House Sponsors: SAVIANO-SCOTT-LYONS,EILEEN-JONES,LOU-MCKEON AND BOLAND. Senate Sponsors: WALSH,T-JONES-CARROLL Short description: DHS-CARE WORKERS-WAGE INCREASE Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Amends the Community Services Act. Provides that the annual appropriation to the Department of Human Services to fund community services shall include a percentage increase for the wages of direct care workers that is equivalent to the percentage cost of living increases granted for the same year to mental health technicians in mental health centers operated by the Department. Provides that the increases in wages that are based on cost of living increases granted to mental health technicians and provided to direct care workers in community settings shall be applied to appropriations to the Department beginning July 1, 1997 for the State fiscal year 1998 and shall continue each year thereafter. Effective immediately. STATE MANDATES FISCAL NOTE, H-AM 1 HB 368, as amended by H-am 1, fails to create a State mandate. FISCAL NOTE, H-AM 1 (DMHDD) The fiscal impact for HB 368 is $10,962.7. HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Replaces changes to the Act in the bill as introduced to provide that the annual appropriation to the Department of Human Services to fund community services for the developmentally disabled and mentally ill shall include a percentage increase for the wages of direct care workers that is equivalent to the Employment Cost Index for Health Service Occupations, which increase shall be in addition to any increase attributable to other factors, including cost of living increases for community services. Provides that the increases in wages that are based on the Employment Cost Index for direct care workers in community settings shall be applied to appropriations to the Department beginning July 1, 1997 for the State fiscal year 1998 and shall continue each year thereafter. Provides that the Department shall receive certification from the provider agency that any increase appropriated pursuant to this amendatory Act of 1997 shall be utilized in its entirety to provide wage increases to direct care workers. Last action on Bill: SESSION SINE DIE Last action date: 99-01-12 Location: House Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 1 SENATE - 0 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status