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Social Services Roundup: More Cuts in 2010, But Lobbyists Say It Could Have Been Worse
With reporting assistance from Rosette Royale Bitttersweet may be the best description of the legislative session, say advocates who spent the winter’s session at the state capitol defending health and human services programs from a $2.8 billion budget deficit. While cash assistance for poor individuals, General Assistance – Unemployable
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Un-Busting the Budget: The Impact Health Care Reform Will Have on Washington State
The passage of national health care reform by the U.S. House of Representatives was the best news that state Senator Karen Keiser (D-Kent), chair of the state Senate’s Health and Long-Term Care Committee, has heard all year. “I’m excited!” she says. “It’s the first time all session I’ve
Update 2 on GAU: House, Senate Pass Deal for Disability Lifeline — Bill Goes to Governor
UPDATE: The House and Senate have passed a compromise bill to keep the state’s General Assistance-Unemployable program going — minus what is now a potential cut of 3,000 to 4,000 recipients. That’s how many people human services advocates say could be cut Sept. 1 from the program under
Compromise Would Save Disability Program, But Cut 1,200
After weeks of negotiations on proposals that were far apart, the House and Senate have crafted a compromise bill to save the $339-a-month cash grant and medical coverage that the temporarily disabled receive through the state’s General
Senate: no more clawback
The state Senate passed its capital budget yesterday with an amendment by Sen. Karen Fraser, D-22nd, that restores nearly $40 million to the Housing Trust Fund. The move
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The Big “Clawback”: Senate Would Take Back Housing Money
The state Senate is working late tonight, and one of its major tasks is to amend, and possibly approve, the state’s capital budget through June 2011. One major headache has developed for affordable housing advocates:
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Basic Health Plan Squeaking By — Maybe
With just days to go in a session where state lawmakers are facing a $2.8 billion deficit but can’t agree on which taxes to raise, nothing is certain. Unless a drastic cut is proposed at the last minute to resolve the differences between the House and Senate, however, the Basic Health Plan, a state-subsidized
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Child Care: Deal Means Funding Not Dead
Despite appearances, funding for the Working Connections child care program may not suffer a $30 million cut after all, according to a state representative who has withdrawn a budget amendment that would have restored
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Elderly Health Centers in Jeopardy
One of the larger items in trouble as House and Senate budget writers reconcile their dfferences is medical care for hundreds of frail, elderly people. It’s the work undertaken by dietitians, physical therapists and nurses at non-profit centers, mostly affiliated with local hospitals. They’re
Child Care Bill Passes Senate
A new bill setting broad parameters for the state’s welfare-to-work program passed the Senate yesterday, 27-20, with a key measure restored. The Senate Human Services and Corrections committee had pared down a
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