Budget Repair Bill Summary and Comparison (Updated: 08/18/2008)
The Budget Repair Bill (BRB) was introduced by Governor Scott McCallum to repair a $1.1 billion deficit in the 2001-2003 biennial budget. The Assembly and Senate have each made many amendments and have passed different versions of the BRB. A conference committee consisting of legislative leaders from the Assembly and Senate will try to resolve the differences. The BRB negotiated by the conference committee must pass both the Assembly and Senate before it is sent to the Governor for signing.
The following is a list of issues monitored by people with disabilities, with a brief description of how the issue was addressed by the Governor, Assembly, Senate, and the Conference Committee.
Community Integration Program, Community Options Program, Birth to Three Program, Family Support, and Vocational Rehabilitation.
Gov: Maintain current budget.
Assem: Maintain current budget.
Sen:
Maintain current budget.
CC: Maintain current budget.
Final: Maintain current budget.
Campaign Finance Reform:
Reduces the influence of special interests and money in elections by imposing spending limits, disclosing sources of financing, and other methods.
Gov: Exclude from bill.
Assem: Exclude from bill.
Sen:
Include in bill.
CC: Included some important provisions.
Final: Some provisions included.
Legislative Hotline:
Toll-free hotline (1-800-362-9472) that constituents can use to contact their legislators.
Gov: Maintain current hotline.
Assem: Delete funding and hotline to save $60,000.
Sen:
Maintain current hotline.
CC: Maintain current hotline.
Final: Maintain current hotline.
Medical Assistance Prescription Drugs Co-payments:
Fees paid by consumers purchasing prescription drugs under Medical Assistance.
Gov: Maintain current fees.
Assem: Increase co-payment for brand name drugs from $1 to $2 effective July
1, 2002. Increase from $5 to $10 the maximum amount of co-payments a recipient
is required to pay in any month to each pharmacy from which the recipient
receives drugs.
Sen:
Maintain current fees.
CC: Maintain current fees.
Final: Maintain current fees.
Medical Assistance Prior Authorization of Prescription Drugs:
Requires approval from the Department of Health and Family Services before prescriptions for certain medications will be covered by Medical Assistance.
Gov: Include prior authorization in bill.
Assem: Include prior authorization, but exempt drugs for respiratory illnesses,
mental illness, or diabetes.
Sen:
Include prior authorization as recommended by Governor.
CC: Include prior authorization to save $13.5 million; create a prior authorization
committee.
Final: Include prior authorization to save $13.5 million; create a prior
authorization committee.
Mental Health/Substance Abuse Parity:
Requires health insurance plans to provide the same coverage for treatment of nervous and mental disorders and substance abuse as provided for treatment of physical conditions.
Gov: Exclude parity from bill.
Assem: Exclude parity from bill.
Sen:
Include in bill.
CC: Maintain current law and exclude parity.
Final: Maintain current law and exclude parity.
Shared Revenue Program:
State aid to poor communities to help pay for such services as public safety, nutrition programs, libraries, emergency shelter, human services, etc.
Gov: Eliminate the shared revenue program ($1 billion to local governments)
completely by calendar year 2004.
Assem: Reduce shared revenue by $279.4 million in calendar year 2003 and another
$235 million in calendar year 2004.
Sen:
Maintain current budget.
CC: Maintain current budget for calendar year 2003. Reduce shared revenues
by $40 million in 2004 and sets aside up to $45 million in bonuses for local
governments that consolidate servcies.
Final: Maintain current budget for calendar year 2003. Reduce shared revenues
by $40 million in 2004 and sets aside up to $45 million in bonuses for local
governments that consolidate services.
Special Education:
State and federal law require school districts to provide all students with disabilities age 3 through 21 with appropriate educational opportunities in the least restrictive environment. State funding partially reimburses school districts for special education costs.
Gov: Maintain current budget.
Assem: Maintain current budget.
Sen:
Increase of $27.4 million for special education aids for the 2002-2003 fiscal
year. (Decrease of $9.1 million in general school aids to maintain two-thirds
state funding of education.)
CC: Maintain current budget.
Final: Maintain current budget.
State Centers for the Developmentally Disabled:
Three state administered centers housing people with cognitive and developmental disabilities.
Gov: Maintain current law.
Assem: Require the creation of a task force to develop a plan, by September
1, 2002, for the future role of the state centers.
Sen:
Maintain current law.
CC: Require the creation of a task force to develop a plan, by March 1, 2003,
for the future role of the state centers.
Final: Reject creation of task force and maintain current law.
Legislative Council Study Committee on Developmental Disabilities Recommendations:
Requires Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) to seek federal waivers and pilot children's long term care redesign; requires DHFS to consolidate funding for institutional and community-based waiver services; adds 4 legislative members to the Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities; and requires the WCDD to prepare a report evaluating waiting lists data compiled by DHFS.
Gov: Exclude Study Committee recommendations.
Assem: Include Study Committee recommendations.
Sen:
Exclude Study Committee recommendations.
CC: Exclude Study Committee recommendations.
Final: Exclude Study Committee recommendations.
