Moving Forward: Vol. 18, Issue 8

AMENDED BUDGET: The Fiscal Year 2013 Amended budget passed the Senate on Friday, Feb. 22. The Senate 2013A budget differs from the House on several funding items, so the budget now goes to conference committee to work out the differences. To review those differences, please see last week's issue of Moving Forward.

Both House and Senate subcommittees are working on the 2014 budget. Members of the Unlock Coalition are meeting regularly with legislators, but we cannot make our case without the voices of advocates and families needing services.

Legislators want to hear from their constituents! Please call or write your legislators, particularly about the need for additional funds to support those who wish to go to work and housing assistance that would allow individuals to live in their own homes. For more information, go to unlockthewaitinglists.com and click "2013 Session Unlock Ask."

In other news, House Speaker David Ralston has made several changes to his high-profile House Bill 142, and that revised version passed the House at the start of this week. House Bill 78, which expands criminal penalties for abusing vulnerable adults, heads to the full house; Senate Bill 202, which deals with long-term care facility arbitration agreements, is being debated in committee. For detailed information on this & other bills, go to www.legis.ga.gov and click "Legislation".

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