AUSTIN, Texas (Covering Katy News) – A Fulshear area family's years-long advocacy effort has resulted in new legislation that will help families across Texas get disability services sooner.
Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill into law on May 29, thanks largely to the work of Caytlin Handley and her parents Carey and Boyd.
What the new law does
Right now, schools are only required to give families information about their local intellectual and developmental disability Authority, like the Texana Center in Fort Bend County, when their child turns 14. The new law requires schools to share this information much earlier - as soon as a child is identified as needing special education services for intellectual disabilities or developmental delays.
Why this matters
Many disability programs have lengthy lists of people interested in the programs. By telling families earlier, parents can get their children help sooner.
The local story behind the law
The law is named "The Caytlin Handley Act" after the young Fulshear area woman who has a disability. Her mother, Carey, learned about local intellectual and developmental disability authorities, and waiver programs, when she attended a meeting in 2008 and learned that adults with disabilities often wait more than 10 years just to get basic services.
The Handley's tried to pass similar legislation in 2022, but it didn't make it through the legislative process. This time, they worked more strategically and also had Caytlin testify before lawmakers. Caytlin's testimony was so moving that the committee renamed the bill after her.
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Caytlin Handley testifying before legislators in Austin as her mother and father sat by her side.
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Covering Katy News
Caytlin Handley visited the Covering Katy booth at local event in 2016 where we captured this photo of her hugging the Sugar Land Skeeters mascot.
"We are incredibly proud of our daughter, Caytlin, for her self-advocacy and poise during the past five months," Carey Handley said. "She's been incredible and now she will always be in Texas history with a bill, now law, called 'The Caytlin Handley Act'."
Carey also expressed gratitude to the many people who supported their efforts, including legislators, staff members, and advocacy organizations like The Arc of Texas and the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.
What happens next
The new law goes into effect immediately.