Public Policy for the People: Federal Update and Preparing for the State Legislative Session

Hello advocates! We’re back with another federal update on critical funding for the disability community. In our previous articles, we’ve worked hard to give you all the essential information about how proposed federal budget cuts could affect people with disabilities. In this update, we will also cover new information from the Governor’s Office asking state agencies not to request increased funding for the upcoming state budget. Finally, we will share how you can help advocate on these issues and get involved with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities’ (GCDD) advocacy ahead of the 2026 legislative session.

Federal Update

As a recap: the Presidential Administration’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026 recommended eliminating core funding for the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs, and making significant cuts to state Protection and Advocacy organizations (P&As).

In Georgia, these programs include:

• Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University – UCEDD
• Georgia LEND at the Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University – Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities
• Institute on Human Development and Disability at the University of Georgia – UCEDD
• Georgia Advocacy Office – P&A

Right before the Senate’s August recess, the Senate Subcommittee on Appropriations held a markup for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) bill. This markup allowed Senators to make changes, and the committee voted to reinstate essential funding for these programs. The bill has now passed out of committee and will head to a full Senate vote, expected in early September.

We have been in close contact with Georgia’s federal Senators, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, emphasizing the critical importance of these programs.

Now Our Focus Shifts to the House

The next step is advocacy in the U.S. House of Representatives. Georgia plays a unique role here:

• Representative Sanford Bishop sits on the Appropriations Committee
• Representative Andrew Clyde serves on the Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

GCDD is tracking the Senate and House sub-appropriations committees and working to build relationships with both representatives throughout this process. Representative Clyde, who serves the 9th district in Georgia, sits on the subcommittee. Representative Bishop, who represents the 2nd district in Georgia, serves on the full appropriations committee. We are urging the House Appropriations Committee to follow the Senate’s lead and support these critical programs for the disability community. Keep an eye out for GCDD advocacy alerts on how you can get involved.  

Shifting from Federal to State

Summer is coming to an end, and work under the Gold Dome has already begun. Since the passage of HR 1—also known as the “Big Beautiful Bill”—state agencies have been scrambling to understand how it will affect services and supports in Georgia, especially Medicaid.

Each early fall, state agencies must submit their budgets for the upcoming year to the state government. This year, the Office of Planning and Budget, which oversees each state agency’s budget, recently sent a letter calling for flat funding in the upcoming fiscal year. This means state agencies cannot request additional funding for next year.

This is concerning for disability advocates. Georgia already has waitlists for services like the New Option Waiver (NOW) program and Comprehensive Support Waiver Program (COMP) waivers, and these lists grow each year. Now is the time to contact your state legislators and explain why waiver funding and disability issues are critical to your community. Georgia’s disability community needs sustained investment to ensure people with disabilities can live and participate fully in their communities.

At our August Council meeting, the members of GCDD voted on our public policy agenda for the coming year. GCDD will lead advocacy around three public policy priorities:

1. More funding for NOW/COMP waivers.
2. Transitioning the work of the Behavioral Health Commission’s I/DD subcommittee into a long-term effort to address issues for Georgians with developmental disabilities.
3. Preserving and strengthening educational supports for Georgia students with developmental disabilities.

GCDD will work with partners around two public policy priorities:

1. Advocating for the creation of an abuse registry, to help end neglect & abuse.
2. Advocating for I/DD specific training for law enforcement.

Last but not least, GCDD will maintain the flexibility to address any critical issues that may arise. In the world of advocacy, you never know what can happen, but we’ll be right there in the middle of it.

For more information, visit www.gcdd.org or follow us on our social media channels.