Terms Used In Texas Human Resources Code 35.001

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005

In this chapter:
(1) “Assistance” or “support services” means a subsidy granted by the department to provide support to a client.
(2) “Client” means a person with a disability who lives independently or a family who receives assistance under this chapter.
(3) “Department” means the Department of Aging and Disability Services.
(4) “Family” means a group that consists of a person with a disability and that person’s parent, legal guardian, spouse, or sibling and may include others.
(5) “Legal guardian” means a person appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction to exercise powers over a person with a disability.
(6) “Other support programs” means:
(A) all forms of local, state, or federal support services other than those established by this chapter;
(B) contract programs; or
(C) support provided by public or private funds for persons with disabilities or their families.
(7) “Parent” includes only a natural, foster, surrogate, or adoptive parent.
(8) “Person with a disability” includes a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities or has a record of such an impairment. This term does not include an individual whose impairment is a communicable disease.