Weekly Legislative Update 5.22.15
5.28.2015
This Week At The Capitol:
There are now less than two weeks remaining in the 2015 regular session and the House and Senate Calendars are thick with bills left for action in both Chambers. And, of course, there remains the little issue of the budget.
The House passed SB 841, AAC the Implementation of a Comprehensive Children’s Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Health Plan. The bill sets up a Commission to implement the plan and Youth Service Bureaus have a seat at the table. I believe a volunteer has already stepped forward to take the seat. Thank you!! The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
Budget negotiations continue behind closed doors. It is my understanding that there is a basic framework for the spending package and that it may be far less than what came out of the Appropriations Committee. The number I’ve heard is 3% over the Governor’s budget, which means cuts will have to be made to the Committee’s budget as passed at the end of April. I highly recommend that YSB Directors and supporters begin calling their Legislators requesting that YSB funding remains in the budget at the levels that both the Appropriations Committee and Republican alternative budgets set forth. This may be the last best hope to keep your funding at current levels! I will keep you in the loop as budget negotiations develop.
