Autism coverage bill stalled until next week
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Autism coverage bill stalled until next week

Date: February 11, 2010
By: Scott Kanowsky
State Capitol Bureau
Links: SB 618

Intro:  A bill giving coverage to autistic people stalled until a later date in the Senate Fiscal Oversight committee Thursday.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The committee estimates the cost of the bill now stands around $28 million.

Columbia Republican senator Kurt Schaefer says this is an increase from previous cost.

A supporter of the bill, Schaefer says he hopes to lower the legislation's cost.

Actuality:  AUTIS3.WAV
Run Time:  00:16
Description: "Well I think ideally you'd like to see a fiscal note of zero on everything because what a fiscal note represents is the public cost and private cost of a bill. So anytime a bill has a fiscal note attached to it, especially one that's substantial, that's an issue of public policy of determining, depending on how expensive something is, is it something the legislature wants to pass."

Schaefer says the Senate passed similar bills, only to see them killed in the House. 

The committee decided to hold the bill until they can discuss it further next week.

From the State Capitol, I'm Scott Kanowsky.

Intro:  An autism coverage bill stalled after a Senate Fiscal Oversight committee hearing Thursday.
RunTime:  0:36
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The cost of the bill rose to an estimated $28 million.

Committee chair Brad Lager passed a motion to hold the bill in the Fiscal Oversight committee until a hearing next week.

But supporters say the bill is still on its way to law.

Bill sponsor Senator Scott Rupp.

Actuality:  AUTISM.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "We're very close with the House on an agreement and anyone that's speaking to the demise of this bill has probably not been privy to the progress that's been made."

Many dissenters say the bill will bring higher costs to small businesses.

Similar legislation passed through the Senate last year, but died in the House.

From the State Capitol, I'm Scott Kanowsky.