Senator Sal DiDomenico and Senator Eric Lesser have filed amendments to the Senate Ways & Means Fiscal Year 2019 budget bill that would benefit the human services sector and its workforce.
Using language that mirrors legislation filed by the Providers’ Council to create a student loan repayment program and establish fair pay for comparable work, members and supporters are asked to contact your senators to co-sponsor:
- Amendment 460 – Filed by Sen. DiDomenico, this amendment would require the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to study the salary disparity between community-based human services workers and state employees holding similar job titles or providing similar services to clients. EOHHS would work with the Providers’ Council, the Executive Office of Administration and Finance and others to conduct the study;
- Amendment 613 – Filed by Sen. Lesser, this amendment would create a student loan repayment program for qualified human services workers for the purpose of encouraging individuals to enter and continue to work in human services. The program would be for full-time workers earning less than $45,000 annually, who have been employed in the sector for at least 12 consecutive months.
Senators can sign on as co-sponsors this week and budget debate is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 22. If you do not know who your state senator is, look it up here.
If you have questions about these amendments or the Council’s legislation, which is still pending before the Legislature, please email Bill Yelenak.
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