Section 38-9A-6 Plans and Budgets.

(a) The local, regional, and state plans for individual and family supports developed by each community and regional council and the State Support Council shall be developed in conjunction with the regional planning process of the Division of Mental Retardation of the Department of Mental Health. These plans and accompanying proposed budgets shall be considered by the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health as a line item in the department’s budget request that is annually submitted to the Governor’s office. (b) The minimum level of funding in any year in the line item shall be six hundred fifty thousand dollars ($650,000) as a continuation of current funding from the Department of Mental Health, except that this amount may be reduced in a fiscal year in an amount equal to or less than any reduction applied to all other community-based programs and services of the Division of Mental Retardation in that same fiscal year. Provided, however, this exception shall not apply to federal maintenance of effort requirements. The councils may request the allocation of additional new funds in the budget of the Department of Mental Health for the Individual and Family Support Program and may also receive new funds from other state agencies and from the State General Fund. (c) The state, regional, or affiliated community councils, as defined by this chapter, are exempted from any county and local and sales and use taxes.