February 27, 2026
The Boost News
SPOTLIGHT: THE SAVE ACT
Last week I linked to an article from NBC News reporting that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act — which would create new barriers to voting registration — passed the House, enjoys President Trump’s support, and the Senate’s 60-vote threshold is “the only thing standing in the way of its becoming law.”
This week, the Autistic Advocacy Network (ASAN) has an excellent primer explaining the act, and. how it would make it harder for people with disabilities to vote, and stop some from voting altogether.
It highlights two critical components:
- The act would make everyone register to vote in person. This means a support person or guardian could not register on a disabled person’s behalf.
- It would require people to show their U.S. Passport or birth certificate when registering to vote, despite the fact that many disabled people do not have access to either pieces of documentation.
Learn more about it in ASAN’s The SAVE Act Would Stop Some Disabled People from Voting.
STATES
Has Arizona ESA expansion hurt students with disabilities? The universal expansion of the state’s school voucher program could make it harder for students with special needs to access funding and services. (KTAR.com)
In Calif., special ed a flash point in negotiations with teachers Agreements include provisions to recruit special ed teachers or to retain current teachers with stipends or reduced caseloads. (EdSource)
Report shows 4,246 abuse allegations, 15 deaths, in Connecticut’s disability system in 2024 Unfortunately, this is behind a paywall; I imagine it will get picked up quickly by other outlets. (CT Insider)
Georgians With Disabilities Are Still Being Institutionalized, Despite Federal Oversight Nearly 15 years ago, the U.S. Dept. of Justice sued Georgia for segregating people with developmental disabilities and mental illness. (KFF Health News)
Massachusetts outlier in special ed transportation funding It’s one of six states in which nearly all state funding is delivered through reimbursement. (WWLP.com)
Trump Administration Withholds $259 Million in Medicaid Funds From Minnesota Vice President JD Vance said that the Trump administration had been forced to “turn the screws on” Minnesota. (NYT)
Halt to Medicaid Funding in Minnesota is attack on American Patients “This administration’s anti-fraud rhetoric is itself a fraud.” (Public Citizen)
NYS Senate’s bid-rigging for probe for CDPAP prompts constitutional amendment Lawmakers want to empower the legislature following investigation into Gov. Hochul’s changes to $9 billion Medicaid home care program. (City and State)
CDPAP shift worsened reimbursement gap for high-need care as advocates push $50 million budget fix (NY State of Politics)
AUTISM
Trump’s surgeon general pick grilled on vaccines “Science is never settled,” and a continued look into what is causing autism is important, said Casey Means. In other words, she waffled. (USA Today)
Is autism preventable in certain cases after all? Some scientists say yes. I’m diving a little deeper on this one as it’s behind a paywall. The research, which rests “more on hypothesis than on settled evidence,” suggests that there’s a link between environmental exposures, especially pre-conception, and autism. The article notes that “on Instagram and TikTok, a growing number of wellness influencers have embraced what they call ‘trimester zero,’ advising women — often mixing science-backed guidance with largely unproven claims — to stop wearing nail polish, take specific supplements, meditate and work to lower cortisol levels before conceiving.”
It also points out that HSS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “has drawn widespread criticism for claiming that an environmental toxin is responsible for rising autism rates and for describing the condition as a ‘preventable disease.'” (Washington Post)
HEALTH CARE
Ghosts in the machine: Congressional watchdog finds significant gaps in federal health care and disability data As a result, policymaking reportedly is compromised. (Prism Reports)
RESPITE CARE
Respite Care Program Extended Under New Federal Law There’s been a five-year extension of the Lifespan Respite Care Program. (Disability Scoop)
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Special education enrollment keeps growing. These 3 graphics show how. Autism, developmental delay and multiple disabilities marked the fastest growing IDEA disability categories between 2023 and 2024. (K-12 Dive)
Trump administration expands efforts to dismantle the Education Department (Politico)
ACCESSIBILITY
COMMENTARY: The Airlines and Airline Manufacturers Have Had 42 Years to Support Passengers with Disabilities – They Have Failed Miserably (National Center for Public Policy Research)
An Accessible Housing Model Built to Be Scaled (New York Times)
BRIEFS & STUDIES
Georgia State Experts to Help Lead Landmark Study of Profound Autism (Georgia State University)
New issue brief documents what’s at stake if Medicaid HCBS are cut (Assoc. of Health Care Journalists)