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Governor's Budget Address on February 1
Governor Bredesen will address the General Assembly on Monday evening at 6:00 to present his 2010-2011 budget. The budget is expected to show a 9% cut to the TennCare program, which will be accomplished by both cuts to providers and cuts in benefits for adult enrollees. In addition to many other cuts, thanks to a over a year's worth of a record-breaking shortfall in state revenue, major cuts to the model Coordinated School Health (CSH) program are also likely.
CSH, which started in ten counties in 2003 but has now been extended to virtually every school system in the state, costs about $15 million each year to fund school health coordinators for each district. The program has demonstrated impressive gains in many areas, including reduced body mass index levels for middle schoolers and declining high school dropout rates. Tennessee is recognized as a national leader in the effort to take a holistic view of children and health factors that affect their success in school.
Only K-12 funding is expected to be untouched in the new budget.
Since the regular session just resumed this week after a two week special session on education, subcommittees and committees are still gearing up. Yesterday was the cutoff for the filing of new bills, but all legislation that was not disposed of in 2009 remains pending for possible action this year.
As noted last week, the perennial bill on madatory joint custody has been filed, as well as two aimed at eliminating any coverage for terminating a pregnancy in any state insurance exchange that may one day come of the national discussion on health care reform.
This week, Rep. Mike Turner's HB776 on pay equity is to be heard in the Employee Affairs Subcommittee of Consumer and Employee Affairs on Wed. at 12:30. The bill was filed last year and enacts the "Pay Equity in the Workplace Act," which sets up a program for recognition of model non-discriminatory employers under the Department of Labor, and authorizes the Tennessee Women's Economic Council to provide training to "affected individuals" on matters involving wage discrimination and to train women and girls in developing negotiation skills. SB1664, the companion bill by Sen. Thelma Harper, has been in the Senate Commerce Committee and has never been scheduled since its introduction. NWPC supports the bill.
The next report will describe major newly filed bills that are priorities for to the caucus.
Andrea Dunn
Vice President Legislation
TWPC & NWPC |
