Texas House of Representatives

The Texas Legislature and its agencies provide the following services:

A. Proceedings and Hearings

Certain proceedings of the Texas Legislature are provided as soon as reasonably possible in one of the following formats:

• Audio cassette tape for committee hearings and chamber proceedings. Contact House Video/Audio at (512) 463-0920.
• The Texas House of Representatives web site serves Live and Archived broadcasts of most House committee hearings.
• Electronic versions for legislation in either Microsoft Word, HTML, or Adobe PDF for conversion to synthesized speech. Email Document Distribution at House.DocumentDistribution@tlc.texas.gov. Microsoft Word, HTML and Adobe PDF versions of bill text are available here from the Texas Legislature Online web site.

B. Internet Documents and Information

Information on the Texas House of Representatives web site has been formatted to accommodate browser software for the visually impaired, wherever possible. Some information on this site may be in the form of Adobe Acrobat PDF documents. Refer to Adobe's web site for information regarding tools to allow access to PDF files for the visually impaired.

The Texas House of Representatives supports the Section 508 Standards and strives to incorporate all the related guidelines and suggestions for improved accessibility. For example, every page of our web site has a "skip to" link allowing screen readers to bypass the header and navigation menu to go directly to the main content. Javascript is minimally used to ensure compatibility across web browsers. All graphics containing text also contain the same text within ALT tags so non-graphical browsers may retrieve the same information.

C. Interpreter Services for (both) Language and Hearing Impaired

The Texas Legislature provides for interpreter services either by a state employee or a private provider. Although meetings, floor debate, and activities may be scheduled for a specific day and time by either chamber, those dates and times may be changed. To the extent possible, requests for interpreting services will be provided for the changed time.

House Committee Hearings

Interpreter services are paid for by the House Business Office. To request interpreter services, contact the House Committee Coordinator office at (512) 463-0850, preferably at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.

D. Relay Texas

Relay Texas provides telephone interpreting service between people who can hear and those who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and speech disabled. This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and there are no restrictions on the length or number of calls placed. All calls are confidential and no records of any conversations are kept.

To place a call on Relay Texas as a Voice Caller to a deaf person, please complete the following procedures:

Dial 9-711:

• A voice message will say: "You have reached Relay Texas. Press #1 to place a relay call."
• Relay Agents will answer and identify themselves.
• You will then provide the number you wish to call.
• Agent will connect your call.

You will speak to the deaf person you are calling and the agent will type the information for them. When you finish your thought say "Go ahead" and the deaf person will then answer you through the agent.

Please have the telephone number ready. Give the agent the area code and the number you want to call. Speak directly to the person you are calling and not the Relay Agent. Please do not direct comments to the Relay Agent during your conversation, because these phrases will be relayed as well. Any background sounds will also be relayed, such as laughter, other people talking in the room, etc. When you leave a message, you may indicate you have called through Relay Texas.

If you have further questions concerning Relay Texas, please call the Payroll/Personnel Department at (512) 463-0865. You may also obtain information on-line with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. www.puc.texas.gov

E. Physical Access

All Capitol facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities. To request special assistance, please contact:

• Capitol Visitor Services, (512) 463-0063
• Office Location: Capitol 1st Floor, South Wing, Room 1S.2
• Mailing Address: P.O. Box 13286, Austin, TX, 78711
• Email: Capitol.Tours@tspb.texas.gov
• The Texas Capitol Accessibility Guide

The telephone number for Capitol Visitor Services is also the number for the tour guides' office. That office provides wheelchairs and can conduct tours using American Sign Language with one week's advance notice. If requests are made in advance, the office will try to make whatever accommodations are needed. The House Sergeant's Office handles special accommodations for House Hearing Rooms. Capitol Visitor Services will gladly forward requests to either office, as appropriate. Capitol Accessibility Map