Interim Hearings

While the Texas Legislature does not meet in even numbered years, like 2026, they are still holding interim hearings. These hearings are for lawmakers to learn about specific issues that they'll be working on next year. Bills aren't heard in interim hearings, but they're a great opportunity to educate legislators about our issues—and to learn what they're thinking about as we prepare for 2027.

Interim hearings are underway in 2026! Here's a roundup of what we've heard:

In the House Elections Committees, sentiment to restrict voting remained high. We submitted testimony urging the committee to consider voters with disabilities when making decisions regarding transparency and election security. Adequately staffing polling places, accessible mail-ballots, and identification for people who may not have a driver's license were among our recommendations.

Both the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the House Human Services Committee had hearings that addressed fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid system. CTD prepared for and monitored these hearings, focusing on protecting attendant care and Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), and ensuring that any solutions to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse do not harm individuals or disrupt their services.

In House Public Education, members focused on the implementation of last session's public school funding bill, which infused $8.5 billion into public education. According to testimony by officials, educators, and families at the hearing, however, it's not enough. School districts across the state continue to struggle with deficit budgets and have been forced to cut staff, shutter schools, and eliminate programs. Declining enrollment, failure to provide a meaningful boost to the basic allotment, and rises in fuel and health care expenses are just a few contributing factors. 

Advocates celebrated the adoption of a service intensity-based special education funding model last session, but questions remain about how this will roll out. CTD and partners will continue to closely monitor this critical shift, as well as other important issues impacting students with disabilities leading up to and during the 90th Texas Legislative Session. 

A couple more hearings coming up this week we'll be watching:

• House Insurance, which will likely see the reappearance of junk insurance plans.

• House Public Health, topics on the hearing notice include tele-health, healthcare workforce, and rural health.

Access in Texas State Parks

• The Texas Parks and Wildlife website has a lot of useful accessibility information about parks. It's not centralized in one page, so if you can't find something you need, contact [email protected].

• Check online for access information before visiting a state park. For overnight stays, the TPWD Reservation Center can help you navigate which cabins and camp sites fit your access needs.

• Many parks have adaptive equipment available to loan, such as adaptive fishing equipment, Freedom GRIT Chairs, beach wheelchairs, and more.

• State park programs and events are listed online, and you can limit your search to accessible listings.

• Parklands Passports are 50% off for people with disabilities, and 100% off for veterans with disabilities.

• Fill out a Reasonable Modification Request for a specific park event or an Access Solution Request to make a suggestion about improving park access.

• Join a public meeting for new state parks to give input early on in new park development.

• TPWD launched the Accessibility Advisory Committee in 2024 to get input about the parks directly from the disability community. If you'd like to know more about the Committee or would like to join, contact Jessica at [email protected]!

Cinema Touching Disability Collaborative Screenings

Capitol Care CDS

Did you know? CTD operates Capitol Care CDS, a program that allows Medicaid STAR+PLUS and STAR Kids recipients to hire and manage the people who will provide their attendant services.

If you, a loved one, or a friend have attendant care needs, Capitol Care CDS may be the answer!

Coming up at CTD & in the community!

Thank you to our 2026 Cinema Touching Disability sponsors!

The Boatright Family

Dennis Borel

Jet Schuler

The Perna Family

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