Action Alert: Public hearing on Monday, 3/20 for LD 464 and LD 659

​On 3/20 at 11 am the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will hold a public hearing on LD 464, An Act to Eliminate Waiting Lists for Community-based Services for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Brain Injury or Other Related Conditions, and LD 659, An Act to Promote Seamless and Flexible Home and Community Supports Across the Lifespan for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities or Autism.
 
LD 464 would eliminate the wait lists for MaineCare Section 21 (the comprehensive waiver), Section 29 (the supports waiver), Section 18 (brain injury waiver), and Section 20 (other related. conditions). It would also eliminate the wait lists for state-funded elder services (Chapter 5, Section 63, and Chapter 11).  This bill would go well beyond the biennial budget, which would eliminate only the Section 29 wait list.
 
LD 659 would establish a waiver to provide services to people regardless of their level of need.  It also: Establishes a stakeholder group to advise on design and implementation (which is already up and running); and establishes goals for the Lifespan waiver.
 
If you support LD 464 and/or LD 659 you can submit testimony in person, in writing, and/or via zoom.
 
To testify:

• Go to https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
• Click the “Public Hearing” radio button
• Choose “Health and Human Services” from the pull-down menu
• Select Mar 20 2023 11:00 AM from the “choose date” pull-down menu
• Select the LD 464 or LD 659 radio button
• Check the “I would like to testify electronically over Zoom” if you want to testify via zoom
• Either upload written testimony or type it into the text box
• Fill out first name, last name, city/town of residence, email address, and phone number
• Check “I’m not a robot” and click the Submit/Register button

 
If you checked the ‘testify via zoom’ link then you’ll get a zoom link emailed to you. On hearing day you’ll be able to attend as a participant (who can’t talk or turn camera on) until shortly before it’s your turn to testify. When it’s your turn, they’ll “promote” you to a “participant”. Your zoom might look like you’ve lost the connection just momentarily, but then you’ll reappear as a regular participant who can unmute, turn on camera, etc. And you can tell the committee what you think about LD 464. (Senator Baldacci, Representative Meyer, and Distinguished members of the HHS Committee)
 
If you would like to submit testimony for both bills you will have to go back to https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/ and fill out the form separately  and select the other LD number radio button. 
 
Thank you for raising your voice and taking action!