A House panel advanced Tuesday a funding bill to fix the massive budget shortfall in Arizona’s disability services despite a bipartisan push for changes to the proposal, frustrating lawmakers and caregivers alike.
The state’s Division of Developmental Disabilities runs out of money at the end of the month. If the Legislature does not pass a $122 million supplemental funding bill, the division will shut down until the state’s new budget year starts in July.
House Bill 2945 and an identical measure, Senate Bill 1734, advanced out of their respective chamber’s Appropriations committees on Tuesday. The House version won approval by only one vote – and after three additional Republicans were added to panel minutes before the hearing began…