Legislative Update: Wait! Just When We Thought We Were Coming to the End!
Legislative Update: Wait! Just When We Thought We Were Coming to the End!
On March 24th, both the House and Senate released their budgets, and we thought we were on the downhill slope of the legislative session. Then, on the afternoon of April 1st, Governor Ferguson held a press conference stating that he would not sign off on either the House or Senate budgets, citing concerns about sustainability and reliance on tax increases.
What Does This Mean?
Typically, by this stage in session, a small group of legislative leaders move behind closed doors to negotiate a final budget agreement to present to both chambers and the Governor. Now, the House and Senate must go back and adjust their budgets before moving on to the next step of negotiating with the opposite chamber to align with what the Governor will approve. If they don’t reach an agreement, the Governor may call a special session and extend the final deadline for legislators beyond April 27, the scheduled last day of this session.
For us, that means that now is not the time to ease up. Your advocacy is needed to ensure that services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are protected in the final budget! We need you to continue reaching out to your legislators about the importance of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
Your Voice Has Been Heard—But We Must Keep Pushing!
Both the House and Senate initially protected critical services, including:
- Maintaining eligibility for Developmental Disabilities (DD) services, ensuring continued access for those in need.
- Preserving Personal Care hours, maintaining essential support for individuals requiring daily assistance.
- Keeping Waiver services intact, avoiding reductions in crucial community-based supports.
- Sustaining provider rates, preventing a decrease that could negatively impact the workforce vital to our community.
These services could now face renewed scrutiny, and we need your advocacy to safeguard them! Tell your legislators to “Protect Essential Services”.
Small but Meaningful Investments
Despite significant budget constraints, the House and Senate acknowledged the importance of ensuring individuals with I/DD have meaningful activities. Both budgets include a “Day Habilitation” line item that provides:
- A modest increase in rates for community respite, community engagement, and specialized habilitation (now called “Life Skills”).
- A slight increase in monthly respite hours (by 1 or 2 hours), which, while small, is a step in the right direction.
If these services are important to you, now is the time to urge legislators to protect this funding in the final budget. If you don’t know who your legislators are, Then, give them a call and tell them which services matter most to you.
The Closure of Rainier RHC
Both the House and Senate budgets include the closure of Rainier Residential Habilitation Center (RHC). The House version also proposes closing Yakima Valley School, while keeping:
- Overnight planned respite beds
- Crisis stabilization beds
A big thank you to those who signed in to support SB 5393 and HB 1472! While this is a significant step forward, negotiations are still ongoing. The Arc has an info sheet as well as a resource sheet available for you to share with legislators to ensure informed decision-making.
Concerns Over Residential Services Funding
One area of concern is the lack of parity in Residential Services (Supported Living) funding. The House budget includes a 3% increase in Medicaid provider rates, while the Senate budget provides no increase at all. At a time when we need to strengthen community services, this is a serious oversight. We encourage you to reach out to your Senators and urge them to match the House’s funding level for Supported Living Medicaid provider rates
A Bright Spot: Housing Investments for the I/DD Community
We are excited to see $55 million in the Senate budget and $50 million in the House budget dedicated to developmental disabilities (DD) housing. These investments continue the momentum toward addressing the identified need for 37,000 housing units for individuals with I/DD.
It’s important to note that the Capital Budget is separate from the General Fund, meaning these housing investments are not subject to budget cuts.
The Final Push: Keep Advocating!
While we had hoped to be closer to the finish line, the Governor’s stance means we must keep up the advocacy momentum. Now is the time to make your concerns and support known to your legislators.
Stay informed by following our bill tracker and budget side by side.
At the Federal Level, Medicaid continues to be at risk. Please continue to reach out to your Congressional Delegation and them “No Cuts to Medicaid”.
Watch our Action Alert Center for updates.
View our Medicaid Resource Page for tools you can use.
Thank you for your continued advocacy. Let’s keep pushing forward!
Save the Dates:
Legislative Session Wrap Up Webinar
Wednesday, May 7th at 7:00 PM
Come hear how the session ended!
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ifkWptZ6RwKCCU93x1aXuA
Federal Advocacy Updates Webinar
Wednesday, May 21st at 7:00 PM
Learn what is happening at the Federal Level and how you can help!
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/K316ahZRRFaqBhqzV2BLEg
We hope you can join us!
