Today at CTD
A weekly update of CTD's advocacy activity (now that the regular session has adjourned, our daily updates will slow down a bit!).
2025
Week of July 14, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser will be presenting on attendant wages at the Texas Parent to Parent Statewide Conference.
Week of July 7, the advocacy team will be attending Texans Care for Children's legislative recap, meeting with the REV UP Texas coalition, and joining several national organizing calls on Congressional cuts to Medicaid.
Week of June 30, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call (monthly, through October, learn more about this series and register), and we met with state and federal level organizers about potential Medicaid cuts.
Week of June 23, advocacy team members attended five calls on potential Medicaid cuts with both state and federal partners, and Policy Fellows Cole Glosser and Yulissa Chávez presented at TCDD's A Capitol Recap: Disability Policy in the 89th Legislature.
Week of June 16, CTD is co-hosting a press conference to Sound Alarm on Looming Medicaid and Marketplace Cuts Ahead of Critical Congressional Vote (Wednesday)
Week of June 9, the advocacy team had partner meetings on housing and health care access, as well as Medicaid advocacy, and Executive Director Chase Bearden joined national level advocacy efforts on prescription drug policy.
June 2, it's sine die! Policy Fellows Cole Glosser and Yulissa Chávez made office visits at the Capitol to thank our legislative partners.
May 29, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a coalition meeting of Cover Texas Now.
May 28, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 28, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a webinar on national Medicaid cuts.
May 27, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 27, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a webinar on national Medicaid cuts.
May 23, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 22, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Policy Fellow Cole Glosser spent the day at the Capitol visiting offices and dropping cards.
May 22, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a Protect Texas Medicaid coalition meeting.
May 21, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, dropping cards and carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 20, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser was at the Capitol dropping cards and visiting offices.
May 19, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 19, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, dropping cards, listening to proceedings on th
May 19, our advocacy team held our last Raise Your Voice! call of this session!
May 16, CTD signed on to a letter urging Congressional leaders not to proceed with cuts to federal Medicaid funding.
May 16, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a webinar on national Medicaid cuts.
May 15, Executive Director Chase Bearden testified in House Elections for online voter registration.
May 15, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 14, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, dropping cards, listening to proceedings on the House floor, and carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 14, Communications Director Laura Perna is attending a webinar on national Medicaid cuts in Texas. Learn more and register.
May 13, our advocacy team was at the Capitol, dropping cards, listening to proceedings on the House floor, and carrying out our endgame advocacy work.
May 12, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call. Learn more about this series and register.
May 9, CTD signed on to Texans Care for Children's letter urging the Legislature to support a $100 million child care investment. Read the letter.
May 8, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser was at the Capitol dropping cards.
May 8, Communications Director Laura Perna is attending a stakeholder discussion on national Medicaid cuts in Texas.
May 7, Executive Director Chase Bearden wrote an op-ed cautioning legislators about expanding the 340B program in Texas. Read the op ed.
May 6, Executive Director Chase Bearden spoke at press conference against SB 16, which would require citizenship checks to register to vote. KVUE and KXAN covered the presser.
May 6, Policy Fellows Cole Glosser and Yulissa Chávez spent the day at the Capitol dropping cards and attending hearings.
May 5, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call. Learn more about this series and register.
May 5, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Communications Director Laura Perna attended coalition meetings.
May 1, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser spent the day at the Capitol, visiting offices and dropping cards.
Apr. 30, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez are doing office visits about voting bills.
Apr. 30, Communications Director Laura Perna is attending a meeting of national organizers on defending Medicaid.
Apr. 29, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez attended a press conference in support of an anti-bullying bill.
Apr. 29, Policy Fellows Cole Glosser and Yulissa Chávez were back at the Capitol, dropping cards and visiting offices.
Apr. 28, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call, with Every Texan joining to speak about the state budget. Learn more about this series and register
Apr. 28, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser submitted written comments to House Public Health regarding a bill on immunization exemptions.
Apr. 25, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser supported a self-advocate on an office visit regarding attendant wages.
Apr. 24, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez attended a Capitol press conference on voting bills.
Apr. 24, first thing , Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified on mask bans in House Criminal Jurisprudence, subcommittee New Offenses and Changed Penalties.
Apr. 23, CTD signed on to a letter of support for a bill that will address bullying in public schools. Learn more and take action!
Apr. 23, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a meeting of national organizers on defending Medicaid.
Apr. 22, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified in House Human Services today for IDD peer support. View the recording (00:47:30 to 00:48:55)
Apr. 21, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser submitted written comments to House Public Health for access to medications.
Apr. 18, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser and Executive Director Chase Bearden met with the Attendant Wage Coalition.
Apr. 17, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser and Executive Director Chase Bearden visited legislative offices about attendant wages.
Apr. 16, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified to Senate Education.
Apr. 16, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a regular meeting of national organizers on defending Medicaid.
Apr. 15, Advocacy Director Jolene Pohl supported family advocates on office visits regarding school discipline.
Apr. 15, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez presented at Ready, Set, Glow!, an inclusive event for students with disabilities at Huston-Tillotson University.
Apr. 14, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a hearing of the House Public Health committee and dropped some cards.
Apr. 14, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified to Senate State Affairs on mask bans and dropped some cards. View the recording (00:17:45 to 00:19:00).
Apr. 14, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez attended a press conference with the Texas Dyslexia Coalition (view the recording), dropped some cards at the Capitol, and spoke about our policy priorities on the Art Spark Texas Radio Hour (listen to the show).
Apr. 14, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call. Learn more about this series and register
Apr. 10, Policy Fellows Yulissa Chávez and Cole Glosser attended the Hogg Policy Academy.
Apr. 10, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a regular meeting of the Federal Medicaid Dental Hub.
Apr. 10, CTD added our name to three sign on letters regarding federal Medicaid and medical debt, water flouridation as public oral health measure, and the federal Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act.
Apr. 9, our team was in the Capitol visitng offices with board secretary Kenneth Semien, Sr.
Apr. 8, Policy Fellows Yulissa Chávez and Cole Glosser were virtual panelists on Disability Power & Pride: Cross Solidarity & Sustainable Activism.
Apr. 8, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified to House Human Services on ex parte eligibility for Medicaid. View the broadcast (00:59:40 to 01:01:27)
Apr. 7, we joined a sign on letter in support of the federal Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act.
Apr. 7, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call. Learn more about this series and register
Apr. 4, it was a rare quiet day, our team prepared for the week ahead.
Apr. 3, CTD signed on to a letter of support for HB 2777 (Rose), which bans the death penalty for people with severe mental illness.
Apr. 2, Executive Director Chase Bearden presented to the Texas Election Reform Coalition on election bills of interest of Texans with disabilities.
Apr. 2, our team was in the Capitol dropping cards and visiting offices.
Apr. 2, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a regular meeting of national organizers on defending Medicaid.
Apr. 1, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Communications Associate Louise Ho celebrated their 1 year anniversaries in their current positions at CTD!
Apr. 1, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez attended the Page Foundation's UniversALL Desgin symposium.
Apr. 1, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser and Communications Director Laura Perna attended the Texas Center for Disability Studies' Open House & 35th Anniversary Celebration.
Apr. 1, Executive Director Chase Bearden is at the Capitol making office visits and droppng cards.
Mar. 31, Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders participated in Texas Autism Society's advocacy day.
Mar. 31, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chavez presented on a panel on public policy and universal design at the Page Foundation's UniversALL Desgin symposium.
Mar. 31, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call. Learn more about this series and register
Mar. 28, our advocacy team held a virtual orientation for the 2025 Advocacy Corps interns.
Mar. 28, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a voting reform coalition meeting.
Mar. 27, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Policy Fellow Cole Glosser submitted written testimony to House Transportation on accessible parking and to the House subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Women and Children's Health healthcare access issues.
Mar. 27, lots of meetings! Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a call with the Texas Disability Project council, Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders and Policy Fellow Cole Glosser attended TCDD's Disability Advocates Coalition's weekly check in call, and Communications Director Laura Perna attended the Federal Medicaid Dental Hub and a Cover Texas Now coalition meeting.
Mar. 26, our Executive Director Chase Bearden testified in the House Insurance committee against low cost/ low value healthplans. View the broadcast. He dropped some cards while he was at the Capitol.
Mar. 25, our advocacy team visitied offices and dropped cards at the Capitol.
Mar. 25, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified in the House Human Services committee on the creation of an ID / DD coordinating council. View the broadcast
Mar. 25, CTD signed on to a letter in support of the Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act.
Mar. 24, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call. Learn more about this series and register
Mar. 23, the Denton Record Chronicle interviewed Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders on vouchers. Read the article
Mar. 21, KSAT in San Antonio interviewed Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez on what the closure of the Department of Education would mean for Texas students with disabilities. View or read the story
Mar. 20, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez testified in the Senate State Affairs committee on countywide polling places. View the recording (06:48:00 to 06:53:00)
Mar. 20, Executive Director Chase Bearden testified in the House Elections committee on curbside voting. View the recording (03:32:00 to 03:36:40).
Mar. 20, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a partner meeting on elections.
Mar. 19, our Policy Fellows represented CTD at a press conference on special education funding, organized by The Arc of Texas. Read the press release or view the recording.
Mar. 19, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a partner meeting on elections, plus tuned in to a hearing of the House Insurance committee.
Mar. 19, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a regular meeting of national organizers on defending Medicaid.
Mar. 18, we were at the Capitol, dropping cards, visiting offices, and attending hearings in the House Human Services committees and Senate K-16 Education committee.
Mar. 18 our Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez testified on a school discipline bill in the House Public Education committee. View the recording (07:24:17 to 07:26:30)
Mar. 17, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call. Learn more about this series and register
Mar. 14, our Policy Fellows are attending a regular meeting of the Hogg Policy Academy.
Mar. 14, our team is watching the rush of bills filed before today's filing deadline
Mar. 13, Communications Director Laura Perna attended the Federal Medicaid Dental Hub.
Mar. 12, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified in the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee regarding protections for renters with disabilities. View the recording (02:02:20 to 02:04:30)
Mar. 12, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a Senate Finance hearing and two coalition meetings on access to medications.
Mar. 11, CTD participated in a national call-in day to protect Medicaid from federal funding cuts.
Mar. 11, our advocacy team was in the Capitol today for hearings in the Senate Education committee and House Public Education committee. We stopped by several legislative offices while we were over there.
Mar. 11, we signed on to Families USA's letter urging Senate leadership to protect Medicaid.
Mar. 10, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call Learn more about this series and register
Mar. 7, applications closed today for our Advocacy Corps program
Mar. 6, our advocacy team was in the Capitol all day to attend hearings on elections and public education.
Mar. 4, our advocacy team attended the Don't Mess with 504 rally & press conference (organized by ADAPT of Texas). Learn more
Mar. 4, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended Texans for Health Access' advocacy day.
Mar. 3, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call Learn more about this series and register
Mar. 3, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a Senate State Affairs committee hearing on Texas' Compassionate Use Program (TCUP). View the recording
Feb. 28, our team is attending meetings with the Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds, national Medicaid organizers, and Texas Health and Biosciences Institute.
Feb. 27, Communications Director Laura Perna is attending a coalition meeting of Cover Texas Now.
Feb. 26, the advocay team made office visits and attended events with partners the Texas Civil Rights Project and Texans for Health Access.
Feb. 26, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified at a House Appropriations committee hearing on HB 1, Article II (HB 1 is the House's draft of the state budget, and Article II is where the Health & Human Services Commission lives). View the recording of the hearing
Feb. 25, Spectrum News interviewed Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders on school vouchers. Read or view the story
Feb. 25, Executive Directo Chase Bearden attended a House Appropriations committee hearing on HB 1, Article II (HB 1 is the House's draft of the state budget, and Article II is where the Health & Human Services Commission lives). View the recording of the hearing
Feb. 24, Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders testified at a House Appropriations committee hearing on HB 1, Article III (HB 1 is the House's draft of the state budget, and Article III is where the Texas Education Agency lives). View the recording of the hearing (04:00:00 to 04:02:40)
Feb. 24, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call this afternoon, with guest speaker Larry Johnson on his work on Seniors Keys to Independence Program (SKIP). Learn more and register for future calls
Feb. 21, our team is attending multiple meetings with partners, coalitions, and policymakers.
Feb. 20, Executive Director Chase Bearden is speaking to college students on disability policy issues.
Feb. 19, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a coalition meeting with Texans for Health Access.
Feb. 18, the Daily Texan quoted Policy Fellow Cole Glosser on emergency evacuation chairs for students with disabilities on college campuses. Read the article
Feb. 18, the CTD advocacy team met with the Attendant Wage Coalition and REV UP Texas.
Feb. 18, our advocacy team attended NAMI Texas' presentation on their 89th Lege priorities.
Feb. 17, Executive Director Chase Bearden met with an immunization workgroup.
Feb. 13, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser attended TCDD's Disability Advocates Weekly Check In.
Feb. 13, Executive Director Chase Bearden made office visits to educate legislators about medication switching.
Feb. 11 & 12, rare quiet days, our advocacy team was plugging away on bill tracking and analysis and catching up on various things.
Feb. 10, our advocacy team held a Raise Your Voice! call, with guest speakers Jordan Smelley (Medicaid and peer support self-advocate) and NAMI Texas (mental health priorities). Learn more and register for future calls
Feb. 10, Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders attended a Senate Finance committee hearing on SB 1, Article III (SB 1 is the Senate's draft of the state budget, and Article III is where the Texas Education Agency lives). View the recording
Feb. 7, Policy Director Jolene Sanders met with the Autism Consortium of Texas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (ACT LEND) program at UT Austin.
Feb. 7, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser supported self-advocates at legislative office visits.
Feb. 6, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser attended TCDD's Disability Advocates Weekly Check In, which included discussion of attendant wages and special education.
Feb. 6, CTD joined a national Medicaid Day of Action to defend federal funding from billions in proposed cuts. Learn more and take action
Feb. 5, our advocacy team attended a full Senate hearing on SB 2, this year's school voucher bill. View the recording
Feb. 5, Executive Director Chase Bearden attended a coalition meeting with Texans for Health Access.
Feb, 4, our advocacy team attended day 2 of the Senate Finance hearing, where we testified on attendant wages and dental access. View recording (Cole Glosser on attendant wages 03:49:15 to 03:51:45; Chase Bearden on complex rehab technologies, dental access, and attendant wages 04:49:00 to 04:51:05)
Feb. 3, our whole advocacy team attended Senate Finance hearings for the next two days, on SB 1, Article II (SB 1 is the Senate's draft of the state budget, and Article II is where funding for the Health and Human Services Commission lives, including attendant wages). View recording
Feb. 3, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Policy Fellows Yulissa Chávez and Cole Glosser made some legislative office visits while they were at the Capitol for hearings.
Jan. 30, the CTD advocacy team prepped for next week's Senate Finance hearings on SB 1, Article II (SB 1 is the Senate's draft of the state budget, and Article II is where funding for the Health and Human Services Commission lives, including attendant wages).
Jan. 29, the CTD advocacy team met with the Attendant Wage Coalition as well as a Medicaid self-advocate.
Jan. 29, Waxahachie Daily Light published an op-ed by Executive Director Chase Bearden on the nomination of RFK Jr. to lead the federal Health and Human Services Department. Read the article (note there is a paywall but you can still read the article by signing up for free limited acess)
Jan. 28, we met with our partners from the Texas Medicaid Association to discuss healthcare priorities for the 89th session.
Jan. 28, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chávez testified at the Senate Education committee on school vouchers. View recording (07:27:00 to 07:29:00)
Jan. 28, CTD co-hosted a webinar on Medicaid block grants (federal policy). Learn more and RSVP
Jan. 27, the CTD advocacy team launched our Raise Your Voice! advocacy calls for 2025. Learn more and register
Jan. 24, Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders met with the IDD Peer Support workgroup to discuss this session's peer support bill.
Jan. 24, Communications Director Laura Perna attended a national meeting on supporting Mediciaid at the federal level.
Jan. 23, Executive Director Chase Bearden and Disability Rights Texas met with the Moody Center to help improve access.
Jan. 23, Policy Fellows Yulissa Chavez and Cole Glosser made office visits to 11 freshmen legislators.
Jan. 16, Policy Fellow Yulissa Chavez presented in Spanish on advocacy essentials at the Texas Legislature, with the Autism Society of Texas. View the recording (1 hour)
Jan. 15, the CTD advocacy team continued making office visits (10 before lunch!).
Jan. 14, the CTD advocacy team was at the Capitol for the first day of the 89th Texas Legislative session. They made 4 office visits and met with many CTD advocacy partners.
Jan. 13, the Texas Standard interviewed Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders about our legislative priorities. Listen to the story (12 min)
Jan. 13, Registration opened for our our Raise Your Voice! advocacy calls. Learn more and register
Jan. 9, Executive Director Chase Bearden signaled a legislative path forward for electronic mail-in ballots in the Texas Tribune. Read the article
Jan. 3, Families USA sent a letter to Congressional leadership, urging them to protect and strengthen Medicaid. CTD is signed on. Read the letter
2024
Dec. 18, CTD signed on to Texans Care for Children's letter urging legisaltive leadership to overhaul outdated Medicaid enrollment technology. Read the letter
Dec. 18, Community Impact quoted Advocacy Directed Jolene Sanders regarding special education enrollment in Houston-area districts. Read the article
Dec. 12, Community Impact quoted Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders regarding special education enrollment in Texas. Read the article
Nov. 14, Advocacy Director Jolene Sanders testified at the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development, on inclusive child care. View recording (3:43:43 to 3:47:30)
Oct. 16, The Daily Texan quoted Policy Fellow Cole Glosser's testimony on unmasking protestors. Read the article
Oct. 16, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified at the Senate Committee on State Affairs, on unmasking protestors. View recording (00:39:12 to 00:41:00)
Oct. 15, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified at the Senate Committee on State Affairs, on chronic homelessness and disability. View recording (5:08:07 to 5:10:15)
Oct. 9, CTD signed on to Texans Care for Children's statement urging legislators to make child care a priority in the 89th Legislature. View the statement
Sept. 30, Policy Fellow Cole Glosser testified at a Joint Budget Hearing with the Health and Human Services Commission & Texas Civil Commitment Office, on community attendant wages. View recording (01:08:18 to 01:11:05)
