Governor’s Budget Veto On Sunday The Governor vetoed the state budget passed by the NC General Assembly. At this point, the NC Senate has enough majority votes to override a veto, and the NC House believes they also can override a veto if at least 4 of the 5 Democrats who voted for the budget…
Autism Insurance: Not Dead Yet!
Autism insurance bill sponsors have introduced very good bills this year that make sure that North Carolina health plans cover services for autism spectrum disorder so it’s disappointing that autism insurance legislation has not moved forward in the North Carolina General Assembly this session.  We all know it’s the right thing to do, making sure…
Senate Budget Released: More Cuts to Autism!
On May 24, the North Carolina Senate released its version of the state budget, which cuts an additional 3% from Health and Human Services programs, including $30 million in cuts to state funded services (IPRS), $51 million more in cuts to Medicaid optional services for adults, $10 million in cuts to non-profits, and $25 million…
Managed Care Waivers: A Guide for What You Should Know
There are days in public policy work where it can feel like you are wandering lost, and unlike the woman pictured here there is no map. Then there are the days where you have no shortage of maps, but they all say to go in different directions. One of my jobs at the Autism Society in North Carolina (ASNC)…
House Budget Proposal Released, Includes 1915 b/c Managed Care Waiver
 Budget: The General Assembly House Appropriations Sub-committees released their budget proposals and budget special provisions last week. In most cases, sub-committees used the Governor’s budget cuts as a starting point and then cut an additional 1.6 billion dollars from the state budget for a total reduction of 2.5 billion dollars from the base budget….
Make Your Voice Heard!
There are several upcoming opportunities to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder, get information on budget and policy issues, advocate for services and supports, and educate elected officials. Save the Date for Autism Awareness Day! Mark your calendars now and join The Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) at the for the 2011 Autism Awareness Day…
Public Policy and Legislative Update: The First Few Weeks Have Mostly Been About the Budget
November’s elections swept more than 40 new legislators into office and put Republicans in control of both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly (GA) for the first time in over 100 years. The new leadership of the House and Senate hit the ground running in late January during the first week of session with…
Public Policy and Government Relations at the Autism Society of North Carolina
Greetings from the desk of the Director of Government Relations! My first couple of months at The Autism Society of North Carolina have been a whirlwind of activity. I’m grateful that I finally have a chance to start addressing policy questions in our blog and let everyone know what is happening in public policy for people…