From the Capitol, this just in on the ICWP...

The Senate Community Health subcommittee of Appropriations just met to discuss the FY07 budget that includes the funding for the 152 ICWP slots with $3.2 million state dollars. Some comments that I thought you might find interesting...

Chairman Senator Goggans confirmed that his committees recommendation will agree with the House in funding 152 ICWP slots for the 07...we went on to say that "we will find this item is very important to the Chairman..."

This is excellent news! It now should go to the full Senate Appropriations Committee and then a vote by the full Senate possibly next week.

TO SEND A QUICK EMAIL THANK YOU TO THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED, CLICK HERE

Dave blogging from the Capitol.

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Articles on the House budget from around Georgia

Combing the newspapers from around the state this morning, we stumbled on a few articles about the passage of the budget in the House yesterday. Of course, we are looking for any mention of our issues - if you read anything about Unlock or other disability issues, let us know by sending us a COMMENT through the link at the bottom of this entry.

The AccessNorthGa.com paper picked up on an AP story that said:

House lawmakers also provided $10 million to help 750 mentally retarded and disabled people receive services. That's almost double the $5.3 million proposed by Perdue.

They actually provided $12.040,329 for 1,500 services that will go to around 1,300 people. We also can't forget the huge step made with the ICWP so far - the House went from zero slots recommended by the Governor to 152 slots in their budget! We really appreciate the coverage and interest in our issue though from the AP...Any press is (usually) good press!

NANCY BADERTSCHER with the ACJ decided to focus on raises in salaries directed toward teachers, prison guards and other state employees - leaving no room for other issues in her article, House budget has largest raise in four years for state workers.

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Breaking News on the House Budget

The budget was just presented for debate on the House floor. Rep. Dubose Porter, Dublin-D proposed to make cuts to the growth of Medicaid of $60 million and another $20.5 million to come from other departments so that an increase in salaries for teachers and other state employees, moving their pay raises from 4% to 5% could be funded.

Rep. Jeff Brown, LaGrange-R took the well to oppose this amendment as well as Rep. Jerry Keen, St. Simon's Island-R and Rep. Ben Harbin, Evans-R.

Speaker Glenn Richardson Dallas-R offered that the House could first vote on the proposed cut of $81.5 million and then if this amendment passed, they would take 5 minutes to give all House members a chance to propose amendments to claim that money...the proposed cut failed, and the House budget as originally proposed passed.

NOW CLICK HERE TO HELP US MOVE ON TO THE SENATE...

Dave Blanchard blogging from the Capitol.

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The 07 Budget passes the House: Chairman Ben Harbin's supportive statements

The '07 budget was presented just minutes ago in the House with several comments that I wanted you to know about...

Chairman Harbin, in his presentation of the budget to the House, said about the 152 ICWP slots, "I know that this is an item that you will all appreciate...and that Rep. Jeff Brown and his committee did a great job." He went on to say that "...with the 10 slots that were funded in the '06 budget, this funding is a good move..."

Regarding the funding of the 1,500 MRWP services, Chairman Harbin said that this is "an important beginning to getting the waiting lists to a manageable level...these lists are growing at over 1,100 people ever year and this funding will help these people stay in the community."

We now need to focus our efforts to the Senate QUICKLY...so go to the Unlock Website to find out how you can help right now.

And look for our Action Alerts to come to you in the next 48 hours!

Dave Blanchard blogging from the Capitol

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Legislators look to foundation for families denied Deeming Waiver

Families and advocates are carefully watching the developments surrounding solutions for children who are denied services under the Deeming Waiver. Both the Senate and the House have added funding that totals $7.6 million in the supplemental budget for FY 06 and in the FY07 to cover families who were dropped from the program.

In today's Gwinnett Daily Post, Rep. Ben Harbin, R-Evans, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee was quoted saying, “We’re going to take care of these families who were depending on Katie Beckett and lost it.’’ Senate President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson, R-Savannah, also said Tuesday that “it’s not going to cover everybody who wants to get in the program.’’ He went on to say, “the ones we’re trying to take care of are the ones who did qualify and then the criteria changed.’’ But the money would come with strings that have advocates for the Katie Beckett program concerned. The budget the House will take up today refers to the $7.6 million as “one-time’’ funding. It calls for the creation of an independent foundation to handle the program in the future. Sen. Johnson said lawmakers hope the foundation will be able to “leverage’’ private contributions to augment what the state provides. “The state can’t afford to take on the whole Katie Beckett program,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, HB 1464, Peachcare for All Kids Act, looks to expand the states's Peachcare program to include families who make 200%-400% of the federal poverty level. Premiums and co-pays would apply.

Foundations, temporary state funds, and Peachcare might be possible solutions.

Are they all just bandaids to the real problem? Which one would you support?

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From the Capitol, this just in...

Now that the House will approve their version of the budget on Wednesday, the Senate will go through the SAME process very quickly. That means that all the work you have done over the last few weeks, needs to be done AGAIN, but directed to our list of key Senators.

There are some things that we like about the House's version:

1. In the DCH budget: Proposed 152 slots (slots=person) to the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP). $3,286,957 state $8,535,333 total (This is what we asked for...see our agenda by clicking here)
2. In the DHR budget: Proposed 1,500 services (1,500 =around 1,300 people) for consumers on the MR/DD Waiting list with 9 months of funding. $12,040,329 state $25,148,408 total. (Their proposal is something to celebrate)

Chairman Ben Harbin presented the budget to the full Appropriations Committee for their approval on March 6. The full appropriations increased the funding for the 1,500 services to 9 months from the subcommittee's recommendation of 6 months! However, it is not done yet! We need you to help us ensure that the Senate does their part, click our audio post to find out more...

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Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that Georgia tax revenue hits $10.6 billion on the year

The state's revenues are vitally important to our efforts. Any time the economy turns up, we are offered a chance to address the needs of those families and individuals with disabilities waiting for help.

The state's tax revenue jumped 14.8 percent to $886.1 million in February, the Georgia Department of Revenue reported March 6. Also in February, from corporate income tax revenue skyrocketed 334.9 percent to $22.8 million, while individual income tax revenue dropped 16.7 percent to $244.8 million, sales and use tax revenue increased 10.1 percent to $473.8 million and property tax spiked 206.6 percent to $9.7 million. Through February, the state's tax revenue rose 9.9 percent to $10.6 billion. During the same period, corporate income tax revenue jumped 45.4 percent to $405.1 million, individual income tax revenue increased 8.7 percent to $5.2 billion, sales and use tax revenue went up 11.6 percent to $3.9 billion and property tax increased 7.8 percent to $64.8 million.

Atlanta Business Chronicle: Georgia tax revenue hits $10.6 billion on the year.

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AADD Honors Sue Jamieson for her role in the landmark Olmstead Case

The ‘Heart of Gold’ Annual Awards Banquet of the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities (AADD), will be held on Thursday, May 4, at 6:30 P.M., at the Atlanta Marriott Century Center hotel. We are delighted to announce that this year’s Heart of Gold recipient will be Ms. Susan C. Jamieson. Ms. Jamieson’s work leading to the landmark Olmstead Decision has had a profound positive impact on people living with disabilities, both in Georgia and across the nation. YOU ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS! For more information on the event, to see a list of awards for which nominations are invited, or to make a nomination, please go to the AADD web site www.aadd.org and click on the button, or go directly to the information at: the our Nominations page. Information on reservations & sponsorship opportunities will be available shortly. If you have other questions, OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE AN INVITATION THROUGH THE MAIL, please send an email (with name and mailing address for invitation) to: dean@aadd.org

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Advocates in Alabama are waiting even after a settlement

Our neighbors to the west recently settled a MR/DD waiting list lawsuit...

Advocates for the mentally retarded are challenging Attorney General Troy King's claim that "millions of dollars in additional funds" are in the proposed state budget to help mentally retarded adults on long waiting lists for treatment and housing...King sent a letter to Alabama newspapers this week, defending his decision to stop the state's proposed settlement of a lawsuit that would have required the state to pay its share of Medicaid costs for services to mentally retarded adults...The state Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation had reached a proposed settlement with families who sued over the waiting list, but King refused to approve it. King wrote that federal consent decrees, like the one proposed, "prove to be impossible to comply with, seeming to almost never end, and they ultimately divert already scarce resources."

AP Wire | 02/25/2006 | Advocates for mentally retarded challenge attorney general

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Partner participant shadows Senator Eric Johnson

Teresa Brenner, a participant in this year's Partner in Policymaking class shadowed Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R) of Savannah yesterday. It was a wonderful experience for everyone! As an aside, Teresa asked the Senator about the Unlock the Waiting Lists agenda and was told that "good things" were happening in both the House and Senate.

Senator Johnson said, "If more citizens did this, I think it would help (change)the perception that nobody listens, nobody pays attention - that it's all steak dinners and golf games."

To read the article click here - SavannahNOW Savannah woman gets insider experience of Legislature - 03/02/2006.

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