[Missouri-l] Fw: [Modisabilaw] Legislative Update

[Chip Hailey]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Marty Exline 
To: MO Disability Policy/Law Listserv 
Sent: Sunday, April 26, 2009 1:38 PM
Subject: [Modisabilaw] Legislative Update


Stimulus Budget

The past week saw several budget swings in the House as the leadership decided to do away with HB18 - HB21, which were the budget bills to expend federal stimulus dollars. Funding for a number of services had been included in the bills including some important for persons with disabilities for public transportation in Kansas City and St. Louis. 

The House leadership instead proposed HB22 which would use $1 billion of the stimulus funds to provide Missourians with an income tax cut. There have been some reports that the use of the funds for a tax cut may be an illegal use of the federal stimulus dollars.  The House/Senate budget committee is set to meet this upcoming week to work out differences. The Senate budget uses stimulus dollars to restore cuts to a number of services.

HB1038 - HealthNet Coverage of Hearing Aids

This bill to restore coverage of hearing aids for adults under HealthNet (Medicaid) still needs to be scheduled for a hearing in the House Special Standing Committee on Health Insurance by the Committee Chair, Rep. Wilson.

HB1037 - Accessible Educational Materials

This bill still needs to be assigned to a committee by the House Speaker in order to have a hearing before the session ends. The bill is designed to make it easier for students with reading disabilities to obtain textbooks in alternative formats in a timely fashion.

SB546 - Ticket to Work

The bill had a hearing last week and hopes are that it will be voted out of committee this week. The bill increases the amount of Social Security Disability Income that can be disregarded in order to make more individuals eligible for HealthNet coverage.

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