The Joint Finance Committee held FY2027 budget orientation and full presentation sessions for the Governor's Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens, the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families, and the Delaware State Housing Authority. No votes were taken; key flashpoints included the exclusion of a No Eject No Reject shelter from the Governor's recommended budget and whether GACC is being adequately consulted by state agencies and legislators.
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Director Weir and Chair Bill Doolittle argued that GACC is not brought into legislation and task forces early enough, with Doolittle stating that everything legislators do has an impact on individuals with disabilities. Senator Sturgeon countered that this is a two-way street, arguing that GACC's three paid staff could monitor daily legislative filings as other advocacy groups do, stating 'it seems to me that one of them could look at the filings, the daily filings.' Director Weir ultimately acknowledged the two-way street argument, stating 'I 100% believe in the two way street, 100% in everything we do.'
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“GACC serves as Delaware's state advisory panel under the Individuals with Disabilities Education act, providing required policy guidance to the state education agency on unmet needs, regulatory proposals, data reporting, corrective actions and coordination of services for children with disabilities. I want to add that the state of Delaware has designed the GACC beautifully We are the only agency in the country that”
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Sign in to subscribeGood morning, everyone. The Joint Finance Committee will come to order. We're going to start right off with orientation, starting with the Governor's Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens. We have in front of us our fantastic analyst, Victoria Brennan. We'll do roll call once everyone filters in here, probably after this first orientation. So, Victoria, if you'd go ahead and please get us started. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, committee members. Beginning on tab 7700 for the governor's Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens, what you will see is a fiscal year 2026 base budget of three general funded positions and total general fund dollars of $401,600. Below that, you will see a fiscal year personnel contingency of $10,200. There were no budgetary requests for this agency. However, you will see a discretionary 1% request for American Sign Language Interpreter Services. This was not recommended in the Governor's recommended budget, but. But Office of Management and Budget has worked with the agency to identify contractual dollars to support this initiative. That leads. Great. I'm glad to hear that. Because you know, that, you know, saves me from having to beat up on OMB a little bit, so. Gotcha. Okay, good.…
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