Draft Only – Approval Pending

Committee Meeting Information

October 21, 2005

Teleconference

Committee Members Present

Representative Elaine Harvey, Chairman

Senator Hank Coe, Vice Chairman

Senator Mike Massie

Representative Bruce Barnard

Representative Rosie Berger

Committee Members Absent

Senator John Hines

Representative John Hastert

Legislative Service Office Staff

Jerry Laska, Staff Attorney

Don Richards, Senior Research Analyst

Others Present at Meeting

By recognition:  Cliff Mikesell, WDH, Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD); Kevin Malm, DDD; Peg Brown Clark, State Department of Education; Mitch Brauchie, regional service provider; Clark Burden, regional service provider; Kathleen Orton, Child Development Services.

Call To Order

Chair Harvey called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m., and roll call was taken.

Preschool Study

The Committee discussed the report on the costs of delivering developmental programs to preschool students prepared by Dr. Linda Goetze.  The Committee generally discussed some concerns as to whether the figures in the report were accurate or suspicious.  The Committee concluded that current information regarding salary levels for comparable staff within the K-12 school system were not available to Dr. Goetze.  The Committee also noted that comparable salary levels did not include recent salary and benefit increases provided for K-12 staff through legislative appropriation during the 2005 session for the 2005-06 school year.  Representative Berger moved to accept the report; Senator Massie seconded the motion.  It carried by roll call vote.  (See Appendix 2.)

Consideration of 06LSO-0228.W1, Developmental Preschool Funding.

Representative Berger initiated the discussion of the draft legislation.  She indicated the Task Force that met to develop legislation determined that the reimbursement mechanism recommended in Dr. Goetze's study was thought to be too administratively burdensome and complicated.  Next, Senator Massie provided an overview of the legislation to the Committee.  (See Appendix 3 for a copy of the draft legislation.)  Representative Berger moved the bill, and Senator Coe seconded the motion.  Senator Massie informed the Committee that while he would be participating in the discussion of the legislation and possible amendments, he would be declaring a conflict on the vote of the bill itself.

Representative Berger noted that page 2, line 19 should read "providers" not "provides."  Chair Harvey acknowledged the grammatical error and directed staff to make the necessary adjustment.

Senator Massie moved to insert "for the coming fiscal year" on page 2, line 24, after the word "budget".  The motion was seconded and passed.

Representative Harvey moved "early childhood special educators" be added on page 3, line 22 after the word "for" and make conforming changes elsewhere in the draft, if needed.  Representative Berger seconded the motion, and it carried.

Senator Coe moved to replace "counted" on page 3, line 3 with the term "estimated" and to replace the word "previous" on page 3, line 4 with "current."   Senator Massie seconded the motion, and it carried.

Representative Harvey moved the phrase "an inclusive and" be stricken from page 4, line 8.  Representative Berger seconded the motion, and it carried.

Senator Massie moved the phrase "common standards and" be stricken from page 4, line 12.  Senator Coe seconded the motion, and it carried.

Senator Massie moved that the effective date of the bill be "immediately" rather than on July 1, 2006 to allow the Division to began preparing new rules, if necessary.  Representative Barnard seconded the motion, and it carried.

Senator Massie moved to replace "joint labor, health and social services interim committee" with the "education committee" throughout the bill.  Senator Coe seconded the motion, and it carried.

Representative Barnard left the teleconference in order to attend another Committee meeting.  He announced he votes "Aye" on this legislation and "Aye" in favor of the letter to the Joint Appropriations Committee.

The Committee next discussed whether an amendment would be needed to accommodate necessary administrative expenses of the Division.  The Committee elected not to pursue this issue at this time.

Representative Massie moved to replace the phrase "developmental screenings of" on page 5, lines 7 and 8, with the phrase "child find activities for".  Representative Berger seconded the motion, and it passed.

After further discussion of definitions, Senator Massie moved to include the definition of "preschool children with disabilities" as defined in W.S. 21-2-702(a)(ii) in the draft legislation and revise the definition to account for children ages "birth through five" rather than simply children "three through five".  Within his motion, Senator Massie also directed LSO staff to consider whether any other conflicting definitional changes would be necessary.  Senator Coe seconded the motion, and it passed.

A roll call vote on the draft legislation was taken, with Senator Massie declaring a conflict.  The motion passed with the direction that the bill be introduced in the House.  (See Appendix 4 for a copy of the official vote form.)

Letter of Recommendations to the Joint Appropriations Committee

Representative Harvey directed the Committee's attention to a draft letter to the Joint Appropriations Committee (Appendix 5) and suggested that the Committee include a fourth recommendation for support of the newly sponsored legislation, which contains an appropriation of $12 million.  Senator Massie moved to approve the draft letter with the addition described; Senator Coe seconded the motion.  It passed.

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Chair Harvey adjourned the meeting at 9:00 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Representative Harvey, Chair