My life was forever changed on Thanksgiving Day 2023. That day, my daughter was paralyzed in a car accident. She is now non-ambulatory and requires an adult-sized changing table. Since that day, one of the most significant challenges we've confronted is something you may never consider — finding a safe, clean place to change her in public. As a mother to a disabled child over 30lbs, I am often forced to resort to changing her on the floor of public restrooms, a practice echoed by many families in similar instances.

Regrettably, this difficulty extends beyond my family. There are millions of individuals, young and old, who require an adult-sized changing table due to self-care issues, incontinence, or needs related to catheters or colostomies. However, public buildings rarely accommodate us.

This lack of facilities is not just inconvenient, it's dehumanizing and a violation of basic rights. According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability, and between 110 million and 190 million adults have significant difficulties in functioning. With numbers this significant, the necessity for adult changing tables in public buildings becomes more than a matter of convenience. It is a matter of dignity and accessibility.

No one should be forced to deal with changes on a public restroom floor. It's time for this gross oversight in human rights to be addressed. Sign and support this petition to stand up for the millions of people like my daughter who deserve respect and equal access to public facilities. Demand that all public buildings in Texas be required to install adult changing tables.