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News & Press: Legislative Updates

NASW-NC Legislative Session Update: Budget Update and Restrictive Abortion Bill Heads to Governor

Monday, June 14, 2021   (0 Comments)
Posted by: Kay Castillo

 

North Carolina legislators have announced that they have reached an agreement on how much to spend in this year’s state budget. Both the House and the Senate have been working on their own budgets, so we anticipate seeing budget details in the coming week. Legislators agreed to spend $25.72 billion in 2021-2022 and $26.7 billion in 2022-2023. Unfortunately, Medicaid Expansion is not mentioned in budget conversations from what we understand. Legislators are also proposing various tax cuts in their budget plans. NASW-NC will continue to monitor budget details as they are released.

 

Last week, legislators discussed House Bill 665 Address Direct Support Staffing Crisis/Medicaid and House Bill 914 Support Our Direct Care Workforce. House Bill 665 addresses staff needs for intermediate care facilities by funding $17.5 million in 2021-2022 and $21.8 million in 2022-2023. House Bill 914 increases the hourly wages of direct support staff across a variety of Medicaid services including Innovations and other home and community-based waivers, personal care services, home health, nursing homes and other behavioral health community and residential facilities. This increased rate is intended to make sure that people who qualify for services have the direct support workforce they need. Increased rates mean providers can pay competitive wages, retain experienced Direct Support Workers, and people who need support can receive the help they need. Both bills passed the House Health Care Committee and were sent to the Appropriations Committee.

 

Finally, Senators took up and passed House Bill 453 Human Life Nondiscrimination Act/No Eugenics. The bill would prohibit doctors from performing an abortion if the pregnant person is seeking an abortion due to a fetus' presumed race or a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome. NASW-NC is OPPOSED to this legislation. The bill was sent to the Governor and NASW-NC has advocated with Governor Cooper’s office to veto this legislation.


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