There are a few major legislative issues in the hopper for Pennsylvanians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With quite a bit of activity to keep track of, I drew up a quick summary of where we stand on issues with the state budget, autism insurance bill, and graduation competency assessment regulations.
State budget
The Waiting List initiative proposed in the Rendell budget for 1818 seems to have been kept intact.
Community mental retardation programs are to get a 1 percent “cola” (Gov. Rendell had proposed zero.) BUT, a 1.3 percent across-the-board cut was agreed to, and the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) must absorb it in some, but not all, of its programs. The Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs (OPD) is apparently one of several programs that must absorb the cut. It is not yet clear what Estelle Richman, Secretary of Public Welfare; or Kevin Casey, Deputy Secretary of the ODP, will decide to cut.
Special education was decreased from the Rendell budget to a 1.6 percent increase instead of a 3 percent increase. Basic education will get a 5.5 percent increase with every school district getting at least 3 percent.
DPW Early Intervention to get 1 percent “cola,” but the budget number suggests a concurrent cut. More details on this are needed before we can say for sure how provider rates will be affected.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE ) Early Intervention’s 6.5 percent increase proposed in the Rendell budget was kept intact.
The DPW’s autism program’s proposed $13 million increase in the Rendell budget was reduced to a $10 million increase, which is still a doubling of the funding. It’s not clear yet as to the rationale for this reduction, but the new autism program is still slated for a significant increase.
It’s still not clear whether Adult Protective Services start-up funding is in the budget.
Autism Insurance Legislation
H.B. 1150 was passed last week and signed into law yesterday. Last week’s advocacy to improve the bill after the Senate had removed the “medical necessity” definition paid off in that a few important service definitions were included in the final bill, satisfying autism advocates. This bill is now law.
Graduation Competency Assessment Regulations
These proposed regulations have been pulled. These regulations would have required competency testing for students wanting to graduate. Advocates opposed these regulations because of the feared adverse impact on students with disabilities. These proposed regulations are off the table for the remainder of the calendar year, but apparently the State Board of Education has indicated it will try again next year.
Thank you for your advocacy in recent weeks on these very important issues! As always, turn your browser to our Action Alerts page for updated info on proposed legislation, and to support motions that improve the lives of the developmentally disabled.
