Committee approves shift of welfare funds to shots

Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Despite opposition from a welfare advocate, the Legislative Interim Finance Committee Wednesday agreed to shift $1.2 million out of a fund for families on public assistance in order to buy vaccines for the financially troubled program to immunize children.

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Minden, praised the state Department of Human Services for coming up with this plan that will use federal money instead of state funds.

The state Health Division is running out of money to purchase vaccines because of higher than expected costs, more children than anticipated and the failure of Congress to pass a budget bill.

Democratic Assemblywomen Vonne Chowning of North Las Vegas, Sheila Leslie of Reno and Marcia de Braga of Fallon all expressed concern about taking money from the welfare budget to support immunization. They said they backed the immunization project but didn't like money being diverted from welfare.

The money will be transferred out of welfare to a program called Title 20 and then shifted from there to the Health Division.

Leslie questioned whether Title 20 money could go into health programs. Mark Roberts, administrative officer for the Human Resources Department, said the transfer was researched and found to be authorized.

Jan Gilbert of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, said child immunization is a high priority but it should be supported by dipping into the legislative emergency fund, which is all state dollars.