New measures, confirmations, uncertainties, delays—and one troubling omission. That's what emerges from a comprehensive analysis by HandyLex.org of the 2019 Budget Law, published in the Official Gazette on December 31st, as it affects people with disabilities and their families.
Several conclusions stand out. Most troubling: the Biennial Action Program for the Promotion of Rights and Integration of People with Disabilities (Presidential Decree of October 12, 2017) is never mentioned in this Budget Law—not once.
On the substance of these provisions, the analysis highlights first the sections on citizen income and pensions. These measures directly connect to possible increases in disability pensions, though as HandyLex.org notes, uncertainty persists about available funding.
School reforms warrant careful scrutiny. Changes to Legislative Decree 66/17 on inclusion have been postponed until September 1st, while provisions of Legislative Decree 59/17 on teacher recruitment and training are already in effect. On another front, ambiguities remain about assistance for autonomy and personal communication (AEC) for students with physical or sensory disabilities.
One oddly encouraging note: tax breaks for guide dogs have been included. More promising still is the first national recognition of the European Disability Card—a card our magazine has covered before—which should allow people with disabilities access to free or reduced-cost services in transport, culture, and leisure across the country, in reciprocal agreement with other EU nations.
The analysis concludes by examining old and new funding streams. The fund for non-self-sufficiency has grown from 450 to 550 million euros for 2019, 2020, and 2021. The fund for social policies has also increased, as has support for the "After Us" Fund under Law 112/16, which helps disabled people plan for life after their parents' deaths.
The fund for family caregivers received a boost as well: 20 million euros per year through 2020, designed to support legislative initiatives recognizing the social and economic value of unpaid family care. Yet the fund continues to lack the actual legislative measures it was meant to support.
Two new funds were also created. The fund for the inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing people allocates 3 million euros for 2019, 1 million for 2020, and 3 million for 2021—though notably, no provision requires consultation with deaf associations or the National Observatory on the Condition of People with Disabilities. And a new fund for accessibility and mobility for people with disabilities has been established, though its concrete applications remain unclear, especially regarding permits for disabled people. (S.B.)
Source: Superando