The legislature returned from Easter break on Wednesday and continued both committee and floor work. For ARRM members, we saw the Human Services Omnibus bill pass off the Senate floor and the Governor’s Human Services budget bill introduced. Below, please find a quick summary of what happened last week and some things to look for in the coming week.
Human Services Policy Omnibus Bill
The Senate passed the Human Services Omnibus Policy bill off the Senate floor on Thursday. All ARRM’s provisions that were included in the bill when it left committee, remain intact as it was passed off the Senate floor with a 58-9 vote.
In the House, the bill is scheduled to be heard in the Ways and Means Committee on Monday. During this hearing, ARRM’s Out of Home Respite language will be removed from the bill due to a cost associated with the proposal. Following the Ways and Means hearing, the bill will go to the House floor for a full vote before a Conference Committee is formed with the Senate to finalize an agreement.
Governor’s Human Services Budget Recommendations Introduced
The Governor’s Human Services budget recommendations were formally introduced last week. HF 5289/ SF 5335 includes a proposal that would allow for direct care to be reimbursed during short-term, acute hospital visits. This has been a long-time priority for ARRM and we have signed on to this coalition letter in support of the provision. The bill will be heard in the Senate Human Services Committee on Monday at 3:00 pm and the House Human Services Finance Committee on Tuesday at 1:00 pm.
Legislature on Break Again this Week
In observance of Eid, the legislature will be on break beginning on Tuesday, April 9 at 5:00 pm, returning Thursday, April 11th at 12:00 noon.
Reach out
Please continue to reach out with any questions and we will keep you updated as things move forward.
--Sara Grafstrom, Senior Director of State and Federal Policy