Latest Update (Updated: 08/18/2008)

Governor Scott McCallum signed the Budget Repair Bill into law on Friday, July 26, 2002. The Budget Repair Bill was necessary to correct a budget deficit of over $1.1 billion in the 2001-2003 state biennial budget.

The Budget Repair Bill approved by the Legislature and sent to the Governor contained several items of interest to people with disabilities. Below are some items showing the Governor's actions:

• State Centers for the Developmentally Disabled Task Force: VETOED
• Medical Assistance Provider Fraud and Abuse: VETOED
• Medical Assistance Prior Authorization of Prescription Drugs: APPROVED
• Select Campaign Finance Reform provision: APPROVED
• Shared Revenues to Local Governments: APPROVED

The State Centers Task Force and Provider Fraud and Abuse provisions were strongly supported by the WCDD and the Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations. The legislature could vote to override the Governor's vetoes, however, override attempts are rarely successful.

The Assembly and Senate included several items which would have improved services and programs for people with developmental disabilities that were lost in the compromise crafted by the conference committee. Additional funds to reimburse the special education costs of school districts, health insurance parity for mental health and substance abuse treatment, consolidation of the institutional and community funding appropriations, and other issues were rejected by the conference committee.

Please see the Budget Repair Bill Summary and Comparison for a summary of issues impacting people with disabilities. The Governor's Veto message is also available on the web in PDF form.

The next budget action will occur in early 2003, when the Governor will introduce the 2003-2005 state biennial budget bill.

Advocates' Responses

• QEC Press Release and Memo to Conference Committee, June 24, 2002
• Survival Coalition to select Representatives and Senators, April 15, 2002 (PDF)
• Survival Coalition Letter to the Senate, April 1, 2002 (PDF)
• Survival Coalition Letter to Legislature, February 13, 2002 (PDF)
• WCDD Testimony to Joint Finance Committee, February 13, 2002 (PDF)