[Nfbmo] Fw: [Legislative] Update to last week's update...

Mon Apr 2 20:09:13 UTC 2012

Dear all,

FYI, regarding a change in the schedule of hearings for the Senate Appropriations committee.

Please feel free to circulate this information to others as appropriate.

Sincerely,

Cory McMahon

From: Brown, Catherine 
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 10:33 AM
To: 'legislative at mpcdd.stimaillist.com' 
Subject: [Legislative] Update to last week's update...

Advocates, 

FYI: There has been a change to the Senate Hearing Schedule since Friday's update (below) was sent. 

The Senate Appropriations Committee, which was scheduled to meet today and tomorrow is now scheduled to meet Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:00am each day in Senate Committee Room 2.

Copies of the budget mark up sheets can be found here.

If this email was forwarded to you and you would like to receive legislative updates directly from us in the future, please email Sherrie Hanks at shanks at mpcdd.com and ask to  be added to the Legislative Listserv.  If you have questions, want more information or want to discuss any of the topics featured, please contact Cathy Brown directly (info below). 

On behalf of the DD Council, 

Cathy Brown

Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council
Phone (main): 800-500-7878

Phone (direct): (636) 926-1145

www.mpcdd.com 
www.facebook.com/missouriddcouncil  
www.youtube.com/MissouriDDCouncil  
www.twitter.com/MODDCouncil

"Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down." George H.W.Bush (1990) at the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act 

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:  This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above.  The designated recipients are prohibited from redisclosing this information to any other party without authorization and are required to destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is prohibited by federal and state law.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify me immediately by telephone at 800.500.7878, and destroy all copies of this communication and any attachments.

From: legislative-bounces at mpcdd.stimaillist.com [mailto:legislative-bounces at mpcdd.stimaillist.com] On Behalf Of Brown, Catherine
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 1:30 PM
To: 'legislative at mpcdd.stimaillist.com'
Subject: [Legislative] Disability Rights Day; Budget; Due Process and More......

Advocates,

We hope to see you next week on Wednesday, April 4th for the 11th Annual Disability Rights Legislative Day.  This is an annual event in which a cross-disability crowd shows their unity as a community, support for issues and engagement in the legislative process at the Capitol.  As informed advocates, you are uniquely positioned to communicate issues of importance to your legislators.  Please find a few updates and information about the Legislative Day below.  Do not hesitate to contact us for additional information.  

Budget:

The Senate Appropriations Committee will meet next week (Dates currently posted are: Monday April 2nd  following evening adjournment and Tuesday April 3rd at 8:30am in Senate Committee Room 2) in order to  begin their work on the 13 Appropriations Bills.   The nearing notice posted online included this statement that lets people know how to access the latest version of the budget mark up: The Senate Appropriation's office will not provide copies of the budget mark-up notes. The notes will be available to download off of the Senate website on Friday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. To access the budget notes go to www.senate.mo.gov/12info/Comm/aprp.htm 

Following mark up by the Senate Appropriations Committee, the bills will move to debate on the floor of the Senate and, just before hitting the Governor's desk, they will go to conference committee to work out the difference between the versions passed by each body. 

Advocates who want to share information about the importance of services for people with developmental disabilities or other budget items should contact members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Governor's office filed a budget amendment that would identify dollars to restore the House cut to healthcare for the blind.  Governor Nixon also filed two other budget amendments, one would use a $50 million federal grant to purchase and implement a new computerized enrollment system for the state Medicaid program.  

SS SCS SB 595 - Due Process:

SS SCS SB 595 (Senate Substitute for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 595) was debated by the full Senate on Wednesday.  It was voted on and 'perfected', which means it will move on to the House for consideration.    

Senator Kraus offered a Senate Substitute which made three changes to the earlier version:

o   Allowed the Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC) to begin training earlier by adding an emergency clause

o   Created a fund so the AHC can accept IDEA funds from DESE (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)

o   Puts further restrictions on who can serve as an AHC commissioner for special education due process hearings               

One amendment, to reinstate summary judgments, was added on the floor.  The next stop will be the House.  The sponsor is working with leadership to move it to a committee for a hearing as soon as possible.  Here is a link to the most recent version of the full bill.

The 2012 Omnibus Disability Bill: 

The Special Standing Committee on Disability Services combined several pieces of legislation into one bill to move forward.  

The bill that will carry all the other bills is HB 1854 (you'll see it as "HCS HB 1854" HCS stands for House Committee Substitute).  That bill added a charge to criminal cases that would go into a fund to provide services to people who have experienced a brain injury.  In addition to that the following provisions are now part of HCS HB 1854: 

ü HB 1413 -Changes the laws regarding injury or death to a service dog by a person or another dog and makes changes regarding harassing a service dog.  It adds certain restitution to the list of civil damages.

ü HB 1713 -adds, subject to appropriations, prescribed, medically necessary hearing aids to the list of services covered by MO HealthNet (Medicaid)

ü HB 1714 -adds, subject to appropriations, comprehensive day rehabilitation services beginning soon after trauma for individuals with disabling impairment to the list of services covered under MO HealthNet (Medicaid) benefits

ü HB 1172 -establishes the Developmental Disability Care Provider Tax Credit Program which authorizes a tax credit to a taxpayer for 50% of a donation to a developmental disability care provider that is used solely to provide direct care services to residents with  developmental  disabilities  and changes the laws regarding the Residential Treatment Agency Tax Credit Programü HB 1794 - clarifies the definition of "employment" as it relates to employment security laws regarding in-home or community-based services for clients of a county board for developmental disability services (SB40 boards)

ü HB 1886 - requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish a work group to assess available resources needed for effective work experiences for youth with disabilities. The goal of the work group must be to evaluate the current efforts and available resources and to promote the involvement of stakeholders when planning and implementing services to provide successful transitions to employment, lifelong learning, and quality of life. ü HB 1902 - establishes the Purchasing from Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board regarding the procurement of goods and services by state agencies from organizations.  Sets aside up to $25 million dollars of goods and services contracts for qualified organizations.  Those organizations eligible for the contracts must employ individuals with qualified disabilities to perform at least 75% of the direct labor to fulfill the contract or be a person with a qualifying disability.  The Missouri DD Council had this to say about HB1902 as is currently written at the House hearing.   

We will keep you up to date regarding the various pieces of this legislation.  Following approval by the House Rules Committee, the bill will be placed on a calendar and await debate by the full House.  

Workplace Discrimination: 

HB1219 which was passed by the General Assembly and subsequently vetoed by the Governor earlier this month received an override vote in the Senate yesterday.  The House is not expected to take up the measure for an override unless they have the 2/3 majority needed to approve the veto override.  

Elections:

Candidate filing ended this week for the August 7th primary.  You can see who filed to run for office here.   If you need to determine what district you live in, click here, and enter the information requested.  

11th Annual Disability Rights Legislative Day:  

Participate in the 11th Annual Disability Rights Legislative Day!

This year's theme is "Take Note: We Vote!".. Come show your support, hear legislators and advocates speak on the issues of the day, learn more about the power of the disability vote!  Last year nearly 700 people descended on the Capitol to show support for disability issues, let's make this year's event the biggest yet!

Wednesday, April 4th at the Capitol

Rally 1 - First Floor Rotunda -  11:15am-12:00pm

          Come here legislators and advocates speak about the issues of the day!

Break -   12-2:30 - Visit with Legislators/Lunch on your own

Be sure to make an appointment to see your legislator!  Personal visits are the most critical activity of the day!  Click here to find out who your legislator is.

Rally 2 - First Floor Rotunda - 2:30pm-3:00pm

Come here legislators and advocates speak about the issues of the day!  Enter your evaluations of the event to a drawing for fabulous prizes.  Must be present to win!

If this email was forwarded to you and you would like to receive legislative updates directly from us in the future, please email Sherrie Hanks at shanks at mpcdd.com and ask to  be added to the Legislative Listserv.  If you have questions, want more information or want to discuss any of the topics featured, please contact Cathy Brown directly (info below). 

On behalf of the DD Council, 

Cathy Brown

Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council
Phone (main): 800-500-7878

Phone (direct): (636) 926-1145

www.mpcdd.com 
www.facebook.com/missouriddcouncil  
www.youtube.com/MissouriDDCouncil  
www.twitter.com/MODDCouncil

"Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down." George H.W.Bush (1990) at the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act 

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:  This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above.  The designated recipients are prohibited from redisclosing this information to any other party without authorization and are required to destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is prohibited by federal and state law.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify me immediately by telephone at 800.500.7878, and destroy all copies of this communication and any attachments.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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