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Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities to Meet in Nacogdoches, Texas on July 21-22, 2026

The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities (GCPD) welcomes all Texans to join us for our quarterly meeting on July 21-22, 2026, in Nacogdoches, Texas. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and are invited to provide public comment either in person or virtually. Attendees have the option of joining the meeting in person or online. To attend online, registration through the Zoom links below is required.

July 21 & 22, 2026

Tuesday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (CST);

Wednesday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (CST);

Stephen F. Austin State University

Cole STEM Building – Room 401

1720 Clark Blvd.

Nacogdoches, Texas 75965

Videoconference option is also available via ZOOM; Registration is required.

July 21st Zoom link: https://txgov-us.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Jkb6ErA8T9auld1exDjMDw

July 22nd Zoom link: https://txgov-us.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_r8XxO1HDRiagyHam4iZAvQ

A public meeting of the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities will be conducted under Texas Government Code Section 551.127, related to meetings involving members joining by videoconference call. It is the intent of the Committee to have the chairperson present at the meeting location listed on this agenda. This location will be open to the public during the open portions of the meeting. Other members of the Committee will join by videoconference from separate locations.

Members of the public will also have access to a live audiovisual stream of the meeting in addition to the option to be physically present at the location. The Committee will record the video and audio of the meeting and make the recording available upon request. Email requests to publicrecords@gov.texas.gov. For questions, contact (512) 463-5739 or email gcpd@gov.texas.gov.

Meeting Materials Available at: https://gov.texas.gov/organization/disabilities/committee-meetings

Day One – July 21, 2026

1. Call to Order/ Roll Call and Introductions (begin recording), Ellen Bauman, Chair
2. Approval of Committee Member Absences as Submitted (Discussion/Possible Action)
3. Approval of Summary Minutes for April 2026 (Discussion/Possible Action)
4. Listening to the Nacogdoches Disability Community (15 minutes per presentation)
   a. City of Nacogdoches Mayor Pro Tempore Chad Huckaby
   b. Nacogdoches Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities – Christina Ward, Chair and Victor Galan, Vice-Chair
   c. Local Workforce Solutions Representative – Dennis Kutach, East Texas Regional Director and Steve Pier, TWC Executive Director
   d. Crockett-Palestine Resource for Independent Living – Todd Petershagen, Independent Living Specialist
   e. Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) Area Agency on Aging and Disability Resources – Donna Sprouse, DETCOG Director

BREAK

5. Public Comment (3 minutes per presentation)
6. Reports from Invited Ex Officio Agency Representatives, Including Follow Up Topics from Previous Meetings (Discussion/Possible Action)
   a. Texas Commission on Jail Standards – Ricky Armstrong
   b. Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Emily Eisenman
   c. Texas Department of Family and Protective Services – Hector Ortiz
   d. Texas Health and Human Services Commission – Clair Benitez
   e. Texas Education Agency – Denise Magallanez
   i. Updates to Sensory Impairment State Plan for Special Education
   f. Texas Workforce Commission – Lisa Givens

LUNCH

7. Policy Proposal to Develop an Interagency Council on Emergency Management for Access and Functional Needs – Jackie Miller, Houston Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, and Stephanie Duke, Disability Rights Texas (Discussion/Possible Action)
8. Policy Proposal to Establish a Sensory Integration Friendly City Award Program – Cesar Garcia, Sensory Integration Task Force, Chair and Melinda Crockom, GCPD (Discussion/Possible Action)
9. Presentations on Disability Law Enforcement Training (Discussion/Possible Action)
   a. Oscar Hernandez, Captain, Texas Department of Public Safety
   b. Rachel Rinehart, Special Projects Captain, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
   c. Keisha D. Rowe, Associate Commissioner, Texas Health and Human Services Autism Training
10. Policy Recommendation for Disability-Related Law Enforcement Training (Discussion/Possible Action)
    a. Ginnie Muller, Texas Chapter, National Council on Severe Autism
    b. Raymond Garivey, Chief of Police, City of Kemah

BREAK

11. Policy Recommendation for Expanding Access to Post-Secondary Education Transition Services – Hon. Vilma Luna, Former Member Texas House of Representatives – District 33 (Discussion/Possible Action)
12. Policy Recommendation to Establish Eviction Protections for Individuals with Disabilities Who Have Durable Medical Equipment – Matt Dickens, Housing Eviction Protections Taskforce (Discussion/Possible Action)
13. Policy Recommendation for Texas Tenant Readiness and Landlord Incentive Pilot Program – Tanya Lavelle, Disability Rights Texas (Discussion/Possible Action)
14. Policy Recommendation to Establish Assistive Technology Strand in CTE, STEM, and K-12 Library Makerspace Programs – Shannon Paige, Education Project Manager, Texas Technology Access Program (Discussion/Possible Action)
15. Policy Recommendation to Require Adult Changing Stations at Large Public Festivals and Events – Josephine Sullivan, Adapted Sports and Recreation Subcommittee Chair and Dan Lusk, Executive Director, Momentum Refresh (Discussion/Possible Action)
16. Presentation on Findings and Recommendations from Accessible Parking Task Force (Discussion/Possible Action)
17. Recess – Ellen Bauman, Chair

Day Two – July 22, 2026

18. Reconvene (begin recording), Ellen Bauman, Chair
19. Roll Call / Approval of Committee Member Absences as Reported (Discussion/Possible Action)
20. Presentation on Preparing Future Teachers to Meet Education Needs of Students with Disabilities – Stephen F Austin State University College of Education Faculty
21. Public Comment (3 minutes per presentation)
22. Updates to Motor Vehicle Tax Exemption Policy – Matt Dickens, GCPD (Discussion/Possible Action)
23. GCPD Support for Job Seekers with Disabilities and Texas Workforce Development Programs and Services (Discussion/Possible Action)
24. Executive Director Report (Discussion/Possible Action)
    a. Subcommittee Reports
    i. Accessible Parking Task Force
    ii. Adapted Sports and Recreation Subcommittee
    iii. Consumer Directed Service Waiver Assessment and Renewals Task Force
    iv. Eviction Protection Task Force
    v. Guardianship Subcommittee
    vi. Sensory Integration Task Force
    b. Community Outreach
    i. NDEAM Poster Contest
    ii. Final Call for Nominations: Lex Frieden Employment Awards
    iii. Local Committee Update (Closing in on 30)
    iv. Upcoming Accessibility and Disability Webinars
    c. Public Policy Update
    i. Findings for TSD/TSBVI Policy Proposal
    d. Sunset Commission Updates for GCPD
25. Reviewing and Voting Upon Past GCPD Biennial Policy Recommendations from the 89th Legislature to Carry Forward to the 90th Legislature (Discussion/Possible Action)

BREAK

26. Policy Discussion from Past Public Comment, Discussions, and Meetings (Discussion/Possible Action)
27. Individual Member Reports on Outreach (Discussion)
28. Future Agenda Items and Meeting Locations (Discussion/Possible Action)
29. Adjournment – Ellen Bauman, Chair

Notice of Assistance at Public Meetings The Committee will provide Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) and American Sign Language Interpretation for this meeting. Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need assistance, such as materials in an alternate format, contact the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting. Phone: 512-463-5739 E-mail: gcpd@gov.texas.gov.

Disclaimer Statements, presentations, and responses made during this meeting, including remarks by ex-officio agency representatives and by members of the public concerning policy proposals or recommendations, reflect the individual views or informational input of the speaker. They do not necessarily represent the official position, commitment, or legal opinion of the speaker's agency, the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities, the Office of the Governor, or the State of Texas unless and until formally adopted or issued through appropriate official action.

The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities provides GovDelivery updates for informational purposes on a variety of disability related issues for a diverse audience. Updates may include information provided by external sources. The inclusion of this external information does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the Committee or the Office of the Governor of any information, policy, product, or service offered by an external source.

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