Accessibility Policy
The Texas Legislature has proactively taken steps to ensure individuals with disabilities have full access to legislative activities, programs, and services. Our goal is to provide legislative activities and facilities that are accessible to all.
Proceedings and Broadcasts
The Texas Senate website provides live and archived broadcasts of most official Senate proceedings.
Broadcasts of proceedings are available online on the Senate website via the Senate Live Video Broadcasts page and the Senate Audio/Video Archives page.
For hearing impaired individuals, please see these instructions for help enabling live captions for live and archived video broadcasts.
Additionally, audio recordings of Senate proceedings and committee hearings from 2007 to the present are available from the Senate Staff Services office (512-463-0430). Recordings from 1973 to 2007 are also available:
- Original cassette recordings — Legislative Reference Library, 512-463-1252
- Digitized recordings — Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 512-463-5455
Internet Documents
Information on the Senate website has been formatted to accommodate browser software for the visually impaired, where possible. Some information on this site may be in the form of Adobe Acrobat PDF documents. Refer to Adobe's accessibility website for information regarding tools to allow access to PDF files for the visually impaired. The Texas Senate website strives to incorporate Section 508, WCAG and 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.
Electronic versions of legislation and related documents are provided in either Microsoft Word, HTML or Adobe PDF for conversion to synthesized speech. Microsoft Word, HTML and Adobe PDF versions of bill text and related documents are available from the Texas Legislature Online website.
Portable Assistive Listening Devices
The Texas Senate has an assistive listening system available to the public in the Senate Chamber and Senate committee hearing rooms. Personal listening devices may be checked out in the Secretary of the Senate's office, Room 2E.22 of the Capitol Building.
For more information on the listening devices, please contact the Senate Committee Coordinator at (512) 463-0070 (Senate TDD (800) 735-2989).
Interpreter Services
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.
Persons with disabilities who plan to attend Senate meetings and who may need assistance, such as a sign language interpreter, are requested to contact the Senate Committee Coordinator at (512) 463-0070, 72-hours prior to the meeting so appropriate arrangements can be made.
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 telephone number for Capitol Visitor Services is also the number for the tour guide 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 Senate Committee Coordinator handles special accommodations for Senate committee hearing rooms.
More information about Capitol building accessibility services are available here from the Texas State Preservation Board.
Relay Texas Telephone Services
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.
Further information about Relay Texas is available from the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) on their Overview page and Call Types page. The PUC Relay Texas Administrator can be reached at relaytx@puc.texas.gov, or at 512-936-7425. If you have additional questions concerning Relay Texas, please call the Senate Human Resources Department at 512-463-0400.
For ADA questions or compliance issues please contact Delicia Sams, Senate ADA Coordinator at 512-463-0400.