California Senate and Assembly Budget Panels Reject Schwarzenegger Proposed Major Cuts to In-Home Supportive Services--Large Cro

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

• Approval of 1 Year suspension of state COLA for SSPand CalWORKS

• Major Showdown Coming with No Solution on Bridging a Growing Budget Shortfall

By Marty D. Omoto
Director/Organizer
California Disability Community Action Network

The full Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee chaired by Sen. Denise Ducheny (Democrat - San Diego, 40th District) and the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services, chaired by Assemblymember Patty Berg (Democrat -Eureka, 1st District), held separate hearings late afternoon on Thursday (May 29th) and rejected the Governor's proposed major cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and many other human service programs, under the enormous shadow of a growing budget shortfall.

Despite the long delays in the start of both hearings due to long Assembly and Senate floor sessions, both hearing rooms and galleries were packed with standing room only, with people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, IHSS and other direct care workers, advocates, organizations and others.

The actions on IHSS, SSI/SSP and other budget proposals by the Governor calling for major spending reductions that the two budget panels rejected means that a major showdown and long stalemate among Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature and the Governor is fast approaching.

Important Budget Hearings Today on Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, CalWORKS

Both the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services have scheduled important hearings Friday morning (May 30) at 10:00 a.m.

The Senate hearing will convene at the State Capitol in Room 4203 and should start on time, focusing on the Governor's proposed cuts to Medi-Cal and Healthy Families among other health related budget issues.

The Assembly hearing will meet at the State Capitol in Room 4202 and also should begin on time, and will likely focus on CalWORKS, possibly SSI/SSP and other remaining human service issues that the subcommittee intends to act on.

Budget Panels Reject Major IHSS Cuts Proposed by Governor