Moving forward, vol. 15, no. 8 (2010 February 26)

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

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
Feb 26, 2010 Volume 15--Issue 8

The General Assembly is adjourned until Monday, March 8th, which will be the 21st Legislative Day. During the recess, the following committees met: Transportation, Ways and Means, Natural Resources and Appropriations. Joint Appropriations committees met most days this past week, and public testimony was heard on the Department of Education and Community Health Budgets. Advocates for the ICWP waiver advocated for a multi-year strategic and funding plan to address the needs of people waiting for services over the next 5 years. The 2010 Amended budget still needs to be conferenced, but appropriations is hearing from the departments on the FY 2011 budget these two weeks.

Disability Day at the Capitol was the coldest on record but still a resounding success. We estimate the crowd at over 2,000. Key Note Speakers Julie Petty from SABE and Kathy Martinez from the Office of Disability Employment Policy were the keynote speakers.

Due to the recess, Moving Forward will be e-mailed next week as well, but stay tuned! Lots happening...

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 2010A (Adult and Child & Adolescent)
Waiting List for HCBS / DD as of January: Short term 2912 Long Term 1839
Provide funds to enhance hospital operations and quality of care; Adult DD, Adult Forensic, Adult Mental Health, Direct Care Support Services, BHDD Admin (State Hospitals) $20,333,333 This figure is the total of the following categories:

Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; President Pro Tempore: Tommy Williams, 19th; Majority Leader: Chip Rogers, 21st; Minority Leader: Robert Brown, 26th.
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 Developmental Disabilities: Provide funds to enhance hos-

pital operations and quality of care.

1,834,903

Adult Forensic: Provide funds to enhance hospital operations and

quality of care.

4,476,156

Adult Mental Health: Provide funds to enhance hospital opera-

tions and quality of care.

2,201,611

BHDD Administration: Provide funds to enhance hospital opera-

tions and quality of care

1,446,129

Direct Care Support Services: Provide funds to enhance hospital

operations and quality of care.

10,374,534

Budget Information: In this issue, we have edited the
budget information down to the 2010 Amended. House approved February 11th. Senate approved February 18th. After the conference committee resolves differences, we will carry the information on the FY 2011 budget.
The 2010 Session tackles the 2010 supplemental budget (ending June 30, 2010) and 2011 FY budget (beginning July 1, 2010).
Department of Education Budget FY 2010A

Restore funds to Marcus Center (House: move from Sexual Offender Review Board database request: 274,000)

Department of Community Health; FY 2010A

Waiting List for ICWP: 177 from the Community

Revise pre-admission screening and resident review (PASSR)

contract and use community service boards

(644,585)

Infant and Child Essential Health Treatment Services (Includes

Babies Can't Wait Program): Reduce funds for operating ex-

penses and contractual services

(62,853)

Georgia Learning Resources System (GLRS): Decrease federal Reduce funds for programmatic grant-in-aid to Public Health

funds to reflect projected expenditures.

( 2,198,541) districts (Governor & Senate: 205,744)

(House: 469,936)

Reduce funds for Special Needs Scholarships based on actual need. [Special Needs Scholarships] (4,015,110)
Reduce funding Preschool Handicapped program. (1,110,989)

Department of Human Services; FY 2010A (Division of Aging Services)
Community Care Services Program (CCSP) Waiting List Medicaid; 1935 Non-Medicaid; 20,195

QBE Equalization: Reduce funding (17,446,343) (House: No reduction) (Senate: No reduction)

Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs), reduce funding (Governor: 1,063,736) (House & Senate: 483,236 or 4% reduction)

Reduce funds provided for the Georgia Network for Educational

and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) [SED]

(2,764,827)

Reduce funds for the following contracts: Alzheimer respite ser-

vices ($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 437,859 spread;

Senate, restore 225,000 to Alzheimer Respite)

State Schools reduce funding (Governor: 938,853) (House& Senate: 469,426, 2% reduction)
Increase funds for enrollment growth at the Georgia School for

Eliminate Funding for Naturally Occurring Retirement

Communities

(75,000)

Reflect administrative savings in the Money Follows the Person

demonstration project. (CCSP) FY 2010

(52,171)

the Deaf (Senate)

$145,280

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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: Carried Over from Last Session and New

SB 90: Relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to provide

the option for parents to enroll their child in another school within the local

HB 128: Relating to disabled veterans and blind persons engaging in ped- school system, a school in another local school system, or in a private

dling, operating businesses, or practicing professions, so as to provide that school under certain conditions; to provide for the amount of scholarship

a certificate of eligibility for an exemption from occupation taxes, adminis- and method of payments, and other matters. Sponsors: Johnson, 1;

trative fees, and regulatory fees shall be valid for a period of ten years; Rogers, 21; Jud Hill, 32; Unterman, 45; Moody, 56. Status: ED&Y; recom-

Sponsor: Benton, 31. Status: I & L, Senate Read and Referred.

mitted.

HB 565: Relating to handicapped persons, so as to create the Commission SB 153: Relating to parking for persons with disabilities, so as to provide

for the Blind and the Visually Impaired; to provide for legislative intent; to for use of more than one parking place by persons with disabilities when all

provide for the composition and appointment of commission members; to parking places for persons with disabilities are full. Sponsors: Henson,

provide for an executive director; to provide for an annual report; to provide 41; Ramsey, 43. Status: Hum R; House withdrawn, recommitted

for a complaint process; to specify the powers and duties of the commis-

sion, transferring functions otherwise assigned Sponsors: Howard, 121; SB 161: Relating to insurance coverage for autism, so as to require certain

Parham, 141; Benfield, 85; Status: HumR; House Second Readers.

insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders. Sponsors: Grant, 25;

Williams, 19; Johnson, 1; Thomas, 54; Cowsert, 46. Status: I&L; recom-

HB 636: Relating to criminal and related provisions pertaining to financial mitted

institutions, so as to provide for the protection of aged or incapacitated

adults; to provide for mandated and voluntary reporting; to provide for civil SB 206: Relating to management of budgetary and financial affairs by the

penalties. Sponsors: Mitchell, 88; Maxwell, 17; Marin, 96. Status: Judy, Office of Planning and Budget, so as to require tax expenditure reviews as

House Second Readers.

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.

HB 742: Relating to consent for surgical or medical treatment, so as to

Sponsors: Goggans, 7; J.Hill, 4; Williams, 19; Rogers, 21; Cowsert, 46.

provide for additional persons and entities that shall be authorized to con- Status: App, House Committee Favorably Reported.

sent to surgical or medical treatment on behalf of an incapacitated person,

and for other matters. Sponsors: Oliver, 83; Gardner, 57; Lindsey, 54; SB 289: Relating to therapy services for children with disabilities, so as to

Shipp, 58. Status: Judy: House Second Readers

add a definition; to revise provisions relating to services and treatment for

categorically needy and medically fragile children; to revise provisions relat-

HB 907: Relating to the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to revise cer- ing to requirements relating to administrative prior approval for services and

tain provisions relating to organization of schools, middle school programs, appeals; to provide for related matters. Sponsors: Moody, 56; Thomas,

and scheduling. Sponsors: (1) Casas, 103; Coleman, 97; Maxwell,17.

54; Seay, 34; Orrock, 36. Status: H&HS: Senate Read and Referred.

Status: Ed&Y, Senate Committee Favorably Reported .

SB 292: relating to courts, so as to substantially revise, supersede, and

HB 908: Relating to the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to temporarily modernize provisions relating to juvenile proceedings; to amend Article 1 of

suspend certain laws and requirements relating to expenditure controls, Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to

minimum direct classroom expenditures, maximum class size, additional children and youth services. Sponsors: Hamrick, 30; Harp, 29; Brown, 26,

days of instruction, and salary schedules; to provide for statutory construc- Ramsey, 43, Jones, 10, Unterman, 45. Status: JUDY, Senate read and

tion; to provide for automatic repeal of such suspension; Sponsors: (1) referred.

Casas, 103; Coleman, 97 Mawell,17. Status: Ed&Y, Senate Read and Re-

ferred .

SB 301: Relating to education, so as to raise the age of mandatory educa-

tion from 16 to 17; to revise provisions relating to adult literacy for purposes

HB 922: Relating to therapy services for children with disabilities, so as to of conformity; Sponsors: Jackson, 2; James, 35. Status: Prefiled.

provide that certain programs providing services to sick and disabled chil-

dren shall be eligible for certain public assistance funding; to provide for SB 319: Relating to textbooks for elementary and secondary education, so

related matters; Sponsors: Cox, 102; Everson, 106. Status: C&Y, House as to require the definition of "textbook" to include computer hardware and

Second Readers. [tabled pending fiscal note 2/9]

technical equipment necessary to support the use of nonprint or digital con-

tent. Sponsors: Staton, 18; Douglas, 17; Goggans, 7; Grant, 25. Status:

HB 947: Supplemental Appropriations Fiscal Year 2010. Sponsors: Ral- S&T, House Second Readers.

ston, 7th; Harbin, 118; Jones, 46; Keen, 179; Cole, 125; Pruett, 144.

Status: Approp, Senate Read Second Time.

SB 357: Relating to medical assistance generally, so as to suspend, rather

than terminate, an individual's Medicaid benefits while he or she is incarcer-

HB 985: So as to authorize taxpayers to make certain contributions

ated. Sponsors: Jones, 10; Butler, 55; Orrock, 36; Seay, 34; Harbison, 50.

through the income tax payment and refund process to programs for the Status: H&HS; Senate Read and Referred.

education regarding and alleviation of multiple sclerosis. Sponsors: Fludd,

66; Mosby, 90. Status: W&M; House Second Readers.

SB 391: Proceedings; provide for certain children found incompetent to

stand trial; relating to proceedings upon plea of mental incompetency to

HB 999: Relating to health, to provide for portable medical orders; to pro- stand trial, so as to revise and add definitions; to provide for certain chil-

vide for requirements regarding who may administer a portable medical dren found incompetent to stand trial. Sponsors: Unterman, 45; Hill, 4.

order; to provide for the approval of the court with respect to certain port- Status: Judy: Senate Read and Referred.

able medical orders; and other; Sponsors: Lindsey, 54; Jacobs, 80;

Oliver, 83; Willard, 49. Status: Judy: House Second Readers.

SB 425: Mental Health Admin.; revise definition of health services; com-

munity service boards; Relating to general provisions relative to administra-

HB 1040: Relating to exceptions to the operation of the "Georgia Regis- tion of mental health, developmental disabilities, addictive diseases, and

tered Professional Nurse Practice Act," so as to provide that the perform- other disability services, so as to revise the definition of "health services"

ance of health maintenance activities by a designated caregiver under

and other matters. Sponsors: Balfour, 9; Henson, 41, Jones, 10; Hooks,

certain conditions shall not require licensure as a registered professional 14; Hill, 4. Status: H&HS; Senate read and referred.

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

Status: JudyNC, House Second Readers.

SR 56: A Resolution creating the Georgia Vulnerable Adult Study Commis-

sion. Sponsor: Ramsey, 43. Status: H&HS; Read & Referred.

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; J.Hill, 4; Harp, 29; Stoner, 6; Hill, 32; and others. Status:

A&CA; House Second Readers.

THANKS TO ALL! For another HUGELY SUCCESSFUL Disability Day at the Capitol!
Date to Remember: Mental Health Day at the Capitol: March 4th

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