H.B. 958                                                  VETOES

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I have today
vetoed House Bill 958.                                       

House Bill 958 has the practical effect of requiring the State to annually include in the
budget, beginning with fiscal year 1997, a cost of living adjustment equal to the
percentage of the annual increase provided to State employees for community program
providers that serve individuals with developmental disabilities, alcohol and drug abuse
programs, and for community-based psychiatric rehabilitation programs that serve
individuals with psychiatric disabilities. The estimated fiscal impact of this proposal would
be approximately $4.5 million.

While I am extremely sympathetic to the plight of these service providers, I must resist
this attempt to preempt the Governor's executive authority over the State budget by
mandating this increase in statute. Expenditures of this fund must be considered in the
context of other demands for State resources and other fiscal constraints that must be
addressed as we attempt to provide tax relief and meet spending affordability limits. In.
addition to the community organizations that provide services for the Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene, there are other community providers that assist in carrying
out the service programs of other State agencies. I am concerned that this bill would
address only one faction of the State's network of community program providers. This
funding should be properly provided through the budget process and not through an
ongoing statutory mandate.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has indicated that providing a cost of
living increase for these providers will be a high priority in the preparation of their FY
1997 budget request. I fully support this prioritization, but the amount and timing of
additional expenditures must be made in consideration of the budget picture as a whole.

For these reasons, I have vetoed House Bill 958.

Sincerely,

Parris N. Glendening

Governor                                                                   

House Bill No. 958

AN ACT concerning

Developmental Disabilities Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Community

Programs - Reimbursement Rates

FOR the purpose of requiring the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to adopt
regulations to adjust, beginning with Fiscal Year 1997, the reimbursement rates
annually for certain services through the Developmental Disabilities
Administration, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration, and the Mental
Hygiene Administration; specifying that the adjustments shall be made according to
certain allocations provided in the State budget for State employees; and generally
relating to the reimbursement rates for community programs funded by DHMH.

BY adding to

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