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The Texas Legislature adjourned sine die on May 31. Sine die (pronounced sigh-neh dye) is Latin for “without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing.” This term is used for the final adjournment of the legislative session.
Waitlist funding, voting rights, and guardianship were just a few of the efforts The Arc of Texas members worked on. This session was unlike any other for many reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic. There were fewer opportunities to go to the Capitol and meet with legislators in person. However, this session proved how effective our long-held advocacy strategies are, such as developing and maintaining relationships with your representatives and sharing your
real-life stories. Although it was not always easy, we learned together, and we are proud of our accomplishments.
Thank you to our amazing grassroots members: advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their families, and allies. We would not have had the success and opportunities we had this session without you!
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Once the legislature adjourns sine die, bills that passed out of the legislature (known as enrolled) move to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk. Gov. Abbott has until June 20, 2021, to sign a bill, veto it, or do nothing.
- If Gov. Abbott signs a bill, it becomes law.
- If Gov. Abbott does nothing, the bill will become law.
- If Gov. Abbott vetoes a bill, it means it will not become law.
Although we do not expect bills we supported that passed to be vetoed, we will not know for certain until June 20.
Most bills that passed this session will go into effect on September 1, 2021, which is the beginning of the Texas fiscal/budget year. We are already working with our partners and state agencies on how to put the new laws into action. The way new laws are implemented is important, because without a plan, a good bill that passed the legislature can become a bad law.
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The regular Texas legislative session is 140 days, but Gov. Abbott can call a 30-day special session on any issue he chooses. Typically a special session is for priority bills that were not passed during regular session, or important items not able to be addressed or finished during regular session. Gov. Abbott plans to call two special sessions. One will be in September or October to address COVID-19
funds and redraw legislative districts based on the state's population growth. There will be another special session beforehand to address elections and bail reform. Other issues may be added, but have not yet been announced. The Arc of Texas will continue advocacy efforts to ensure the civil rights and human rights of Texans with IDD are always represented.
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Sine die was a week ago, so advocates and Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) are still analyzing the final budget decisions. There are numerous items in the almost 1,000-page bill that impact Texans with IDD. We do not have final numbers on waitlist funding yet, but we do know is that there is more funding to get people off the lengthy Medicaid waiver waitlist. The funding is more than it was before conference committee,
but it does not fully fund HHSC’s original request of 3,512 new waivers. We will send out more details as soon as we know them. Thank you to the many advocates who shared the importance of Medicaid waivers to people with disabilities. Your stories made a difference! Stay tuned for more details in a future issue of Disability Dispatch.
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The Arc of Texas stands with students with disabilities and supports legislation that helps them meet their education goals in a productive and safe learning environment. Critical bills that improve teacher training, parental awareness, and data collection in educational settings for the benefit of students with disabilities were signed by Gov. Abbott on June 4. Once effective, their provisions will optimize learning opportunities and
practices that will make a difference for special education learners and their families. Read more
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One of Gov. Abbott’s priorities was to address the security of elections. Legislators in the Texas House and Senate worked on different bills about elections, but many advocacy groups, including The Arc of Texas, were concerned about provisions in these bills that would make it harder for Texas voters of color and Texas voters with disabilities to vote. Legislators worked to resolve differences between both chambers’ versions of election
bills into one bill: Senate Bill 7. Read more
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- A bill that resulted from The Arc of Texas’s efforts on the IDD Task Force and would create an Advisory Committee to provide recommendations for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) confined in county jails was sent to Gov. Abbott on May 31. House Bill 2831 will modify the jail intake screening form,
provide jailers with training on interacting with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and monitor and improve the jail intake process. We are excited to see our efforts on the IDD Task Force pay off and look forward to continuing to advocate for Texans with IDD who are involved in the criminal justice system.
- A bill that will assist Texans with a Medicaid waiver in accessing the support they need to achieve their employment goals was sent to Gov. Abbott. Senate Bill 50 is an example of a bill that takes more than one session to pass, as it was a priority bill for The Arc of Texas last session and was refiled this session. Once signed into law, The Arc of Texas will work with Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and other stakeholders to
implement the legislation effectively.
- The final comprehensive omnibus Medicaid bill (House Bill 2658, which was amended to include Senate Bill 2028) includes several provisions we support, namely the provision that requires reimbursement for preventive dental care for individuals in STAR+PLUS Medicaid. Adding preventive dental care as a reimbursable service will reduce emergency room visits and prevent other complications from lack of access to
dental care.
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A bill that would have lessened the protections for adult children with IDD when their parents were pursuing guardianship of the individual did not pass. While House Bill 1675 was based on a family’s personal experience, the legislation would have stripped due process rights from all Texans with IDD in their transition to adulthood. The wholesale response and education in opposition to this bill and its ultimate non-passage reveals the power
of advocacy efforts from individuals with IDD and connected to the IDD community. Read more
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Many good bills do not pass the first time they are filed. Bills can die for many reasons, including running out of time, misunderstanding by legislative offices, or competing priorities. When a good bill or key provision dies, it is important to study what may not have worked, develop relationships with and educate legislators during the interim, and build our grassroots network. Each session is different, and many bills take more than one
session to move through the full process. Read more about the bills we will continue to champion
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Join The Arc of Texas and Easterseals Central Texas for a four-week virtual series each Wednesday in July that will teach you about grassroots advocacy using real examples from the recent Texas Legislative Session. Participants of the series, "Texas 87th Legislative Session Lessons, Opportunities + Connections," will learn about what happened during the 87th Texas Legislative Session, make connections with other new and emerging disability
advocates, and discuss advocacy activities you can do both during and after a legislative session. Register now to reserve your space for all four sessions
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