Who will represent YOUR voice

In November 2012 there will be many changes in our state government. We will be electing a new Governor as well as people in many other positions, both in Congress and here in our state. They want to hear from you as they form their campaign platforms.  You need to hear from them so that you can be informed when you vote! The Arc of Washington State has added information on our web site to help you as you decide who best represents your voice. We are distributing a questionnaire to the candidates asking for their perspective and plan of action, if elected, on issues that are important to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We will post their responses with their name and contact information on our site as we receive their replies. Be sure to check back often! To view information on statewide offices including Governor, Lt. Governor,  Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Public Lands, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner as well as open Congressional seats go to: http://arcwa.org/takeaction/washingtonstate/coming_events For information on candidates for the Washington State Legislature (by district) go to: http://arcwa.org/takeaction/washingtonstate/coming_events/washington_state_legislature_candidates If you have questions, please feel free to contact me. Remember, Change is made by those who show up! Diana Stadden Policy and Advocacy Coordinator The Arc of Washington State Toll-free: (888) 754-8798 Diana@arcwa.org

Bills of Interest and Governors budget proposal 2012

1/17/2012 Bills of Interest
2012 Governor Gregoire Supplemental Budget Proposal
While Legislators are working to develop a supplemental operating budget to address the budget deficit, there has been very little information about what the proposed budgets might include that would affect people with developmental disabilities and their families. The next Revenue Forecast is scheduled to be delivered on February 16, 2012. In recent years, proposed legislative budgets have been released after the most recent revenue forecast. We will keep you updated as we receive more information.

There are several bills working their way through the process and I have attached a bill list from The Arc of Washington to this email. The Arc of Washington office in Olympia is still without power so they have not been able to update this list since last week. To look up the full text of these bills please visit: http://www.leg.wa.gov/pages/home.aspx click on bill search and type in the bill number.

A couple additional bills not listed that you might be interested in are as follows:

HB 2581 – services to people with developmental disabilities transitioning from an RHC to Community Settings.

SB 6384 – ensures persons with developmental disabilities be given the opportunity to transition to a community access program after enrollment in an employment program for 9 months.

Our Economic Future Coalition

We urge Governor Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature to show leadership in the effort to create jobs and rebuild a strong economy. In these tough times, we need to stand together as a state and invest in the public services that are key to our future prosperity and the quality of life in our communities.

In the wake of over $10 billion in cuts to community services during the past three years, an additional $2 billion in cuts would be devastating to our families and our communities.

Proposed cuts threaten to take access to health care away from 55,000 more people, eliminate care for 1,600 seniors and people with developmental disabilities, undermine our children’s education, and make college and job training inaccessible. These cuts disproportionately impact communities of color, immigrants and refugees and would worsen inequalities along race, gender, national origin, and income lines.

An all-cuts approach is the wrong direction for our communities. Instead, we urge lawmakers to take a balanced approach to solving our budget challenges. This includes protecting public health, public safety, working families and our children’s future. By investing in our future prosperity we can promote equal opportunity and a good quality of life for all. We ask lawmakers to work together so we can emerge from this recession with our communities intact and our economy poised to create good paying jobs.

As lawmakers consider the latest round of drastic and devastating cuts, the following actions should be taken:

• Raise revenue to address the immediate shortfall and prevent deeper cuts to essential services.
• Reform our tax structure to one that is more equitable and no longer places a disproportionate burden on those who earn the least.
• Pass an excise tax on stock profits and other capital gains to provide the revenues needed to invest in long-term job growth.
• Make sure tax breaks for businesses get the same level of accountability and scrutiny as all other spending in the budget so the public can evaluate whether they create jobs or not.

If the Legislature cannot meet the two-thirds majority requirement in place for raising some types of revenue, we support the Legislature sending a revenue referendum to the ballot, which can be passed by a simple majority vote in both houses

We oppose all efforts to use the recession as an excuse to weaken or overturn laws that protect workers, our communities, and the environment.

We call on our elected officials in Olympia to join with us in reaching a moral, responsible and balanced solution to support the vital public services that make Washington a great place to live and work.

For More Information go to: www.oureconomicfuture.org
Or email: info@oureconomicfuture.org

Updated Side by Side Budget Comparison

Click HERE for the updated 2011-2013 Side by Side Governor, House, & Senate Biennial Budget Comparison

Governor/House side by side budget

HERE is the Governor-House budget side-by-side. The Senate should be releasing theirs this evening.

Arc of Washington State Action Alert

The House votes on their budget soon! Take Action!

Make your voice heard today!

The House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee has released their 2011-2013 biennial budget proposal. A public hearing was a held a few hours after the budget was released. The entire House will vote on the budget soon. You must act today!
We need to thank legislators for their hard work, as it has not been an easy task to keep critical programs funded, but many programs that serve people with developmental disabilities were reinstated. Also included in the budget is the transition of 149 clients from Residential Habilitation Centers (RHC). Five RHCs will be consolidated into three. There are issues around Employment/Day and Adult Day Health that you may want to address.
Please act now and thank your legislators for the good things they have done and share your concerns for areas that may not have fared as well. Remember to be courteous. You can respond to this Action Alert or call and leave your message for your legislators on the toll free hotline at 1-800-562-6000.

"In our Shoes" Olympia Rally

A huge thank you to Joy Caldwell, Executive Director of The Arc of Island Skagit for making the “In Our Shoes” event such a great success! (see KOMO 4 video coverage of the event)

Revenue forecast is down another $780 million State revenue forecaster Arun Raha said today that state revenues are lower through June 2013 than he predicted last November, in effect widening the state's $3.6 billion to $5.5 billion budget shortfall. Raha is releasing his latest quarterly report at noon that shows a $79.8 million drop in revenues expected by June and $698 million through June 2013. The report will be posted here. Raha's recent monthly tax-collections report is here. "The economic outlook remains cloudy with a great deal of uncertainty," Raha's presentation began. He mentioned oil price volatility tied to Mideast unrest and now the impact of the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan. Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/17/1582624/revenue-forecast-is-down-another.html#ixzz1GtAD6DEN The House and Senate will likely publish their budget proposals next week. When they do they will hold public hearings right away. If at all possible, try to be prepared to come to Olympia and testify. With a bigger deficit and 70% of the budget untouchable human services are where they look to cut. Watch for an email letting you know the budgets have been released!

State revenue forecaster Arun Raha said today that state revenues are lower through June 2013 than he predicted last November, in effect widening the state's $3.6 billion to $5.5 billion budget shortfall.
Raha is releasing his latest quarterly report at noon that shows a $79.8 million drop in revenues expected by June and $698 million through June 2013. The report will be posted here. Raha's recent monthly tax-collections report is here. "The economic outlook remains cloudy with a great deal of uncertainty," Raha's presentation began. He mentioned oil price volatility tied to Mideast unrest and now the impact of the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan.
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/03/17/1582624/revenue-forecast-is-down-another.html#ixzz1GtAD6DEN

The House and Senate will likely publish their budget proposals next week. When they do they will hold public hearings right away. If at all possible, try to be prepared to come to Olympia and testify. With a bigger deficit and 70% of the budget untouchable human services are where they look to cut. Watch for an email letting you know the budgets have been released!

2011 Supplemental Budget Comparisons

Click Here to view the bills after the House cut-off and the budget after the Governor signed it.

Legislative Reception Update

PLEASE NOTE:

The time for the Legislative Briefing on January 19, 2011 will begin at 2:00 pm instead of 2:30 pm. The briefing will wrap up by 4:00 pm. This will allow a little more time for advocates to go and eat dinner before the Legislative Reception begins at 5:30 pm.

The Community of People with Disabilities of Washington State

Invites You to Attend The 31^st Annual

Legislative Reception

Wednesday, January 19^th, 2011

5:30 – 7:30

in the Legislative Building’s Columbia Room

Hosted By

The Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council, The Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment, The State Independent Living Council, Parkview Services & The Washington State Rehabilitation Council

Contributions Go To:

Coni Mackey at coni@parkviewservices.org or 1-206-542-6644

Other Questions:

David.Maltman@ddc.wa.gov or 1-800-634-4473

A brief summary of the most current issues for developmental disabilities will be provided in the afternoon at The United Churches. Go have dinner after the briefing, then join us at 5:30 in the Columbia Room on the first floor of the Legislative Building for the Legislative Reception.

Briefing 2:00-4:00 pm

The United Churches

110 Eleventh Avenue SE
Olympia, WA 98501

Reception 5:30-7:30 pm

Columbia Room

Legislative Building
Capitol Campus, Olympia

Preliminary budget summary for DD

Click HERE for Governor's Letter

Click Here for Preliminary Budget summary for DD

This morning the Governor’s staff held a meeting to share the Health and Human Services cuts that 3were in the Governor’s 2011-13 biennial budget proposal. Although her 2010 supplemental budget will not be released until Friday, some of its content was shared as well.

Carol Holland led the team of staff and had to choke back tears as she talked about having to take cuts they never thought they would have to take. Here are the highlights from the meeting:

· Elimination of the Basic Health Plan

· Medical Purchasing Authority will be moved from DSHS to the Health care Authority

· Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy for adults will be maintained (no cut)

· Pharmacy benefits for adults will be maintained (no cut)

· Dental services will continue for adults who have a disability

· Adult vision and hearing hardware is suspended in the supplemental budget but is restored in the biennial budget

· Podiatry reimbursements for physicians are eliminated

· Medicare Part D co-pays are eliminated effective January 1, 2011

· Medicaid Personal Care hours will continue the current cuts (average of 10%)

· Close Frances Haddon Morgan Center in 2011

· Close Yakima Valley by January 2012

· Propose NTIB (Necessary To Implement the Budget) bill to allow RHC placement only for adults 21 and older

· Propose bill to take the RHC names out of statute

· Individual and Family services (IFS) is suspended in the supplemental budget but is restored, but with a $1 million reduction in the biennial budget (the program was a total of $12.3 million, it is not clear how this cut will be taken)

· Children’s Intensive In-home Behavior Supports program (CIIBS) reduction is continued in the supplemental, but is fully restored in the biennial budget

· 12% reduction to employment/day services rates to counties

· Employment/day services are provided to 2011-13 graduates on a waiver

· State-only employment/day services are eliminated

· 58 new community residential spots for children from foster care, juvenile rehab, etc.

· Community residential rates will continue to be reduced (getting additional clarification)

· The utility tax will not be pursued

· Reduce agency provider health benefits

· Delay mandatory training for long-term care workers

2011 DD Legislative Reception

Click HERE for flier

The Community of People with Disabilities of Washington State

Invites You to Attend The 31^st Annual

Legislative Reception

Wednesday, January 19^th, 2011

5:30 – 7:30

in the Legislative Building’s Columbia Room

Hosted By

The Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council,

The Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment, The State Independent Living Council, Parkview Services &

The Washington State Rehabilitation Council

For Reasonable Accommodations

contact Debbie Himes at dhimes@esd.wa.gov or 1 360 486 5894 by December 20^th 2010

Contributions Go To:

Coni Mackey at coni@parkviewservices.org or 1-206-542-6644

Other Questions

David.Maltman@ddc.wa.gov or 1-800-634-4473