The Kansas House Social Service Budget Committee voted to cut all remaining State General Funds used to support Kansans with developmental disabilities. The Appropriations Committee will consider these cuts next week.

My clients with developmental disabilities already face waiting periods of three to eight years for necessary services from the state. I understand the state’s fiscal crisis; however, I also understand that Kansans with developmental disabilities already face sparse service.  There is no fat to cut.

Kate’s Law would require health insurance to cover the diagnosis and treatment of Autism spectrum disorders.  Today, the Kansas House will vote on a motion to pull Kate’s law out of the House Insurance Committee and send it to the House floor for debate.

The motion needs 70 votes to pass.  If it passes, then a second motion will move the bill “above the line” where it can be debated and passed out of the House.

Learn how you can support this important legislation by checking the web site for the Kansas Coalition for Autism Legislation.

Missouri’s on-again off-again Halloween restrictions on sex offenders is back on again.

The Missouri legislature passed a law affecting registered sex offenders on Halloween.  Missouri sex offenders must:

• stay in their homes from 5:00 until 10:30 pm,
• turn off all outside lighting, and
• post signs saying, “No candy or treats at this residence.”

The law applies retroactively to sex offenders who registered prior to its passage.   A federal court issued an injunction preventing the law from applying retroactively.  Yesterday, though, a federal appellate court overruled the injunction, allowing the law to protect trick-or-treaters tonight.