Moving forward, vol. 8, no. 12 (2003 April 4)

Volume 8, Issue 12 April 4, 2003
Establishing the budget is the responsibility of the House of Representatives, who this week have been grappling with a $400 million shortfall in revenue. They cut over $250 million from Governor Sonny Perdue's Fiscal Year 2004 budget proposal, yet still face a shortfall. To make up for the missing $128 million, the House can either cut more programs or vote for a tax increase.
The FY04 budget plan passed the House Appropriations Committee Friday. Now it moves to the House floor Monday or Tuesday for a vote. Tuesday is the deadline for the House of Representatives to pass a balanced budget to the Senate for consideration.
The General Assembly recessed this week and will reconvene on Monday, April 7th. Most of the Unlock and Olmstead items in the DCH and DHR budgets have been preserved in the House version of the budget. Five Independent Care Waiver slots are the only DD cuts.
Legislation Tracker
To remain active this session, a bill must pass at least the House or the Senate by Tuesday.
HB 34: Education; students committing certain acts of physical violence; disciplinary tribunal Sponsor: Greene-Johnson, 60th Status: Filed
HB 81: Teachers; rights for continued employment; restore Sponsors: Lucas 105th district, Cummings 19th, Hugley 113th, Greene 134th, Reece 11th, Jordan 83rd. Status: House passed; now moves to Senate Education Committee
HB 130: Georgia Health Care Act Sponsors: Holmes 48th, Orrock 51st Status: Referred to Appropriations Committee
HB 211: Assistance dogs; interfering with, assaulting, killing; penalties Sponsors: Rice 64th, Millar 52nd, Dix 70th, Sholar 141st, Jenkins 93rd Status: Referred to Special Judiciary Committee
HB 256: Industries for the Blind; manufactured products; purchase by state employs; exception Sponsors: Broome 141st, Sholar 141st, Skipper 116th, Westmoreland 86th, Drenner 57th, Lunsford 85th Status: House Committee favorably reported
HB 295: Education; deaf students; certification of interpreters Sponsors: Butler 88th, Smith 76th, Thompson 69th, Burmeister 96th, Bordeaux 125th Status: Referred to Education Committee
HB 318: Adult Day Center Licensure Act; enact Sponsors: McClinton 59th, Howard 98th, Ashe 42nd, Mobley 58th, Sinkfield 50th, Maddox 59th Status: Referred to Human Relations and Aging Committee
HB 357: Certain deaths; persons in compensated care; notify coroner Sponsor: Howard 98th Status: Referred to Human Relations and Aging Committee
HB 363: Electronic Textbooks; make available to local boards, schools, and students Sponsors: Fludd 48th, Greene-Johnson 60th, Marin 66th, Floyd 69th, Holmes 48th Status: Referred to Education Committee
HB 428: Intellectually Disabled Health and Fitness Program Fund; establish; special license plates Sponsors: Borders 142nd, O'Neal 117th, McBee 74th, Jenkins 93rd, Stephens 123rd Status: Referred to Motor Vehicles Committee

HB 515: Education accountability; comprehensive revision of provisions Sponsors: Richardson 26th, O'Neal 117th, Coleman 65th Status: Read and referred to Education Committee
HB 516: Education flexibility and accountability; comprehensive revision of provisions Sponsors: Richardson 26th, O'Neal 117th, Coleman 65th Status: Read and referred to Education Committee
HB 526: Nursing Home Provider Fee Act; enact Sponsors: Channell 77th, Shaw 143rd, Buck 112th Status: House passed; immediately transmitted to Senate
HB 583: Students; certain acts of physical violence; disciplinary tribunal Sponsors: Greene-Johnson 60th, Reece 11th, Mangham 62nd, Thomas 43rd, Stephens, 124th Status: Read and referred to the Education Committee
HB 701: Independence Plus Act; enact Sponsors: Gardner 42nd, Manning 32nd, Childers 13th Status: Referred to House Human Relations & Aging Committee
HR 225: Intellectually disabled health and fitness program; special plates Sponsors: Borders 142nd, O'Neal 117th, McBee 74th, Jenkins 93rd, Stephens 123rd Status: Appropriations Committee
SB 12: Criminal Offenses and Penalties for Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of Disabled Adults and Elder Persons Sponsor: Unterman 45th, Balfour 9th, Squires 5th Status: Passed the Senate; now in House Special Judiciary Committee
SB 50: Health Insurers; Consumer Choice of Benefits Health Plan Act Sponsors: Seabaugh 28th, Golden 8th, Price 56th, Moody 27th, Mullis 53rd, Williams 19th Status: Referred to Insurance and Labor Committee
SB 53: GA Fair Lending Act; amend provisions Sponsors: Cheeks 23rd, Starr 44th, Crotts 17th Status: Governor signed; bill becomes law
SB 111: Death Investigations; patients receiving compensated care in facilities licensed by DHR Sponsors: Tanksley 32nd, Unterman 45th Status: Referred to Judiciary Committee
SB 170: Long-term care services; in-home and community based care; consumer choice and control; Independence Plus Act Sponsors: Jackson 50th, Dean 31st, Zamarripa 36th, Gillis 20th, Starr 44th, Thomas 2nd , Kemp 3rd, Blitch 7th, Hill 4th, Brown 26th, Hooks 14th, Meyer von Bremen 12th, Johnson 1st, Levitan 40th Status: Heard by Health and Human Services; recommended study committee
SB 185: Natural Gas; discontinuing service to persons age 65 or disabled; prohibit during winter heating season Sponsor: Thomas 2nd Status: Read and Referred to Senate
SB 248: Student Achievement, Office of; create; comprehensive revisions regarding education accountability Sponsors: Brush 24th, Lee 29th, Stephens 51st Status: Education Committee passed; moves to the House
SB 249: Student Achievement, Office of; powers , duties, and responsibilities; flexibility and accountability Sponsors: Brush 24th, Lee 29th, Stephens 51st Status: Education Committee passed; moves to House
SB 258: Elections; conversion to direct recording electronic voting systems; absentee ballot oath; handicapped assistance; polling places Sponsors: Unterman 45th, Mullis 53rd, Hill 4th, Meyer von Bremen 12th Status: Passed the Senate, now in House Governmental Affairs Committee

SR 146: Educational Testing, Study Committee on; create Sponsor: Seabaugh 28th Status: Education Committee favorably reported
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View any bill in its entirety at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/leg/legislation.htm

Budget Overview The bill to increase tobacco taxes was soundly defeated on March 26, but the House voted to reconsider the bill. The House could reconsider a smaller tobacco tax to make up for the shortfall that remains.

FY 2003 Supplemental Budget Department of Community Health (DCH)

Transfer children with disabilities who live in private nursing facilities to community based settings in compliance with

Olmstead

$40,489

Department of Education (DOE)

Reduction in funding for certain non-QBE formula grants by 3% ($5,853,416) and pupil transportation by 3%

(5,026,553); also reducing funding for student testing ($429,514)

$11,309,483

Reduction in Quality Basic Education formula grants by 2.1 % (correction to the mid-term adjustment line) $134,594,245

Austerity adjustment to non-QBE formula programs

$18,378,955

Reduction in funding for Vocational Education High School Program for the Extended Day salaries to reflect actual FY02 expenditures $5,090,483

Department of Human Resources (DHR)

Total DHR Austerity adjustment Austerity Adjustments for MHDDAD

($4,500,000) ($3,100,000)

Consolidation of Augusta Regional Hospital and Gracewood administration (250,000)

Refinance administrative costs with Federal Social Service

Block Grant funds

(462,500)

One-time hiring freeze of state office and hospital staff (1,454,837)

One-time increase in federal Medicaid reimbursement for services from state intermediate care facilities for people

with mental retardation

$ 2,559,775

The items below reflect redirected funds, not new state enhancements. The Conference Committee, composed of both House and Senate members, voted yes to the following regarding Compliance with Olmstead.

Transfer 11 children from nursing homes to community $222, 692

Transition planning for people with DD or mental illness

who want to move to community from institutions

$170,000

Start-up costs for 65 children moving from institutions to community

$585,000

Operation of 4 intensive supervision homes for 40 severely emotionally disturbed adolescents transitioning from state

hospitals to the community

(total funds)

$1,228,591

Identify dedicated staff for the management, oversight and evaluation of the state's annual Olmstead work plan

Proposed DHR Austerity Cuts for FY 2004: MHDDAD Convert 75% of state-funded DD family support slots to Medicaid waiver slots

$586,767
Reduce Emory contract for Autism Resource Center $100,000 Reduce state-level reserve for autism support (these are funds remaining from the closing of the Clayton Respite

Home, and do not reflect a loss in services.) Reduce room and board supplement for 1,362 consumers with

$35,924

Developmental disabilities by 30%

$2,039,731

Eliminate Marcus Institute fetal alcohol syndrome services $108,520

FY04 Proposed Cuts: DCH

State

5 ICWP slots were cut from the budget.

$120,000

FY04 Proposed Cuts: Department of Labor
6% Cut to Statewide Independent Living Council 3% cuts to CIL's that receive State funding

FY04 Enhancements: DCH

State Dollars

145 people to move from nursing home to community $3.2 million

Assessment of people to move to community

$75,000

Primary care health costs for 15 people with mental illness

to move from institutions to community

$36,045

5 people off ICWP waiting list

$100,000

FY04 Cuts: DHR

State Dollars

The MHDDAD FY04 budget has been cut by $11 million existing state dollars. These are a summary of the cuts which appear to

affect DD.

Consolidate administration at Augusta Regional and Gracewood

($813,417)

Reduce administration costs at CSBs

($2.6 million)

Cut MR state funds and replace with SSBG federal funds

($761,108)

Eliminate contract with Georgia Hearing Impaired ($50,000)

Austerity adjustments

($5.46 million)

30% cuts to room and board allowances for 1362 MRWP recipients

($2,039,731)

Cut funding from Community Mental Health Centers/CSB's

($4.2 million)

Eliminate performance audit contract funds for CSB's $270,000

FY04 Enhancements: DHR

State Dollars

The only enhancements to DHR are for child welfare and Olmstead/Waiting Lists items. All enhancements are from

projections for maximizing federal revenue through the ICF/MRs, ICFs and skilled nursing facilities. This is a short-

term fix during a fiscal crisis, not a long-term solution.

Move 50 people from state hospitals to community $2.6 million

Move 15 people with mental illness from institutions to the community

Transition planning for moving the above 65 people $170,000

Add 2 state office positions to certify and monitor services

$148,644



Serve 50 people with DD from the short term waiting list

who need additional services

$949,031

Annualized

Transition of 40 adolescents from state hospitals to intensive supervision homes

Transition children with DD from nursing homes to community

$296,922

$432,898 $1,365,187

Provide CCSP to 84 nursing home residents transitioning to community $421,532 Funds for 40 case coordinators in the CCSP replaced $1,203,378
Current Waiting Lists For Services Over 3,300 people are waiting for help, including: 3,142 Georgians with Mental Retardation or Developmental Disabilities 249 people with severe physical disabilities
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