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Action Alert - 6/25/02
AFC Recaps 2002 HIV/AIDS Legislative Highlights
HIV Prevention Funding Reduced; ADAP Funding Protected
The Illinois
General Assembly's 2002 spring legislative session, which adjourned recently,
dealt with a record number of AIDS-related issues. The AIDS Foundation
of Chicago (AFC) played a key role in pursuing sound AIDS-related funding
and legislation, and has just released a recap of legislative highlights
from this year's session. To view a detailed report about the HIV/AIDS
issues addressed this year, click here.
Many
thanks to the hundreds of Illinois AIDS advocates who called, visited,
or wrote state lawmakers this year. Your efforts in the fight against
AIDS are greatly appreciated.
| 2002
Budget: |
Issue: |
Final
Outcome: |
| Prevention
Funding |
The
General Assembly appropriated $2.25 million in general revenue funds
for HIV prevention programs targeting communities of color. |
Governor
Ryan vetoed this appropriation and the Senate failed to override the
veto, which means these funds will not be available in FY03. |
| AIDS
Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) |
The
General Assembly adequately funded ADAP by appropriating $7 million
in state general revenue funds, which was the same amount as was originally
appropriated in FY02. |
The
budget passed and was signed by Gov. Ryan. |
| Hepatitis
C Awareness and Testing |
The
General Assembly maintained $250,000 in funding for Cook County programs
focused on hepatitis C awareness and testing. |
Governor
Ryan vetoed this appropriation and the Senate failed to override the
veto, which means these funds will not be available in FY03. |
| 100%
Campaign |
The
budget implementation bill eliminated a statutory requirement to raise
the Medicaid spend-down threshold from 85% of the federal poverty
level (FPL) to 100% FPL beginning July 1, 2002. |
The
Illinois Department of Public Aid has issued a policy memorandum stating
its intention to raise the Medicaid spend-down threshold to 100% FPL
on July 1 despite the lack of a statutory requirement to do so. |
| Pharmaceutical
Access for Medicaid Clients |
By
exempting HIV drugs from a new policy that limits Medicaid beneficiaries
to only four brand-name prescription drugs per month, lawmakers helped
ensure that people with AIDS on Medicaid would continue to receive
their HIV medications. |
The
budget implementation bill was signed with protections for medications
to treat HIV/AIDS through Medicaid. |
| Office
of Rehabilitative Services (ORS) |
AFC
and other disability rights organizations sought higher increases
for ORS than those proposed by Governor Ryan in order to maintain
current levels of service. Hundreds of home-bound people with AIDS
receive homemaker services through ORS. |
Lawmakers
approved a $40 million increase in funding for the ORS program, which
was $26 million less than the program's projected need. State officials
have pledged not to cut services, and it is expected that declining
caseloads and the transition of clients from ORS to new senior programs
will allow ORS to continue operating at its current funding level. |
| Family
Care |
According
to the FY03 state budget, Illinois should receive $40 million in federal
funds to begin implementation of FamilyCare, a program that will provide
Medicaid coverage to low-income parents of children covered by the
state's KidCare program. |
The
signed budget included the FamilyCare program. Implementation is expected
to begin after July 1, 2002. |
| Revenue
Enhancements |
Following
months of advocacy by a coalition of human service advocacy groups
called the "Emergency Campaign for a Fair Budget," lawmakers slowly
began to consider revenue-generating alternatives to budget cuts.
Nearly 200 groups joined the Campaign, including AFC, and worked to
ensure that legislators consider the alternatives by writing letters,
making phone calls, arranging editorial board meetings, and conducting
legislator visits. |
In
the end, legislators and the governor approved a hike in cigarette
taxes ($230 million), in casino taxes ($135 million), and blocked
a corporate tax break that would have accelerated declining revenues
($240 million). These revenue enhancements helped offset the damage
done by severe state budget cuts to human services. |
| Non-budget
Legislation: |
Issue: |
Final
Outcome: |
| HIV
Prevention: |
Senate
Joint Resolution 58 (Senate sponsors: Rauschenberger, Syverson, Trotter,
Ronen; House sponsors: Feigenholtz, Currie, Wirsing, Osmond, Miller)
created the Commission on Medical
Instruments, which will review scientific literature regarding
sterile syringe availability for the purposes of public health promotion
and HIV prevention. In addition, the Commission will advise the General
Assembly on medically appropriate standards for sales of sterile syringe
in Illinois. |
SJR
58 passed the Senate on April 18 and the House on May 9. The Illinois
Department of Public Health is expected to convene the Commission
soon. |
| Assistance
for Inmates and Family Members |
House
Bill 4115 was originally drafted to require mandatory HIV testing
of all Illinois inmates and notification of their HIV status to their
family members. In partnership with the ACLU and Howard Brown Health
Center, AFC convinced Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), the bill's sponsor,
to amend the bill to eliminate the testing and notification requirements.
The bill was redrafted to require the state to develop a new HIV prevention
education program targeted to both inmates and their families. |
HB
4115 passed the House Judiciary Committee – Criminal Issues on February
15, but was never called for a vote before the session adjourned,
which effectively killed the bill. |
| Prior
Authorization For Prescriptions Through Medicaid |
Lawmakers
amended Senate Bill 2201 (Parker, R-Northfield) to include a provision
to protect access to antiretroviral drugs for Medicaid recipients
who need them. The amendment requires the state to conduct a study
of the likely impact of the policy and report findings to the General
Assembly before establishing a prior authorization requirement for
antiretroviral medications. |
The
amended version of SB 2201 passed the House on June 1 and the Senate
on June 2. It is currently awaiting the governor's signature. |
| Pharmaceutical
Access |
House
Bill 4000 (Franks, D-Woodstock) limited Medicaid recipients to four
brand-name drugs each month. The sponsor agreed to an amendment excluding
antiretrovirals and other AIDS drugs from the restriction.
|
The
bill was heard in the House Aging Committee, where it did not receive
enough votes for passage. |
| Internet
Filters |
Two
bills—House Bill 1215 and Senate Bill 698— were amended to include
language requiring internet filters on all public library computers.
AFC opposes requiring filters because they generally block access
to HIV/AIDS prevention information. |
Each
bill passed a single legislative chamber, but did not receive final
approval before the session adjourned. |
| Human
Rights |
House
Bill 101 would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, access
to financial credit, and access to public accommodation based on sexual
orientation. |
HB
101 passed the House on March 27, 2001, but was never called for a
vote in the Senate. |
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