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Informes de GCPD

2025 Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities Policy Recommendations Report for the 89th Texas Legislature

Download 2026-2027 GCPD Biennial Policy Recommendations for the 89th Legislature in PDF Format

2026 Report on Braille Is Literacy: Policy Recommendations to Strengthen Literacy Outcomes for K–12 Students Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision in Texas

Download 2026 Report on Braille Is Literacy: Policy Recommendations to Strengthen Literacy Outcomes for K–12 Students Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision in Texas in PDF Format
This report was prepared by GCPD to make recommendations to the Texas Legislature on advancing braille literacy skills for K–12 students who are blind or have low vision. These actionable recommendations, when implemented, will result in expanded educational and vocational opportunities and stronger literacy outcomes for these students.

2025 Report on Vision Loss in Older Adults: Issues and Proposed Solutions

Download 2025 Report on Vision Loss in Older Adults in PDF Format
The Report on Vision Loss in Older Adults: Issues and Proposed Solutions explores strategies to broaden and strengthen our state's capacity to help people aged 55 and older with significant vision loss live independently in their home and in the community. Nearly ten percent of older Texans experience significant vision impairment. The report identifies non-traditional partners to deliver core independent living services and recommends how to better integrate vision loss services into other aging service programs.

2025 Resource Guide on Assistance Animals, Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals

Download 2025 Resource Guide on Assistance Animals, Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals
The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities (GCPD) developed this resource to provide a definition for assistance animals, service animals, and ESAs. This resource will also clarify which laws are applicable in different settings and contexts.

2023 GCPD Guardianship Policy Recommendations

Download 2023 GCPD Guardianship Policy Recommendations Report in PDF Format

2022 Educational Interpreters for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

This report shares GCPD's 2022 survey results on challenges facing hiring and retention of Educational Interpreters for K-12 students who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

Download 2022-2023 Policy Recommendations Report in PDF Format

2020 Report on Support Service Providers/Co-Navigators (SSP/CNs)

DeafBlindness is a combination of sight and hearing loss that not only affects a person's ability to communicate or access information, but may also require significant adaptive strategies in order for the individual to maintain independence. The use of a Support Service Provider/Co-Navigator (SSP/CN) is critical to help the estimated 2,486 DeafBlind Texans over the age of 18 lead more independent lives.

An SSP/CN is an individual trained to act as a link between persons who are DeafBlind and their environment. They typically work with a single individual and serve as a guide and communication facilitator, relaying visual and environmental information. SSP/CNs are specially trained professionals who communicate with American Sign Language and enable people who are DeafBlind to make informed decisions. Common tasks performed by an SSP/CN include helping a person who is DeafBlind attend a medical appointment, participate in a public meeting, shop at a grocery store, or read their mail. In Texas, SSP/CNs are usually volunteers. The GCPD's “2020 Report on Support Service Providers/Co-Navigators” recommends the establishment of a State SSP/CN Program to meet the critical needs of Texans who are DeafBlind.

Interim Study

During the 83rd Legislative Session, HB 1545 was passed which required the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities (GCPD) to conduct an interim study regarding the use of certain public transportation services by people with disabilities. Specifically, the Committee was tasked with the responsibility to identify:

  • The feasibility of standardizing the process of certifying an individual’s eligibility for services in the state; and
  • Whether the current 21-day provision of services by a provider is adequate to meet the needs of visitors with disabilities to locations served by the provider.

Data Collection

The Committee conducted two web-based surveys (one for paratransit providers, and one for Texans with disabilities), and held an accessible public hearing at the State Capitol on the charges of the interim study. The online surveys, in English and Spanish, were sent out through various virtual channels including emails lists and a GovDelivery format. There were 568 Texans who self-identified as a person with a disability who provided input for the Paratransit Rider survey. In addition, we received input from 266 Texans who indicated they do not have a disability but were familiar with paratransit services. A number of these responses came from family members, disability advocates, or professionals in the field of disability issues. The Committee heard from 13 people at the public hearing in July of 2014. The subsequent data analysis and report was submitted on January 1, 2015 as required by HB 1545.

The interim report is available in an accessible Word version and as a PDF:

Interim Report: A Study Regarding the Use of Certain Public Transportation Services by Persons with Disabilities in Word format

Interim Report: A Study Regarding the Use of Certain Public Transportation Services by Persons with Disabilities in PDF format

A Review of Accessible Parking for Persons with Disabilities in Texas

Interim Report Prepared for Members of 85th Texas Legislature:  

Read A Review of Accessible Parking for Persons with Disabilities in Microsoft Word format

Read A Review of Accessible Parking for Persons with Disabilities in PDF format