Entering This Legislative Session With Clarity, Courage, and Care

Legislative sessions often carry a mix of anticipation and uncertainty. This one is no exception.

As this session begins, we want to be clear about how Raising Voices Coalition is approaching the work ahead, how we are holding this moment as advocates and community members, and what we are prioritizing in the interest of transparency.

The Budget Context We’re Operating In

This year, the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) has submitted a $128 million supplemental funding request. While supplementals can sound concerning when taken out of context, they are not unusual for a service-driven program like DDD. Service demands shift over time, enrollment changes, and funding must adjust to meet real needs. 

It is also important to note that the tone around the request within the legislature is significantly less hostile toward the request than last year’s very assertive push-back. That context helps keep conversations grounded and allows discussions to move forward based on facts. We are actively requesting detailed information about the supplemental need and DDD spending. We are also working to review the reporting that was initiated by the supplemental funding legislation that passed last year. We will update the community with those details as soon as we have them. 

How We’re Approaching Advocacy This Session

This session, we are leaning into advocacy that is engaged, relational, and grounded in hope. Uncertainty is real, but we believe fear should not be what shapes decisions or limits participation.

Advocacy can take many forms. Sometimes it looks like sharing lived experience. Sometimes it looks like listening, asking questions, collaborating on shared initiatives or helping policymakers understand how programs operate beyond policy language. When advocacy stays connected to real life, it builds understanding and opens space for better decision-making.

Our goal is to remain present in these conversations, informed about the process, and thoughtful about how we engage.

An Election Year Lens

This session also unfolds during an election year, which inevitably affects the pace and tone of legislative work. Election years often bring heightened caution and competing demands, but they can also create moments when lawmakers are especially attentive to the concerns of constituents.

For advocacy, this means staying steady rather than reactive. It means focusing on education and long-term understanding instead of urgency or rhetoric. Disability policy should not be treated as a political talking point. It deserves careful consideration, grounded in real experiences and practical outcomes. 

We see this as an opportunity to engage with clarity and credibility, knowing that relationships built now extend beyond a single session or election cycle.

Understanding HCBS and Why It Matters

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) offer meaningful cost savings for the state while supporting better outcomes for individuals and families. By reducing reliance on more expensive institutional care, HCBS helps stabilize systems, stretch public dollars further, and support long-term sustainability.

It is also important to be clear about the framework we are working within. HCBS is not guaranteed or required by the state or federal government, which makes consistent education and engagement especially important as budget decisions are made.

Beyond fiscal impact, HCBS supports families, strengthens communities, and allows people with disabilities to live more independent lives. Understanding both the financial and human value of these services is essential to informed policymaking.

Risk, Reality, and Opportunity

There are real pressures this session. Federal uncertainty, including implications related to HHR1, will likely influence state-level decisions. These risks deserve careful attention and honest discussion. 

At the same time, fear is not a strategy.

We believe this moment also holds opportunity. When advocacy is informed and consistent, it helps decision-makers navigate complexity and avoid unintended consequences. Staying engaged throughout the process strengthens outcomes over time.

Moving Forward Together

We are entering this legislative session with realism, resolve, and a strong commitment to constructive engagement. Our work does not stop at awareness. We are actively meeting with health policy advocates from across the state, engaging directly with legislators, attending committee hearings, and closely tracking legislation as it moves through the process.

We are building a working list of bills we support and bills we oppose, grounded in both data and lived experience. As always, we will keep our community informed so you know what is happening and why it matters.

Our focus remains on transparency, participation, and trust. Families and self advocates deserve a seat at the table, and policymakers benefit from understanding how decisions play out in real life. Progress happens when communication stays open, even when the path forward is complex.

This session is not about retreating or escalating. It is about staying present, sharing experience with care, and engaging in ways that support dignity, stability, and meaningful outcomes.

We are grateful to move into this season alongside a community that is thoughtful, invested, and willing to engage. Stay tuned for more updates as this session unfolds. Together, we can help shape decisions that have true and lasting impact.