S.127 establishes housing planning committee for individuals with developmental disabilities and sets a 600‑unit target

The House General & Housing Committee heard on April 3 that S.127 would create a state housing and residential services planning committee to produce a plan for housing individuals with developmental disabilities.

Committee staff described the committee as tasked with designing an actionable plan that reflects diverse needs, including individuals with high support needs and those requiring specific communication supports. The statute would require a schedule to create at least 600 additional service‑supported housing units, an annual estimate of the number and support needs of people to be served, anticipated funding needs and recommendations for changes in state law or policy that impede development of homes for people receiving Medicaid‑funded home‑and‑community‑based services.

Nut graf: The planning committee is distinct from the Universal Design Study Committee the House previously proposed; staff said the two efforts overlap conceptually but pursue different objectives — one focuses on housing explicitly designed for people with developmental disabilities while the other addresses universal design principles for broader housing accessibility.

The bill sets procedural items: the Secretary of Human Services would call the first meeting by July 15, the committee must report to the House and Senate committees (including Human Services) by Nov. 15, and per diem authorizations for legislators were removed by appropriations. Staff noted the committee’s membership will include legislative and agency representatives and stakeholders.

Ending: Committee members requested testimony from service providers and agencies to inform the plan and signaled they would coordinate with the separate Universal Design work already underway. No formal action was taken during the walkthrough.