CDCAN REPORT #037-2011: Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health & Human Services set to meet at 10:00AM Thursday [NOTE TIME CHANGE]

• Senate Budget Subcommittee on Health & Human Services Hearing Agenda Released Covering Governor’s Proposed $750 Million Cut in State General Fund Spending to Regional Centers and Other Developmental Services
• Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health & Human Services Meets February 10th Thursday at 10 AM State Capitol in Room 4203 – Doors Open at 08:30 AM – Huge Crowds Expected To Fill Hearing Rooms and Hallways at State Capitol – Rally In Los Angeles At Van Nuys State Office Building Feb 10th 10-12 Noon To Coincide With Hearing

[EDITOR'S NOTE:  You may view the hearing live via webcast through CalChannel's website.]

SACRAMENTO, CALIF  (CDCAN) [Updated 02/09/2011 – 04:13 PM  (Pacific Time)] –  With hundreds expected to fill the hearing rooms and hallways of the State Capitol tomorrow morning, the Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services released a 30 page agenda for its February 10th hearing that will focus on Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed $750 million reduction in State general fund spending to regional centers and other developmental services.  The agenda, that was saved as a document (so it can be read by people who are blind or have sight impairments using screen reading devices) is attached to this CDCAN Report, titled:  “2011-02-10 - Senate Budget Sub 3 Hearing Agenda.pdf”

The Senate Budget Subcommittee meeting time has been changed from 09:30 AM to 10:00 AM (or upon adjournment of the Senate floor session – which is likely to end before 10 AM).

The only budget issues on the agenda is one non-controversial for vote only issue dealing with the California Health and Human Services Agency – and the Governor’s proposals dealing with developmental services.  Public testimony will likely happen at the end of the discussion of the different ideas by the Brown Administration to achieve the $750 million reduction in State general fund spending, and also the recommendations by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office (LAO).   Following that will be public comment.

The Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services, chaired by Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (Democrat – Concord) meets February 10th, Thursday morning, at approximately 10 AM at the State Capitol in Room 4203 (in the newer section of the State Capitol – sometimes referred to as the annex).  The subcommittee meets upon adjournment of the Senate floor session – which is expected to adjourn before 10 AM.  The hearing time is changed from 09:30 to about 10:00 (or upon whenever the Senate floor session adjourns).   

The hearing room – 4203 – will be open at 08:30 AM for people to allow people to find a seat or place early.

The hearing on Thursday is likely the last time for public comment on the Governor’s proposed reduction amount for developmental services before the Legislature takes final action within the next two to three weeks to approve that amount or approve some other amount.

Full Budget Committees In Both Houses To Meet Next Week

• Meanwhile, in a sign that both houses are moving forward toward taking final action on the Governor’s proposals, both the Assembly and Senate full budget committees have scheduled hearings next week.
• The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, chaired by Sen. Mark Leno (Democrat – San Francisco) is scheduled to meet February 17, Thursday at the State Capitol in Room 4203, and the Assembly Budget Committee, chaired by Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield (Democrat – Van Nuys) is set to meeting February 18th, Friday at the State Capitol in Room 4202. 
• While no agenda is available yet for either hearing, both committees will likely review any subcommittee actions taken – or take final action itself – on the Governor’s proposals.  See separate CDCAN for details.

Legislature Being Asked by Governor To Approve $750 Million Reduction Amount – Proposal on How To Achieve The Bulk of That Cut Will Be Submitted By Brown Administration Likely In May For Legislature to Approve

Some of the reduction amount will be achieved by additional new federal funds and transfers of money, and continuation of the existing 4.25% cut in payments to most regional center providers and regional center operations through at least June 30, 2012 (the payment cut was scheduled to end June 30, 2011).

But the bulk of the reduction – over $500 million in State general funds – is not specified in the Governor’s proposal.  The Brown Administration – as represented by the Department of Developmental Services, intends, through a process that includes working with stakeholders to submit in May sometime a proposal to establish statewide standards that would have the impact in most cases of limiting eligibility, caseload and use of services by children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families.  The standards – referred to as “purchase of services standards” would impact thousands of community-based organizations, individual vendors and direct care and other workers who provide a wide range of supports and services across the State.  The “Purchase of Services”  or POS refers to the part of the regional center budget that pays for community-based services.

February 10th Hearing Expected To Last At Least 4 Hours

• The February 10th Senate Budget Subcommittee hearing is expected to last about 4 hours or longer depending on chair Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (Democrat – Concord, 7th State Senate District) and how many in the crowd plan to speak (and depending on how long each person speaks). 
• Advocates hope that DeSaulnier will impose a similar strict one minute time limit rule for public comments that Assemblymember Holly Mitchell (Democrat – Los Angeles, 47th Assembly District) enforced for everyone on February 3rd that, - if applied to everyone as Mitchell did  – will mean many more people will be able to actually speak before the subcommittee on February 10th.

Hundreds Expected for February 10th Los Angeles Rally Against Governor’s Proposed $750 Million Cuts To Developmental Services

As previously reported, planned to coincide with the Senate Budget Subcommittee hearing on Thursday in support of those attending and to show strong opposition to the Governor’s proposed $750 million cuts in State general fund spending to developmental services and the other cuts in health and human services including Medi-Cal, In-Home Supportive Services, SSI/SSP grants, is a protest rally in Los Angeles:

WHEN: February 10th, Thursday morning
TIME:  10:00 AM to 12:00 noon
WHERE:  Van Nuys State Office Building
6150 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Hundreds are expected to turn-out for that event. The state office building complex includes the district office of Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield (Democrat – Van Nuys, 40th Assembly District), who is chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.  Organizers say the rally is meant to be in opposition to the Governor’s proposed reductions and to mobilize people in the Los Angeles area who cannot come to the State Capitol.

Similar rallies were not organized for the northern part of the State or at the State Capitol on February 10th because of the early start time of the Senate Budget Subcommittee hearing.  Advocates also did not want any conflicting events in the northern part of the State that would take people away from attending and testifying at the actual hearing.

[CDCAN Note: See separate updated CDCAN Action Alerts for both the February 10th subcommittee hearing and the Los Angeles rally and also other upcoming events]

SENATE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE #3 ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEMBERS

Chair: Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (Democrat – Walnut Creek)
Democratic Members (2):  Elaine Alquist, and Mark DeSaulnier
Republican Member (1): Bill Emmerson

CDCAN COMMENT:  DeSaulnier, who has not served before on this subcommittee, replaces Sen. Mark Leno (Democrat – San Francisco), who now chairs the full Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee (who in turn replaced Sen. Denise Ducheny who was termed out last year). 

NEXT STEPS

• NO MAJOR ACTION YET FROM EITHER HOUSE: As of February 9th, both the Assembly and Senate Budget Subcommittees have heard nearly all of the Governor’s proposed reductions in hearings that began the week of January 24th and taking in public comment.  All of the Governor’s major proposals have been kept “open” for later action.
• FINAL SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS LIKELY THIS WEEK - These hearings – including the February 10th Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services focusing on proposed reductions to regional centers and other developmental services – are likely to be the final public hearings taking in public comment on the Governor’s proposals.
• WHEN WILL LEGISLATURE TAKE FINAL ACTION: It is not clear yet when or how the Legislature will take final action on the Governor’s budget proposals, though final action sometime later this month is likely.  The full budget committees in both houses have scheduled hearings next week. The proposals could then go to a budget conference committee (which would be chaired by Assemblymember Blumenfield this year) before final votes are taken in the Assembly and State Senate.  Beyond that, the process and timing is not certain at this point.
• BUDGET PROCESS ON FAST TRACK - The Governor and Legislature – at the Governor’s urging – have put his proposed 2011-2012 State Budget spending plan on a fast track, to take action on his major proposals before March 1st.  The normal State budget process takes months – with subcommittee hearings normally spread out from February to May.  Governor has urged the Legislature to move quickly because a key part of his plan is to place on a special election ballot in June for voter approval his proposal to extend for five years temporary tax increases that are scheduled to expire this year.  The Governor also wants quick action on his spending reduction proposals in order for the State to be able to move to implement them by July 1st – and in some cases, within a few months – in order to achieve the greatest savings in State general funding from the cuts.
• MORE BUDGET HEARINGS LIKELY IN MAY OR JUNE – While this week is likely the final time for public comment at a budget subcommittee hearing (people can still contact their own legislators or write letters to members) before the Legislature takes final action on the Governor’s proposals , there will likely be additional budget hearings in May or early June.  Those hearings – which will likely take public comment – will likely hear  whatever details the Brown Administration submits to the Legislature on how it plans to achieve whatever reduction amount is targeted for regional centers and other developmental services.  Other issues – possibly In-Home Supportive Services – might come up for hearing at that time as further details on various proposals become available.

File Attachments: 

2011-02-10 - Senate Budget Subcommittee 3 Agenda.pdf