Friday, February 27, 2009

Friday Wrap Up: Bills This Week and Budget Update

North Carolina:

Bills filed:
HB353 People First-Insko
This bill is identical to the Senate bill. It will direct bill drafting to use people first language where appropriate in the writing of new legislation and rules.

SB 309: Capital Procedure/Severe Mental Disability-Kinnaird
This bill is identical to the House bill. It will amend the capital trial, sentencing, and post conviction procedures for a person with a severe mental disability.

Bill Updates:
HB 134: Assault State of Local Officer of Employee-Tucker
An act to raise the criminal offense of simple assault on an officer or employee of the state or a political subdivision of the state from a Class A1 misdemeanor to a Class I felony.


The House Judiciary III committee heard this bill on Thursday, February 26, 2009. The bill is written so broadly that it includes all employees of the state including people who work in our schools and our state institutions. Several members of the committee raised serious concerns with the breadth of the bill. The bill sponsor stated that this was really aimed at protecting people who work in our corrections institutions. That said the majority of the members felt that there needed to be more discussions and more fine tuning of the bill and it was sent to a subcommittee. The members of the subcommittee are Representatives Tillis, Wiley, and Mackey. A fiscal note was also ordered for the bill.


HB 2: Prohibit Smoking in Public & Work Places-Holliman

This bill would prohibit smoking in public places and places of employment.

On Thursday the House Health committee met to hear testimony and an explanation of this bill. No vote was taken during this meeting. The bill would prohibit smoking in public places (restaurants, bars, clubs) and places of employment including as children and adult care facilities. During the discussion an important question was raised by Representative Avila, she asked if this law would prohibit smoking in a personal residence under the following situation: a person with a medical condition/disability whom own their home and pays for a personal care attendant. Two answers were given to this question, the first was no it would not apply but in a follow up question regarding a private business in a persons home the answer was yes. A case could be made that the person with a medical condition/disability was an employer and the person who was the attendant was an employee and therefore the home would need to be no smoking. There will be clarifications of this bill in future amendments.

Additional Legislative News:

Budget:

There was a joint meeting of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services this week. The discussion was around the stimulus and how it was coming into the state and into which categories the funding would fall. At the same meeting Senator Berger stated that the co-chairs had been asked to create a budget with a 7%, 10%, and 11% cut. He stated that if you were to cut out the entire Division of Aging, Public Health, Blind and Deaf Educational Services and Vocational Rehabilitation you would arrive only at a 7% cut. He then explained that if we go into Medicaid, to receive the federal dollars we could only cut reimbursement rates or optional programs. He asked the committee members to create their own list that would of cuts totally 100 million dollars and bring those lists back to the full committee.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Dispatch from Jones St: More Appropriation Meetings Tomorrow

The following appropriation subcommittee meetings will be taking place tomorrow:
hu, February 26, 2009

8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/Transportation (House) 1228LB
8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/General Government (House) 1425LB
8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/Justice and Public Safety (Joint) 415LOB
8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/Natural and Economic Resources (House) 423LOB
8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/Heath and Human Services (House) 643LOB
8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Joint)

9:00 AM APPROPRIATIONS/Education (Joint) 421LOB
9:00 AM APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION/HIGHER EDUCATION (Joint) Department of Public Instruction




House Mental Health Reform Meeting Today

The House Mental Health Reform Committee met today for the first time this session.  This year this committee will be co-chaired by Representative Beverly Earle and Representative William Brisson. 

On the agenda today was an introduction of the members followed by comments by Secretary Lanier Cansler.

Representative Earle stated in her opening remarks that "We will be talking about developmental disabilities and substance abuse.  We will be talking about more than mental health".  For people with developmental disabilities and their families this was an important change.  To often we have seen the discussion of Mental Health Reform be only about issues facing state psychiatric hospitals or services for people with mental illness.  Although we understand the crisis that is happening in the mental health community there is a real an equally challenging crisis with services for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Representative Earle went on to explain that as these meetings progress the members will hear presentations from staff, from providers, from consumers, from advocates and from family members. 

Representative Brisson's statements reflected the same "team" philosophy. He opening response quoted Secretary Cansler.  "Secretary Cansler said today that Mental Health 'reform' is over and now we need to move forward.  I agree with him. It is time to bear down working together to guide mental health in the direction that we know we can provide the best services. It is about working together."

This committee will meet every Wednesday at 2pm. Legislation will be brought before the committee. We will be closely following how this committee proceeds but from what we heard today it is very promising.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Monday Quick HIts: Hot Policy Topics for This Week

North Carolina:
This week starts the appropriation process. The Senate will begin the budget process this year.  But based on the legislative calendar it looks like the House is beginning their work early.  The budget will be the hot topic for the session, especially since we are facing a serious budget deficit that some are saying could grow to close to $4 billion in the 2009-2010 fiscal year. It will definitely be an interesting session.

House Committee Meetings:
Tuesday, February 24

8:30 a.m. House Committee On Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, 421 LOB
11:00 a.m.House Committee On Education, 643 LOB
HB 43 (Glazier) SCHOOL BD. MEMBERS/FAILURE TO DISCHARGE DUTY
HB 65 (Tolson) STUDENTS UNDER 16 MAY ATTEND COMM. COLLEGE
HB 79 (Glazier) EXTEND SCHOOL FORMULA STUDY COMMITTEE
SB 198 (Malone) STATE BD. OF EDUC./MEMBERSHIP RESTRICTIONS
12:00 p.m. House Committee On Health, 544 LOB
HB 12 (Moore) BIOPTIC LENSES/DRIVERS LICENSE TESTS
HB 18 (Alexander, M.) SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST QUALIFICATIONS
HB 24 (Insko) FUNDS FOR COCHLEAR IMPLANTS/CASTLE
HB 102 (Holliman) BUDGET CODE TECHNICAL CORRECTION

Wednesday, February 25
8:30 a.m.House Committee On Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, 421 LOB
11:00 a.m. House Committee On Transportation, 1228 LB
2:00 p.m. House Committee On Mental Health Reform, 424 LOB
Thursday, February 26
9:00 a.m.House Committee On Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, 421 LOB

Senate Committee Meetings:
Tuesday, February 24
8:30 a.m. Senate Committee On Appropriations on Education/Higher Education, 421 LOB.

Wednesday, February 25
10:00 a.m. Senate Committee On Education/Higher Education, 643 LOB
SB 186 (Malone) SENATE UNC BOG ELECTIONS

Federal:
FY 2009 Appropriations
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote this week on the FY 2009 omnibus appropriations for the many departments and agencies that have been funded for five months under a Continuing Resolution (CR). The CR was necessary due to the impasse between the last Congress and former President Bush on spending priorities. Both Houses are expected to finalize action on the bill by the March 6 expiration of the CR. Although conferees have completed action in resolving the spending differences between the House and Senate appropriations bills, final figures have not yet been made public. The omnibus appropriations bill is expected to increase domestic spending by about 8 percent.

Victimization
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Action (LLEHCPA) has been identified by the Obama Administration as one of its priorities for the first 100 days. In preparation for the bill to be introduced, The Arc and UCP are collecting stories of hate crimes committed against an individual with disability in the last six months. A hate crime is defined by the underlying motivation of the perpetrator against his or her target of aggression. If the victim is intentionally targeted because of a specific characteristic, i.e. race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability, then a hate crime has been committed.

(Thanks to DPC for the Federal update)

Friday, February 20, 2009

Friday Wrap Up: Bills This Week

North Carolina:

This week the General Assembly continued its review of how the economic stimulus package would affect the current budget crisis. 

Bills filed:

HB 176: Housing Trust Fund Appropriation-Adams
This bill will appropriate fifty million dollars to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. This funding request is for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

HB 177: Healthy Families and Health Workplaces Act-Adams

This bill is the paid sick leave bill. This bill would allow covered employees to earn a minimum number of paid sick days each year. Covered workers would earn one hour of paid sick time for every thirty hours worked, up to a maximum of seven days per year.

HB 179: Accessible Electronic Info Act/Blind/Disabled-Adams

There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
Health and Human Services the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the
2009-2010 fiscal year to be used by the Division of Services for the Blind within the
Department of Health and Human Services to establish an accessible electronic information service for blind and disabled persons in this State.

HB 207: Safer Communities Act-Harrison.

This bill would amend the Safer Communities Act to include people with disabilities.
SECTION 1. G.S. 14-3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-3. Punishment of misdemeanors, infamous offenses, offenses committed in secrecy and malice, or with deceit and intent to defraud, or with ethnic
animosity. Animosity based upon ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, or
disability; punishment of felony committed with animosity based upon
ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

HB176: Housing Trust Fund Appropriation-Adams.
This appropriation bill is requesting that fifty million dollars be appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency for fiscal year 2009-2010.

HB190: Medicaid Improper Claims Software/Funds-Stam
This bill would appropriate three billion dollars annually to the Department of Health and Human services to purchase enhanced software so that the department can identify and reject improper Medicaid claims prior to the claims being paid.

HB212: Health Insurance Pool Pilot Program.-Goforth
This bill would authorize the establishment of a health insurance pilot demonstration project for interested counties to provide a model for affordable employer-based health insurance.

HB221: Oversight of Licensing Boards-K.Alexander.
This bill would require certain licensing boards be audited annually, specify a date for filing of reports and establish sanctions for failure to file.

HB 231: Positive Behavior Support Position Funds-Glazier.

This bill would appropriate from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction two hundred eighty-five dollars in recurring funding for the fiscal years of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 to establish three new positive behavior support positions at the Department of public Instructions

HB 243: Mental Health/Law Enforcement Custody-Insko
This bill will clarify the transportation and custody requirements when law enforcement officers transport and individual pursuant to involuntary commitment proceedings.

SB 203: DMV to Issue Special ID Cards/Special Cir.-Berger
This bill will require the Division of Motor Vehicles to issue a special idntification card, free of charge, when their valid drivers license is revoked due to a decision regarding a medical disqualification.

SB208: People First-Dorsett
This bill will direct bill draft to use people first language where appropriate.

SB 241: Alternative Testimony/Children and Adults with Disabilities-Purcell

This bill will provide and alternative means of testimony for adults and children with disabilities. This bill is a recommendation from the Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Public Safety.

Additional Legislative News

Budget:
The Senate continued the process this week of reviewing the stimulus package and its effect on the state. The big topic was the education stimulus package and how the money would be broken down into specific funding silos. The federal stimulus package will not permit major cuts to current state funding. This is due to a stipulation that deals with maintenance of effort. For the education budget this means that Title 1 funding can not dip bellow the state funding levels of 2005-2006 fiscal year or the state of North Carolina can not access the stimulus money.

The Medicaid budget includes the same stipulation of maintenance of effort and it also adds in clarification that eligibility cannot be adjusted. The Medicaid stimulus review was cancelled this week and will be rescheduled for next week. North Carolina will see approximately $2.35 billion to help us with our Medicaid needs. However, even with the stimulus package we will still see deep cuts in health and human services as we begin the 2009-2010 fiscal budget.

Overall the budget of North Carolina for the current fiscal year is facing a $2 billion dollar deficit. Today we received news that the possible deficit for the 2009-2010 fiscal year could be in the range of $4 billion dollars.



Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Joint Legislative Oversight Committee Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Substance Abuse Service Is Meeting Now

The Joint MH/DD/SA Legislative Oversight Committee is meeting today to discuss the Outpatient Involuntary Commitment Study findings.  The LOC will also present their report recommendations.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Monday Quick HIts: Hot Policy Topics for This Week

North Carolina:
The economic stimulus bill passed the US House and Senate this weekend and is headed to the President for his signature.  The analysis is done and it is looking like North Carolina will see $6.1 billion of the $787 billion dollar stimulus package.  North Carolina Medicaid would see $2.35 billion dollars through 2011.  More details soon.

In the General Assembly this week we are anxiously awaiting the recommendations from the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.  This report will come out on Tuesday, Feb 17th.  The meeting is open to the public and will audio stream on line.

Here are the meeting of interest this week:
Monday, Feb. 16
1:30 p.m. | The Child Fatality Taskforce - Perinatal Health Committee meets, 1027 LB.
Tuesday, Feb. 17
15 min. after session | The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services meets, 643 LOB.

National:
President Obama will sign the Recovery and Reinvestment Act and after that he will turn his attention to the serious problem of home foreclosures.


Friday, February 13, 2009

Hill Report: House Passes Stimulus

The House voted to pass the stimulus package this afternoon. No Republicans voted for the bill. The bill now moves to the Senate chamber and it looks like there may be a vote late tonight or tomorrow.

Friday Wrap Up: Waiting on the Economic Stimulus and Much More

North Carolina:
This week we saw a flurry of bills being filed. We also saw Speaker Joe Hackney appoint the House committees. There have been very few committee meetings. The Senate will continue to hold briefing on budget issues. Up next week the Senate fiscal staff will brief members on the Medicaid budget in North Carolina.

Here are some of the bill filed that are of interest to our community:

HB95: Personal Care Services/Patient Consent-K. Alexander.

This bill will require health care facilities to give a patient or client the option of choosing to have a personal care services provider be of the same gender as the client.


SB 114: Exempt Some Church Facility LU/LA Elevators-Hoyle

This bill would exempt places of worship owned and operated by religious institutions from certain provisions of the North Carolina State Building Code relating to limited use and limited access elevators. Churches have been exempt from the access rules as outlined by the Americans with Disability Act. This bill addresses exemptions for churches under the North Carolina State Building Code.


HB 137: Capital Procedure/Severe Mental Disability-Insko
This bill would amend the capital trial, sentencing, and post-conviction procedures for a person with a severe mental disability. The bill would remove the death penalty but life in prison without the opportunity for parole would remain.

HB 138: Increase Adult Day Care Reimursement Rate-Farmer-Butterfield
This bill would appropriate funds to the state adult day care fund and to the home and community care block grant to provide a rate increase for adult day services as recommended by the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging.
The appropriation for this is one million fifty-nine thousand five hundred sixty-one dollars ($1,059,561) for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 fiscal years.
Of the funds appropriated there will be $561,357 dollars put in the State Adult Day Care Fund and $498,204 dollars in the Home and Community Care Block Grant. The funds will be used to support a not less than 5.00 per day per client rate increase.


HB 139: Dentistry Funds for Special Care Populations-Farmer-Butterfield

This bill will appropriate funds to the Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Human Services, for the purchase of additional mobile dental units, as recommended by the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging. The appropriation for this legislation is two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for the 2009-1020 fiscal year, and the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for the 2010-2011 fiscal years.

HB140: Adult Care Home Medication QI Pilot Analysis-Farmer-Butterfield

This bill will direct the Division of Aging and Adult Services, Department of Health and Human Services, to analyze and report on the experiences of the division’s pilot program on medication safety in adult care homes, as recommended by the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging.

HB 142: Home and Community Care Block Grant Funds- Farmer Butterfield

This bill would appropriate $2,500,000 for the 2009-2010 fiscal year and $2,500,000 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year to the Division of Aging and Adult Services to be used as additional funding for the Home and Community Block Grant. This request also came from the Aging Study Commission.

HB143: Strengthen Disaster Planning/LTC Facilities-Farmer Butterfield

This bill directs the Division of Health Service Regulation, Department of Health and Human Services, to review the recommendations from the Disability and Elderly Emergency Management (DEEM) Task Force and to take appropriate action to strengthen disaster planning and disaster preparedness for long term care facilities. This bill was another recommendation for the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging.


HB144: Special Care Dentistry Collaboration-Farmer Butterfield
This bill directs the Division of Medical Assistance, Division of Public Health, and the Division of Aging and Adult Services to collaborate with the UNC-Chapel Hill and East Carolina University Schools of Dentistry and the North Carolina Dental Society and current special are dental providers to examine dental care options as recommended by the North Carolina Study Commission on Aging.

HB145: Project C.A.R.E. for Dementia Funds-Farmer Butterfield
This bill would appropriate $500,000 from the General Fund to the Division of Aging and Adult Services for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 fiscal years. The funds support individuals with dementia and their caregivers. C.A.R.E. presented to the Aging Study Commission.

HB147: DHHS Workgroup on Mixed Populations ACH-Farmer Butterfield

This bill addresses the need to convene a workgroup to develop short-term and long-term strategies to address issues of mixed population in adult care homes. This topic addresses recent news articles regarding people with mental illness being housed along side people who are elderly and frail. The bill directs the Division of Health Services regulation, the Division of Medical Assistance and the Division of Aging and Adult Services in the Department of Health and Human Services to create the workgroup. The primary issue driving this bill is that staff may not be able to address the unique needs of the two populations mentioned in this bill. The second issue driving this bill is the need to find appropriate housing options for people with mental illness and people who are elderly.


Additional Legislative News:

Budget:

Legislative leaders in North Carolina are anxiously awaiting the final vote on the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the economic stimulus bill. North Carolina legislators are currently facing a $2 billion dollar deficit for the 2009-2010 fiscal year and may be looking at a $3 billion dollar deficit for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Departments across North Carolina have been asked to present to the Governor 3%, 5% and 7% budget cuts across their divisions. We are slowly starting to see these documents circulated through the General Assembly. Budget leaders in the Senate and the House are both expressing deep cuts and no new money for the biennial.

National:
The only topic in Washington, DC this week was the conference report on the economic stimulus bill. Late today WRAL news was reporting that North Carolina will see $6 billion in stimulus money. How many strings come with that money is not yet known. Alliance for Children and Families sent out the following analysis of the economic stimulus bill:
Today, House and Senate conferees struck a deal on a $789 billion economic recovery package. The package now needs to be approved by both chambers before it can be signed into law by President Obama.

The details of the package are still emerging, but we wanted to pass along the news that the recovery package reportedly includes:
• $86.7 billion in new Medicaid money via an increase in the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP). We do not yet have confirmation on the treatment of Title IV-E.
• Moratoria on several Medicaid regulations, including an extension of moratoria on three finalized regulations (TCM, school-based administration and transportation, and provider taxes) until June 30, 2009; a new moratorium on the regulation for hospital outpatient services until June 30, 2009; and a Sense of Congress that there will be no further action on the non-finalized regulations on intergovernmental transfers, Graduate Medical Education, and rehabilitative services.
• $3 billion for TANF.
• $19 billion for health information technology.

The final vote on the conference report is expected in the House later today and in the Senate tomorrow.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Dispatch from Jones St: House Announces Committees

Yesterday the Speaker Joe Hackney announced the standing committees for the House.
Here are ones of interest to our community:

Aging: 
Chairman Rep. Farmer-Butterfield
Vice Chairman Rep. Pierce, Vice Chairman Rep. Samuelson, Vice Chairman Rep. Weiss
Members Rep. Adams, Rep. Boles, Rep. Bordsen, Rep. Burr, Rep. Burris-Floyd, Rep. Earle, Rep. Jackson, Rep. Jones, Rep. McCormick, Rep. Mills, Rep. Sager

Appropriations Base Budget:
Senior Chairman Rep. Michaux, Chairman Rep. Adams, Chairman Rep. M. Alexander
Chairman Rep. Crawford, Chairman Rep. Haire, Chairman Rep. Jeffus, Chairman Rep. Tolson
Chairman Rep. Yongue, Vice Chairman Rep. Bordsen, Vice Chairman Rep. Cole, Vice Chairman Rep. Earle,Vice Chairman Rep. England, Vice Chairman Rep. Fisher, Vice Chairman Rep. Glazier, Vice Chairman Rep. Goforth, Vice Chairman Rep. Harrison, Vice Chairman Rep. Insko
Vice Chairman Rep. Love, Vice Chairman Rep. Martin, Vice Chairman Rep. McLawhorn
Vice Chairman Rep. Owens, Vice Chairman Rep. Pierce, Vice Chairman Rep. Rapp
Vice Chairman Rep. Underhill, Vice Chairman Rep. E. Warren, Vice Chairman Rep. Womble
Members Rep. Allen, Rep. Allred, Rep. Avila, Rep. Barnhart, Rep. Bell, Rep. Blackwell, Rep. Blue, Rep. Boles, Rep. Brisson, Rep. Brown, Rep. Bryant, Rep. Burr, Rep. Burris-Floyd, Rep. Cleveland, Rep. Coates, Rep. Current, Rep. Daughtry, Rep. Dickson, Rep. Dockham, Rep. Dollar, Rep. Farmer-Butterfield, Rep. E. Floyd, Rep. Frye, Rep. Gillespie, Rep. Goodwin, Rep. Grady, Rep. Guice, Rep. Gulley, Rep. Harrell, Rep. Hilton, Rep. Holliman, Rep. Holloway, Rep. Hurley, Rep. Jackson, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Justice, Rep. Justus, Rep. Killian, Rep. Langdon, Rep. Lucas, Rep. Mackey, Rep. McElraft, Rep. Mills, Rep. Mobley, Rep. Moore, Rep. Neumann, Rep. Parmon, Rep. Randleman, Rep. Ross, Rep. Sager, Rep. Samuelson, Rep. Spear, Rep. Steen, Rep. Stevens, Rep. Stewart, Rep. Stiller, Rep. Sutton, Rep. Tarleton, Rep. Tucker, Rep. Wainwright, Rep. R. Warren, Rep. West, Rep. Whilden, Rep. Wiley, Rep. Wilkins, Rep. Williams, Rep. Wray

Appropriations Subcommittee Education:
Chairman Rep. Glazier, Chairman Rep. McLawhorn, Chairman Rep. Rapp
Vice Chairman Rep. Bell, Vice Chairman Rep. Johnson, Vice Chairman Rep. Lucas
Vice Chairman Rep. Parmon, Vice Chairman Rep. Tarleton
Members Rep. Blackwell, Rep. Hilton, Rep. Holloway, Rep. Wiley

Appropriations Subcommittee Health and Human Services:
Chairman Rep. Earle, Chairman Rep. England, Chairman Rep. Insko
Vice Chairman Rep. BarnhartVice Chairman Rep. Farmer-Butterfield
Members Rep. Brisson, Rep. Burr, Rep. Burris-Floyd, Rep. Dollar, Rep. Neumann, Rep. Stewart

Education:
Chairman Rep. Bell, Chairman Rep. Lucas
Vice Chairman Rep. Cotham, Vice Chairman Rep. Fisher, Vice Chairman Rep. Love
Vice Chairman Rep. Parmon, Vice Chairman Rep. Womble
Members Rep. Adams, Rep. M. Alexander, Rep. Avila, Rep. Blackwell, Rep. Blackwood, Rep. Bordsen, Rep. Brown, Rep. Bryant, Rep. Burris-Floyd, Rep. Carney, Rep. Cleveland, Rep. Dickson, Rep. Dollar, Rep. England, Rep. E. Floyd, Rep. Folwell, Rep. Glazier, Rep. Goodwin, Rep. Hall, Rep. Hilton, Rep. Holloway, Rep. Hurley, Rep. Insko, Rep. Jackson, Rep. Jeffus, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Langdon, Rep. McCormick, Rep. McElraft, Rep. McLawhorn, Rep. Michaux, Rep. Mills, Rep. Rapp, Rep. Rhyne, Rep. Ross, Rep. Samuelson, Rep. Stam, Rep. Stewart, Rep. Stiller, Rep. Tarleton, Rep. Tillis, Rep. Tolson, Rep. E. Warren, Rep. R. Warren, Rep. Wiley, Rep. Wilkins, Rep. Yongue

Education Subcommittee Pre-school, Elementary and Secondary:
Chairman Rep. Cotham, Chairman Rep. Parmon
Vice Chairman Rep. Blackwood, Vice Chairman Rep. Jeffus, Vice Chairman Rep. E. Warren
Vice Chairman Rep. Wiley
Members Rep. Blackwell, Rep. Carney, Rep. Fisher, Rep. Folwell, Rep. Glazier, Rep. Hurley, Rep. Jackson, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Rapp, Rep. Stam

Health:
Chairman Rep. England, Chairman Rep. Insko
Vice Chairman Rep. Earle, Vice Chairman Rep. Justus, Vice Chairman Rep. Neumann
Vice Chairman Rep. Rapp
Members Rep. Adams, Rep. M. Alexander, Rep. Allred, Rep. Avila, Rep. Barnhart, Rep. Brubaker, Rep. Burris-Floyd, Rep. Current, Rep. Dollar, Rep. Farmer-Butterfield, Rep. Glazier, Rep. Goforth, Rep. Grady, Rep. Harrell, Rep. Hughes, Rep. McComas, Rep. McLawhorn, Rep. Parmon, Rep. Stewart, Rep. Wainwright, Rep. Weiss, Rep. Wilkins

Mental Health Reform:
Chairman Rep. Brisson, Chairman Rep. Earle
Vice Chairman Rep. M. Alexander,Vice Chairman Rep. Barnhart
Members Rep. Blackwood, Rep. Braxton, Rep. Crawford, Rep. England, Rep. Glazier, Rep. Hurley, Rep. Insko, Rep. Justus, Rep. Langdon, Rep. McGee, Rep. McLawhorn, Rep. Parmon, Rep. Randleman, Rep. Wiley

Hill Report: Conference Report on Stimulus Reached Between House and Senate

The House and the Senate announced yesterday that an agreement on the final amount in the economic stimulus bill had been reached.  This is a good thing, we think.  Why we think? Well analysis on the agreed upon bill is hard to come by.  We are searching every corner and if we find something we will post it here.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Hill Report: Senate Passes Economic Stimulus Bill

The Senate passed their economic stimulus bill today. More details later.

Dispatch from Jones St: Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Substance Abuse Legislative Oversight Committee Meeting/Agenda

The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services has scheduled its next meeting for Tuesday, February 17, 2009. The meeting will happen fifteen minutes after session. Here is the proposed agenda:


AGENDA
Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on
Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services
February 17, 2009, 15 minutes after the last chamber adjourns;
Room 643, Legislative Office Building
Senator Martin Nesbitt, Co-Chair, Presiding


1. Greetings and Opening Comments
Senator Martin Nesbitt, Co-Chair
Representative Verla Insko, Co-Chair

2. State Consumer and Family Advisory Committee
Carl Noyes, MS, CPSS, SCFAC Representative

3. Update on DHHS Involuntary Commitment Workgroup
Flo Stein, Chief, Community Policy Management

4. LOC 2008 report to the 2009 General Assembly
LOC staff

Monday, February 9, 2009

Monday Quick HIts: Hot Policy Topics for This Week

North Carolina:
Last week the Senate announced it's committee assignments.  This week we will probably see the House announce it's committee assignments.  The budget will begin in the Senate this year.  We are looking at a $3 billion dollar deficit for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, a real challenge for our elected officials.  Adding to that challenge is a lack of confidence in the economy causing a severe reduction in consumer spending.  Lower tax/revenue collection means there will be less in the General Fund to appropriate. One more variable to this years budget is the big question regarding the federal government.  What will the economic stimulus package look like? Will there be additional packages? And finally what will the federal government create as their budget?  Here on the blog we will be following it all.

General Assembly Meetings:

Monday: Session is scheduled for 6:00pm.

Wednesday, Feb. 11
3 pm | The Joint Select Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management Recovery meets, 1228 LB.

Federal
The U.S. Senate is continuing to debate the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the economic stimulus package.  Late on Friday an agreed upon bill emerged.  That bill received continued debate over the weekend.  Tentatively there is a vote scheduled for Tuesday.  We will continue to follow this and later today we will post the reductions and cuts found in the Senate bill.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Hill Report: Economic Stimulus Vote

The Senate has rescheduled the vote on the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Tuesday, February 10, 2009.  The current Senate bill is considerably smaller than the House bill.  

Friday, February 6, 2009

Friday Wrap Up: Two Weeks Into Session

North Carolina Weekly Wrap Up:

This week the following bills were filed:

This is a technical corrections bill. It removes language relating to the General Assembly and clarifies that the Senate President Pro Tempore and the Speaker of the House are each able to appoint three members to the state CFAC.


SB56: Assistance to Voters-Soles

This bill would bring our state voter assistance statute into line with the federal voter assistance statute. It would permit any voter to request assistance from any person of the voter’s choice with the exception of the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. The current voter statute permitted a voter to receive assistance only from a family member. The current statute did permit people with disabilities to receive assistance from anyone of their choice however; there were multiple reports of confusion during early voting and on Election Day regarding the interpretation of North Carolina’s statue. This bill will remove the confusion surrounding voter assistance by bringing our statue in line with the federal statute.


HB15: Military Family Assistance Centers/Funds
. – Tarleton
An Act appropriating funds for the creation of additional family assistance centers to benefit military personnel and their families.
These centers would provide counseling to families of deployed military personnel.
Appropriation request is $600,000.00


HB20: Compensate Eugenics Sterilization Survivors.- Womble
An Act to provide monetary compensation to persons sterilized by the eugenics sterilization program.
The appropriation for this bill is as follows: $18,480,000 for fiscal year 2009-2010 and $165,000 for administration of the program for the fiscal year 2009-2010. Each qualified recipient of this compensation would receive a one-time payment of $20,000.00

HB21: Eugenics Program- Support and Education – Womble
An act to provide counseling benefits to eugenics survivors, to direct the Department of Health and Human services to establish a database of eugenics program participants and verify the status of persons contacting the state to determine their participation in the state program, to erect a historical marker about the program, to direct the State Board of Education to include information about the program in its K-12 history curriculum, to recommend creation of an ethics training module for state, county, and local government employees, and to direct the department of cultural resources to digitize existing records for preservation and study purposes, as recommended by the House select committee.
This bill is the recommendation of the House select committee and includes the remainder of the recommendations made by the committee. The recommendation of the committee was based on testimony of survivors of the eugenics program in North Carolina and the testimony of researchers of our state’s program. In the whereas language of this legislation it is made clear that people with developmental/intellectual disabilities and people with mental illness were among the first victims of this program.


S8: Funds for CAP/MR-DD Slots. – Boseman
An act to appropriate funds to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, to provide a state/federal match for additional CAP/MR-DD Slots.
Appropriation request is $10 million to fund additional CAP slots.


Committee Assignments:
The Senate announced its committee assignments this week signaling the start of business at the General Assembly.  Here are the assignments.

North Carolina Budget:
The Senate held two informational meetings this week. The first was to inform and educate House and Senate members on the current state of North Carolina’s budget. The second meeting was to inform the members of the current condition of the State Employee Health Plan. The news was grim on both fronts.
First the budget, currently we are looking at a $2 billion dollar deficit in for the 2008-2009 fiscal year or a short fall of 10%. The General Fund of North Carolina is directly tied to our revenue/tax collection. Revenue and tax collection is directly tied to our economy. As the economic downturn continues we are seeing increases in unemployment claims and sagging consumer spending. During the first half of the fiscal year we were $625 million dollars below the $9.5 billion dollar target in collections. The Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help some but overall we are still looking at a slow rebound in our state revenue collection.


Second the State Employee Health Plan, before the quarter ending March 2009 gets here the General Assembly will need to find $300 million dollars to appropriate to the health plan to keep the plan solvent. The plan will then require another substantial appropriation of $1.2 billion dollars by 2011.


Federal Weekly Wrap Up:

SCHIP:
This week President Barack Obama signed the SCHIP Reauthorization Act. The passage of this legislation means that 4 million previously uninsured children will receive access to affordable health care. In North Carolina the passage of this legislation means that our state can expand North Carolina Health Choice and can begin to implement NC Kids Care.

Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

This week the Senate continued its debate on the economic stimulus package. A vote was originally scheduled for Thursday, February 5th. During the late evening hours it became clear to Senator Harry Reid (D) that he did not have the votes to pass the bill. The vote was then rescheduled tentatively for Friday, February 6th. The stimulus package is a long way from being signed by President Obama. The current Senate bill contains the following provisions for people with disabilities:

* Medicaid - $87 billion for an increase for the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP)
* Education - $13 billion for IDEA Part B State Grants and $500 million for Early Intervention - Part C of IDEA
* Social Security - $17 billion total for a one-time payment ($300) to all SSI and Social Security recipients, veterans, and others and $890 million to improve the National Computer Center and information technology.
* Jobs - $500 million for Vocational Rehabilitation programs.



Hill Report: Economic Stimulus

The Economic Recovery bill was scheduled for a Senate vote last night.  The vote never came. Around 9:00pm Senator Harry Reid halted the procedures because he believed he did not have the votes to move the bill.
The situation is this, states are stuck waiting to see what exactly they will receive from the economic stimulus package.  While states are waiting, governors and elected leaders are preparing emergency plans to keep their budgets balanced for this fiscal year.

It is not to late to get the bill through the Senate. We are hearing that the vote may happen today. So, take a moment this Friday morning and tell Senator Burr and Senator Hagan to support the bill. (Look below for yesterday's Action Alert)

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Action Alert: Call Senator Burr and Senator Hagan Today!

Call Your Senators TODAY to Support the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Take Action!


Final Vote Could Occur as Soon as Tonight, Feb 5.

Background

The Senate is debating the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on the floor this week. This bill will reduce economic hardships, effectively stimulate our ailing economy, and help those most in need. Several of the Act's provisions will assist states, localities, and school systems to support people with disabilities.

The Senate bill contains a number of important provisions for people with disabilities, including:

* Medicaid - $87 billion for an increase for the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP)
* Education - $13 billion for IDEA Part B State Grants and $500 million for Early Intervention - Part C of IDEA
* Social Security - $17 billion total for a one-time payment ($300) to all SSI and Social Security recipients, veterans, and others and $890 million to improve the National Computer Center and information technology.
* Jobs - $500 million for Vocational Rehabilitation programs.

Many forces are working to cut some or all of this funding out of the bill. Several amendments will likely be proposed that could jeopardize investments in health care, state Medicaid relief, and education.

President Obama's recovery plan needs your support now! Therefore, it is imperative to reach out to Democrats and moderate Republicans and ask them to pass the bill. Your call can make a real difference.

For more information, see the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' report on the impact of some of these provisions on individual states.

Take Action

* Call TOLL FREE 1-800-473-6711 and ask for your Senators' offices.

* Use the talking points provided when you click on the"Take Action" link and enter your zip code in the "Call Now" window.

Key Committees in Senate Announced

Yesterday the North Carolina Senate announced committee assignments. Here they are:

Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services 
Co-chair: William Purcell, D-Scotland
Co-chair: Doug Berger, D-Franklin
Vice chair: Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe
Members: Harris Blake, R-Moore; Debbie Clary, R-Cleveland; James Forrester, R-Gaston; David Hoyle, D-Gaston.

Mental Health and Youth Services
Co-chair: Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange
Co-chair: Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg
Vice chair: Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe 
Members: Bob Atwater, D-Chatham; Charlie Dannelly, D-Mecklenburg; James Forrester, R-Gaston; Jim Jacumin, R-Burke; Edward Jones, D-Halifax; Vernon

Appropriations/Base Budget
Co-chair: Linda Garrou, D-Forsyth
Co-chair: Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin
Co-chair: A.B. Swindell, D-Nash
Co-chair: Charlie Dannelly, D-Mecklenburg
Members: Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson; Bob Atwater, D-Chatham; Doug Berger, D-Franklin; Phil Berger, R-Rockingham; Stan Bingham, R-Davidson; Harris Blake, R-Moore; Julia Boseman, D-New Hanover; Andrew Brock, R-Davie; Harry Brown, R-Onslow; Pete Brunstetter, R-Forsyth; Debbie Clary, R-Cleveland; Daniel Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg; Don Davis, D-Greene; Katie Dorsett, D-Guilford; Don East, R-Surry; Tony Foriest, D-Alamance; James Forrester, R-Gaston; Steve Goss, D-Watauga; Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg; Fletcher Hartsell, R-Cabarrus; David Hoyle, D-Gaston; Neal Hunt, R-Wake; Jim Jacumin, R-Burke; S. Clark Jenkins, D-Edgecombe; Edward Jones, D-Halifax; Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange; Vernon Malone, D-Wake; Floyd McKissick, D-Durham; Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe; Jean Preston, R-Craven; William Purcell, D-Scotland; Joe Sam Queen, D-Haywood; Tony Rand, D-Cumberland; David Rouzer, R-Johnston; Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg; Larry Shaw, D-Cumberland; John Snow, D-Cherokee; R.C. Soles, D-Columbus; Josh Stein, D-Wake; Richard Stevens, R-Wake; Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph; Don Vaughan, D-Guilford; David Weinstein, D-Robeson.

Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
Co-chair: Vernon Malone, D-Wake
Co-chair: Richard Stevens, R-Wake
Vice chair: Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg
Vice chair: Joe Sam Queen, D-Haywood
Members: Don Davis, D-Greene; Fletcher Hartsell, R-Cabarrus; Jean Preston, R-Craven; Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph; Don Vaughan, D-Guilford.

Education
Co-chair: Vernon Malone, D-Wake
Co-chair: Richard Stevens, R-Wake
Vice chair: Julia Boseman, D-New Hanover
Vice chair: Katie Dorsett, D-Guilford
Vice chair: Joe Sam Queen, D-Haywood
Members: Austin Allran, R-Catawba; Tom Apodaca, R-Henderson; Doug Berger, D-Franklin; Phil Berger, R-Rockingham; Harry Brown, R-Onslow; Charlie Dannelly, D-Mecklenburg; Don Davis, D-Greene; Tony Foriest, D-Alamance; James Forrester, R-Gaston; Linda Garrou, D-Forsyth; Eddie Goodall, R-Union; Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg; Fletcher Hartsell, R-Cabarrus; David Hoyle, D-Gaston; Edward Jones, D-Halifax; Floyd McKissick, D-Durham; Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe; Jean Preston, R-Craven; William Purcell, D-Scotland; Tony Rand, D-Cumberland; Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg; John Snow, D-Cherokee; Josh Stein, D-Wake; A.B. Swindell, D-Nash; Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph.

Health Care
Co-chair: William Purcell, D-Scotland
Co-chair: Stan Bingham, R-Davidson
Vice chair: Katie Dorsett, D-Guilford
Vice chair: Tony Foriest, D-Alamance
Vice chair: James Forrester, R-Gaston
Members: Bob Atwater, D-Chatham; Austin Allran, R-Catawba; Doug Berger, D-Franklin; Harris Blake, R-Moore; Harry Brown, R-Onslow; Pete Brunstetter, R-Forsyth; Debbie Clary, R-Cleveland; Charlie Dannelly, D-Mecklenburg; Don Davis, D-Greene; Eddie Goodall, R-Union; Steve Goss, D-Watauga; Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg; Fletcher Hartsell, R-Cabarrus; David Hoyle, D-Gaston; Jim Jacumin, R-Burke; Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange; Vernon Malone, D-Wake; Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe; Joe Sam Queen, D-Haywood; Tony Rand, D-Cumberland; David Rouzer, R-Johnston; Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg; Josh Stein, D-Wake.

Pensions/Retirement /Aging
Chair: Tony Foriest, D-Alamance
Vice chair: Linda Garrou, D-Forsyth
Vice chair: Don East, R-Surry
Members: Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin, Bob Atwater, D-Chatham; Stan Bingham, R-Davidson; Daniel Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg; Katie Dorsett, D-Guilford; Don East, R-Surry; S. Clark Jenkins, D-Edgecombe; Vernon Malone, D-Wake; Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe; Jean Preston, R-Craven; William Purcell, D-Scotland; Joe Sam Queen, D-Haywood; Richard Stevens, R-Wake; A.B. Swindell, D-Nash.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Tuesday Quick HIts: Hot Policy Topics for This Week

The General Assembly is starting this session with a series of meetings on the budget. We are also witnessing a waiting game of sorts.  Here is how this works. Before the budget can really get going, the members of the General Assembly need to see what type of economic stimulus plan comes down to the state from the federal government.  What is clear about the budget is that for this fiscal year we are facing a deficit around $2 billion dollars. Governor Perdue has already told state agencies to send up cuts, freezes and to prepare layoff contingencies.  Hold on tight folks it is going to be a bumpy ride.

So here are your hot policy topics for the week:

North Carolina General Assembly:
There are no meeting scheduled for this week.  Committee assignments have yet to be made. It may be another two weeks before we have standing legislative committees meeting.

Federal:

Economic Recovery

Despite zero support from Republicans and the defection of eleven Democrats, the strong House Democratic Majority won passage of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The final vote was 244-188. The bill would spend $819 billion, with about one third ($275 billion) set aside for individual and business related tax cuts. H.R. 1 contains billions of dollars to support disability programs, including $87 billion for Medicaid, $13 billion for special education, $600 million for IDEA Early Intervention services, $500 million for Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants, several billion dollars for HUD housing programs and at least $3 billion for community based block grants.

By a vote of 14-1 the Senate Finance Committee passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (S.2). The formula for determining how the $87 billion increase in the federal share of Medicaid spending will be distributed to states over two years was changed from the House bill. For an analysis of how this will affect your state see http://www.cbpp.org/1-26-09bud.htm

Health Care

By a vote of 66-32, the Senate passed legislation (H.R. 2) to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program for four and a half years and expand coverage to an additional four million children. Since the Senate bill is very similar to the House bill, later this week the House will vote on the Senate bill instead of resolving differences via Conference Committee. The legislation will then be sent to President Obama for his signature.