CTD Messenger June 2009

• April 2009
• March 27, 2009
• March 19, 2009
• March 6, 2009
• February 24, 2009
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contents

• 2009 Legislature Report – Part 1: Budget Issues and State Schools
• Budget and State Schools

Stick a Fork in It – It’s Done!

2009 Legislature Report – Part 1: Budget Issues and State Schools

All bets were off. Nobody could predict what would happen in the 2009 Texas legislative session. The economy tanked and supposedly took the state budget with it, then federal stimulus money revived it. The Senate changed its rules to pave the way for Voter ID changes, but didn’t figure the House would kill it. At the last possible moment, little known Rep. Joe Straus was elected the new Speaker of the House, igniting a chain reaction that changed almost all the committee chairmen. The State Schools were hit with federal Dept of Justice charges for abuse, the notorious Fight Club scandal at the Corpus Christi State School hit national media and the Denton State School was blasted for its failure to properly report the sudden violent death of a resident.

CTD was there for you before the session, working with legislators to draft bills. CTD then worked tirelessly through the days and nights, including an allnighter until 6 a.m., of the 140 days of the 81st session to make sure that Texans with disabilities had a seat at the political poker table. With the help of individuals calling and writing their Senators and Representatives, along with the help of our partner advocacy groups, some very significant outcomes were achieved.

CTD efforts included:

Testimony at public hearings; including specially invited testimony Direct contacts to legislative offices Supplying and reviewing language for legislation Written position papers distributed to the Legislature Operating Raise Your Voice! (click the link on www.cotwd.org), a web-based tool to communicate to legislators. CTD members sent legislators over 2,500 emails. Organization of and/or participation in several legislative rallies at the Capitol Press conferences and media interviews We held our annual convention just blocks from the Capitol in April, bringing in folks from around the state

CTD's Dennis Borel at press conference. In back: Senators Van De Putte, Ellis, Shapleigh, West, Davis and Whitmire

Budget and State Schools

With all the publicity on State Schools, the pressure was on the Legislature. There was a lot advocates wanted about State Schools that did not get done like consolidation of facilities, development of a real long term plan and waiver reform. But there was a commitment to reduce the State School population, relocate hundreds to the community and substantially reduce the community services wait lists. Yes, the legislators threw more money at the institutions but they also appropriated the largest funding ever to reduce the community wait lists. They also funded an increase in the wages paid to community direct care workers. Again, not the $10 per hour we wanted, but the average should now be $8, an improvement. We were successful in advocating for three new centers for independent living and the elimination of the wait list for Comprehensive Rehab Services for traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries during the critical first year after injury.

Click here to view the complete 2009 CTD Legislative Report and check back for Part 2 in the next newsletter.

Thanks to all the CTD members, volunteers, friends, legislators and Capitol staffers who helped us in our mission.

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