The Arc of North Carolina Policy Blog: Monday Quick Hits: Hot Policy Topics for This Week

Monday, April 20, 2009

Monday Quick Hits: Hot Policy Topics for This Week

North Carolina:

This week the General Assembly will begin its week by grieving the loss of one of their own. On Saturday, Senator Vernon Malone passed away at his home in Raleigh. Senator Malone was a dedicated public servant. His leadership on education policy will be deeply missed.

The House will continue to work on the budget this week with a series of appropriation subcommittee meetings.

Also this week we will see the first meetings of the new Senate Select Committee on Economic Recovery. This committee will be discussing and presenting the economic recovery package.

Meetings this Week:

Tuesday, April 21, 2009
8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/Education (House) 421LOB

8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/Health and Human Services (House) 643 LOB

IMMED. AFTER SESSION SELECT COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY (Senate) 544LOB

11:00 AM EDUCATION (House) 643 LOB
Char/Meck School Board Police. (H538)
Change School Starting Date. (H593)
Study Equity of School Counselor Compensation. (H1179)
Study Length of School Lunch Period. (H1470)
Counties & Schools Share P. E. Equ (H1471)

12:00 PM HEALTH (House) 544 LOB
Collateral Source Evid. Admissable/Med Mal. (H415)
Consumer Health Freedom Act. (H842)
Allow Dietetics/Nutrition Bd./Recover Costs. (H886)
Brain Injury Advisory Council. (H1284)
NC Risk Pool Clarifications. (H1391)
NC Risk Pool Changes/Out-of-State Services. (H1392)

2:00 PM STATE GOVERNMENT/STATE PERSONNEL (House) 424 LOB
Amend Professional Counselors Act/Fees. (H746)
Organ Donation Month. (H1014)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009
IMMED. AFTER SESSION SELECT COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY (Senate)
544LOB
8:30 AM APPROPRIATIONS/BASE BUDGET (Senate)
Rep. Gerry Madden, Texas House Member, will speak on Texas’s efforts to slow down prison construction 643LOB

10:00 AM EDUCATION/HIGHER EDUCATION (Senate) 643 LOB
Encourage Volunteerism in Schools (S1028)
Establish Physician Assistant Scholarships (S678)
Classroom Experience for School Personnel (S406)
Probationary Teacher Appeals (S962)

11:00 AM HEALTH CARE (Senate) 544 LOB
Prohibit Smoking in Public & Work Places (H2)
DHHS Study/Influenza Vaccine Public Schools (S805)

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The Arc of North Carolina 2011 Legislative Agenda.

The Arc of North Carolina advocates for and with families and people with cognitive and developmental disabilities. We believe that the following legislative agenda promotes our goals of advocacy, inclusion, and access to the communities we live in.

The Arc of North Carolina Proposed Policy Agenda 2011

Budget:

The Arc of North Carolina understands the current budget constraints that the state of North Carolina finds itself in due to the economic recession. During this critical time it is more important than ever to protect needed services for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We encourage the members of the General Assembly to do the following things to protect the integrity of community-based services for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities in our state.

No additional cuts to state-funded services for people with developmental disabilities.
Create a separate Developmental Disability management structure within DHHS.
Apply for 1915 (i) State Plan services for adults with developmental disabilities targeting supports that currently utilize state general fund appropriations and utilizing those funds a Medicaid match.
If Managed Care is inevitable, consider a statewide 1915b Developmental Disability Only Managed Care Waiver with 1915i services included.
Add an additional CAP-DD Waiver for people with developmental disabilities who have significant behavioral and or medical needs.
Raise the Supports Waiver limit to 25 thousand dollars.
Utilize the Supports Intensity Scale as an initial eligibility tool for entrance into the CAP waivers with a reconsideration process utilizing other information.
Manage all of developmental disability services from a state system utilizing existing local structures where appropriate.

Housing:
Fair Housing Act Amendment.

This legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis or receipt of housing assistance. Many people with disabilities receive housing assistance. This legislation if passed would assist in opening more housing opportunities to the disability community.

Education:
Study ways to allow students with developmental disabilities to access current courses in our community college system. Included in this study we must look at ways to offer real job skill training to students with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

HB 344: Tax Credits for Children with Disabilities

Other:

SB 248: Update Archaic Disability Terms

HB 234: Juror Qualifications/Disability

The Arc of North Carolina

Welcome to The Arc of North Carolina's official policy blog. The Arc has been serving people with disabilities for more than 50 years. In an effort to reach out to our statewide community about issues that effect us we have established this blog.

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