This last week marked the first full week of committee hearings in the House. During the week, much of ARRM’s focus was on introducing our bills in the House and House committee hearings outlining the Governor’s budget proposal. Below is a recap of what happened in both the House and Senate last week.
House Recap
On Wednesday, public testimony was taken in the Human Services Policy and Finance Committee to the Governor’s budget proposal. ARRM’s Johnny Tvedt provided testimony outlining our opposition to the proposed cuts to waiver services and testified to the devastating impact these cuts would have on people with disabilities and their staff. On Thursday, the committee received a presentation from the Department of Human Services, outlining the specifics of the Governor’s Human Services budget proposal. During both hearings, members of the committee expressed concerns about the proposed cuts.
On Thursday, we also saw three of ARRM’s legislative priorities formally introduced in the House. Those bills are:
Senate Recap
Two hearings were held in the Senate Human Services Committee last week. Of interest to ARRM members was legislation that would codify the ICS service into statute as well as an update from the Department of Human Services on the transition from PCA to CFSS.
Early last week, a bill was introduced in the Senate that would repeal the legislation ARRM passed last session to exempt 245D providers from city rental licenses. The proposal would instead insert language that says a city cannot have regulations for 245D homes that are more restrictive than regulations that are imposed on other residential facilities. You can review the bill language here. ARRM opposes this language and has already been in contact with Chair Hoffman about our concerns.
Looking Ahead
This coming week, ARRM’s Out of Home Respite bill will be heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday. On Monday, the Senate Human Services Committee will hear a presentation on the Governor’s budget proposal and will take public testimony on the proposal Wednesday, ARRM staff are signed up to provide testimony. We also anticipate our technology grant and indirect billing proposal to be formally introduced in the House.
Please reach out with any questions.
--Sara Grafstrom, Senior Director of State and Federal Policy