Moving forward, vol. 19, no. 3 (2014 January 24)

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

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
Jan 24, 2014 Volume 19--Issue 3

In observance of Martin Luther King Remembrance Day, the General Assembly was in recess. Committee hearings continued on the FY14' budget this week.

In this issue, we will focus on the Governor's proposed budget for the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities, DBHDD, and the proposed budget relating to the Department of Justice settlement agreement. Please see details below.

If you'd like to follow the FY 2014 Amended Budget and the FY 2015 Budget through the General Assembly, the budget bills are filed as HB 743 through HB 748. You can view the budget yourself at http:// opb.georgia.gov
Get involved: (1) If you are not already a member of the GCDD advocacy network, we invite you to join and receive information as we work together to create a better place for Georgians with disabilities. Go to www.gcdd.org and click on Join our Advocacy Network and follow the instructions. (2) Register for the February 20th Disability Day at: http://bit.ly/1eT5C5s (3) Join our weekly legislative update calls on Monday morning at 9:15 AM. Dial 1-888-355-1249 and enter passcode 232357 at the prompt.

House and Senate News:
House Leadership -- Speaker of the House: David Ralston, 7th; Speaker Pro Tempore: Jan Jones, 47th. Majority Leader: Larry O'Neal, 146th; Minority Leader: Stacey Abrams, 89th. Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; President Pro Tempore: David Shafer, 48th. Majority Leader: Ronnie Chance, 16th; Minority Leader: Steve Henson, 41st.

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental

Disabilities Budget Revenue Summary FY15

FY2014

FY2015

current

recom.

State General Funds

$945,720,771

$15,168,365 recommended increase

$960,889,136

Tobacco Settlement Funds

$ 10,255,138

$ 10,255,138

Contact information for the Governor--The Honorable Nathan Deal, Mailing address: 206 Washington Street, Suite 203, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334; 404-656-1776, http://gov.georgia.gov
To identify your legislators, go to www.gcdd.org, click on Join our Advocacy Network, and follow the instructions. Once you are logged into Capitol Impact, click on "Officials" and then "GA District Lookup". Enter your address and Capitol Impact will identify your legislators.
Budget Information:

TOTAL STATE FUNDS

$955,975,909

$15,168,365 recommended increase

Community Mental Health Services Block Grant

$14,163,709

Medical Assistance Program

$25,507,365

Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Block Grant $47,482,075

$971,144,274
$14,163,709 $25,507,365 $47,482,075

The 2014 Session tackles the 2014 supplemental budget, referred to here as FY 2014A, (ending June 30, 2014) and the 2015 FY budget (beginning July 1, 2014).

Social Services Block Grant
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant

$35,981,142 $11,568,720

$35,981,142 $11,568,720

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
Below are the department's budget summaries for FY 2015. To see details on how the budget breaks down for each program in DBHDD, please see the full budget documents available at http:// opb.georgia.gov.
Department of Justice Settlement Funds for Developmental Disabilities; FY 2015

Federal Funds Not Itemized

$ 8,616,517

TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS

$143,319,528

Other Funds

$ 56,275,078

$6,330,069 recommended decrease

TOTAL OTHER FUNDS

$ 56,275,078

$6,330,069 recommended decrease

Total Funds

$1,155,570,515

$8,838,296 recommended increase

$ 8,616,517 $143,319,528 $49,945,009
$49,945,009
$1,164,408,811

The Department is in the fourth year of the Settlement Agreement with the Department of Justice, which was signed on October 19, 2010. The agreement lays out five years of deliverables to better serve people with mental illness and developmental disabilities currently living in state Institutions or at risk of institutionalization.

FY14 current

FY15 recom.

Family Supports for 2,350 Families:
$1,872,000 recommended increase

$6,520,400

$8,392,400

NOW/COMP Waivers (1,150) (1,150 Waivers)
$8,526,665 recommended increase

$31,812,512

$40,339,177

Crisis Respite Homes/Mobile Crisis Teams $11,917,681 ( 12 Homes, 6 Teams)

$11,917,681

Education of Judges and Law Enforcement $250,000

$250,000

Audit of Waiver Services

$200,000

$200,000

DD Total Spending

$50,700,593

$10,398,665 recommended increase

$61,099,258

Take Action--Advocacy Questions and Answers
How can I take action on legislation? (1) Go to www.gcdd.org and click on Join our Advocacy Network. (2) Form a relationship with your representatives and senators by calling, emailing, faxing, and scheduling meetings to tell them about how their decisions on the budget and laws affect the quality of life for you and your family. (3) Visit GCDD's website for additional resources like fact sheets to utilize in your advocacy efforts: http:// www.gcdd.org/public-policy.html. (4) Visit www.unlockthewaitinglists.com for even more great advocacy resources.
How did my legislators vote? Voting Records are online by bill number, not by legislator. This may take up to five days following the actual vote. Go to www.legis.state.ga.us then click on House or Senate, then click on House votes or Senate votes for a complete roll call on how each person voted on a certain bill. Printed copies may be obtained from the Clerk of the House (404) 656-5015 or the Secretary of the Senate (404) 656-5040. A complete record of votes on every bill is available for a fee.

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.

House Bills 2014

HB 0748 David Ralston General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015; 1/17/2014 - House Second Readers

HB 0018

Waites, Keisha 60th Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact; 2/26/2013 - House - House Second Readers

HB 0754

Keisha Waites Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact; 1/17/2014 - House Second Readers

HB 0067 HB 0166 HB 0290

Kidd, E. Culver "Rusty" 145th Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund; penalty assessments for additional violations; authorize; 1/28/2013

HB 0760

- House - House Second Readers

Andrew Welch General Assembly; committees have ability to subpoena department and division heads to testify and produce documents for examination; provide; 1/21/2014 - House - House

Bruce, Roger 61st Parent Protection Act; enact; 2/1/2013 - House -

Second Readers

House Second Readers

HR 1039 Waites, Keisha 60th State Capitol and CLOB; accessibility by the

Dempsey, Katie 13th Family Care Act - to allow employees to use

blind and visually impaired; 11/25/2013 - House - House Prefiled

sick leave for the care of immediate family members; 3/28/2013 -

House - House Withdrawn, Recommitted

Senate Bills 2014

HB 0309 HB 0398
HB 0546
HB 0606 HB 0608
HB 0695 HB 0700 HB 0707 HB 0743 HB 0744 HB 0745 HB 0746

Harbin, Ben 122nd Ava's Law; enact; 2/13/2013 - House - House Second Readers

SB 0141

Maxwell, Howard 17th Consumer transactions; licensed personal care homes and community living arrangements to use certain terms; authorize; 3/28/2013 - House - House Withdrawn, Recommitted

SB 0163

Beverly, James 143rd Public Health, Department of; pilot program to assess need for and effectiveness of using protocol technicians in areas which do not have access to a hospital; establish; 3/11/2013 - House - House Second Readers
Knight, David 130th Private home care providers; revise definition to exclude contractual arrangements with independent contractors; 3/20/2013 - House - House Second Readers

SB 0202 SB 0207

Houston, Penny 170th Community Health, Department of; criminal background check requirements for applicants for employment by certain licensed facilities; expand ; 3/21/2013 - House - House Second Readers

SB 0220

Carson, John 46th Public assistance; provide reimbursement for

SB 0291

Medicaid providers; provisions; 1/14/2014 - House Second Readers

Keisha Waites Public facilities; State Capitol and CLOB; persons with disabilities; provide increased accessibility; 1/15/2014 - House Second Readers

SB 0292

SB 0298 Spencer, Jason 180th The Georgia Health Care Freedom and ACA Noncompliance Act; enact; 1/15/2014 - House Second Readers

David Ralston Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July

1, 2013 - June 30, 2014; 1/22/2014 - House - House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

SR 0746

David Ralston General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015; 1/17/2014 - House Second Readers

David Ralston Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014; 1/17/2014 - House Second Readers

David Ralston Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014; 1/17/2014 - House Second Readers

Beach, Brandon 21st 'Patient Injury Act'; create an alternative medical malpractice litigation; 2/11/2013 - Senate - Senate Read and Referred
Ligon, Jr., William 3rd Community Health Dept.; required to study and identify options for Medicaid reform; 3/28/2013 - House House Withdrawn, Recommitted coverage for autism spectrum disorders; 2/22/2013 - Senate - Senate Read and Referred
Unterman, Renee 45th Litigation code changes; 2/25/2013 Senate - Senate Read and Referred
Albers, John 56th Probation of First Offenders; person disqualified from employment when discharged as felony offender; add private home care providers to list; 3/28/2013 - House - House Withdrawn, Recommitted
Hill, Judson 32nd Public Assistance; provide for a pilot program; smart cards for Medicaid program recipients; 2/27/2013 - Senate Senate Read and Referred
Renee Unterman Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency; create; 1/16/2014 - Senate Read and Referred
Renee Unterman Alzheimer's Disease Registry; establish within the Department of Public Health; 1/16/2014 - Senate Read and Referred
Jack Murphy License Plates; submission of a doctor's prescription; application for a special parking decal for persons with disabilities in lieu of an affidavit; notary public not available; 1/21/2014 - Senate - Senate Read and Referred
Renee Unterman State Plan for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias; express support; 1/16/2014 - Senate Read and Referred
www.gcdd.org www.unlockthewaitinglists.com
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HB 0747 David Ralston General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015; 1/17/2014 - House Second Readers

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Impact and Moving Forward. Go to www.gcdd.org and click on Join Our Advocacy Network!

Dates to Remember:
Be There 4 Seniors Rally at the Capitol: January 30 February is Self-Advocates Month at the Capitol
Alzheimer's Awareness Day at the Capitol: February 13 Mental Health Day at the Capitol: February 19 Disability Day at the Capitol: February 20

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