Advocacy


Note: For current legislation, we are posting Advocacy Alerts under “Latest News“- available in English and Spanish!

The Autism Society of Texas is active in the Texas legislature and advocates on behalf of Texans living with Autism. We work with legislators, their staff and state agencies to identify and magnify key policy issues that impact children and adults with Autism. Autism Society of Texas staff also serve on the Autism Society of America’s Public Policy and Advocacy Committee. We are committed to keeping the Autism community up-to-date on what’s going on in Texas and at the Federal level.
Read about our position statements here.

To receive advocacy updates such as information on bills, advocacy training, or when calls and emails to legislators are needed, please register here.

To learn more about the basics of advocacy and how to be an advocate, check out our Advocacy 101 page!

Have advocacy issues, questions or concerns about Texas or Federal issues? Email advocacy@texasautismsociety.org.

Upcoming Events

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Take Action: Oppose School Vouchers! (11/9/2023) - Take Action Now! It takes just seconds to ask your Texas legislator to oppose school vouchers in HB 1 & SB 1.TAKE ACTION HEREThe Autism Society of Texas and every major disability advocacy group in Texas opposes private school vouchers because they are not in the best interest of students with disabilities including Autism.Key Concerns-1. […]
ABA/Medicaid Benefit- Rate Hearing 11/14/23 (11/6/2023) - Applied Behavior Analysis therapy (ABA) became a covered benefit for those utilizing Medicaid beginning on 2/1/22. The reimbursement rates for ABA under the Medicaid benefit have not been high enough for many providers to be able to take clients on Medicaid. In addition, the process to become a Medicaid/ABA provider has been long and challenging. […]
Texas Legislative 3rd Special Session: School Vouchers/Education Savings Accounts (11/6/2023) -   11/9/23: Shortly after we posted this article, a 4th Special Session was called that includes HB1 & SB1  -school voucher bills. Please complete our Action Alert that takes just seconds to complete- Take Action- Oppose HB1 & SB 1- School Vouchers: https://www.votervoice.net/AutismSociety/Campaigns/109040/Respond The Texas Legislative Special Session ends Tuesday 11/7/23.  This Special Session focused […]
Last Call: Get these House Bills Passed! (5/9/2023) - Please act today, Tuesday 5/9/23 or Wednesday morning! This may be our last opportunity to get these bills to move! Ask: Ask your Texas State Representative to support the following bills & vote “for” them. If you’ve been personally impacted by any of these issues below, please let them know how this affected your family […]
Advocacy Alert: Get HB 5274 Passed Out of Committee! (4/24/2023) - House Bill 5274 will be heard in the House Committee on Human Services Tues. April 25th at 8 AM.  Issue: The credentialing process to get therapists approved to provide a Medicaid benefit under a managed care organization (MCO) can take an excessive amount of time, sometimes many months to over a year.  This can lead […]
Advocacy Alert: HB 4506 -Autism Insurance Equity Bill (4/14/2023) - House Bill 4506 will be heard in the House Committee on Insurance Tues. April 18, 2023 at 8:00 AM. Issue: According to current Texas law, a person must receive their autism diagnosis prior to their 10th birthday to receive coverage for treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. In addition, there is an annual maximum cap of […]
Connections Created: February 2023 Recap! (3/2/2023) - We had a great February creating connections in the Texas Autism community! We provided a free virtual Seminars Across The Spectrum presentation on the topic “Challenging Behavior & Autism”, presented by Hannah MacNaul, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA, LSSP with the UTSA Severe Behavior Lab. Our amazing group of volunteers and supporters helped us at our Team […]
House Appropriations: Funding Needed for Critical Services! (2/27/2023) - What’s happening?  Similar to last week’s Senate Finance Committee Hearing, the House also has their own Budget Hearings! On Tuesday 2/28/23 the Texas House Appropriations Committee will be meeting to hear public testimony on budget items including critical programs under the Health & Human Services Budget that impact people with Autism and other disabilities. You […]
Advocacy Action Alert: Ask Senate Finance to Fund Critical Programs! (2/17/2023) - Senate Finance Committee Meets Tuesday 2/21/23 What’s happening?  On Tuesday 2/21/23 the Texas Senate Finance Committee will be meeting to hear public testimony on budget items including critical programs that impact people with Autism and other disabilities. You can urge them to support needed programs! Below you will see who to call, followed by what […]
Connections Created: January 2023 Recap! (2/2/2023) - We hit the ground running this year! We kicked off January with two new in-person parent support groups in Central Austin and Georgetown! We also had our first 2023 Seminars Across The Spectrum virtual presentation, “Medicaid Wavers & How To Get Your Child On The List” presented by Barbara Bush, President of Solutions for Special […]
Save the Date! Texas Autism Advocacy Day! (1/11/2023) - We are thrilled to announce Texas Autism Advocacy Day is coming soon! Save the date for Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at the Texas State Capitol! Registration information is will be posted within the next two weeks! For more information, please contact Jacquie at jacquie@texasautismsociety.org.
November Newsletter (11/6/2022) - Check out our November Newsletter here.  Subscribe here. Check out our upcoming education events, see the calendar listings to join #TeamAutism in the Austin Marathon, and learn about new and upcoming support groups across Texas! NOVEMBER 2022 NEWS
October News (11/6/2022) - Check out our October Newsletter here.  Subscribe here. OCTOBER 2022 NEWS
February 2022 News (2/2/2022) - Our February Newsletter is out! From our 14th Annual Texas Autism Walk registration opening, to our Seminars Across The Spectrum “Sex Ed Guidance: What Everyone Needs To Know” presentation, there is a lot happening in the coming months!  Read our February newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/texasautismsociety.org/feb2022-astnewsletter Subscribe to our newsletter here 📬: www.texasautismsociety.org/subscribe/
January 2022 News (1/7/2022) - Read what’s happening this month! We need runners and volunteers for the Austin Marathon, check out our Houston parent/caregiver group, and learn about our upcoming education event, Preparing Tweens & Teens for Adulthood! Read it here. Subscribe here.
December 2021 News (12/5/2021) - Check out our December Newsletter! Join us for the Austin Marathon, check out our new groups, read about our new Executive Director! Read it here.  Subscribe here.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2021 (10/18/2021) - October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! Read more about how AST is helping with employment in our NDEAM 2021 Newsletter here! 
August News (8/11/2021) - Our August newsletter has great information about AutFest Texas happening in Dallas, Houston & Austin (and a virtual option!), our new AUTonomy education series, and new support groups! Read it here. Subscribe here.
Medicaid Update! (8/2/2021) - Thanks to everyone’s advocacy efforts during the 87th Texas Legislative Session, the ABA Medicaid benefit was funded and is finally moving forward! ABA Provider enrollment is now open, and the program is scheduled to start on Feb. 1, 2022. Although the ABA Medicaid benefit did not get the full amount of funding needed, and reimbursement […]
Advocacy Action Alert: Congress Must Include Home & Community Based Services In the Budget (7/20/2021) - ADVOCACY ACTION ALERT! Tell Your Members of Congress that Plans for $3.5 Trillion Spending Package Must Include Home & Community Based Services (HCBS) BACKGROUND  Medicaid is the largest source of funding for assistance with daily living for people with disabilities. Medicaid Home and community-based services (HCBS) have been grossly underfunded for decades causing long waiting […]