The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities (GCPD) welcomes all Texans to join us for our quarterly meeting on July 16-17, 2025, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Attendees have the options of joining the meeting in person or virtually. To participate virtually, registration through the Zoom links below for each day is required.
July 16 & 17, 2025 Wednesday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend Staples Center 520 N. Staples Corpus Christi, Texas 78401
Zoom Registration Links
July 16: https://txgov-us.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_X57P25AuQZG0eqsmdcsmBA
July 17: https://txgov-us.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_A1jIjAv1Tj-tbhKW5Hp94Q
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 in Houston, Texas. 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 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. For questions, contact (512) 463-5739 or email [email protected].
To provide public comment related to disability related topics during the designated public comment time, you can choose to speak directly to the committee or email [email protected] in advance a brief written testimony addressed to the committee. GCPD does not accept registration for public comment until the day of the meeting. If you wish to give public comment in-person, please sign in at the registration table. For others who will be participating virtually, Zoom has a Q&A tool that you can use at the beginning of the meeting to state your intention to make public comment.
All available meeting materials will be posted at: https://gov.texas.gov/organization/disabilities/committee-meetings
In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, the meeting agenda is posted in the Texas Register on the Secretary of State’s website.
July 16, 2025
1. Call to Order/ Roll Call and Introductions – Ellen Bauman, Chair
2. Approval of Committee Member Absences as Submitted (Discussion/Possible Action)
3. Approval of Summary Minutes for April 2025 (Discussion/Possible Action)
4. Listening to the Corpus Christi Disability Community (15 minutes per presentation) a. Corpus Christi Committee for Persons with Disabilities – Imelda Trevino, Chair b. City of Corpus Christi Office of Emergency Management – Jace Johnson, Emergency Manager c. Coastal Bend Center for Independent Living – Marisa Telge-Masur, Executive Director d. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center – Jamie Lugo, Executive Director & Aliza Long, DHH Access Specialist
BREAK
5. Public Comment (3 minutes per presentation)
6. Reports from Invited Ex Officio Agency Representatives, includes follow up topics from previous meetings (Discussion/Possible Action) a. Department of Family and Protective Services – Hector Ortiz b. Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Emily Eisenman c. Texas Education Agency – Elyse Lieberman i. Transition Services for Students on Special Education – Elizabeth Danner d. Texas Workforce Commission – Claudia Peden e. Health and Human Services Commission – Clair Benitez f. Judicial Commission on Mental Health – Kristi Taylor, Executive Director
LUNCH
7. Rural Transportation Systems Report – Lisa Johnson, TxDOT PTN Program Manager for the 5310 Program
8. Special Education Software Programs – MacMichael Henson-Rogers & Shannon Naber, Frontline Education
9. Guardianship Abuse, Fraud, and Exploitation Deterrence Program – Brittany Gardner & Loreba Stoddard, Office of Court Administration
BREAK
10. Executive Director Report a. Debrief on the 89th Legislative Session b. Subcommittee Reports c. Community Outreach d. Introduction to Sunset Commission Process for GCPD e. Developing Plans for GCPD 75th Anniversary (September)
11. Recess – Ellen Bauman, Chair
July 17, 2025
12. Reconvene – Ellen Bauman, Chair
13. Roll Call / Committee Member Absences
14. Public Comment (3 minutes per presentation)
BREAK
15. Overview of Older Individuals who are Blind Program and Utilization of Resources from the 89th Legislature – Juanita Barker, Texas Workforce Commission
16. Vision Loss in Older Adults Report Policy Recommendations – Rebecca Lopez
17. Rural Mental Health for People with Intellectual and Development Disabilities Policy Proposal – Sarah Ali, GCPD Intern
18. Policy Discussion from Past Public Comment, Discussions, and Meetings
19. Individual Member Reports on Outreach (Discussion)
20. Future Agenda Items and Meeting (Discussion/Possible Action)
21. 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: [email protected]
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