Polk County court agrees to incorporate TxDOT civil rights recommendations into Title VI nondiscrimination policy

County staff briefed the Polk County Commissioners Court on proposed updates to the county’s Title VI nondiscrimination policy to comply with recommendations from TxDOT’s civil rights division. Staff explained the proposed changes: removing rescinded executive orders from the policy text, updating appendices, limiting Title VI complaint categories to race, color and national origin per guidance, adding LEP (limited English proficiency) questions, including a notice of rights, and revising the complaint process to match Title VI procedures.

Staff said the plan must be updated at least every three years or when the signatory changes and recommended that the court assign Carrie (staff) to prepare a redline or highlighted draft showing recommended changes. Commissioners asked for clarity about where changes would appear in the document and whether acceptance of the recommendations would affect funding; staff replied that compliance was a condition for certain TxDOT funding and that the county could choose which recommendations to accept but that noncompliance could jeopardize state funds.

The court approved moving forward with the recommended edits and directed staff to provide a redlined or highlighted draft of the revisions for final review before formal adoption.