CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- House and Senate conferees completed work on the 2010-11 state budget bill Thursday afternoon.
House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White, D-Mingo, said the budget includes an additional $15 million for Medicaid waiver programs to provide in-home care to senior citizens and for persons with developmental disabilities.
The House had hoped to increase the program that provides seniors with in-home care by $12.3 million and had proposed increasing the Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability waiver by $9.9 million, to $90 million.
Delegates compromised on $7.5 million increases in each account, White said.
"That issue was one that was debated as much as any in the eight years I've been chairman," Senate Finance Chairman Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas, said of the compromise on in-home care for seniors.
Earlier in the session, legislators were told that more than 900 seniors around the state are medically eligible for the program, but could not receive in-home care because there's not enough state funding.
Advocates of the program say it ultimately saves the state money by allowing senior citizens to remain in their homes instead of moving into costly nursing homes.
Funding increases in the two waiver programs were an exception to the rule in the 2010-11 budget, as most agencies and divisions will absorb 2.5 percent spending cuts, compared to the current budget.
White believes the conferees came up with the best spending plan possible, given the tough economy, and were able continue full funding for programs for state libraries, and programs for senior citizens and veterans.
"House and Senate members can go back home knowing this is a good budget for the citizens of their districts," White said.
Helmick agreed, noting, "The main thing I believe we've accomplished is that we've been able to provide all these services, without making promises that will indebt future generations," he said.
Overall, the costs of operating state government from this July 1 through June 30, 2011 will total $11.6 billion, $3.7 billion of which comes from state tax collections.
Final drafting of the budget bill was taking place Thursday night, in order to have copies of the bill available for legislators this morning<co>. Plans are to give members 24 hours to review the bill, putting it up for a final passage vote Saturday morning.
However, there were concerns in committee Thursday that House Republicans might block a vote to suspend the legislative rule that requires a bill be read on three separate days -- a procedural move that could extend the session through at least Sunday.
House Republicans extended a June 2008 special session by two days by blocking a rules suspension -- which requires a four-fifths majority for passage -- and came within one vote last year of blocking a suspension to vote on the 2009-10 budget bill.
House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, said Thursday House Republicans don't intend to block a rules suspension this year, so long as any supplemental appropriation bills that the Manchin administration may send up for a vote Saturday are distributed to delegates today<co >.
"We just don't want them dumped in our laps on Saturday, and be told to vote on them when no one has had time to look at them," he said of any supplemental appropriations for the current budget year.
"There have been a lot of times when they want us to suspend on bills that we haven't even seen," Armstead said. "If we have time to review them, it's likely we would vote to suspend [the rules]."
If the Legislature completes its work Saturday, it will bring the 2010 regular session and extended budget session to an end after 67 days.
Gov. Joe Manchin, however, has indicated he will call the Legislature back into special session to deal with public education reform, most likely in mid-May.
Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- House and Senate conferees completed work on the 2010-11 state budget bill Thursday afternoon.
House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White, D-Mingo, said the budget includes an additional $15 million for Medicaid waiver programs to provide in-home care to senior citizens and for persons with developmental disabilities.
The House had hoped to increase the program that provides seniors with in-home care by $12.3 million and had proposed increasing the Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability waiver by $9.9 million, to $90 million.
Delegates compromised on $7.5 million increases in each account, White said.
"That issue was one that was debated as much as any in the eight years I've been chairman," Senate Finance Chairman Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas, said of the compromise on in-home care for seniors.
Earlier in the session, legislators were told that more than 900 seniors around the state are medically eligible for the program, but could not receive in-home care because there's not enough state funding.
Advocates of the program say it ultimately saves the state money by allowing senior citizens to remain in their homes instead of moving into costly nursing homes.
Funding increases in the two waiver programs were an exception to the rule in the 2010-11 budget, as most agencies and divisions will absorb 2.5 percent spending cuts, compared to the current budget.
White believes the conferees came up with the best spending plan possible, given the tough economy, and were able continue full funding for programs for state libraries, and programs for senior citizens and veterans.
"House and Senate members can go back home knowing this is a good budget for the citizens of their districts," White said.
Helmick agreed, noting, "The main thing I believe we've accomplished is that we've been able to provide all these services, without making promises that will indebt future generations," he said.
Overall, the costs of operating state government from this July 1 through June 30, 2011 will total $11.6 billion, $3.7 billion of which comes from state tax collections.
Final drafting of the budget bill was taking place Thursday night, in order to have copies of the bill available for legislators this morning<co>. Plans are to give members 24 hours to review the bill, putting it up for a final passage vote Saturday morning.
However, there were concerns in committee Thursday that House Republicans might block a vote to suspend the legislative rule that requires a bill be read on three separate days -- a procedural move that could extend the session through at least Sunday.
House Republicans extended a June 2008 special session by two days by blocking a rules suspension -- which requires a four-fifths majority for passage -- and came within one vote last year of blocking a suspension to vote on the 2009-10 budget bill.
House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, said Thursday House Republicans don't intend to block a rules suspension this year, so long as any supplemental appropriation bills that the Manchin administration may send up for a vote Saturday are distributed to delegates today<co >.
"We just don't want them dumped in our laps on Saturday, and be told to vote on them when no one has had time to look at them," he said of any supplemental appropriations for the current budget year.
"There have been a lot of times when they want us to suspend on bills that we haven't even seen," Armstead said. "If we have time to review them, it's likely we would vote to suspend [the rules]."
If the Legislature completes its work Saturday, it will bring the 2010 regular session and extended budget session to an end after 67 days.
Gov. Joe Manchin, however, has indicated he will call the Legislature back into special session to deal with public education reform, most likely in mid-May.
Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.
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