Moving forward, vol. 19, no. 4 (2014 January 31)

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

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
Jan 31, 2014 Volume 19--Issue 4

On Monday of this week, the House Human Relations and Aging Committee met and heard testimony about HB 290, the Family Care Act. This committee is scheduled to vote on this bill on Monday, February 3 at 1:30 PM. Now is the time to contact members of this committee to let them know how you want them to vote on HB 290.

In this issue, we will focus on the Governor's proposed budget for the Department of Community Health and the Department of Human Services. Please see details below. You can view the budget yourself at http://opb.georgia.gov. On Tuesday, January 27, HB 743, the Amended FY2014 budget, was read in the Senate and referred to the Appropriations Committee.

Also on Tuesday, a winter weather front moved into Georgia that impacted business at the Capitol and elsewhere. By Wednesday, Governor Deal declared a state of emergency and state government was shut down Wednesday and Thursday. The General Assembly reconvened on Friday morning, January 31.
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 the Capitol: 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:

Department of Community Health (continued)

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.

FY2014 current

FY2015 recom.

Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; President Pro

Other Funds

$ 3,750,596,921 $ 3,650,544,971

Tempore: David Shafer, 48th. Majority Leader: Ronnie Chance, 16th; $100,051,950 recommended decrease

Minority Leader: Steve Henson, 41st.
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

TOTAL OTHER FUNDS

$3,750,596,921 $3,650,544,971

$100,051,950 recommended decrease

Total Funds

$12,861,603,743 $13,367,275,794

$505,672,051 recommended increase

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.

Department of Human Services Budget Revenue

Summary FY15

FY2014

FY2015

current

recom.

Budget Information:
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).
Below are the FY 2015 budget summaries for the Department of Community Health and the Department of Human Services. To see details on how the budget breaks down for each program in DCH and DHS, please see the full budget documents available at http://opb.georgia.gov.

Department of Community Health Budget Revenue

Summary - FY 15

FY14

FY15

current

recom.

State General Funds

$2,346,430,805

$180,200,208 recommended increase

$2,526,631,013

State General Funds

$485,582,984 $516,111,815

$30,528,831 recommended increase

Tobacco Settlement Funds

$ 6,191,806

$ 6,191,806

TOTAL STATE FUNDS

$491,774,790

$30,528,831 recommended increase

$522,303,621

CCDF Mandatory and Matching Funds $ 613,493 $ 613,493

Child Care and Development Block Grant

$ 209,161

$ 209,161

Community Service Block Grant $18,302,803

$ 18,302,803

Foster Care Title IV-E

$72,633,885

$1,617,172 recommended increase

$ 74,251,057

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $55,906,108

$ 55,906,108

Tobacco Settlement Funds

$ 166,193,257

$56,000,000 recommended decrease

$ 110,193,257 Medical Assistance Program

$61,322,042

$162,500 recommended increase

$ 61,484,542

Nursing Home Provider Fees

$ 167,756,401

$ 167,756,401 Social Services Block Grant

$ 52,316,281

$ 52,316,281

Hospital Provider Payment

$ 241,674,441

$22,542,793 recommended increase

$ 264,217,234 TANF Block Grant - Unobligated Balance

$ 9,551,600

$ 9,551,600

TOTAL STATE FUNDS

$2,922,054,904 $3,068,797,905

$146,743,001 recommended increase

Medical Assistance Program

$ 5,878,603,415

$412,514,286 recommended increase

$ 6,291,117,701

State Children's Insurance Prog. $ 284,170,350 $46,466,714 recommended increase

$ 330,637,064

Federal Funds Not Itemized

$ 26,178,153

$ 26,178,153

TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS $6,188,951,918 $6,647,932,918 $458,981,000 recommended increase

Temporary Assistance for Needy

Families Block Grant

$ 321,290,139

$2,822,670 recommended increase

Federal Funds Not Itemized

$414,671,291

$8,650,894 recommended increase

TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS $1,006,816,803 $13,253,236 recommended increase

Other Funds

$69,183,092

TOTAL OTHER FUNDS

$69,183,092

$324,112,809 $423,322,185 $1,020,070,039 $69,183,092 $69,183,092

Total Funds

$1,567,774,685

$43,782,067 recommended increase

$1,611,556,752

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 0018 Waites, Keisha 60th; Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact 2/26/2013; House - House Second Readers
HB 0067 Kidd, E. Culver "Rusty" 145th; Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund; penalty assessments for additional violations; authorize1/28/2013; House - House Second Readers

HB 0760 Welch, Andrew; General Assembly; committees have ability to subpoena department and division heads to testify and produce documents for examination; provide 1/21/2014; House Second Readers
HB 0766 Lumsden, Eddie; Work Based Learning Act; enact 1/21/2014; House Second Readers
HB 0853 Stover, David ; Mental health facilities; certificate of need; revise exemption 1/28/2014; House - House First Readers

HB 0166 Bruce, Roger 61st; Parent Protection Act; enact 2/1/2013; House - House Second Readers
HB 0290 Dempsey, Katie 13th; Family Care Act - to allow employees to use sick leave for the care of immediate family members 3/28/2013; House - House Withdrawn, Recommitted

HB 0868 Fludd, Virgil; Community Health, Board of; contract with at least two vendors to provide health insurance benefits for retiring and retired state employees; require 1/28/2014; House - House First Readers
HB 0870 Tanner, Kevin; Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund; imposition of additional fine for reckless driving; provide 1/28/2014; House Hopper

HB 0309 Harbin, Ben 122nd; Ava's Law; enact 2/13/2013; House House Second Readers

HR 1039 Waites, Keisha 60th; State Capitol and CLOB; accessibility by the blind and visually impaired; 11/25/2013; House - House Prefiled

HB 0398 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
HB 0546 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
HB 0606 Knight, David 130th; Private home care providers; revise definition to exclude contractual arrangements with independent contractors 3/20/2013; House - House Second Readers
HB 0608 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

Senate Bills
SB 0141 Beach, Brandon 21st; 'Patient Injury Act'; create an alternative medical malpractice litigation 2/11/2013; Senate - Senate Read and Referred
SB 0163 Ligon, Jr., William 3rd; Community Health Dept.; required to study and identify options for Medicaid reform; 3/28/2013; House House Withdrawn, Recommitted
SB 0186 Ligon, Jr., William 3rd; Mental Health; provide for authorization of ambulance personnel to transport certain mentally ill patients 2/21/2013; Senate - Senate Read and Referred
SB 0191 Albers, John 56th; "Ava's Law"; provide definitions; certain insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders 2/22/2013; Senate Senate Read and Referred

HB 0695 Carson, John 46th; Public assistance; provide reimbursement for Medicaid providers; provisions 1/14/2014; House Second Readers

SB 0202 Unterman, Renee 45th; Litigation code changes 2/25/2013; Senate - Senate Read and Referred

HB 0700 Keisha Waites; Public facilities; State Capitol and CLOB; persons with disabilities; provide increased accessibility 1/15/2014; House Second Readers
HB 0707 Spencer, Jason 180th; The Georgia Health Care Freedom and ACA Noncompliance Act; enact 1/15/2014; House Second Readers
HB 0743 Ralston, David; Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014 1/27/2014; Senate Read and Referred

SB 0207 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
SB 0220 Hill, Judson 32nd; Public Assistance; provide for a pilot program; smart cards for Medicaid program recipients 2/27/2013; Senate - Senate Read and Referred

HB 0744 Ralston, David; General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July SB 0291 Unterman, Renee; Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency;

1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 1/17/2014; House Second Readers

create 1/27/2014; Senate Read Second Time

HB 0745 Ralston, David; Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year SB 0292 Unterman, Renee; Alzheimer's Disease Registry; establish with-

July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014 1/17/2014; House Second Readers

in the Department of Public Health 1/27/2014; Senate Read Second Time

HB 0746 Ralston, David; Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014 1/17/2014; House Second Readers
HB 0747 Ralston, David; General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 1/17/2014; House Second Readers
HB 0748 Ralston, David; General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 1/17/2014; House Second Readers
HB 0754 Waites, Keisha; Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact 1/17/2014; House Second Readers
Dates to Remember:
Be There 4 Seniors Rally at the Capitol: POSTPONED - New Date TBD 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

SB 0298 Murphy, Jack; 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 1/28/2014; Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended
SB 0329 Wilkinson, John; "Work Based Learning Act" 1/27/2014; Senate Read and Referred
SR 0746 Unterman, Renee; State Plan for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias; express support 1/27/2014; Senate Read Second Time
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