Moving forward, vol. 14, no. 7 (2009 February 26)

Moving Forward
Brought to you by the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
February 26, 2009 Volume 14--Issue 7

Day 24
FY 2009 Budget: Below are the figures voted out of the House on Thursday, February
26th. The state did receive the first installment of the enhanced Medicaid FMAP on Wednesday the 25th, and the DCH and DHR budgets incorporate some of these adjustments. * We do not have good news on the projections for economic recovery in 2010; predictions from the Georgia State University Economic Forecasting center indicate continued depressed revenue (-3% each month) and unemployment rates above 10%. The Governor will be cautious about his use of the federal stimulus package. Please contact your legislators about the need for a significant number of home and community-based services in the FY 2010 budget.
Attendees at Disability Day at the Capitol estimated to have reached 1700, the talk of the halls!

Department of Human Resources FY 2009 supplemental (ending June 30, 2009)
(all parentheses are deductions; adult and child &adolescent figures were combined)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Georgia's estimated share of the package:

$1.7 billion

Medicaid enhanced FMAP

Reduce funding for new provider and other MHDDAD training, and quality compliance audits (510,534)
Defer provider rate increase provided for in FY 2009
(863,724)

$1.2 billion $1.0 billion $333 million

Reduce funds for 135 vacant MRWP slots provided $90 million

for in FY 2009 (slots vacant due to attrition will be made available to new consumers, instead of with

$82 million

new money; adults, children, 6 mos) (1,684,229) $33 million

Education Roads and bridges Special Education Public Housing Child care Homelessness prevention

Reflect savings from implementation of an integrated $20 million and more medically appropriate system for serving

Headstart

children with special needs (Infant and Child Essen- Legislation

tial Health Program)

(1,200,000) HB 20: Relating to administrative procedure, so as to provide that

policies or rules of the Department of Human Resources and the

Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission regarding loans,

[Increase funds to reflect change in Medicaid grants, and benefits shall not be excluded from the requirements

federal participation rate]

(5,204,426) regarding rule making; Sponsors: Oliver, 83; Gardner, 57; Ben-

field, 85; Stephens, 164. Status: Gaff; House Committee Favora-

Department of Community Health

bly Reported.

FY 2009 Supplemental (ending June 30, 2009)
Defer FY 2009 rate increases provided for service providers including ICWP personal support
(354,680)

HB 22: Relating to the use of safety belts in passenger vehicles, so as to require the use of safety belts in all passenger vehicles, including pickup trucks; to require the use of safety belts by occupants in the rear seats of a passenger vehicle; Sponsors: Oliver, 83; Manning, 32; Hugley, 133; Stephens, 164, Abrams, 84, and
others. Status: A&CA; Second Readers.

Delay implementation of 75 new ICWP waivers until

Jan 1, 2009

(586,822)

[These waivers have begun being awarded to consumers]

HB 37: Relating to general provisions relative to labor and industrial relations, so as to enact the "Parent Protection Act"; to provide for leave for employees to attend school conferences and medical appointments. Sponsors: Bruce, 64, Kaiser, 59; Ashe, 56; Lundsford, 110; Mosby, 90. Status: IndR; first readers.

[Increase funds to reflect change in Medicaid

federal participation rate]

(221,150,658)

HB 39: Relating to the excise tax on tobacco products, so as to increase the amount of such tax with respect to cigarettes and loose or smokeless tobacco; Sponsor: Stephens,164, Status: House Second Readers.

DOE Budget, FY 2009 Supplemental (ending June 30, 2009)

Reduce funds for graduation coaches, and spring

training for coaches

(1,033,333)

HB 89: the "Georgia Medical Assistance Act of 1977," so as to require physicians who participate in the state employees' or board of regents' health insurance plan to also participate in the Medicaid program, and other. Sponsor: Powell, 29. Status: H&HS; Second Readers.

HB 118: Supplemental Appropriations, State Fiscal Year July 1,

2008 to June 30, 2009. Sponsors: Richardson, 19; Keen, 17;

Reduce Special Needs Scholarships

(113,135) Burkhalter, 50; Harbin, 115; Cole, 125; Pruett, 144. Status: App;

Second Readers.

Reduce low incidence S.E. grants

(16,534)
HB 119: Appropriations, State Fiscal Year July 1, 2009 to June 30,

Provide funds in American Recovery and Reinvest- 2010. Sponsors: Richardson, 19; Keen, 17; Burkhalter, 50; Harbin, ment Act fiscal stabilization based on Georgia's com- 115; Cole, 125; Pruett, 144. Status: App; Second Readers.

pliance with maintenance of FY2006 funding levels, Call your legislators to urge funding for home and

pending Governor's approval of application,

community-based supports in the FY 2010 budget.

$145,317,456

The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities collaborates with Georgia citizens, public and private advocacy organizations, and policymakers to positively influence public policies that enhance the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

HB 128: Relating to disabled veterans and blind persons engaging in ers. Status: A&CA, House second readers.

peddling, operating businesses, or practicing professions, so as to

provide that a certificate of eligibility for an exemption from occupa- SB 25: Relating to income tax returns and information, so as to au-

tion taxes, administrative fees, and regulatory fees shall be valid for a thorize taxpayers to make certain contributions through the income

period of ten years; Sponsor: Benton 31. Status: Senate Read and tax payment and refund process to programs for the education re-

Referred to I & L

garding and alleviation of multiple sclerosis; Sponsors: Seay, 34;

Adelman, 42; Brown, 26; Butler, 55; Orrock, 36 and others. Status:

HB 149: Relating to financing under the "Quality Basic Education Fin; read & referred.

Act," so as to enact the "Move on When Ready Act"; to provide for

definitions; to provide a program for eleventh and twelfth grade stu- SB 39: So as to provide for a 1 percent sales tax to be used to fund

dents to attend postsecondary colleges and schools for high school transportation projects in special transportation districts within the

credit; Sponsors: Jones, 46; Hembree, 67; Dempsey, 13; Powell, state; to provide for the creation of such districts, the governance

171; Harden, 147. Status: Ed; Favorably reported, comm. sub.

thereof, and the development of a list of transportation projects by the district; and other. Sponsors: Mullis, 53; Stoner, 6; Williams, 19;

HB 228: So as to reorganize and reestablish various state health

Reed, 35; Rogers, 21 and others. Status: Trans; House, second

and human services agencies; to establish the Department of Health, readers.

the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Behav-

ioral Health; to reassign various functions of the Department of Com- SB 54: Relating to banking and finance, so as to repeal and reenact

munity Health and the Department of Human Resources to the new the "Georgia Fair Lending Act"; to prohibit abusive home loan prac-

agencies; Sponsors: Butler, 18; Harbin, 118; Cole, 125; Keen, 179; tices; Sponsors: Thompson, 33; Fort, 39; Reed, 35; Status: B&FI;

Olive, 83. Status: App; Second Readers.

read & referred.

HB 426: Relating to insurance coverage for autism, so as to require SB 90: So as to provide the option for parents to enroll their child in

certain insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders; Sponsors: another school within the local school system, a school in another

Dempsey, 13; Burkhalter, 50; Parter, 143; Cole, 125; Manning, 32. local school system, or in a private school under certain conditions; to

Status: Ins; Second Readers.

provide for the amount of scholarship and method of payments. Sponsors: Johnson, 1; Rogers, 21; Hill, 32; Unterman, 45; Moody,

HB 428: DHR; So as to provide that financial assistance received by 56. Status: ED&Y: Senate Read and Referred.

parents adopting a special needs child from such department shall

extend to a person taking custody of such child under certain circum- SB 92: So as to convert Medicaid and the PeachCare for Kids Pro-

stances. Sponsors: Kaiser, 59; Thomas, 100; Gardner, 57; Man- gram funds to premium assistance to allow low-income families to

ning, 32; Ashe, 56. Status: House withdrawn, recommitted to C&Y. participate in private sector health insurance plans. Sponsors: Hill, 32; Johnson, 1; Thomas, 54t; Rogers, 21; Murphy, 27. Status: I&L:

HB 457: Relating to protection of disabled adults and elder persons, Senate Read and Referred.

so as to revise the definition of the term "disabled adult"; to provide

that certain acts against disabled adults in long-term care facilities SB 146: Relating to medical assistance generally, so as to require

are unlawful; and other matters. Sponsors: Peake, 137; Cooper, 41, the Department of Community Health to contract with a single admin-

Horne, 71; Levitas, 82; Lundsford, 110. Status: H&HS; Second

istrator for dental services; Sponsors: Hill, 32; Jackson, 2; Hawkins,

readers.

49; Goggans, 7. Status: H&HS, Senate committee favorably reported

HB 474: Relating to the creation and operation of the PeachCare for Kids Program, so as to increase the income eligibility limit; to provide for the maximum amount of federal financial participation; Sponsors: Gardner, 57; Porter, 143, Smyre, 132; Hugely, 133; Randall, 138. Status: App; Second Readers.
SB 5: Relating to the use of safety belts in passenger vehicles, so as to eliminate certain exceptions to the required use of safety belts; Sponsors: Thomas, 54; Hill, 4; Harp, 29; Stoner, 6; Hill, 32; and oth-

SB 161: Relating to insurance coverage for autism, so as to require certain insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders. Sponsors: Grant, 25; Williams, 19; Johnson, 1; Thomas, 54; Cowsert, 46. Status: I&L; Read and referred.
SB 165: So as to authorize DCH to obtain income eligibility verifica-
tion from the Department of Revenue for applicants for Medicaid and PeachCare programs. Sponsors: Goggans, 7; Williams, 19; Hill, 4; Hawkins, 49. Status: H&HS, Senate committee favorably reported.

Who Are My Elected Officials?--Find your legislators, learn House and Senate leadership
Visit www.vote-smart.org to identify your legislators. Find your legislators' contact information at www.legis.state.ga.us House Information, 1-800-282-5800; Senate Information 1-800-282-5803
Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; President Pro Tempore: Tommy Williams, 19th; House Leadership-- Speaker of the House: Glenn Richardson, 19th; Speaker Pro Tempore: Mark Burhalter, 50th; Senate Appropriations--Chair: Jack Hill, 4th; Sub Com. Chair Education: Dan Moody, 56th; Sub Com. Chair Community Health: Greg Goggans, 7th; Sub Com. Chair Human Development: Renee Unterman, 45th.
House Appropriations--Chair: Ben Harbin, 118th; Vice Chair Education: Jan Jones, 46th; Vice Chair Health: Mickey Channell, 116th; Vice Chair Human Services: Mark Butler, 18th. Contact information for the Governor--The Honorable Sonny Purdue, 203 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia, 30334; 404-656-1776, http://gov.state.ga.us

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