What's Happening in the Legislature?

January 11, 2021

Big Day on Wednesday: Guardianship & Big Sky Waiver Bills

At 3:00, both the House Human Services and the Senate Public Health Committees will hear bills that came out of the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee.  The House Human Services Committee will hear HB 37, “Clarify requirements for the Medicaid medically needy program.” Click here to read this bill. This bill reverses the current policy that only allows medically needy individuals to pay cash to “spend down” to qualify for Medicaid every month.  It would instead also allow people to deduct medical costs not covered by Medicaid to “spend down.” to qualify for Medicaid.  This is sponsored by Rep. Tom Welch and will be in room 152.

Click here to access contact information for the House Human Services and the Senate Public Health Committees.

Also at 3:00, the Senate Public Health and Safety Committee will hear SB 33, “Require 30-day notice before termination of participation in HCBS waiver program.” Click here to read this bill. This would give a waiver recipient 30 days notice if the department is considering terminating services. It is sponsored by Sen. McNally and will be heard in room 317.

Senate Public Health will also hear SB 43, “Require administrative rulemaking for substantive changes to HCBS programs.” Click here to read this bill. This bill require certain things like limitations and caps on waiver services to be noticed in rule instead of changed in policy without public input.  It is sponsored by Sen. Diane Sands and will also be heard in room 317.

The Senate Public Health Committee will also hear SB 32 “Revise monitoring requirements for guardians of adults.” Click here to read this bill. This bill would require potential guardians to submit a plan for caring for the potential ward at the time the person petitions for that position. The sponsor is Sen. McNally and the hearing is in room 317.  

Click here to access contact information for the Senate Public Health and Safety Committee.

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Stay Informed

We will be posting an electronic newsletter each Friday during the 2021 legislative session. We will give you information about upcoming budget and general bill hearings, developments for other bills we are following and action alerts when these bills are coming up for votes.