Monday, April 21, 2008

Monday Quick HIts: Hot Policy Topics for This Week


NORTH CAROLINA:


REMINDER: Early Voting Sites across the state are now open. This year you can register to vote and vote at these Early Voting/Same Day Registration Sites.
Monday, April 21, 2008
10 a.m The North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force meets, 1228/1327 LB.


Tuesday, April 22, 2008

10 a.m The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education meets jointly with the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education/Higher Education, 421 LOB.
1 p.m. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education meets jointly with the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education/Higher Education, 421 LOB.

This committee has been reviewing funding for items in last years budget. Under a zero budget process each program designated for review will be looked at and then a determination will be made as to if they will be eligible for funding in the next budget cycle. Some may have funding reduced, others increased and some not renewed. The first of these meetings addressed School of Nursing Grants. With a shortage of medical professionals it is probably a good guess to say that this program will receive funding again. An agenda was not available at this time.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

10 a.m. The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse meets, 643 LOB.

During last weeks meeting the members received the first proposal from the Governor. The committee also received report from Leza Wainwright regarding the Mercer Report. The last part of the meeting was a presentation on the committee findings and proposals for legislative action in the short session. The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee will be reviewing and voting on their proposals during this meeting. There will also be additional presentations by the Department and Secretary Benton. When a detailed agenda becomes available we will post it.

10 a.m. The Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee meets, 1228 LB.

During the last committee meeting members received an update from the NCDOT on its Transformation plan. They also were presented with transit plans from Charlotte and Raleigh. This is one of two transportation committees that have been meeting during the interim. This specific committee has been hearing a lot from the NCDOT. No agenda was available at this time. With all committees beginning to wrap up their work before session starts, we will probably see some proposals presented at this meeting.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

10 a.m. The 21st Century Transportation Intergovernmental Subcommittee meets, 415 LOB.

10 a.m. The 21st Century Transportation Prioritization and Efficiency Subcommittee meets, 1228 LB.

10:30 a.m. The 21st Century Transportation Finance Subcommittee meets, 414 LOB.

1 p.m. The 21st Century Transportation Committee meets, 643 LOB.

The 21st Century Transportation Committee has been meeting to work on state infrastructure needs and how to fund these needs. There have been proposals put forth that include a bond referendum, a three year graduated end to the transfer of money from the Highway Trust Fund to the General Fund, and an option for urban areas to propose a ½ cent sales tax to raise transportation funds. This committee will most likely be continuing the presentation of proposals by the subcommittees. All public presentations to this committee are over. The last one was by NCTRAM of which The Arc of North Carolina is a founding member.

FEDERAL:


FY 2009 Budget and Appropriations


House and Senate negotiators working on the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Resolution (BR) have made little headway in resolving key differences between their two versions. Most problematic is whether or not to offset the lost revenues when adding another one year “patch” to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). The House is insisting on the offsets while the Senate remains resistant. An approximately $3.5 billion difference in domestic discretionary spending also remains unresolved. As in recent election years, the Congress may give up on passing the FY 2009 BR, instead approving a “deeming” bill that sets a cap on spending for the next fiscal year. Once passed, the “deeming” bill allows House and Senate appropriators to begin working on the twelve FY 2009 appropriations bills. There is little expectation that all twelve appropriations will be sent to the President given the recent history of President Bush vetoing any appropriations bills that increase spending beyond the levels he wants. FY 2009 spending for disability programs hang in the balance as the larger political struggles around revenues and spending unfold.

War Supplemental/Economic Stimulus

The Congress is also strategizing over how to deal with emergency war funding. One possible option is to increase war funding into 2010 in order to avoid further battles with the Administration. Such conflicts seem inevitable, however, since both Houses are expecting to add a second economic stimulus package to the war supplemental. President Bush has signaled his intent to veto the bill if it contains non defense spending.

Medicaid

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives will vote, under suspension of the rules, on the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 (H.R. 5613).

ADA Restoration

The ADA Restoration Act (ADARA) remains the topic of much conversation on the Hill. Although ADARA has 244 co-sponsors in the House (H.R. 3195), many Republicans and conservative Democrats want the business community’s buy-in before they move the bill forward. Thoughtful dialogue between the disability and business communities has taken place over the last several weeks. These efforts are expected to come to a head soon, possibly this week.


Transportation

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will mark up H.R. 3985, the Over-the-Road Bus Transportation Accessibility Act of 2007 on Thursday. The legislation gives the Department of Transportation additional tools to require over-the-road buses to be accessible to people with disabilities.  

(Federal Information Provided by The Arc of US and DPC)

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