Policy Perspective - January 2025 Arizona Policy Update
Signing of the Autism CARES Act extension
President Joe Biden signed a five-year extension of the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support, or Autism CARES, Act in late December.
This unlocks more than $1.95 billion in spending to address developmental disabilities in the coming years.
In this funding package, the law directs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to back research that reflects a broad range of people on the autism spectrum, including people with co-occurring conditions and various support needs. It also adds an emphasis on studying autism and aging. The number of NIH Centers of Excellence will increase, and the agency will be required to produce an annual budget plan for autism research for the first time. The law also includes efforts to promote the use of assistive communication, and it calls for a government report looking at how to grow the number of pediatricians specializing in this area. “The Autism CARES Act goes far beyond funding — it’s a commitment to ensuring better futures for millions,” said Robyn Linscott, director of family and education policy at The Arc of the United States.
A raise in ABLE account contribution
Starting this month, contributions to ABLE accounts can total up to $19,000 for 2025. That’s an increase from $18,000 last year. The change comes after the Internal Revenue Service raised the federal gift tax limit. Since the cap on annual deposits for ABLE accounts is tied to that figure, it will grow, too.
Local happenings
The Arizona Legislative Session starts this month, so buckle up. Since the session starts every second Monday of every year, Governor Katie Hobbs kicked off the 2025 round this week, speaking about child care and housing affordability in her annual State of the State speech.
Things to look out for in this year’s bills include school safety, community safety, and election rules. The state legislature looks to be more conservative than in past years – look at last month’s Policy Perspective to see a list of appointed committee leaders.
Two bills to look at below:
- HB 2022 - school safety; employee certification; policies
- HB 2074- school safety; proposals; assessments; plans
Both these bills will be heard soon.
The Council mourns the loss of President Jimmy Carter and reflects on his impact on the disability community
President Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100 years old.
James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr., served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A native Georgian, President Carter began his public career in the Georgia State Senate, and he would later go on to be elected the 76th Governor of Georgia.
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1978. Under these amendments, public members appointed by the President joined representatives from federal departments on the US Access Board. This new law required 45 percent of the positions on the public board be filled by people with disabilities. The first public members were appointed in December 1979. Later amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 further stipulated that the Access Board’s chair and vice-chair serve one-year terms and that these positions alternate each year between public and federal members. The amendments also provided comprehensive services for independent living for disabled individuals, embodying the disability advocates mantra “Nothing About Us Without Us.”
As I sit here listening to the services honoring President Jimmy Carter, I cannot help but think of my grandpa and my wonderful wife. My grandpa loved to fish and was a Pearl Harbor survivor. At the services President Carter’s grandson Jason started talking about his grandfather’s house and seeing fishing gear and a telephone connected to the wall with a rotary dial; I can relate. The way people talk about First Lady Rosalynn and President Carter’s relationship reminds me of my own with my wife, and how without her, I am nothing. The theme of his services seemed to be the unlikely partnerships President Jimmy Carter formed during and after his presidency.
I think unlikely partnerships will have to be our theme as disability advocates move forward in the coming years - as we try to get policies passed and legislation done in Arizona and across the United States.
