[Education and Welfare] FW: Legislative Update--Urgent Action

Tue Feb 21 11:30:05 CST 2012

Subject: Legislative Update--Urgent Action
Importance: High

Urgent Action: 

Contact your legislators and members of the House Budget Committee to
explain to them the importance of Home and Community Based Services and the
Blind Health Benefits. Rep. Flanigan proposed budget amendments that would
include cuts to both of these programs.  For more information and contact
information, read below. 

Important Budget and Legislative Information from MOCIL:

The budget process is underway 

Rep. Flanigan proposed 4 amendments to HB2010 and HB2011. These amendments
included cuts to HCBS and the blind health benefits. At this point it
appears that the cuts to HCBS will  not be in the form of a rate cut;
instead they are to be a reduction because they feel that the proposed
budget overestimated the number of people that will be participating in the
program. These amendments were not open for discussion by the committee
members and the Chair called for an immediate vote (which of course passed).
These amendments were made to lessen the cut to higher education. The Budget
Committee will hold hearings next Wednesday and Thursday to hear
recommendations from the sub-committees. We are not overly concerned at this
point as this is part of the budget process and the cuts don't appear to be
significant nor will the effect our current consumers. We do encourage all
centers to contact members of the Budget Committee and remind them of the
importance of the HCBS program as it is a cost savings to the state over
nursing home care. Below are some news articles, a list of the Budget
Committee Members and hearing times. 

I have also included the hearing for the Special Standing Committee on
Disability Services which has a hearing scheduled for Monday at 2:00 p.m.
Two bills of interest in this committee are HB1713 (hearing aids to be paid
for by MoHealthNet) and HB1714 (comprehensive day rehabilitation services
soon after trauma for individuals with disabling impairments to be paid for
by MoHealthNet). Committee members are also listed.

On the Senate side.

Appropriations will hear from DESE on Monday. 

A new special committee on Social Service Program Savings chaired by Senator
Schaaf will have a committee meeting on Tuesday. The committee is charged
with the task of conducting hearings for the purpose of exploring past and
anticipated changes in the participation and cost of each social service
program offered in Missouri. The committee is further charged with studying
possible structural changes of each program, including program elimination,
changes to federal funding, eligibility, new programs coordinated with the
federal government and any other program changes designed to reduce cost. 

Senator Lembke will lead the Governmental Accountability Committee in a
hearing on Wednesday to discuss the Missouri department of social services
and their administration of the 'spend down' program as well as their
procedures for determining food stamp eligibility and recertification.

News Articles

Panel cuts health care for blind to free up money for colleges

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/panel-cut

House panel suggests cutting social services to restore higher ed

http://m.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/feb/16/house-panel-suggests-cutting-s
ocial-services-resto/

Missouri House of Representatives

96th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session 

Budget

| Committee Description
<http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills121/commdesc.htm#11>  |
Bills Assigned to Committee
<http://www.house.mo.gov/BillsAssignedToCommittee.aspx?com=11&year=2012&code
=R>  | Committee List
<http://www.house.mo.gov/ActiveCommittees.aspx?year=2012>  | 

  _____  

Committee

Silvey, Ryan <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=38&year=2012> ,
Chair

Stream, Rick <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=94&year=2012> ,
Vice Chair

Allen, Sue <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=92&year=2012> 

Asbury, Randy <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=22&year=2012> 

Burlison, Eric <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=136&year=2012> 

Carter, Chris <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=61&year=2012> 

Cauthorn, John <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=21&year=2012> 

Flanigan, Tom <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=127&year=2012> 

Grisamore, Jeff <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=47&year=2012> 

Guernsey, Casey <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=3&year=2012> 

Haefner, Marsha <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=100&year=2012>

Hoskins, Denny <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=121&year=2012> 

Hough, Lincoln <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=140&year=2012> 

Keeney, Shelley <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=156&year=2012>

Kelly, Chris <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=24&year=2012> 

Kirkton, Jeanne <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=91&year=2012> 

Lair, Mike <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=7&year=2012> 

Lampe, Sara <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=138&year=2012> 

McCann Beatty, Gail
<http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=43&year=2012> 

McManus, Kevin <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=46&year=2012> 

Montecillo, Genise
<http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=66&year=2012> 

Nasheed, Jamilah <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=60&year=2012>

Parkinson, Mark <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=16&year=2012> 

Rizzo, John <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=40&year=2012> 

Sater, David <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=68&year=2012> 

Scharnhorst, Dwight
<http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=93&year=2012> 

Schatz, Dave <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=111&year=2012> 

Shively, Tom <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=8&year=2012> 

Thomson, Mike <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=4&year=2012> 

  _____  

Hearings

  _____  

Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Time: Upon Morning Adjournment

Location: House Hearing Room 3

FY13 Budget Overview by State Budget Director; Recommendations from
Appropriation Committees

Executive session may be held on any matter referred to the committee.

  _____  

Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Time: Upon Morning Adjournment

Location: House Hearing Room 3

Recommendations from Appropriation Committees

Executive session may be held on any matter referred to the committee.

  _____  

***Corrected***

Date: Thursday, February 23, 2012

Time: Upon Morning Adjournment

Location: House Hearing Room 3

Recommendations from Appropriation Committees

Executive session may be held on any matter referred to the committee.

Committee:

Special Standing Committee on Disability Services
<http://house.mo.gov/committeeIndividual.aspx?com=622&year=2012> 

Chair:

Grisamore, Jeff - (Rep-47) <http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=47> 

Vice Chair:

Houghton, Jay-(Rep-10) <http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=10> 

Date:

Monday, February 20, 2012

Time:

2:00 PM

Location:

House Hearing Room 7

Note:

Executive session may be held on any matter referred to the committee.

Public Hearings will be conducted for the following bills:

 <http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=HB1651> HB 1651 -- NO TITLE 

Sponsor: McGeoghegan, Eileen (Rep-077)
<http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=077> 

Co-Sponsor: Ellington, Brandon (Rep-041)
<http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=041> 

Designates the month of October as "Spinal Cord Injury Month" in Missouri 

 <http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=HB1652> HB 1652 -- NO TITLE 

Sponsor: McGeoghegan, Eileen (Rep-077)
<http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=077> 

Co-Sponsor: Ellington, Brandon (Rep-041)
<http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=041> 

Designates the month of May as "Fibromyalgia Month" in Missouri 

 <http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=HB1713> HB 1713 -- NO TITLE 

Sponsor: Grisamore, Jeff J.(Rep-047)
<http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=047> 

Adds prescribed, medically necessary hearing aids to the list of services
covered under MO HealthNet 

 <http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=HB1714> HB 1714 -- NO TITLE 

Sponsor: Grisamore, Jeff J.(Rep-047)
<http://house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=047> 

Adds comprehensive day rehabilitation services beginning soon after trauma
for individuals with disabling impairments to the list of services covered
under MO HealthNet benefits

Missouri House of Representatives

96th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session 

Special Standing Committee on Disability Services

| Committee Description
<http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills121/commdesc.htm#622>  |
Bills Assigned to Committee
<http://www.house.mo.gov/BillsAssignedToCommittee.aspx?com=622&year=2012&cod
e=R>  | Committee List
<http://www.house.mo.gov/ActiveCommittees.aspx?year=2012>  | 

  _____  

Committee

Grisamore, Jeff <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=47&year=2012>
, Chair

Houghton, Jay <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=10&year=2012> ,
Vice Chair

Curtman, Paul <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=105&year=2012> 

Flanigan, Tom <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=127&year=2012> 

Frederick, Keith
<http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=149&year=2012> 

Lauer, Jeanie <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=54&year=2012> 

McGeoghegan, Eileen
<http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=77&year=2012> 

Montecillo, Genise
<http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=66&year=2012> 

Oxford, Jeanette Mott
<http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=59&year=2012> 

Stream, Rick <http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx?district=94&year=2012> 

Senate Info.

Committee: Appropriations, Senator Kurt Schaefer, Chairman
<http://www.senate.mo.gov/12Info/comm/APRP.htm> 

Date:  Monday, February 20

Time:  12:00 p.m.

Room:  SCR 2

Topic:

Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

EXECUTIVE SESSION MAY FOLLOW

Committee: Special Committee on Social Service Program Savings, Senator Rob
Schaaf, Chairman <http://www.senate.mo.gov/12Info/comm/special/SSPS.htm> 

Date:  Tuesday, February 21

Time:  5:00 p.m. or Upon Evening Adjournment

Room:  Senate Lounge

Organizational Meeting and Testimony from National Conference of State
Legislatures and Department of Social Services

Amended 1: 2/14/12 11:56 AM

Committee: Governmental Accountability , Senator Jim Lembke, Chairman
<http://www.senate.mo.gov/12Info/comm/GAFO.htm> 

Date:  Wednesday, February 22

Time:  3:00

Room:  SCR 1

The committee will be investigating the Missouri department of social
services and their administration of the 'spend down' program as well as
their procedures for determining food stamp eligibility and recertification.

EXECUTIVE SESSION MAY FOLLOW

Jennifer Gundy

Executive Director

On My Own, Inc.

428 E. Highland

Nevada, MO 64772

417-667-7007 or 1-800-362-8852

Fax:417-667-6262

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