Kansas
Kansas, like almost every state, has been hit hard with budget cuts that are going to effect services for people with disabilities. One of these cuts is to social and rehab services. The biggest SRS office, that employs 87 people, will close in about a month. The Lawrence office serves people with disabilities and low income.
The Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas and other agencies are fighting to keep the office open. The state says that people can go to other offices in towns that are 20 to 35 miles away. Most people that get service don’t drive. The office in Lawrence has no public transportation. It makes no sense.
An employment first bill was passed recently in Kansas; meaning that people with disabilities should have the same opportunities to get a job in the community with comp
Last updated August 2011
Missouri
People First of Missouri
The hard work and determination of Missouri Self Advocates paid off on Friday, May 13, with the passage of the most sweeping and meaningful legislation affecting people with disabilities in Missouri’s history. A number of Bills were passed in the final hours of the Legislative session that produced several very important Laws for people with disabilities. The largest and most far reaching of these Bills was HB555 which had packaged ten other Bills into a single piece of Legislation. The five primary Bills that passed included many important changes. The most notable of these included the following:
- Changes certain references to “mental retardation” and “handicapped” in State statutes to “intellectual or developmental disability” and also rewords parts of statutes to reflect the use of “People First Language”.
- Makes it law that the disability of a person cannot be the basis for determination when it comes to termination of parental rights.
- Creates a check off box on state income tax forms that enable people to donate to a newly created Developmental Disability Waiting List Equity Trust Fund.
- Requires all new parking signs to contain the words “accessible parking” and not “handicapped” or “disabled”. (SABE Board member Cathy Enfield originally got this Bill introduced and spent five years getting it passed)
There were many other administrative and oversight provisions included that are also important, but not as exciting. It was particularly satisfying that these Bills received bipartisan support. HB555 actually passed both houses without receiving a “no” vote. Self-advocates of Missouri are very happy and energized by the passage of these Bills. It has helped us realize that hard work and determination do pay off. It has also encouraged us to work even harder in the future.
Last updated August 2011
Nebraska
No new information
North Dakota
No new information
South Dakota
No new information