Public policy for the people [Vol. 2, no. 4 (Feb. 2016)]

Public Policy for the People: Volume 2, Issue 4 - February 16, 2016
Volume 2, Issue 4
Insider Highlights
Insider Highlights The legislative session is already half over. Today is day 21 and March 24th is scheduled to be sine die. Over the last two weeks, GCDD held two more very successful advocacy days: "Inclusive Post-secondary Education Day" (Feb. 2) and "Employment First Day" (Feb. 11). We anticipate that we may hear something as soon as this upcoming week on the House subcommittee recommendations on the FY 2017 budget so it is critical that you reach out to the House TODAY about budget issues before they finalize their version of the big budget. Please see the Advocacy Actions section for more details. Due to the fact that the General Assembly will not be in session on March 1, GCDD has moved its final advocacy day, "Wildcard Advocacy Day", from March 1 to March 10. Once we get closer to this date, we will make a determination of what issue(s) we need to focus on for this day based on the needs at that time. We will gather at Central Presbyterian Rand Chapel at 8:30am for registration and begin our advocacy training at 9am on March 10. Please register at www.gcdd.org/advocacy and bear with us as we refresh our website with the revised date of March 10.
Advocacy Actions: Get Involved
Join GCDD for weekly legislative calls throughout the session: Every Monday at 9:30 a.m. Dial 1-888-355-1249 and enter passcode 232357 at the prompt. Attention DD Waiver & ICWP Advocates!! Contact your House member and key committee members (listed below) in

support of UNLOCK's requests. Note that there is a different committee that handles these two items so be sure that you are looking at the correct committee for each issue.
Dear ICWP Advocates: Please contact your House member (find at www.openstates.org) AND members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health (see below) and ask them to please support the UNLOCK ASK to raise the ICWP Personal Support rates to mirror the CCSP/SOURCE Personal Support rates so Georgians and their families can find and keep adequate caregivers in the amount of $3,774,382 in state dollars for FY2017. Please explain in a couple sentences why how this rate increase would help you. Don't forget to cc: on each message you send.
The Subcommittee (for ICWP ASK) and their contact information are as follows:
Parrish, Butch, R-158, Swainsboro Dollar, Matthew K., R-045, Marietta Gardner, Patricia, D-057, Atlanta Hatchett, Matt, R-150, Dublin Hawkins, Lee, R-027, Gainesville Hugley, Carolyn F, D-136, Columbus Quick, Regina M, R-117, Athens Sims, Barbara W, R-123, Augusta Stephens, Ron, R-164, Savannah Strickland, Brian, R-111, McDonough Taylor, Darlene K, R-173, Thomasville
Dear DD Waiver Advocates: Please contact your House member (find at www.openstates.org) AND members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources (see below) and ask them to please support the UNLOCK ASK to support the 100 new NOW waivers in Governor Deal's budget AND convert 20%, or $4.75 million, of unmatched state dollars to Medicaid waivers to bring down an additional $10 million in federal funds to be used to help get people off the NOW/Comp waiting list and into needed services. Please explain in a couple sentences what it would mean to your family to receive these needed services. Don't forget to cc: on each message you send.
The Subcommittee (for DD Waiver ASK) and their contact information are as follows:
Dempsey, Katie M., R-013, Rome Broadrick, Bruce L., R-004, Dalton Benton, Thomas H., R-031, Jefferson Brockway, Buzz, R-102, Lawrenceville Epps, Bubber, R-144, Dry Branch Harden, Buddy, R-148, Cordele Henson, Michele D., D-086, Stone Mountain Howard, Wayne, D-124, Augusta Morris, Gregory A., R-156, Vidalia

Oliver, Mary Margaret, D-082, Decatur Taylor, Thomas K., R-079, Dunwoody
Budget 101
Last week, the House passed their version of the "little budget", the amended FY 2016 budget (HB 750). This amended FY 2016 budget ends on June 30, 2016. The DBHDD section starts on page 30 and the DCH section starts on page 43. Meanwhile, we anticipate that we may hear something as soon as within this upcoming week on the House subcommittee recommendations on the "Big Budget," or the FY 2017 budget (July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017).
Issue Updates
To see the most updated version of the GCDD 2016 legislative agenda, please click here.
Employment First
On Thursday, February 11, we held an Employment First advocacy day at the Capitol. We thank GVRA for being a sponsor for this event. However, if you could not attend, we still need your help! Please contact your House and Senate members, share with them the Employment First fact sheet, and ask them to support Employment First. You can look up your legislators at www.openstates.org. We know that Georgians with disabilities have so many gifts and talents to contribute to the work force, but we need an Employment First culture so that barriers can be broken down and people with disabilities can realize their full potential.
Inclusive Post-secondary Education
On Tuesday, February 2, we held an Inclusive Post-secondary Education (IPSE) advocacy day at the Capitol. Representatives were present from all open IPSE programs as well as other grassroots advocates who asked legislators to invest in inclusive postsecondary education programs by doubling the legislative funding from $200,000 to $400,000. We need to keep the momentum going so please do the following today:
Please contact your House and Senate members, share with them the IPSE fact sheet, and urge them to support doubling the funding from $200,000 to $400,000 in the FY 2017 budget. You can look up your legislators at www.openstates.org.
If you haven't already done so, please also contact members of the House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee to ask them to support the IPSE funding increase. See members below:
Dempsey, Katie M., R-013, Rome Broadrick, Bruce L., R-004, Dalton Benton, Thomas H., R-031, Jefferson Brockway, Buzz, R-102, Lawrenceville Epps, Bubber, R-144, Dry Branch

Harden, Buddy, R-148, Cordele Henson, Michele D., D-086, Stone Mountain Howard, Wayne, D-124, Augusta Morris, Gregory A., R-156, Vidalia Oliver, Mary Margaret, D-082, Decatur Taylor, Thomas K., R-079, Dunwoody
ABLE (HB 768) - PASSED
Submitted by Elizabeth J. Appley, Esq., AADD Public Policy Advocate
In the past two weeks we have been working with the State Treasurer to address his concerns with the ABLE Bill and make changes he felt were necessary. (The Treasurer's office will be administering the ABLE Program.) The substitute addressing his concerns will be presented to the House Ways & Means Committee Income Tax Subcommittee on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 3:00 p.m. in Room 132 of the Capitol. It is also possible if the Bill passes out of Subcommittee on Tuesday, it could be heard in the full Committee when it meets on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in Room 406 CLOB.
Please contact your House and Senate members and urge them to support HB 768 (The ABLE Act). If your legislator is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, your contact is especially important now. Please email Elizabeth Appley the response you get at eja@appleylaw.com.If you haven't already done so, please register for ABLE Lobby Day on February 24, 2016.
Family Care Act (SB 242)
Last week the Family Care Act (SB242) passed favorably out of the Senate HHS Committee. We now need to get the Senate Rules Committee to put the bill on the Senate calendar for a vote. Please contact your Senator if he/she is on the Rules Committee and ask for their support of SB 242 Family Care Act. Remember this is legislation that allows flexibility in the use of sick leave for employees who have earned sick leave at their job. Up to five sick days may be used to care for family. If you have ever had a sick child or cared for an aging parent or spouse, you know the importance of this flexibility. Please send any feedback about what kind of response you get from the legislator(s) to Mary Frances Williams at .
Standard of Proof for Intellectual Disability (SB 401) - DID NOT PASS
A bill is being drafted to change the standard of proof placed for individuals with intellectual disability in death penalty cases in Georgia from "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" to "Preponderance of the Evidence." We expect it to be introduced in the Senate any day now. We will notify advocates as soon as it has been introduced. In the meantime, we encourage you to contact your legislators and members of the Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee and express your support to change the standard of proof to "Preponderance of the Evidence."
Bills

Please note the information within this section is current as of Friday, February 12th, 2016 (cutoff for publishing). To see a list of Bills that GCDD is tracking, click here. Note that you can click on the bill number to be taken to a page to get further information on the bill and see the entire language of the bill if you wish.
Advocacy Corner
Question of the Week
Question: Where can I go in Georgia to check my voter registration status, register to vote, look up my polling location, see key election dates, or review a sample ballot for an upcoming election? Answer: Go to the "Georgia My Voter" page. While our state legislators cannot see FOR WHOM or HOW we vote, they can see IF we vote. Remember your voice counts! Be sure to practice your right to vote!
Dates to Remember
GCDD Advocacy Days, Teach-ins, Weekly Policy Calls, and Disability Day:
Weekly GCDD legislative call: Every Monday at 9:30 a.m. Dial 1-888-355-1249 and enter passcode 232357 at the prompt. Thursday, February 18th - Disability Day at the Capitol Wednesday, February 24 - ABLE Advocacy Day
***NOTE NEW DATE***: Changed to: Thursday, March 10th - End of Session Advocacy "Wildcard" Advocacy Day Support our Partners at the Capitol: February 24-25, 2016: Senior Week
Resources
Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities 2016 Legislative Agenda Tips on How to Speak with Your Legislator Accessibility on Capitol Hill House Committee Meeting Calendar Senate Committee Meeting Calendar Watch the Session Live Find your Legislator Georgia State Constitution
Join Our Advocacy Network
To receive updates and calls to action during the session, be sure to join our advocacy network. In order to ensure you receive important legislative communications, be sure to select to receive both the Public Policy and UNLOCK alerts.