Hello, Hayley here, with the Texas DeafBlind Coalition!
This is our latest Texas Co-Navigators Legislative News Blast! You can stay up to date with our advocacy efforts in three different ways: follow us on twitter, check our regularly updated website here at www.texascn.org, and to make certain you are always in the loop, subscribe to our Legislative News email Blasts!
As usual during legislative sessions, I have been working with the Texas DeafBlind Coalition, a passionate group of wonderful humans and networks, all for one common mission. For years, we have been advocating for a statewide Support Service Provider, now preferably and desirably known as Co-Navigator, program. This is one of the most critical and overlooked needs for DeafBlind Texans.
For the first time ever, we have the gracious support of the Texas Association of the Deaf. We also have a recently revised Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities report that recommends that the Texas Legislature establish formalized co-navigator services within HHSC. It is with great excitement that we share that two (identical) bills have been filed in the Texas House and Senate to accomplish this goal – HB 3287 and SB 1715!
As some of you may know, the time has come for all of us to contact legislators, especially those serving on the House Committee on Human Services. So we urge all of you, DeafBlind Texans and DeafBlind community members, to support our bills by calling, writing, or filling out web forms to contact these committee members. For links to committee member’s contact forms and a sample email go here.
We realize that it is such an odd time, especially during this pandemic, so we are here to support you the best we can. For any support or reasonable accommodations, please send your needs to accommodations@texascn.org.
Again, to find all of the information you will need for contacting the members of the House Committee on Human Services, go here.
At a later date, we will all need to contact our personal representative and senator. To find out who represents you, go here. And, If you are interested in volunteering time to support our efforts further, please do not hesitate to contact us!
With warmth and optimism,
Hayley Broadway