The Arc of Texas Support of Providing Information on Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authorities for Children Eligible for Special Education Services
Verbal Testimony on HB 1188
Chairman and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Sabrina Gonzalez Saucedo, and I’m here on behalf of The Arc of Texas in strong support of House Bill 1188.
I want to begin by asking you to picture this: A new mom who has been worried about her child for a while now. She’s noticed things that just feel different from raising her first child—missed milestones, social disconnection, delayed communication. She’s finally sitting in her first ARD meeting. The school has completed its evaluation, and she hears the words: autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.
In that moment, her world shifts. The fear that’s been building becomes real. She’s overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty, wondering how to move forward.
What that parent needs most in that moment is support.
Often, that support comes from nonprofits like The Arc or local advocacy organizations who say, “You’re not alone.” But most critically, families need to be connected—right then—to the system of services that can help their child thrive.
That’s exactly what HB 1188 does.
It ensures that when a child is found eligible for special education services due to an intellectual disability or developmental delay, schools provide parents with information about their Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority, or LIDDA.
LIDDAs are the front door to publicly funded services for Texans with IDD. They help families access eligibility, service coordination, and lifelong supports—from early childhood through adulthood.
But too often, parents don’t even hear about their LIDDA until years later—if at all. That’s a missed opportunity to offer help and hope when families need it most.
HB 1188 changes that. It ensures that in a moment of fear, families are handed a pathway forward.
Because with the right supports in place, fear turns into hope—and into a supported child, and later, a thriving adult, surrounded by a family empowered to walk alongside them.
I urge you to vote for HB 1188 and I’m happy to answer any questions. Thank you.