Bill 6. Senate Bill 7
passed to third reading 78 to 64 with 18 amendments. We are waiting for the House to send the bill back to the Senate, however we expect the bill will go to conference committee (similar to the budget bill) where the two chambers will decide which specific provisions from the version of the bill that passed each chamber will remain in the final version. Stay tuned for updates and actions to take that prevent limiting Texans with disabilities access to the ballot!
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