These are updates on some of the bills and issues the DD Coalition is tracking.  The bills are listed first, followed by updates on budget hearings and the Provider Wage Increase.

SB 83, People First Language:   Changes the wording in Oregon statute to "People First Language." This bill implements the "Respectful Language" bill passed in the 2005 legislative session.  The bill has passed out of Senate Judiciary and will soon be up for vote in the Senate.  Judy Cunio and Cindy Helvington from SAAL testified at the hearing. 

SB 42, Home Alone: Directs Department of Human Services to adopt rules permitting exceptions that would allow individuals with developmental disabilities living in foster care to be at home alone for short periods of time.  The two bills have passed both the House and the Senate.  There is a slight difference between the two bills and it appears that the Senate version of the bill will become the version implemented.  It must pass the House before becoming law. 

SB 260 Nutrition/Hydration: Modifies the power of a guardian to withhold or withdraw artificially administered nutrition and hydration for a protected person.  The bill passed Senate Judiciary and is expected to be voted on by the Senate early this week.

HB 2406, Medically Involved Children's Waiver and 2407, Family Opportunity Act both passed unanimously out of the House Human Services and Women's Wellness Committee January 31 and now go to the Ways and Means Committee. See HB 2406 Fact Sheet  and HB 2407 Fact Sheet for more information.  Continued advocacy with members of the Ways and Means Committee on these bills is critically important.

SB 648, The Lifespan Respite bill would define the responsibilities of the State and local respite programs.  Advocacy for additional funding for the Lifespan Respite Program will be focused on Ways and Means.

HB 2464, Residential Offsets: would allow individuals with developmental disabilities receiving medical and residential services through DHS to keep the money they earn, up to $320 a month, and still be eligible for services. Assigned to the House Human Services and Women's Wellness Committee, the bill had its first public hearing on Feb. 7 and is expected to have another hearing later this week.  Self advocates  moved members of the committee with their powerful testimony about how it felt to not be able to keep the money they earned.

 HB 2201, Healthy Kids: This legislation would create the Healthy Kids Program, health care access for all uninsured children in Oregon.  The program would be funded by an increase in the tobacco tax. The bill has passed out of the Revenue Committee and is headed to Ways and Means where it is expected to be heard in the next few weeks. For more information click on the Healthy Kids Now campaign website

Budget Hearings:

The Department of Human Services has begun hearings in the Ways and Means Human Services Subcommittee, which will be reviewing the program and budget of each of the Divisions within the Department.  Seniors and People with Disabilities, Developmental Programs is expected to begin their budget presentation April 30.  Public testimony is expected to be scheduled May 2, 2007.  This is one of the last budget presentations and advocates are concerned that many of the budget decisions will already be made by the time our budget is reviewed.  For that reason, advocates at the State and local level need to be working hard  in the next few weeks to educate members of the budget committee about the needs of the developmental disabilities community .

The Department of Education is scheduled to begin hearings on the k-12 budget and the Department of Education March 12.  The date for the public hearing is not set at this point.  There are a number of issues with the Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education and Regional Program budgets that advocates will be watching carefully.  More detailed information will be posted on the Coalition website as soon as it becomes available.

Issue Update - Provider Rate Increase:
Advocates continue to try to educate legislators on the importance of the increase in rates to providers of services in the DD system.  See the Fact Sheet for more information.  On Saturday, Feb 17, more than a hundred people with developmental disabilities, direct support staff, providers, and advocates met in Eugene with the almost the entire legislative delegation from Lane County. Self advocates and staff shared their stories about the challenges they face because of the lack of adequate funding.  Great job by all!!!