PFC would like to thank our statewide
partner, Kansas
Action for Children, for providing the Kansas
legislative update in our Capitol Child Advocate.
Blunt
Announces he will not Seek Reelection
Legislators, advocates, and Missouri
citizens were all surprised by Governor Matt Blunt’s
announcement on Tuesday that he will not be seeking reelection
this year. Explaining his decision, Governor Blunt said that he
had achieved virtually everything that he had set out to
accomplish, that he did not have a sense of mission for a second
term, and that he is looking forward to spending more time with
his family.
In the immediate future, child advocates are
left wondering what impact the Governor’s announcement
will have on the budget and priorities already laid out for the
2008 legislative session. The Governor stated that he has
achieved everything that he set out to accomplish, and yet
70,000 children have lost state health coverage since 2005,
127,000 children are currently uninsured, and Missouri’s
Preschool Project continues to serve only 4% of our
state’s 4-yr-olds while dozens of other states are pushing
to offer pre-k for all children.
To view Governor Blunt’s 2008 budget
items relating to children, click here:
To view Partnership for Children’s
2008 legislative agenda, click here:
Missouri Bills of
Interest
As
the Missouri legislative session
heats up, committees are starting to meet and hear the bills
assigned to them.
There are several bills being heard this week impacting
children and families.
PFC is tracking, but has not taken a position on any of
the following bills. To view a complete list of tracked bills,
visit:
http://www.pfc.org/BillTrackingStatus_012808.doc
HB 1352, sponsored by Rep. Sam Page will
be heard Tuesday, January 29th at 12 pm in HR 6 in the House
Committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety. This bill
requires all public higher education institutions, including
Linn State Technical College and community and
junior colleges, to check the state sexual offender registry for
each applicant for student housing. No person who is required to register as a
sexual offender will be granted student
housing.
HB 1468, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Pratt
will also be heard on Tuesday, January 29th at 12 pm in HR 6 in
the House Committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety. This
bill establishes Hope's Law which changes the laws regarding the
crime of endangering the welfare of a child in the first
degree. Any person
who violates the provisions of Chapter 195, RSMo, regarding the
possession or control of a controlled substance in the presence
or in a residence where a person younger than 17 years of age
resides will be guilty of a class B
felony.
HB 1524, sponsored by Rep. Ward Franz
will be heard Wednesday, January 30th @ 8 am in the
House Special Committee on Family Services. This bill
establishes a Quality Rating System for child care facilities.
The companion bill in the Senate, SB 766 sponsored by Senator
Shields, was heard 2 weeks ago in the Education committee but
has not yet been voted out of
committee.
HB1550, sponsored by Rep. Bryan
Stevenson will be heard on Monday, January 28, 2008 upon
adjournment in HR 1 in the House Judiciary Committee. This bill
expands the jurisdiction of juvenile courts to include
individuals who are 17 years of age for the sole purpose of
status offenses by revising the definition of "child" and
"adult."
SB 724, sponsored by Rep. Delbert Scott
will be heard on Monday, January 28, 2008 in the Senate Lounge
at 2 pm by the Senate Committee on Financial & Government
Organizations & Elections. Currently, advanced practice registered
nurses have the authority to administer, dispense and prescribe
certain drugs while operating under a collaborative practice
agreement. This act authorizes advanced practice registered
nurses who hold a certificate of controlled substance
prescriptive authority from the board of nursing to administer
or dispense controlled substances while operating under a
controlled substance collaborative practice
agreement.
Other Missouri
Hearings
House Appropriations Committee for
Health, Mental & Social Services: The
committee is scheduled to hear the Department of Social Services
Budget Overview every day of session next week including Monday
1/28 at 10 am in House Hearing Room (HR) 6; Tuesday 1/29 and
Wednesday 1/30 at 2 pm in HR 5, and Thursday 1/31 at 8 am in
HR5.
House Education Appropriations
Committee: The committee is scheduled
to hear the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Budget Overview on Monday 1/28 at 11 am and Tuesday 1/29 at 2
pm. Both days the committee will meet in HR 1.
Senate-Appropriations Committee
: The committee will focus on Tax Credits on Monday
1/28 at 12:30 pm in SCR 2.
Special Committee on Healthcare
Transformation:
Rep. Schaaf’s Special Committee on Healthcare
continues its series of hearings this week on the Insure
Missouri proposal. The committee will meet Monday 1/28 at Noon
in HR 4, and Thursday 1/31 at 8 am in HR 2.
Kansas Graduated Driver’s
License
The House Transportation committee held two
days of discussion Jan. 22-23 on SB 294, which would establish a Graduated
Driver’s License in Kansas. At the end of
discussions, Chairman Gary Hayzlett (R-Lakin) appointed a
subcommittee to further discuss the legislation and bring a
compromise to the full committee. The subcommittee will hold its
first meeting at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, in 519-S. Members of
the subcommittee are Representatives Virgil Peck (R-Tyro), Tom
Sloan (R-Lawrence), Jeff King (R-Independence), Margaret Long
(D-Kansas City) and Julie Menghini
(D-Pittsburg). Visit www.kac.org/GDL for more information on a graduated drivers licensing
system.
Report on Kansas 2010 Commission for
Early Childhood
The House Education Committee heard the
Report of the 2010 Commission on Thursday, Jan. 24. Last
session, HB 2310 directed the Legislative Education Planning
Council (LEPC) in coordination with the 2010 Commission to study
and make recommendations regarding the coordination and
governance of early childhood education. Based on a proposal
from the Department of Education, the 2010 Commission
recommended moving the Infant-Toddler special education program
(Tiny-K), Early Head Start and Pre-Kindergarten pilots to the
Department of Education. The 2010 Commission also recommended
that the Children's Cabinet and Early Learning Coordinating
Council (ELCC) continue to work this year to improve
coordination and expand access to early childhood programs not
included in the Department of Education. The legislation
enacting the recommendations is contained in SCR 1614, SB 407,
and SB 408.
Other Kansas Bills & Hearings of
Interest
Two bills relating to child care licensing will be
heard this Thursday, Jan 31st, in the Federal &
State Affairs Committee at 1:30 pm. HB 2003 adds an exception allowing child care
homes to have double the amount of children during limited time
periods before and after school. HB 2053 relates to the licensure of child care
facilities by cities, counties, and school
districts.
Children's Cabinet. The Senate Ways and Means committee will hear an
update from the Children's Cabinet at 10:30 a.m. Thurday, Jan.
31 in 123-S.
SCR 1614 is a Concurrent Resolution by the
Legislative Educational Planning Committee requesting the
Governor to designate the State Board of Education as the lead
agency to administer the Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities
Program.
SB 408 transfers the authority for the
Infants and Toddlers with disabilities services program to the
Department of Education.
SB
407 transfers the authority
for the Pre-Kindergarten Pilots and Early Head Start programs to
the Department of Education.
Child Advocacy Day – Tuesday, Jan.
29th, 2008
Join hundreds of child advocates in
Jefferson City TOMRROW, January 29, 2008, for the 26th annual
Child Advocacy Day! Come show your support for better public
policies to support children. Participate in workshops, visit
exhibit booths to learn about new services and programs, discuss
critical issues affecting children with legislators, and network
with other advocates. For more information, visit the Child
Advocacy Day Web site at www.childadvocacyday.org
Federal
Update
Veto Override Fails
Again for SCHIP
Reauthorization
Supporters of expanding the State Children's Health
Insurance Program fell 15 votes short of the two-thirds majority
needed to override President Bush's veto. The House voted
260-152 January 23rd to override the president's second veto of
the bill, which would have added $35 billion to the program and
paid for it with a tobacco tax increase. The tally was similar
to the House's first attempt to override Bush's SCHIP veto. All
Democrats but one -- Rep. Jim Marshall of Georgia -- and 42
Republicans who supported the bill voted to override. The last
time the House voted to override Bush's veto of an SCHIP bill,
44 Republicans joined with Democrats. Two of those Republicans
were absent for today's vote. Missouri Representatives Akin, Blunt,
Graves and Hulshof all voted
NO.
House, Senate
Leaders Denounce Applying Income Eligibility Policy to
Medicaid
Congressional leaders, including Senate Finance
Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT), House Energy and Commerce
Committee Chair John Dingell (D-MI), and House Oversight and
Government Reform Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-CA) have sent
Health and Human Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt a letter
questioning the legality of a policy that will deny or severely
limit access to health insurance for low-income
children.
Recognizing that states are very differently
situated in terms of costs of living the federal government,
including the Bush Administration, has long afforded states
flexibility to uniquely tailor certain aspects of their State
Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIPs) and Medicaid
programs, including the ability to set income eligibility
limits.
In
a sharp departure from that sound policy, however, the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a policy
directive in the form of a letter to state health officials last
August that makes it next to impossible for state SCHIP programs
that are already covering or desire to cover children in
families earning more than 250% of the federal poverty level
(FPL) to do so. 250% of FPL is $51,625 for a family of four. To
cover children in families above 250% FPL through SCHIP, the
directive requires states to prove that children have been
uninsured for at least an entire year. Such states would also
have to show they have enrolled at least 95% of their children
below 200% FPL who are eligible for either SCHIP or
Medicaid.
"Despite repeated warnings about the legality of
the Aug. 17, 2007, directive, and the absence of a formal
rulemaking process, your administration has continued to pursue
a policy that is contrary to federal law and that limits
children's access to health care," the lawmakers wrote to
Leavitt.
"Federal law does not authorize CMS to effectively
impose an income eligibility cap in [SCHIP] or Medicaid." The
authors of the letter requested that CMS reverse its decision
immediately and for Leavitt to respond to their demands by
January 31.
Voices
for America’s Children has recently published an issue
brief highlighting the potentially damaging effects of the various decisions made
by the Administration to limit enrollment in the state
children’s health insurance program and Medicaid. To view
this report online visit: http://www.pfc.org/Federal_Progress_for_Childrens_Health_2007.pdf
Until Next Week –
Carrie Shapton & Emily Smith
Policy & Outreach
Coordinators
Partnership for Children
