Olmstead

State legislatures continue to face the challenges presented by the Supreme Court's 1999 ruling in L.C. & E.W. v. Olmstead. These briefings report on the measures undertaken in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in dealing with this critical issue. Provided here are the complete 2001, 2002, and 2003 reports as well as individual state excerpts from the 2003 report.

This report provides information on a piece of Texas legislation which included a rider in the state’s 2001 appropriations act to promote independence and community integration for nursing facility residents. Originally called Rider 37, it allowed Medicaid funding to follow an individual moving from a nursing facility into the community.

In Executive Order 13217, President Bush affirmed his commitment to eliminate barriersto equality for people with disabilities and ordered federal assistance to states to swiftly implement the Olmstead holding. This Policy Brief reflects on Olmstead and describes the New Freedom Initiative.