JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT

We, the conferees, appointed by the respective bodies to consider and report upon the disagreeing vote on Senate Bill No. 488, report as follows:

We recommend that the House Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (24108201D) be accepted with the following amendment to resolve the matter under disagreement:

1. After line 26, House Substitute

insert

2. That the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) shall analyze the possibility of allowing for respite services under the Community Living Waiver, Family and Individual Support Waiver, and Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus Waiver when the legally responsible individual is an unpaid caregiver all or part of the time and when there are multiple adult caregivers providing any portion of unpaid care for the waiver-receiving child. DMAS shall develop recommendations on allowing for respite services under such circumstances and shall estimate the cost of providing such respite services. DMAS shall submit its recommendations, cost estimate, and methodology used for obtaining the cost estimate to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than November 1, 2024.

Respectfully submitted,

Senator Lashrecse D. Aird

Senator Barbara A. Favola

Senator Christie New Craig

Conferees on the part of the Senate

Delegate Rozia A. Henson, Jr.

Delegate Kannan Srinivasan

Delegate Kim A. Taylor

Conferees on the part of the House