Appropriations Committees Begin Talking Budget Cuts March 18, 2011
Greetings!
Budget committees learned more about programs from staff and began having discussions about possible cuts.
- Health and Human Services: Committee members voted to accept the cut recommendations from the Governor's budget (but not any expansion items). There were objections from both the majority and minority over this unusual action, and no one is sure that it is binding at all. It does, however, show something about the members' thinking on the cuts process.
- Education: This week's Education budget committee focused on higher education programs.
- Justice and Public Safety: The JPS appropriations committee learned about and discussed juvenile justice programs in detail. Concerns were brought up about the Governor's proposed consolidation of DJJDP, Crime Control and Corrections into a new Dept. of Public Safety. Advocates fear that community programs for youth (Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, or JCPC, programs) may be targeted for cuts. See this week's Action Item, below.
Bill Update Tracking lists of bills in each of Action for Children's four areas of interest will be maintained on the website and updated weekly. Please visit our Policy Action page for full lists. Here are highlights of the bills that were introduced or moved this week. Safety HB49: LAURA'S LAW. Passed the House and referred to Senate Judiciary II. Would increase penalties for repeat DWI offenders HB145: PHOEBE'S LAW. Referred to House Judiciary A. Would increase the use of electronic speed-measuring systems. HB382: JUVENILE CODE REVISIONS. Introduced and sent to Judiciary C. Amends the juvenile code under laws pertaining to abuse, neglect and dependency. SB7: ADD CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. Senate concurred with House substitute. Ratified. Would add synthetic marijuana to the list of controlled substances. SB49: INCREASE FINE FOR SPEEDING/SCHOOL ZONES. Referred to House Judiciary B. Education H343: SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT/SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS. Introduced and sent to Judiciary A. Anti-immigrant bill with many provisions, including forbidding access to community colleges and universities for undocumented immigrants. HB344: TAX CREDITS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. Introduced and sent to Education committee. Would give a tax credit to parents of children with disabilities who are enrolled in private schools. SB8: NO CAP ON CHARTER SCHOOLS. Passed out of House Education Committee and referred to House Finance. SB348: TUITION FOR DEPENDENTS OF DEPLOYED MILITARY. Introduced and referred to Education/Higher Education committee. Would allow dependents of deployed military personnel stationed in NC to receive one year of in-state tuition at a community college. Health HB115: NC HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGE did not move this week, but is on the schedule in House HHS for next week. Would establish the health insurance industry as a voting presence on the Board that regulates the state health exchange, to be implemented in 2014.
HB334: REPORT ON FITNESS TESTING IN SCHOOLS. Scheduled to be heard in House Education committee on 3/22 at 10 a.m. (643 LOB)
HB341/S338: TOBACCO PRODUCTS TAX INCREASE. Introduced and referred to Rules committee. Would add a $1 sales tax to cigarettes to discourage smoking and raise revenue.
HB347: NOTIFICATION TO TREAT MINORS/12 OR YOUNGER. Introduced and sent to House HHS committee. Would require that medical professionals inform the parents when a minor receives medical treatment for pregnancy, substance abuse, venereal disease or emotional disturbance.
SB325-SB337: Series of bills on mental health. Companions to House bills. Referred to Senate Mental Health and Youth Services committee.
TAKE ACTION: Services for At-Risk Youth At Risk! Committee targets JCPC services. The Justice and Public Safety appropriations committee has been discussing the various programs run by the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP). Advocates are concerned that the Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils (JCPCs) -- the community services that form the backbone of DJJDP -- may be targeted for cuts.
Contact members of the Senate and House JPS Appropriations Committees to tell them NOT to cut JCPCs. Funding for JCPCs is a small, targeted investment that pays off big dividends in lower juvenile crime, fewer youth institutionalized and lower costs to the state. The other option - institutionalizing youth - is vastly more expensive for the state. - As the prevention and intervention infrastructure for the state, JCPC-funded programs are the judges' resource to provide court-ordered sanctions to youth.
- JCPC programs, on average, serve youth for 1% of the cost of Youth Development Centers (YDC), which are long-term commitment facilities for juvenile offenders.
- If only 1% of participants in JCPC programs are kept out of YDCs, the savings to the state amount to more than the entire JCPC budget.
- Court counselors, law enforcement officers and schools use JCPC programs as diversion from court, saving the state thousands of dollars per case in court costs and other judicial resources.
- Research demonstrates that youth served safely in the communities have a better chance for success than those committed to juvenile justice facilities.
- If JCPC funds are cut by 10%, DJJDP estimates that:
- 3,000 fewer youth would be able to be served;
- 60 programs would have to shut down; and
- 200 local government and nonprofit jobs would be lost.
March 15th Children's Advocacy Day a Great Success! THANK YOU to the more than 300 parents, grandparents, teachers, advocates and others who came out to support children on March 15th. Our group flooded the legislature, visiting members and leadership and participating in an outdoor press conference/rally in support of Health Choice insurance for children, early education and services for at-risk youth. The event made it onto the News 14 evening news and here's a clip from online. This News and Observer story on the possible merger of Smart Start and More at Four also quotes some of the parents who participated in the press conference. Click here for some photos of the day. Sincerely, Action for Children North Carolina |
