Legislature votes to require Disability Rights Arkansas to report to legislative subcommittee despite agency objections

Representative Lademan introduced House Bill 13 82, a measure that would require Disability Rights Arkansas (DRA), the state's federally designated protection-and-advocacy nonprofit, to provide its existing reports and to make representatives available to the Legislative Council's Hospital, Medicaid and Developmental Disabilities study subcommittee when requested.

Supporters said the change would increase legislative oversight and offer families a regular forum to raise concerns. "This bill simply requires Disability Rights Arkansas to attend our subcommittees ... when requested and to communicate to the legislature their successes and their challenges," Representative Lademan said during his opening remarks. Parents and guardians described long histories with human development centers (HDCs) and urged the committee to approve the bill.

Julia Frost, a parent and guardian, said her adult daughter benefited from placement in an HDC and described being alarmed when DRA monitored the facility and recommended closure without notifying guardians. "It is unacceptable for DRA to use her as an example of inappropriate treatment without even talking to my husband and me, her legal guardians," Frost testified.

Other parents described situations in which family members with complex needs were sustained in HDCs and said…