Moving Forward Brought to you by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation Feb 7, 2014 Volume 19--Issue 5 Today, February 7 marks the 19th legislative day of the session. On Monday of this week, the House Human Relations and Aging Committee met and voted on HB 290, the Family Care Act. This bill passed out of committee by a 6-2 vote. Be sure to contact your House member 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 Education. Please see details below. You can view the budget yourself at http://opb.georgia.gov. On Wednesday, February 5, HB 743, the Amended FY2014 budget, was passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee and then was read the second time in the Senate on Thursday, February 6. The FY 2015 budget hearings began this week. We anticipate that the FY 2015 budget will go to the full House for a vote toward the end of next week 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 Education (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. Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; President Pro Tempore: David Shafer, 48th. Majority Leader: Ronnie Chance, 16th; 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 State General Funds 1. Increase funds to reflect an adjustment in the employer share of the Teachers' Retirement System from 12.28% to 13.15%. $399,346 recommended increase 2. Provide funds for merit-based pay adjustments and employee recruitment and retention initiatives effective July 1, 2014. $526,102 recommended increase 3. Increase funds for training and experience. $1,098,237 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. Budget Information: Total Change: $2,023,685 recommended increase Other Changes 4. Reflect a change in the program name from "Severely Emotional Disturbed (SED)" to "Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS)." Yes 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 is the FY 2015 budget revenue summary for the Department of Education and highlights of disability-related budget items within the DOE budget. To see the full details of how the budget breaks down for each program, please see the full budget documents available at http:// opb.georgia.gov. Department of Education Budget Revenue Summary - FY 15 FY14 current FY15 recom. GNETS - offer 24 programs Preschool Handicapped Purpose: The purpose of this appropriation is to provide early educational services to three- and four-year-old students with disabilities so that they enter school better prepared to succeed. 1. Increase funds to reflect an adjustment in the employer share of the Teachers' Retirement System from 12.28% to 13.15%. $186,173 recommended increase 2. Provide funds for merit-based pay adjustments and employee recruitment and retention initiatives effective July 1, 2014. $245,367 recommended increase State General Funds $7,409,293,094 $542,427,618 recommended increase $7,951,720,712 3. Increase funds for training and experience. $443,894 recommended increase TOTAL STATE FUNDS $7,409,293,094 $542,427,618 recommended increase Federal Funds Not Itemized $1,643,907,471 $7,951,720,712 $1,643,907,471 Total Change: $875,434 recommended increase Training for T&E - additional dollars for teachers with additional experience on top of the state salaries to help districts. TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS $1,643,907,471 $1,643,907,471 Federal Recovery Funds Not Itemized $ 44,117,550 $44,117,550 TOTAL FEDERAL RECOVERY FUNDS $ 44,117,550 $44,117,550 Other Funds $ 5,395,610 $5,395,610 Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) Purpose: The purpose of this appropriation is to provide Georgia's sixteen Regional Education Service Agencies with funds to assist local school systems with improving the effectiveness of their educational programs by providing curriculum consultation, skill enhancement, professional development, technology training, and other shared services. TOTAL OTHER FUNDS $ 5,395,610 $5,395,610 State General Funds Total Funds $9,102,713,725 $9,645,141,343 1. Increase funds for Positive Behavior and Intervention $542,427,618 recommended increase Supports (PBIS) trainers. $560,000 recommended increase Disability-related DOE Budget Highlights--FY 15 Total Change: $560,000 recommended increase Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) Purpose: The purpose of this appropriation is to fund the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS), which provides services, education, and resources for students ages three to twenty-one with autism or severe emotional behavioral problems and their families. These funds would offer capacity in the districts to offer PBI training to teachers by hiring coaches. State Interagency Transfers Purpose: The purpose of this appropriation is to pass through funding for special education services in other state agencies, teachers' retirement, and vocational funding for the post-secondary vocational education agency. No recommended change 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; enact2/26/2013 House - House Second Readers HB 0067: Kidd, E. Culver "Rusty" 145th Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund; penalty assessments for additional violations; authorize 1/28/2013: House - House Second 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 2/3/2014; House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute HB 0853: Stover, David. Mental health facilities; certificate of need; revise exemption1/31/2014 House Second Readers 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; require1/31/2014; House Second Readers HB 0870: Tanner, Kevin. Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund; imposition of additional fine for reckless driving; provide 2/3/2014; House Second Readers HB 0910: Kelley, Trey. Community Health, Department of; authorize medical-legal partnerships; provisions 2/4/2014; House - House Hopper HB 0913: Kelley, Trey. Community Health, Board of; persons having certain conflicts of interest from serving on board; prohibit 2/4/2014; House - 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 HR 1087: Welch, Andrew . General Assembly; dedication of revenues derived from and community living arrangements to use certain terms; authorize 3/28/2013; House fees or other assessments to public purpose for which such fees were imposed; provide - House Withdrawn, Recommitted - CA 1/23/2014; House Second Readers. 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 Senate Bills assess to a hospital; establish 3/11/2013; House - House Second Readers SB 0141: Beach, Brandon 21st'Patient Injury Act'; create an alternative medical HB 0606: Knight, David 130th Private home care providers; revise definition to exclude malpractice litigation 2/11/2013; Senate - Senate Read and Referred contractual arrangements with independent contractors 3/20/2013; House - House Second Readers SB 0163: Ligon, Jr., William 3rd Community Health Dept.; required to study and identify options for Medicaid reform 3/28/2013; House - House Withdrawn, HB 0608: Houston, Penny 170th Community Health, Department of; criminal back- Recommitted ground check requirements for applicants for employment by certain licensed facilities; expand 3/21/2013; House - House Second Readers SB 0186: Ligon, Jr., William 3rd Mental Health; provide for authorization of ambulance personnel to transport certain mentally ill patients 2/21/2013; Senate - HB 0695; Carson, John 46th Public assistance; provide reimbursement for Medicaid Senate Read and Referred providers; provisions 1/14/2014; House Second Readers SB 0191: Albers, John 56th "Ava's Law"; provide definitions; certain insurance coverage HB 0700; Waites, Keisha . Public facilities; State Capitol and CLOB; persons with for autism spectrum disorders 2/22/2013; Senate - Senate Read and Referred disabilities; provide increased accessibility 1/15/2014; House Second Readers SB 0202: Unterman, Renee 45th Litigation code changes 2/25/2013; Senate - Senate HB 0707; Spencer, Jason 180th The Georgia Health Care Freedom and ACA Read and Referred Noncompliance Act; enact 1/15/2014; House Second Readers SB 0207: Albers, John. 56th Probation of First Offenders; person disqualified from HB 0743; Ralston, David. Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - employment when discharged as felony offender; add private home care providers to June 30, 2014; 1/27/2014; Senate Read and Referred list 3/28/2013; House - House Withdrawn, Recommitted HB 0744; Ralston, David. General appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2014 - June SB 0220: Hill, Judson 32nd Public Assistance; provide for a pilot program; smart cards 30, 2015; 1/17/2014 ;House Second Readers for Medicaid program recipients 2/27/2013; Senate - Senate Read and Referred HB 0745: Ralston, David. Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - SB 0291: Unterman, Renee. Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency; create June 30, 20141/17/2014; House Second Readers 2/4/2014; House - House First Readers HB 0746: Ralston, David. Supplemental appropriations; State Fiscal Year July 1, 2013 - SB 0292: Unterman, Renee. Alzheimer's Disease Registry; establish within the June 30, 20141/17/2014; House Second Readers Department of Public Health 2/4/2014 House - House First 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, 20151/17/2014; House Second Readers HB 0754: Waites, Keisha . Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact 1/17/2014; 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. 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 available2/3/2014 ; House Second Readers SB 0329: Wilkinson, John. "Work Based Learning Act" 1/27/2014; Senate Read and Referred SB 0349 Bethel , Charlie. Behavorial Health and Developmental, Dept. of; changes to the powers and duties 2/4/2014; Senate - 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 HB 0766: Lumsden, Eddie. Work Based Learning Act; enact 1/21/2014; House - House Second Readers Dates to Remember: 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 Be There 4 Seniors Rally at the Capitol: February 26, 2014 www.gcdd.org www.unlockthewaitinglists.com Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Capitol Impact Please stay tuned to the latest news by signing up for Capitol Impact and Moving Forward. Go to www.gcdd.org and click on Join Our Advocacy Network! 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