Moving forward, vol. 11, no. 5 (2006 February 10)

MOVING FORWARD

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates Guide to Legislation

Feb. 10,

Volume 11, Issue 5

2006

Welcome to the 2006 Legislative Session!

Make Plans Now to Attend Disability Day at the Capitol

"My Vote Makes a Difference!"

DHR Budget Overview

Thursday, February 23, 2006

DCH FY07 Budget Overview 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

DCA FY07 Budget Overview Georgia State Capitol and Freight Depot, Atlanta

DOE FY07 Budget Overview DOL FY07 Budget Overview
Contact Information
Senate Leadership Presiding : Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor

Invite your legislator to lunch or schedule a meeting with them! Not sure who they are or how to contact them? See www.vote-smart.org.
Registration required to attend the luncheon; RSVP 404-657-2126, Toll Free 888-ASK-GCDD, TTY 404-657-2133, or http://www.gcdd.org
Sponsored by: The Georgia Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities in partnership with:
The Arc of Satilla
disABILITY LINK

Senate President Pro Tempore

Dougherty for Children

: Eric Johnson, 1st

Georgia Advocacy Office

Senate Majority Leader:

Georgia Community Support and Solutions

Tommy Williams, 19th

The Marcus Institute

Senate Majority Whip:

Parent to Parent of Georgia

Mitch Seabaugh, 28th

Senate Minority Leader: Robert Brown, 26th

ResCare State ADA Coordinator's Office

Senate Minority Whip: David Adelman, 42nd

For sponsorship opportunities, please call Danielle Doughman at (404) 657-2125.

House Leadership

Speaker of the House: Glenn

Richardson, 19th

DHR Budget Overview

Speaker Pro Tempore: Mark Burhalter, 50th
Majority Leader: Jerry Keen, 179th
Majority Whip: Barry Fleming, 117th

Fiscal Year 2006 Budget: HB 1026, the Supplemental Budget passed the House on February 3, and is now in the Senate for consideration. DHR: Annualize the cost of the 925 waiver slots for the MR/DD waiting list in the community services adult program [$2,720,005] and child and adolescent community services program [$564,592] State funds: $3,284,597 Total funds $8,302,823
Fiscal Year 2007 DHR Budget :

Minority Leader: Dubose Porter, 143rd
Minority Whip: Carolyn Hugley, 133rd

Olmstead - Fund 750 MR/DD slots to Unlock the Waiting Lists; Community adult services program ($5,277,697); Child and adolescent community services program ($1,080,794). Total funds $13,281,233

House Appropriations
:
Chair-Ben Harbin, 118th
Vice Chair Education- Jan Jones, 46th

Realize savings by reducing non- psychiatrist physicians at Central State Hospital in the adult mental health sub-program ($900,000) Central State Forensic Secure inpatient services ($300,000) and State Institutional Services Adult Developmental Disabilities subprogram ($900,000) Total funds ($2,100,000)

Vice Chair Health and Human Services- Jeff Brown, 69th
Senate Appropriations
:
Chair- Jack Hill, 4th

Realize savings by consolidating the Craig Nursing Center and the Nursing Home Center in the State Hospital Services-Adult Mental Health subprogram ($1,041,854), the State institutional Services-Adult Developmental Disabilities subprogram ($307,269) and the Direct Care Support Services subprogram ($150,877) of the Adult Services program and eliminate 38 positions. Total funds ($1,500,000)

Sub Com. Chair Education-

Dan Moody, 56th
Sub Com. Chair Community Health- Greg Goggans, 7th
Sub Com. Chair Human Development- Renee Unterman, 45th
Current Bills
SB 84: Amendment to the Voter ID Act, HB 244: change provisions relating to required presentation of identification by voters; to specify the types of identification which may be used; to provide for Georgia voter identification cards to be issued by each county board of registrars to persons who do not have a valid drivers license or identification card issued by the Department of Driver Services.Sponsors:Staton 18th,Rogers 21st, Williams 19th, Chance16th, Chapman 3rd, Heath31st.Status:Final version passed House 1-25. Signed by Governor Perdue on 1-26. Voter ID cards will be provided for free to anyone who needs one, and each county will be required to set up a location for residents to obtain the cards.
SB 208;Central Registry for Traumatic Brain/Spinal Injuries; create state-wide central registry for traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries; to change certain definitions; to require that certain information relating to brain or spinal cord injured persons be reported to the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission. Sponsors:Hooks 14th, Stephens 27th, Thomas

consumers from Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital to the community in the Child and Adolescent Services program and eliminate 32 positions. Total funds ($1,002,687)
Annualize the cost of 925 waiver slots on the Mental Retardation/Development Disabilities Waiting List in the community adult services program ($2,648,987); and the child and adolescent community services program ($548,430). Total funds $8,302,823
Provide community services and forensic placements for consumers at West Central Georgia Regional Hospital through the following strategies: Total funds ($3,062,846)
Transfer 20 adult mental health beds to Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital by October 1, 2006
Transfer 35 adult mental health consumers to the community by March 1, 2007
Provide community adult crisis stabilization services by establishing two 16-bed units by October 1, 2006
Transfer 40 forensic beds to Georgia Regional Hospital by June 15, 2007
Provide community forensic transition services, 6 bed transition community integration home by February 1, 2007
Provide court ordered community placement for 35 forensic consumers by June 1, 2007
Transfer administration of 8 adolescent transition beds to Southwester State Hospital
Transfer the American Association of Adapted Sports Program contract from DOL's Warm Springs program to the Community Services Program, Child and Adolescent services State funds $248,069
Provide funds for an additional 500 slots in the Community Care Services Program for eligible elderly clients to enable them to be cared for at home. State funds $1,446,132 Total funds $1,725,750
Brain and Spinal Chord Injury Trust Fund; to annualize salary increases employer's share

54th, Carter 13th, Meyer Von Bremen 12th. Status:House

health insurance State funds $7,691

Withdrawn, Recommitted

Governor's Council Budget: to annualize salary

SB 266: Persons with Disabilities; taxicab

increases employer's share health insurance State funds $464

companies; accessible for

motorized wheelchairs; relating

to access to and use of public

facilities by persons with

DCH FY07 Budget Overview

disabilities, so as to require

that certain taxicab companies Fund the projected growth in Medicaid Benefits State

operating in this state shall

funds $221,163,251 Total funds $648,561,284

have a certain number of

taxicabs that are accessible to Contract with an enrollment broker to assist the care

persons in motorized

management population in the selection of a CMO plan

wheelchairs; to provide for

State funds $8,460,000 Total funds $14,038,314

related matters. Sponsors:

Unterman 45th, Grant 25th,

Reduce Medicaid costs generated in the Aged, Blind

Balfour 9th.. Status: Senate

and Disabled populations through the provision of

Recommitted

better business practices to ensure that the member

receives the right services at the right time for the

SB 367: Georgia Accuracy In right cost State funds ($20,000,000) Total funds

Elections Act:require all

($51,934,562)

electronic recording voting

systems to produce a

Replace Tobacco funds with state funds for the

permanent paper record.

Independent Care Waiver slots.(This does not reflect

Sponsors:Stephens 27th,

an increase in slots) State funds $2,143,025

Staton 18th. Status: Senate

Prefile

Transfer state funds from the Department of Human

Resources community services adult program to

SB 390: Classrooms First for

implement Georgia Healthy Families which serves

Georgia Act; require local

Medicaid clients who receive mental health services.

schools to spend minimum

State funds $17,910,517

operating funds on direct

classrooms expenditures. Sponsors: Chance 16th, Moody 56th, Carter 13th, Unterman 45th, Staton 18th, Hill 32nd. Status: Passed Senate, House Second Readers

Additional costs associated with savings estimates for the FY 2006 budget cuts that will not be realized for Disease Management, Emergency Room Pilot Expansion and with the transfer of nursing home residents to the SOURCE program. Yes

SB 413: Compulsory School Attendance Law; exemptions; provide local board of education policies; minimum annual attendance; change certain provisions relating to mandatory education for children between ages six and

DCA FY07 Budget Overview
Provide grants for accessibility improvements at owner-occupied homes in which an individual with a physical disability resides State funds $300,000

16; to provide that an

unemancipated minor older

than the age of mandatory

DOE FY07 Budget Overview

attendance may not withdraw from enrollment in school without the permission of his or her parent or guardian. Sponsors: Moody 56th, Weber

Redirect $500,000 from Curriculum Development to Testing to align the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) with the new Georgia Performance Standards Curriculum YES

40th, Douglas 17th, Thomas 2nd, Fort 39th, Tate 38th and others. Status: Senate Read and Referred

Provide funds for QBE enrollment growth of 2.5% and increase in teacher training and experience $201,590,474

SB 478: Sexual Offenses;persons who commit sexual offenses upon persons having a mental abnormality shall have enhanced penalties; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. Sponsors: Thompson 33rd. Status:Senate Read and Referred.

Provide funds to reduce the individual maximum class size for Grades K-8 $163,164,787
Provide for an increase in equalization grants $46,575,439
Improve graduation rates by providing grants to school systems to fund 1 HS completion counselor for every HS $21,175,000
Provide funds for academic coaches in Needs Improvement Schools $2,467,578

SB 480:Georgia Qualified

Further details on the budget will follow.

Medication Aides Act; provide

for delegation of certain

nursing tasks; Georgia Board

of Examiners of Licensed

Practical Nurses.

DOL FY07 Budget Overview

Sponsors:Unterman 45th, Thomas 54th, Goggans 7th. Status:Health and Human Services committee

Reduce Special Purpose Contracts and Purchase of Service Contracts by 2% Within the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services division. [These funds provide employment services through

HB 728: "Mattie's Call Act";

community-based agencies] (116,054)

relating to specific programs in

elementary and secondary

education, so as to provide for

legislative intent; to provide for the administration of funds by

For the compete budget reports, go to:http://www.opb.state.ga.us/

the Department of Education

for adapted sports and physical education programs. Sponsors: Franklin 43rd, Brooks 63rd, Jones 44th, Cooper 41st, Walker 107th, Drenner 86th. Status: Passed House, Senate read and

For current advocacy alerts, fact sheets and other information regarding the waiting lists go to www.unlockthewaitinglists.com, or the DD Council Website, www.gcdd.org/publicpolicy. Moving Forward is published by the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities as a public information

referred.

source. Please visit the Council's website for additional

resources and tools to utilize in your advocacy efforts.

HB 898: Access to

Postsecondary Education

Instructional Material Act; to

enact "The Access to

Postsecondary Education Instructional Material Act"; to provide for definitions; to provide for requests to

Contact Information
Questions for House Members:404-656-5082 Questions for Senate Members:404-656-0028

publishers for electronic versions of instructional

General Mailing Address Information:

material; to provide for duties

of publishers. Sponsors:

Representative or Senator (Last Name)

Hembree 67th, Millar 79th,

Fludd 66th, Kidd 115th.

Georgia House of Representatives or Georgia

Status: House Second Readers

Senate

HB 900: Adapted sports for disabled students; relating to specific programs in elementary and secondary education, so as to provide for legislative intent; to provide for the administration of funds by the Department of Education for adapted sports and physical education programs. Sponsors: Harbin 118th. Status: House Second Readers

State Capitol Atlanta, Georgia 30334

HB 959: Mallory's Act: relating to parking permits for persons with disabilities, so as to change certain provisions relating to permits for permanently disabled persons; to provide for permits issued to permanently disabled minors. Sponsors: Maddox 172nd, Lindsey 54th, Fleming 117th, O`Neal 146th, Roberts 154th.Status:House Committee favorably reported

HB 972:Teacher certification renewal;relating to teacher certification, so as to provide that the Professional Standards Commission shall not require a

course in computer skill competency for certification renewal but shall require a test in basic computer skill competency. Sponsors:Casas 103rd, Maxwell 17th, Everson 106th, Cox 102nd. Status:House Second Readers
HB 1045: Absentee voting; provision relating to absentee voting, so as to repeal the provisions of law concerning casting absentee ballots by mail without specifying a reason; to provide for the casting of absentee ballots on the day prior to a primary, election, or run-off primary or election. Sponsors: Powell 29th, Willard 49th, McCall 30th, Bearden 68th, Crawford 127th, and others. Status: House Second Readers
HB 1051: Income Tax credit, certain students and teachers; provide for income tax credits for students majoring in the education of special needs students and teachers who teach special needs students. Sponsors: Buckner, 76th, Reece 11th, Sims 151st, Dickson 6th. Status: House Second Readers
HR 1079: Creation of a Children's Budget Committee; creating the House Study Committee on the Creation of a Children's Budget; and for other purposes. Sponsors: Millar 79th, Burmeister 119th, Manning 32nd, Byrd 20th, Houston 170th. Status: House Second Readers
HR 1113: Joint Study Comm on Feasibility of a Children and

Youth Cabinet; create. A RESOLUTION creating the Joint Study Committee on the Feasibility of a Children and Youth Cabinet; and for other purposes. Sponsor: Kathy Ashe 56th.Status: House Second Readers
HB 1212: PeachKids Health Insurance for All Georgia Children Act;relating to programs and protection for children and youth, so as to enact the "PeachKids--Health Insurance for All Georgia Children Act"; to provide for a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide for the creation of the PeachKids health care insurance plan; to provide for eligibility, health care services, and payment of premiums and copayments. Sponsors: Teilhet 40th, Brooks 63rd, Sims 151st, Bryant 160th, Borders 175th, and others. Status: House Second Readers
HB 1217: Disabled persons parking permits; relating to prestige license plates and special plates for certain persons and vehicles, so as to provide for parking permits for disabled persons; to provide for specifications for such parking permits; to require that the person with the disability be the operator of or a passenger in the vehicle when such permit is being used. Sponsors: Murphy 23rd, Rice 51st, Talton 145th, Maxwell 17th, and Dollar 45th. Status: House Second Readers
Legislation Tracker

You may view any bill in its entirety
at:http://www.legis.state.ga.us
This is the second year of a 2 year session. Thursday February 09, 2006, is the 16th Legislative Day.
Schedule for Next Week:
GLOSSARY Appropriation: a
specific amount of money that is intended for use by a specific state program DCH:Department of Community Health, in charge of Medicaid DD: Developmental Disabilities DHR: Department of Human Resources DOE:Department of Education DOL: Department of Labor, in charge of Vocational Rehabilitation FY: Fiscal Year HB: House Bill HR: House Resolution (Division of) MH/DD/AD: Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases SB: Senate Bill SR: Senate Resolution
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FY06 Budget Report
pnobbie@dhr.state.ga.us eejacobson@dhr.state.ga.us
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