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IMPORTANT SENATE BUDGET HEARING TUESDAY ON MEDI-CAL, ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE, MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES, HEALTHY FAMILIES ON GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED SPECIAL SESSION CUTS – OTHER HEARINGS SCHEDULED

• Jan 26 – “Future of Long Term Care”
• Jan 27 – IHSS Reforms Oversight Hearing
• Feb 02 - IHSS, SSI/SSP, CAPI, CalWORKS
• Feb 02 – Assembly Disabilities Select Committee Hearing

Focus of Hearings on Tuesday Include Governor’s Proposed Elimination of All Medi-Cal Funding for Adult Day Health Care and Major Cuts to Medi-Cal and Mental Health – Assembly Budget Committee 3rd IHSS Oversight Hearing on January 27th on Implementation November 2009 of IHSS Worker Requirements

SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 01/25/10 10:30 PM (Pacific Time)] - With a budget shortfall of nearly $20 billion that is likely to swell even larger if additional federal money hoped for by the Schwarzenegger Administration does not come through, important budget hearings are scheduled this week and next to consider the Governor’s special session proposed reductions – many that need action before March 1 in order to be fully implemented by June 1, 2010.

The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 26th includes a focus on the Governor’s proposal that calls for approval of Medi-Cal “cost containment” measures that would mean over $1 billion in spending reductions to the Medi-Cal program, and a proposal for the permanent elimination of all Medi-Cal funding for Adult Day Health Care, which is a Medi-Cal optional benefit and major cuts proposed to mental health services.

In addition to budget hearings today and later this week and next, other important legislative hearings are also scheduled dealing with long term care and the “State of Developmental Disabilities in California” that are issues that have direct impact on the budget crisis.

Representatives from the Governor’s Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst Office, the non-partisan agency that works for the Legislature in reviewing and providing analysis on budget issues, will be at each of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee hearings. Brief public testimony and comments will be taken at the Senate budget hearings – though persons can submit written comments and testimony before, during and after the hearings (see below for address information).

The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee nor the Assembly Budget Committee is not expected to take final action on the Governor’s proposals during these hearings.

Most of the other proposals by the Governor that would take effect during the next State budget year that begins July 1, 2010, will be heard later – likely March through April and early May, during what used to be the normal state budget subcommittee process.

Two Separate Senate Hearings for Tuesday On Health Budget Issues and Future of Long Term Care

• Scheduled for Tuesday (January 26th ) at 1 PM, is the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee hearing focusing on the Governor’s special session health budget proposals that include the Governor’s proposal to eliminate all Medi-Cal funding for Adult Day Health Care, proposed major cuts to Medi-Cal that total well over $1 billion in state general fund dollars, and other proposed cuts or fund shifts impacting developmental services, mental health, Healthy Families. (see below for details)
• Also scheduled for Tuesday at 1:30 PM, is a separate informational hearing on related budget issue, focusing on “the future of Long Term Care” by the Senate Human Services Committee and the Senate Health Subcommittee on Aging and Long Term Care.
• The Department of Health Care Services, the state agency that oversees the state’s Medicaid program (called “Medi-Cal”) released 4 different proposed budget legislative language on January 20th, to make the necessary changes in state law or to provide authority to implement several of the Medi-Cal reductions (see CDCAN Report #019-2010 on the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us and for copies of the budget legislative language.
• The Governor also is proposing major cuts to Healthy Families – the state’s health insurance program for low income children matched with federal State Children’s Health Insurance Program funds, reductions to Mental Health by proposing shifting funds from the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63), and continuing on-going reductions passed last July and February to developmental services (community-based services funded through the 21 non-profit regional centers under the Department of Developmental Services, who also oversee the operations of the state owned and staffed developmental centers and 2 smaller facilities.

Hearing on IHSS, SSI/SSP, CAPI Special Session Budget Cuts Set for Feb 2nd

• Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee scheduled for February 2nd, Tuesday afternoon at 1 PM, an informational hearing on human service special session budget proposals by the Governor including proposed reductions to In-Home Supportive Services, SSI/SSP, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants and CalWORKS.
• The Assembly has not yet set a hearing date on these specific budget issues – though the Assembly Budget Committee has scheduled its 3rd oversight hearing on IHSS reforms implemented November 1, 2009, including new IHSS worker requirements, for January 27th (see below for details.
• The Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants provides grants similar to SSI/SSP for about 10,000 legal immigrants in California who have disabilities, are blind or low income seniors who do not qualify for the federal SSI grant program. The Governor has proposed complete elimination of this program, effective June 1, 2010 (assuming the Legislature approves this proposal by March 1, 2010).
• The Governor is proposing major reductions to the IHSS program including a proposal that would have sweeping impact on eligibility and services. That proposal, if enacted by March 1, 2010, and effective June 1, 2010, reduce the population receiving IHSS by 87%, or about 420,000 children and adults with disabilities, the blind, mental health needs and seniors, based on a person’s “functional index score”.
• That score, an internal assessment tool administered by a county social worker when assessing (or re-assessing) a person for services under IHSS, is the average of rankings of the ability of a person to perform various tasks. The Governor proposes that anyone with a “functional index score” of 4.00 or higher would continue to be eligible for services under IHSS – and anyone below that would no longer be eligible for any services under IHSS.
• The Senate committee will hear from the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO), the non-partisan legislative office that reviews and provides budget information for the Legislature, including more details regarding its report and recommendations on the In-Home Supportive Services program that was released today (January 21) (see CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us for copy of the report)

Assembly Budget Committee Oversight Hearing on IHSS Reforms Jan. 27th

Also scheduled this week on January 27th, is the 3rd oversight hearing by the Assembly Budget Committee, chaired by Assemblymember Noreen Evans (Democrat - Santa Rosa) scheduled with the Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services, chaired by State Sen. Mark Leno (Democrat – San Francisco), on the implementation of various changes and reforms to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program.

Senior officials from the Schwarzenegger Administration will be present, including John Wagner, director of the Department of Social Services – the state agency that oversees statewide the IHSS Program - and also deputy directors Pete Cervinka and Eva Lopez.

Due to time constraints, the committee will not be able to take any public testimony at the hearing – but will take letters and written comments and testimony submitted or sent before, during and after the hearing (see below for committee address).

Assembly Select Committee on Disabilities Hearing Rescheduled for Feb 2nd

The Assembly Select Committee on Disabilities, chaired by former State Senator now Assemblymember Wes Chesbro (Democrat – Arcata, 1st Assembly District), has rescheduled from January 26th to February 2nd at 2 PM the informational hearing on the “State of Developmental Disabilities in California” at the State Capitol in Room 126..

Though the informational hearing, titled “State of Developmental Disabilities in California” is not a formal budget hearing – the hearing is likely to focus on the implementation of over $500 million of reductions (including federal funds) to the developmental services budget that was passed as part of the 2009-2010 State Budget approved in February last year and revised last July.

ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Total Members: 27

Democrats (15 members): Noreen Evans (Chair), Jim Beall, Jr (also chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee and member of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health & Human Services), Bob Blumenfield, Julia Brownley, Anna M. Caballero, Wilmer Amina Carter, Wes Chesbro (also chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Disabilities), Hector De La Torre (also chair of the Assembly Accountability & Administrative Review Committee), Mike Feuer, Edward Hernandez, Jerry Hill (also chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health & Human Services), Jared Huffman, William Monning, Ira Ruskin, and Sandre Swanson.

Republicans (11 members): Jim Nielsen (Vice Chair), Anthony Adams, Bill Berryhill, Paul Cook, Bill Emmerson, Jean Fuller, Danny Gilmore, Diane Harkey, Kevin Jeffries, Brian Nestande, and Jim Silva.

Independent (1 member): Juan Arambula

To provide this committee with written testimony or comments, send to the committee office (or provide during the committee hearing):

Assembly Budget Committee
State Capitol - Room 6026
Sacramento, CA 95814
Committee Office Phone: (916) 319–2099

SENATE BUDGET & FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Total Members: 15

Democrats (10 members): Denise Ducheny (Committee Chair), Elaine Alquist (chair of the Senate Health Committee), Mark DeSaulnier, Mark Leno (chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health & Human Services), Carol Liu (chair of the Senate Human Services Committee), Alan Lowenthal (chair of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee), Gloria Negrete McLeod, Alex Padilla, Joe Simitian and Roderick Wright

Republicans (5 members): Robert Dutton (Committee Vice-Chair), Roy Ashburn, Robert Huff, Abel Maldonado, and Mimi Walters

Note: Leno, Alquist and Ashburn are the three members who make up the Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services.

To provide this committee with written testimony or comments, send to the committee office (or provide during the committee hearing):

Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Office
State Capitol – Room 5019 [different from the committee hearing room]
Sacramento, CA 95814
Main committee office phone: (916) 651-4103

BUDGET HEARING SCHEDULE BY SUBJECT

Note: budget committee and subcommittee hearing dates and times are always subject to last minute changes. This schedule is current as of late Monday night (January 25).

CalWORKS

• Feb 02 – Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s special session budget proposals) ***HIGH PRIORITY***
• Assembly has not yet scheduled or held a hearing on this specific issue

Developmental Services (regional centers & developmental centers)

• Jan 26 – Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s special session budget proposals) ***HIGH PRIORITY***
• Assembly has not yet scheduled or held a hearing on this specific issue.
• Note: the Assembly Select Committee on Disabilities (“State of Developmental Disabilities”) originally set for 1/26 has been rescheduled for February 2 at 2 PM ***HIGH PRIORITY***

Education

• Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s budget proposals) held its hearing on the Governor’s special session proposals on Jan. 19.
• Assembly has not yet held or scheduled a hearing on this specific issue.

Healthy Families

• Jan 26 – Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s budget proposals) ***HIGH PRIORITY***Assembly has not yet scheduled or held a hearing on this specific issue.

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)

• Jan 27 – Assembly Budget Committee & Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 (3rd IHSS Reforms Oversight hearing) but has not yet held or scheduled hearing on Governor’s special session proposals on IHSS. ***HIGH PRIORITY***
• Feb 02 – Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s special session budget proposals) ***HIGH PRIORITY***

Medi-Cal and Long Term Care

• Jan 26 – Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s special session budget proposals) ***HIGH PRIORITY***
• Jan 26 – Senate Human Services/Senate Health Subcommittee on Aging and Long Term Care info hearing on “future of Long Term Care” ***HIGH PRIORITY***
• Assembly has not yet scheduled or held a hearing on this specific issue.

Mental Health

• Jan 26 – Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s special session budget proposals) ***HIGH PRIORITY***
• Assembly has not yet scheduled or held a hearing on this specific issue.

SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment grant program) & CAPI (Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants)

• Feb 02 – Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee (Governor’s special session budget proposals) ***HIGH PRIORITY***
• Assembly has not yet scheduled or held a hearing on this specific issue.

Transportation

• Senate Budget & Fiscal Review Committee held hearing on Governor’s special session transportation proposals on Jan 21.
• Assembly has not yet scheduled or held a hearing on this specific issue.

BUDGET & RELATED HEARINGS SCHEDULED TO DATE

The following are budget committees and budget related committee hearings scheduled, updated as of late Monday evening (January 25th).

The Assembly, except for a special oversight hearing on IHSS set for January 27th, and a February 4th general overview of the Governor’s special session proposals, and a Feb 8th informational hearing on uninsured women and breast cancer treatment, has not yet released a budget hearing schedule on the specific Governor’s special session budget proposals.

JANUARY 26, 2010 (TUESDAY)

SENATE BUDGET AND FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

1:00 to 4:00 PM
State Capitol – Room 4203
Budget Informational Hearing – Subject: Overview of the Governor’s Budget Proposals for Health, Developmental Services, Mental Health, and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT HEARING: Yes – limited and brief (written letters and comments can always be submitted before, during and after the hearing)
CDCAN Comment: Includes Medi-Cal, mental health, Healthy Families, developmental services (regional centers/developmental centers). Public Health issues are not, at this point, on the agenda for this hearing. The proposed trailer bill language dealing with Medi-Cal released by the Department of Health Care Services will likely be reviewed at this hearing. Public Health issues are not, at this point, on the agenda for this hearing.
PRIORITY: ***VERY HIGH***

JOINT HEARING SENATE HUMAN SERVICES AND SENATE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE ON AGING AND LONG–TERM CARE

1:30 to 5:00 PM
State Capitol – Room 112
Informational Hearing – Subject: The Future of Long–Term Care
CDCAN Comment: While not specifically reviewing the Governor’s budget proposals, the discussion of the future of long term care is directly linked to many of the Governor’s proposals impacting health and humans services, including Medi-Cal and the on-going process to renew and expand the Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver, set to expire August 2010.
PRIORITY: HIGH

ASSEMBLY SELECT COMMITTEE ON DISABILITIES

Informational Hearing – Subject: “State of Developmental Disabilities in California”
****HEARING POSTPONED – RESCHEDUELD FOR FEB 2 (see below)***

JANUARY 27, 2010 (WEDNESDAY)

JOINT HEARING OF ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE AND SENATE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE #3 ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

01:30 to 3:30 PM – State Capitol Room 4202
Informational Hearing – 3rd Oversight Hearing on the Implementation of Recent Reforms in the In-Home Supportive Services Program
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT HEARING: NO – however the committee will take written letters and comments which can always be submitted before, during and after the hearing)
CDCAN Comment: the two previous informational hearings were held in November. Persons interested in providing the committee with testimony, comments or writing about concerns or problems regarding implementation of the IHSS reforms, can send:

Assembly Budget Committee
Attention: Nicole Vasquez, Committee Consultant
State Capitol - Room 6026
Sacramento, CA 95814
Committee Office Phone: (916) 319–2099

PRIORITY: ***VERY HIGH***

JANUARY 28, 2010 (THURSDAY)

SENATE BUDGET AND FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

09:30 AM or upon adjournment of the State Senate floor session
State Capitol Room 4203
SUBJECT: Overview of the Governor’s Budget Proposals for Corrections and Employee Compensation
PRIORITY: Important

FEBRUARY 2, 2010 (TUESDAY)

SENATE BUDGET AND FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

1:00 to 4:00 PM – State Capitol Room 4203
SUBJECT: Overview of the Governor’s Special Session Budget Proposals for Human Services
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT THIS HEARING: Yes – limited and brief (written letters and comments can always be submitted before, during and after the hearing)
CDCAN Comment: Includes Governor’s budget proposals impacting In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment grant program, CAPI (Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants), CalWORKS (state’s “welfare to work” program).
PRIORITY: ***VERY HIGH***

ASSEMBLY SELECT COMMITTEE ON DISABILITIES

2:00 PM – State Capitol – Room 126
Informational Hearing – Subject: “State of Developmental Disabilities in California”
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT THIS HEARING: Probably
CDCAN COMMENT: This hearing was originally scheduled for January 26, but was postponed and subsequently rescheduled to February 2 – though the time conflicts with a previously scheduled Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee on the Governor’s human services special session budget proposals, including major proposed cuts to In-Home Supportive Services, SSI/SSP, Healthy Families and CalWORKS.
PRIORITY: HIGH

FEBRUARY 3, 2010 (WEDNESDAY)

ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE

1:00 PM – State Capitol – Room 4202
Informational Hearing – Subject: Proposition 58 Special Session Overview
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT THIS HEARING: Not certain – though if allowed, would be very brief
CDCAN Comment: Proposition 58 refers to the voter approved amendment to the State Constitution that authorizes the Governor to declare a “fiscal emergency” that requires the Legislature to consider the Governor’s proposals to address that emergency and to respond in special session with passage of a bill or bills dealing with that emergency
PRIORITY: Important

FEBRUARY 4, 2010 (THURSDAY)

SENATE BUDGET AND FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

09:30 AM or upon adjournment of the State Senate floor session
State Capitol Room 4203
SUBJECT: Governor’s special session proposals not previously heard and alternatives to the Governor’s Budget Proposals, including revenues
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT THIS HEARING: Not certain – though if allowed, would be very brief
PRIORITY: ***VERY HIGH***

SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SURPLUS PROPERTY

11:00 AM or upon adjournment of State Senate floor session
State Capitol Room 3191
Informational Hearing – Subject:

1. Existing practices for identifying and disposing of state surplus property.
2. Progress made towards selling selected properties.

PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT THIS HEARING: Not certain – though if allowed, would be very brief
CDCAN COMMENT: While not reviewing the specific proposals in the Governor’s proposed budget, the issue of state surplus property and how it is identified and disposed would have impact on the budget.
PRIORITY:Important

FEBRUARY 8, 2010 (MONDAY)

ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE

2:00 PM – State Capitol – Room 4202
Informational Hearing – Subject: Every Woman Counts: Eliminating Breast Cancer Screening for Uninsured Women
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TAKEN AT THIS HEARING: Not certain – though if allowed, would be very brief
PRIORITY: Important