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)