The Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Labor committee passed HB1706 with no opposition. It will go on to the Senate. The patient bill of rights was also added in this committee yesterday! I was allowed to testify on your behalf, and I hope we’ll be able to continue in the process of making this the best model it can be for the patients and caregivers. Many thanks to the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Arkansas Waiver Association- AWA, Disability Rights Arkansas, and Arkansas Autism Resource & Outreach Center among others for working tirelessly with us to get this accomplished.

Thank you Representative Aaron Pilkington and Arkansas Department of Human Services (specifically Melissa Stone and Brian Bowen) for adding the Patient Rights Preamble to HB1706! We communicated your concerns, but they were responsible for actually adding the language and presenting the amendment for vote.