Moving forward, vol. 15, no. 15 (2010 April 22)

Moving Forward
Brought to you by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
April 22, 2010 Volume 15--Issue 15

Two Down, Two to go! The General Assembly accomplished days 37 and 38 this week. Days 39 and 40 still scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday of next week. The last print version of Moving Forward will go out on May 6th, giving us time to sort through all the passages, amendments, conference committees, substitutes, etc.....

TWO ACCOMPLISHMENTS! HB 1040, Exceptions to the Nurse Practice Act passed the Senate Wednesday 45 to 0! It must go back to the House for Agree, since there was a minor change. HR 1713, the multi-year funding and strategic plan resolution passed the House 150 to 1. This replaces the last multi-year funding plan that guided Unlock, the Departments and the Legislature in terms of budget requests. We anticipate that HB 1314, the Individual Development Account legislation, will come out of Senate Rules on Monday, and be voted on Tuesday.

House and Senate FY 2011 budget conference committee is meeting to resolve differences,

Chairmanships: Appropriations, Ben Harbin, 118th;
Health Sub committee, Mickey Channell, 116th; Human Resources Sub committee, Penny Houston, 170th; Education, Terry English, 108th; Rules, Bill Hembree, 67th. For a complete list, see the Unlock website
House Leadership: Speaker of the House: David Ralston, 7th; Speaker Pro Tempore: Jan Jones, 46th; Majority Leader: Jerry Keen, 179th; Minority Leader, Dubose Porter, 143rd.

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities; FY 2011 (Adult and Child & Adolescent)

Waiting List for HCBS / DD as of March:

Short term 2991 Long Term 1599

Provide funds to enhance hospital operations and quality of care; Adult/Child DD, Adult Forensic, Adult Mental Health, Direct Care Support Services, BHDD Admin (State Hospitals) $46,143,277 This figure is the total of the following categories:

Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; Presi- Adult Developmental Disabilities: Provide funds to enhance hos-

dent Pro Tempore: Tommy Williams, 19th; Majority Leader: pital operations and quality of care.

$803,323

Chip Rogers, 21st; Minority Leader: Robert Brown, 26th.

$6,330,600

Contact information for the Governor--The Honorable Sonny Perdue, 203 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia, 30334; 404656-1776, http://gov.state.ga.us
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

Adult Forensic: Provide funds to enhance hospital operations and

quality of care.

$7,659,852

BHDD Administration: Provide funds to enhance hospital opera-

tions and quality of care

$1,083,810

Direct Care Support Services: Provide funds to enhance hospital

operations and quality of care.

$21,352,436

Budget Conference Committee: House: Ben Harbin, Jan Jones, Jerry Keen. Senate: Jack Hill, Tommy Williams, Chip Pearson.
Department of Education Budget FY 2011

150 new developmental disability waivers

$3,346,180

Annualize the waivers from FY 2010 Child/adult

$5,567,066

Reduce operating expenses, BHDD Administration (H: reduce 1,185,945; S: NO)

Georgia Learning Resources System (GLRS): Decrease federal Restore funds to Marcus Center H: $274,000; S: $200,00

funds to reflect projected expenditures.

(2,198,541) Department of Community Health; FY 2011

House: adjust funds for Special Needs Scholarships based on

Waiting List for ICWP: 177 from the Community

actual need.

$617,758

Eliminate the GAAMP contract Reduce funding Preschool Handicapped program. (1,308,783)

(13,157,400)

Reduce funds to reflect the revised revenue estimate (H: cut

Use Hospital provider fees funds to increase rates $25,488,041

893,242; S:$0)

Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs): House, re-fund

with other program money, ETCs, school improvement, math

mentors, and funds to maintain cores services

$9,316,629

Infant and Child Essential Health Treatment Services (Includes Babies Can't Wait Program): Reduce funds to reflect the revised revenue estimate (H: 911,154; S: 387,396) Senate: Replace state funds with federal in Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (324,000)

Reduce funds provided for the Georgia Network for Educational

and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) [SED]

(1,473,240)

(2,073,620)

State Schools reduce funding

(1,290,922)

Increase funds for enrollment growth at the Georgia School for

the Deaf and training for teachers

$422,265

DECAL: Reduce funds for Resource Coordinators (9,250,000)

Provide for an additional 2,000 Pre-K slots

$14,305,034

Academic Coaches: Transfer Math mentors to RESAs, eliminate

the rest

(492,489)

Communities in Schools

(H: 514,973; S: 242,994)

Eliminate National Board Certification

(7,209,486)

Department of Community Affairs FY 2011

Eliminate funding for Home Access Program [provides home modifications]
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(300,000)

Reduce funds for programmatic grant-in-aid to Public Health

districts

(205,744)

Department of Human Services; FY 2011 (Division of Aging Services)

Community Care Services Program (CCSP) Waiting List Medicaid; 1935 Non-Medicaid; 20,195

Reduce funds for the following contracts: Alzheimer respite services ($225,000); Center for the Visually Impaired ($177,859); Mobile Daycare ($36,228); Haralson County Senior Center ($15,000); Kinship Care ($478,275); Senior Legal Hotline ($259,669); Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities ($70,000); Navigator Training ($70,000); non-Medicaid Home and Community Based respite services ($1,376,718) and Senior Connections in DeKalb County ($20,000).
(total 2,728,749) [House: Restore 1,779,577]

Reflect administrative savings in the Money Follows the Person

demonstration project. (CCSP) FY 2010

(116,935)

Discontinue funding for Naturally Occurring Retirement

Communities

(75,000)

The Georgia 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.

Legislation:
HB 907: Relating to the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to revise certain provisions relating to organization of schools, middle school programs, and scheduling. Sponsors: (1) Casas, 103; Coleman, 97; Maxwell,17. Status: Ed&Y, Senate Passed/Adopted
HB 908: Relating to the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to temporarily suspend certain laws and requirements relating to expenditure controls, minimum direct classroom expenditures, maximum class size, additional days of instruction, and salary schedules; to provide for statutory construction; to provide for automatic repeal of such suspension; Sponsors: (1) Casas, 103; Coleman, 97 Mawell,17. Status: Ed&Y, House Agree Senate Amendment or Sub
HB 947: Supplemental Appropriations Fiscal Year 2010. Sponsors: Ralston, 7th; Harbin, 118; Jones, 46; Keen, 179; Cole, 125; Pruett, 144. Status: Approp, House Committee Conference Committee report adopt.
HB 948: Appropriations Fiscal Year 2011. Sponsors: Ralston, 7th; Harbin, 118; Jones, 46; Keen, 179; Cole, 125; Pruett, 144. Status: Approp, Senate Conference Committee Appointed

sons and entities that shall be authorized to consent to surgical or medical treatment on behalf of an incapacitated person; to provide for immunity; and other matters. Sponsors: Oliver, 83; Gardner, 57; Lindsey, 54; Shipp, 58. Status: House Committee Favorably Reported.
SB 161: Relating to insurance coverage for autism, so as to require certain insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders. [Committee Sub, establishing Statewide Autism Task Force. Sponsors: Grant, 25; Williams, 19; Johnson, 1; Thomas, 54; Cowsert, 46. Status: Ins, House Committee Favorably Reported
SB 319: Relating to textbooks for elementary and secondary education, so as to require the definition of "textbook" to include computer hardware and technical equipment necessary to support the use of nonprint or digital content. Sponsors: Staton, 18; Douglas, 17; Goggans, 7; Grant, 25. Status: S&T, Senate Agrees House Amendment or Sub
SB 391: Proceedings; provide for certain children found incompetent to stand trial; relating to proceedings upon plea of mental incompetency to stand trial, so as to revise and add definitions; to provide for certain children found incompetent to stand trial. Sponsors: Unterman, 45; Hill, 4. Status: JudyNC; House Committee Favorably Reported

HB 1040: Relating to exceptions to the operation of the "Georgia Regis- SB 443: The "Medicaid Care Management Organizations Act," so as to

tered Professional Nurse Practice Act," so as to provide that the perform- create the Medicaid Care Management Organization Legislative Oversight

ance of health maintenance activities by a designated caregiver under

Committee; to provide for its membership, terms, and meetings; to provide

certain conditions shall not require licensure as a registered professional for its duties; and for other matters. Sponsors: Smith, 52; Hawkins, 49;

nurse. Sponsors: Pruett, 144; Cooper, 41; Cole, 125; Ramsey, 72.

Thomas, 54; Unterman, 45; Mullis, 53. Status: H&HS; House Committee

Status: H&HS, Senate Passed / Adopted

Favorably reported [includes amendment BHDD Legislative Oversight

Committee]

HB 1218: To enact the "Transportation Investment Act of 2010"; to provide

for the creation of special districts; to provide for a referendum; to provide SB 458: To the use of safety belts in passenger vehicles, so as to elimi-

for annual reporting; to provide for Citizens Review Panels; and other mat- nate certain exceptions to the required use of safety belts. Sponsors:

ters. Sponsors: Cole, 125; Ralston, 7; Keen, 179; Roberts, 154, Glanton, Thomas, 54; Williams, 19; Moody, 56; Hawkins, 49; Harp, 29. Status:

176. Status: Trans. [Prior Transportation bill stripped and replaced,

HHS: House Committee Favorably Reported.

passed House and Senate Wednesday.]

SR 1324: A RESOLUTION recognizing the harmful and unintended conse-

HB 1314: So as to provide for the comprehensive regulation of individual quences of the use of the term "mental retardation" and resolving to refrain

development accounts; to provide for definitions; to provide for proce-

from the use of this term in future speech and legislation; and for other pur-

dures, conditions, and limitations with respect to the creation and operation poses. Sponsors: Grant, 25; Unterman, 45; Goggans, 7; Thomas, 54.

of such accounts; and for other matters. Sponsors: Sheldon, 105; Ce.Hill, Status: Senate Read and Adopted.

180; Kaiser, 59; Mosby, 90. Status: H&HS; Senate Committee Favorably Reported

Tax / Revenue Bills:

HB 1324: Relating to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities; to provide for additional members of the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council; to revise a provision relating to the duties and functions of regional planning boards; and for other matters. Sponsors: Butler, 18; Pruett, 144; Peake, 137; Ramsey, 72. Status: GvtO: Senate Read Second Time

SB 206: Relating to management of budgetary and financial affairs by the Office of Planning and Budget, so as to require tax expenditure reviews as a part of the budget report; to provide for a definition; to provide for contents and requirements of each report; to provide for related matters. Sponsors: Goggans, 7; J.Hill, 4; Williams, 19; Rogers, 21; Cowsert, 46. Status: App, House Passed/Adopted

HB 1393: So as to provide for an exemption to the total local sales and use tax cap otherwise applicable; to provide such exemption for a certain tax levied for purposes of a metropolitan area system of public transportation which is first levied after January 1, 2010 (C-Tran Bill). Sponsors: Abdul-Salaam, 74; Jordan, 77; Sinkfield, 60; Glanton, 76; Talton, 145. Status: Fin; Senate Read Second Time

HB 1055: Relating to drivers' licenses, so as to change the fees for issuance of temporary licenses or identification cards; to change the fees and terms for certain permanent commercial and noncommercial drivers' licenses and identification cards; Sponsors: Levitas, 82; Rice, 51; Ramsey, 72; Cole, 125; Smith, 131 Status: FIN; Senate Agrees House Amendment or Sub

HB 1395: To provide that new slab-on-grade residential structures shall have certain features to provide for accessibility; Sponsors: Kidd, 141; Ashe, 56; Oliver, 83; Millar, 79; Powell, 29, Gardner, 57. Status: RegI: House Second Readers,. [hearing held]

[NOTE: HB 307 [imposing a 1.45% bed tax on hospitals, excluding psychiatric, state, and critical access hospitals, to raise about $169 million] was attached to HB 1055 and amendments passed House on 4-13. Amendments included elimination of the state income tax on Seniors over $35,000 passive income, ad valorum tax credit for businesses and quarter mille

HB 1407: To provide for a single administrator for dental services for Medi- property tax cut. AJC reports $387,000,000 loss to state revenue over five

caid recipients and PeachCare for Kids participants; to require the Depart- years]

ment of Community Health to competitively bid out and contract with such single administrator; to provide for requirements for the single administrator. Sponsors: Rogers, 26; Channell, 116, Cooper, 41. Status: H&HS; Senate Read Second Time

HB 1023: to enact the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2010; to provide for a period of time for the waiver of certain filing fees otherwise charged in connection with such entities; to provide that, for a period of time, employers who hire persons receiving employment security bene-

HR 1713: A RESOLUTION requesting that the Department of Behavioral fits shall be entitled to a credit against employer contributions; so as to pro-

Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Community

vide that a portion of net long-term capital gains shall be excluded from

Health, and the Department of Human Services submit to the General As- state taxable income of corporations and individuals; Sponsors: Graves,

sembly a multiyear comprehensive plan for creating a system of supports 12; Everson, 106; Lunsford, 110; Ramsey, 72; M. Scott, 2. Status: Senate

for home and community based services that support independent living of Passed / Adopted.

Georgians with disabilities; and for other purposes. Sponsors: Manning, 32; Gardner, 57; Houston, 170; Walker, 107; Channell, 116; Rynders, 152 Status: House Passed / Adopted.

HB 1198: So as to change the definition of taxable nonresident; to provide for an effective date, and for other matters. Sponsor: Manning, 32. [NOTE: includes HB 1219, Sponsor, Knight, 126, relating to tax credits for

SB 367: Influenza bill stripped and replaced with HB 742: Relating to con- low-income residents, to change certain provisions regarding the claiming

sent for surgical or medical treatment, so as to provide for additional per- and allowing of such tax credit. Status: Senate Passed Adopted

ADJOURNMENT CALENDAR: Monday, 26th in recess. Tuesday, April 27, Day 39. Thursday, April 29, SINE DIE!

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