Appropriations committee advances Protection & Advocacy budget with one added FTE

The House Appropriations Committee on an affirmative committee vote advanced House Bill 1014, the biennial budget for the state Protection and Advocacy (P&A) program, approving an amendment that adds one full-time equivalent position and makes routine salary, insurance and IT adjustments.

The P&A program advocates for individuals with disabilities whose rights have been denied and for those subject to abuse or neglect. Committee discussion noted a rise in information-and-referral requests — 6,126 total, split roughly 2,819 in 2023 and 3,307 in 2024 — an increase the presenter said was about 9 percent compared with the prior biennium.

Committee members agreed to the budget package recommended in the executive budget with targeted adjustments: a 3 percent salary adjustment, an increase in the agency health insurance premium assumption (from $1,643 to $1,893 per month), one FTE added in workforce technology services (funded 50% general funds, 50% federal funds) to support assistive-technology outreach and modest increases for IT and one-time retirement-related leave payouts. Committee members asked whether the agency had a backlog and were told agency staff are “very busy,” with turnover and heightened caseloads; a staff member offered to provide specific backlog numbers on request.

Representative Mitscock moved the amendment (25.0158.01001); Representative Steeman seconded. After committee discussion the amendment was adopted and the committee voted to advance HB 1014 as amended. The committee also noted that the P&A system is a federally mandated legal advocacy system for each state, a point several members urged be emphasized when the bill is carried to the floor.

The committee recorded the measure as approved for referral to the floor with the committee carrier assigned.