Minutes 04-17-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 Representative Verla Insko said she has not heard anything about this, but many people are in favor of having automatic voter registration based on social security. She said there are many ways to increase voter registration, and she is very pleased that 16 and 17 year old pre- registration is back. Commissioner Rich said more and more states are doing automatic registration. Commissioner McKee said, given the less than warm reception he received in Raleigh last year over impact fees, he has a slight understanding of the uphill battle the delegates face, and he appreciates the effort put forth. He asked if the delegates would please give the BOCC a heads up if anything significant is expected to happen. Commissioner Jacobs asked the Chair if there is a specific process for this evening’s discussion, and whether the BOCC has additional topics to be added to the resolution regarding legislative matters. Chair Dorosin said suggestions can be solicited from the Board, the old list amended, and he and Commissioner Rich can come up with a working list to propose. Commissioner Jacobs said it is critically important that school impact fees be reinstated. He asked if the delegates would identify one thing that they would like to see accomplished in the upcoming short session. Representative Verla Insko said more funding for education is at the top of her list. She said teachers are spending their own money to buy supplies. Senator Valerie Foushee said the same, and that is the issue that will get the most traction, since it is an election year. Representative Graig Meyer said the Bright Futures Act should get done this year, and that will be a net positive on rural broadband. Commissioner Jacobs said there is a two-page spread in USA Today that discusses what teachers purchase for their classrooms. Representative Verla Insko said broadband is part of the education issue too. Commissioner Jacobs said the Board has asked OCS to try and enable its buses with Wi-Fi, but have had no response yet. Commissioner Rich said she heard that the buses do not have enough power for more than 2 hours of Wi-Fi usage, and asked if staff could find out if this is accurate. Chair Dorosin said typically the BOCC sends a long list of items, knowing most of them will not get passed, but also wants to provide support to the issues that are most useful to the delegates in achieving some successes. He said it sounds like broadband and education funding are the highest priorities. He asked if there are any other top priorities. He said he recalls the BOCC prioritizing the top 4 or 5 items last year. Representative Verla Insko said Medicaid expansion and mental/behavioral health integration with physical health. She said there has been a public system of the management of the mental health system, but the plan is to integrate the mild and moderate with the regular physical health, so that there will be one Medicaid card. She said those with more severe and persistent mental health needs would remain with Local Management Entity and Managed Care Organization (LME/MCO), and ask for physical health to be integrated into that system. Chair Dorosin asked if there are specific bill numbers for important issues: Bill #s • HB 68 (Bright Futures Act) • Carolina Care bill has already been rolled into the waiver that has gone to DC, and support for this waiver would be welcomed. Greg Wilder, County Manager’s office, said he could address the five topics highlighted by the BOCC last year: #6 - Raise the Age - accomplished