Senate Human Services panel debates bill requiring DHS to write uniform payment method for independent living programs

Chair Gelserboom opened a work session April 8 on Senate Bill 9‑11, saying the measure would require the Department of Human Services to adopt rules establishing a uniform payment methodology for providers of independent living program transition services for foster children.

The bill as described by committee staff would direct the department to consider hours of in‑home services, time spent on outreach to hard‑to‑reach foster youth, and adequate capacity and staffing based on average monthly population served. The dash‑1 amendment would also require the Department of Human Services to submit a report at least once every three years to interim legislative committees on the effectiveness of the uniform payment methodology.

Committee members spent the bulk of the discussion on a fiscal impact statement posted to the bill packet that, according to senators, appears to include specific rate increases and staffing costs not written into the bill text. "The bill is about the shape of the bucket," Chair Gelserboom said, describing the measure as setting a methodology rather than setting dollar amounts. Several senators said the fiscal note’s line items—including an estimated $3.8–$4.0 million shown elsewhere—do not match the bill’s language.

Dale Penn, representing Youth Villages, and Andrew Grover, identified in the hearing as an executive director who previously testified on the bill, told the committee they believed the fiscal estimate likely reflects what the governor recommended in the executive budget and not the statutory language of the measure. "I haven't seen the fiscal up until just a few minutes ago," Dale Penn said, noting he could not fully reconcile the analysis on short notice.

Senators pressed staff that if a fiscal attaches figures that the bill does not include, the committee should hear from the agency that produced the fiscal. Several members asked for the Department of Human Services to appear to explain why the fiscal note includes specific rate and staffing amounts when the bill simply requires the department to adopt a methodology.

A motion to adopt the dash‑1 amendments to Senate Bill 9‑11 was introduced by Senator Linthicum, but the committee recessed before taking a recorded vote. The chair temporarily recessed the work session and directed staff to try to secure agency staff for a follow‑up discussion.

The committee subsequently announced that the work session on Senate Bill 9‑11 would be carried over to the next scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 9.

Votes and formal actions recorded during the hearing on this item: the dash‑1 amendments were moved for adoption (mover: Senator Linthicum); no roll‑call vote was completed before the work session was recessed. The committee placed the item on the carryover list for April 9.