by Rachelle Hadland, AAPPD Staff | May 31, 2019
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The Legislature adjourned on 5/28 at 12:59 a.m. after having enacted an $11.8B budget.
Thank you to all who participated in our advocacy efforts this session - your time and commitment made a difference and helped back up staff efforts throughout session and in the final hours of budget negotiations.
State Budget Summary - Final
The budget includes $30 million (ongoing) funding for I/DD services as follows:
- $13 million to make the one-time monies received in the current fiscal year (FY 2019), permanent (ongoing) funding. As a reminder, $11 million is for Prop. 206 impacted services and $2 million is for room and board (that was the allocation for the current fiscal year and the allocation remains the same in this budget for FY 2020). This funding was important as it prevents a cut to reimbursement rates and ensures the money goes into reimbursement rates instead of the providers receiving quarterly allotments and having to answer a survey to receive those funds.
- $13 million in ongoing funding for provider rate increases. While the intent is to take care of Prop. 206 impacted services, the only specification is for provider rate increases for this $13 million. AAPPD will be working with DDD/DES on implementation of this funding.
- $4 million for provider rate increases for Prop. 206 impacted services for January 1, 2020. This funding is for half a fiscal year to address the January 1, 2020 increase.
The Legislature did add language to the budget that requires DES to engage community stakeholders regarding the Department's plans to increase provider rates before implementing provider rate increases. The department is required to submit a report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on or before August 1, 2019 describing its efforts to engage stakeholders and the Department's plans to implement provider rate increases for state FY 2020.
Regarding Flagstaff services, the Legislature appropriated $350,000 from DDD funds as a one-time match to the $150,000 that the City of Flagstaff has set aside for providers. This funding is meant to be one-time help for Flagstaff providers dealing with Prop. 414.
The Legislature also passed legislation as part of the budget that will require state agencies to determine if cost increases are attributable to a county or municipal government’s establishment of a minimum wage that exceeds the state’s minimum wage. After considering this information, the state may assess and collect from that county, city or town an amount to reimburse the state for this additional cost. If the county, city or town does not pay the amounts, the state can then reduce their allocation of state shared revenue (an allocation of taxes that goes to counties, cities and towns).
Please Help Us Thank Our Champions
AAPPD has many champions to thank for their hard work in getting $30 million in ongoing funding in the budget. We especially want to thank Senator Kate Brophy McGee whose efforts kept the $30 million in the budget - she never wavered in her support of the need for additional funding.
If you would like to send a thank you to Sen. Brophy McGee here is her contact information:
kbrophymcgee@azleg.gov
Office: 602-926-4486
Facebook Handle: Kate Brophy McGee - State Senate
Twitter Handle: @KateMcGeeAZ
Personal emails to the legislators you have a relationship with or have been communicating with are always the most impactful. Please send thank you notes to those you've been in contact with.
If you want to send thank you emails or share on social media quickly, we have updated our AAPPD Action Center so that you can thank your legislators and our champions and spread the word. Click here to send a thank you email and click here to visit our action center and share on social media.
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