Autism Society of Texas holds day of advocacy at Texas Capitol

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Just ahead of Autism Acceptance month, the Autism Society of Texas held a day of advocacy at the Texas Capitol.

Advocates spent the day visiting lawmakers' offices to advocate for their priorities that are coming up in the legislative session.

The Autism Society of Texas "changes lives by connecting families and individuals to community resources and support through Texas," according to the nonprofit's website.

One of the big issues on their minds is special education, especially when it comes to funding.

"We have a $1.7 billion gap in special education funding here in our state, and we're really seeing teachers leaving and things not going well. We got 40% of our teachers are not certified right now," said Jacquie Benestante, executive director for the Autism Society of Texas.

The day of advocacy comes as the group launches its "Autism Acceptance Is" campaign, which is a statewide initiative promoting understanding, acceptance and belonging for those with autism.