HB 1 (Chisum) – Appropriations

• Waiting lists
• Independent Living Centers – funding included for two new independent living centers; locations to be determined.
• 1915(c) riders – allows children residing in institutions access to the Medicaid waiver that will allow them to access the services needed to leave the institution.
• Promoting Independence – funding for relocation contracts, HCS slots for those residing in ICFsMR, HCS slots for children aging out of foster care.
• $82.3 million for Crisis Mental Health funding
• rate increases for Medicaid and CHIP providers

SB 673 (Zaffirini) - Scooter’s Bill

This bill allows high school students who have finished four years of high school, but are returning to school for additional IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) services, to participate in graduation ceremonies with their peers. These students will receive a certificate of completion in lieu of a diploma. They will receive their diploma when they exit the public school system on completion of their IEP. Prior to this legislation, youth with disabilities were denied the opportunity to participate in graduation ceremonies following their senior year of high school.

HB 1230 (Rodriguez/Zaffirini) – Transition and Supported Employment

This legislation addresses three recommendations in the Children’s Policy Council's "2006 Report to the Legislature." Its intent is to improve post-secondary school outcomes for students with disabilities. The three primary components of the bill include:

• cross-agency training for vocational transition specialists to ensure they are prepared to refer students to all appropriate community supports and services,
• data collection relating to post secondary outcomes for youth with disabilities, and
• efforts to improve and enhance existing supported employment programs across agencies.

HCR 35 (Rodriguez/Ellis) – Elimination of 24-month Waiting Period for Medicare

Currently, under federal law, there is a two-year waiting period from the point when individuals with disabilities begin receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) cash benefits to the time Medicare medical coverage begins. During the two- year waiting period, the people affected by this policy who are uninsured or underinsured at the onset of their illness or disability will either incur significant medical expenses or be forced to forego necessary medical care, often leading to an unnecessarily rapid deterioration of their condition or even premature death. This House Concurrent Resolution requests the U.S. Congress eliminate the two-year waiting period to ensure these individuals have access to medical care. Individuals receiving SSDI are citizens with work histories, have paid taxes, and paid into the Medicare system. They should not have to wait two years for much needed health care services.

SB 758 (Nelson/Rose) – CPS Reform includes increased adoption subsidy for children with significant disabilities

Child Protective Services reform began during the 79th Legislative Session (2005) and continued in the 80th Session (2007) with SB 758. Included in this reform legislation are provisions directing the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to develop rules to allow the adoption of subsidies for children with significant disabilities, who would not typically be adopted, to be increased to the same level as the foster family payment. It is hoped this subsidy increase will allow more foster families caring for children with significant support needs to adopt these children into their families and still have access to the resources needed to support their needs.

SB 1766 (Watson/Naishtat) – Consumer Directed Services

Consumer Directed Services (CDS) provides significant opportunities for individuals and families to have more control over who provides their services, how they are provided, and when they are provided. CDS promotes self-determination. The CDS workgroup has worked for years to improve and expand CDS services in Texas. SB 1766 provides for the continuation of the CDS workgroup past September 2007, the date it was scheduled to be eliminated.

HB 1919 (Smith/Van de Putte/Lucio) – Health Benefit Plan Coverage for Person with Acquired Brain Injury and Autism Spectrum Disorder

This bill requires insurance companies to provide services specifically needed by individuals with acquired brain injury. It also prohibits companies from imposing higher cost sharing requirements than what is required for other illnesses and injuries. In addition, SB 419 was added to HB 1919 as an amendment at the end of the session. This bill language states that a health benefit plan must provide generally recognized services to children with autism older than two, and less than six years of age. The generally recognized services may include assessment and evaluation, applied behavior analysis, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, medications, and nutritional supplements.

HB 109 (Turner/Averitt) – Partial CHIP Restoration

In previous legislative sessions, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility rules were changed significantly causing a large decrease in the number of children eligible to receive the services. Through the efforts of the very effective CHIP Coalition, some changes will be enacted that will restore this valuable medical coverage to a large number of children.

HB 75 (Naishtat/Wentworth) – Judicial Review

This legislation requires the state to develop a system of judicial review of decisions made regarding access to certain public assistance programs. This system will provide for an appeal outside of the Health and Human Services Commission system in hopes of balancing the conflict of interest that exists in the current administrative review.

For further information, Contact Colleen Horton