Disability rights advocates try year after year to convince lawmakers to close Texas’ state-supported living centers — the large, institutional-care settings that have been targeted by the U.S. Justice Department for dangerous conditions. Every time, their efforts are rebuffed: by the adamant parents who rely on the facilities to care for their loved ones, and the lawmakers who count on them as economic drivers in their districts.

This session, advocates say they have a big plus in their column: the state’s giant budget crunch. They are hoping lawmakers, facing an estimated $18 billion to $25 billion shortfall, will have ...

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