Disability advocates rally at Texas Capitol for better services

From The Daily Texan, the student newspaper at the University of Texas. In the picture, Vietnam veteran Diana Lopez asks state Rep. Joe Farias to support legislation regarding issues for Texans with disabilities after a rally at the Capitol.

Lucy Vasquez’s 11-year-old son was born with autism.

In order to raise awareness of the disease, she joined dozens of disability advocacy groups from across the state at a rally on the steps of the Capitol on April 6.

The groups present ranged from Adults with Autism to the Paralyzed Veterans of America. They all had the same goal: to make the state Legislature understand the problems facing disabled Texans.

“I want them to understand how important it is to help these children,” Vasquez said.
State Rep. Elliott Naishtat, a supporter of disability legislation, addressed the crowd at the rally.

“I wish I could say this is the last time you will have to meet here on behalf of people with disabilities,” said Naishtat, a Democrat from Austin. “But I’m afraid you’re going to be back again. And that’s OK; it’s just a part of the process.”

Naishtat said there are some important bills in the House this session that would impact the quality of life for people with a wide range of disabilities. One bill would require legislators to use “first-person, respectful language” when referring to people with disabilities, and another would make employment-seeking services more accessible.

State Rep. Abel Herrero, vice chairman of the House Human Services Committee, said the meeting with legislators would help get the bills passed.

“I think it’s important people understand and hear what issues are important,” said Herrero, D-Robstown.

After the rally, participants met with state representatives and senators to encourage them to support pro-disability legislation.

Mona Patel, an amputee from San Antonio, helped assemble a group to testify on behalf of people with prosthetic limbs.

“We are a grassroots group of amputees from all over the state,” Patel said. “We want to bring visibility and awareness to the Legislature about private insurances not giving us adequate prosthetic coverage.”

The group is trying to gather support for prosthetic parity, legislation that would require private insurance companies to fund prosthetics. Last year, the state paid $7.5 million to provide amputees with prosthetic limbs. The bill would lower the amount the state spends on prosthetic limbs while increasing the amount spent by private insurance companies.

“It will keep us working,” Patel said. “It will keep children functional. It will reduce or eliminate secondary issues like depression and obesity, because we won’t be in wheelchairs.”