An Act to repeal 20.435 (7) (f); to create 20.435 (7) (f) of the statutes; Relating to: grants for economic support specialists and making an appropriation. (FE)
Summary
AB973 would direct the Department of Health Services (DHS) to use a $1,000,000 general purpose revenue appropriation to award grants to 10 counties to support an economic support specialist position in the aging and disability resource center (ADRC), also referred to in statute as a resource center, that serves each county. The bill gives DHS specific preference for six of the grants: two to rural counties, two to suburban counties, and two to urban counties. If money remains after those awards, DHS may fund an 11th county as well.
The bill also requires each grant recipient to report back within one year to DHS and the appropriate legislative committees on how effective the grant was, including an estimate of how many individuals were served by the specialist hired with the grant funds. The appropriation is structured as a continuing appropriation for the grant program, but the authority to award grants expires after 12 months, and the statutory funding provision is repealed on July 1, 2027.
Impact
AB973 would temporarily create and fund a new DHS grant program within the disability and elder services budget to expand county-level economic support specialist capacity in ADRCs. It would amend the state budget statutes to add a $1,000,000 appropriation for this purpose, authorize DHS to distribute the funds to counties under specified geographic preferences, and require post-award reporting. The bill affects DHS, county governments, and ADRCs/resource centers that provide long-term care information and services to the public.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported in the Assembly, passing 97-0, suggesting strong bipartisan or unanimous agreement on the need to support ADRC-related economic assistance services. The bill’s focus on county-based service delivery and a limited, report-backed pilot-style grant structure likely contributed to its favorable reception. However, the later legislative status indicates it ultimately failed to concur in pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, meaning it did not complete the full enactment process despite the strong Assembly vote.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record, and no committee transcript excerpts are provided. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the limited number of grants, the geographic preference system favoring rural, suburban, and urban counties equally for six awards, and the temporary nature of the funding and authority. Any disagreement likely centered on budget priorities, the distribution formula, or whether the program should be a short-term grant initiative versus a more permanent funding stream.
Crossfiled
An Act to repeal 20.435 (7) (f); to create 20.435 (7) (f) of the statutes; Relating to: grants for economic support specialists and making an appropriation. (FE)