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Niello Urges Passage Of Emergency Funding Legislation To Protect Vital Services
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Assemblyman Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), today joined GOP lawmakers and service providers for developmentally disabled adults and children to urge Democrats and Governor Schwarzenegger to immediately pass legislation that would fund vital services for California’s most vulnerable residents as budget negotiations continue.
“It is wrong for this budget impasse to affect California’s most vulnerable citizens such as the elderly and disabled,” said Assemblyman Niello. “While the budget debate continues, it is absolutely necessary to pass emergency legislation that would allow the state to continue to fund essential services so vulnerable populations won’t be negatively impacted.”
Assemblyman Niello and his GOP colleagues support legislation, SB 1456 (Denham), and AB 24 xxx (Houston) that would allow the state to continue to fund health care services relied upon by the poor, the elderly and the disabled while the state faces a budget delay. Care for the developmentally disabled, those who require 24-hour care, those who utilize regional centers and other Medi-Cal recipients would continue without interruption under the Republican legislation.
Many health providers that give care to the vulnerable, such as adult day care facilities, are almost completely funded through the state Medi-Cal program. Without a state budget in place, their funding stops. With the state’s budget delay now more than two months old, several hospitals today are running out of money and are on the brink of having to close their doors and leave their patients without care.
Ten years ago during a budget stalemate, Democrats and Republicans worked together with Governor Wilson to pass emergency funding legislation that allowed the state to continue to pay its bills temporarily while budget differences were resolved. “I urge the Governor and Democrats to summon that same spirit of cooperation and do the right thing to pass the emergency legislation while negotiations continue on a final budget agreement,” said Assemblyman Niello.
