Democratic Lawmakers In Oregon Backtrack On Drug Decriminalization
The state had been leading a first-in-nation push for decriminalization of drug use, but now a new bill will re-criminalize possessing small amounts of drugs — it's a reflection of the fentanyl crisis. Separately, Southwest Airlines will now carry the overdose reversal drug naloxone on flights.
AP:
Oregon Lawmakers Backpedal On Pioneering Drug Decriminalization Law
Democratic lawmakers in Oregon on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has soured on the measure amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis. The bill would recriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs as a low-level misdemeanor, enabling police to confiscate them and crack down on their use on sidewalks and in parks, its authors said. It also aims to make it easier to prosecute dealers, to access addiction treatment medication, and to obtain and keep housing without facing discrimination for using that medication. (Rush, 1/23)
St. Louis Public Radio:
Southwest To Stock Overdose Reversal Drug On Flights
Southwest Airlines will now carry the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone on flights. Ballwin resident John Gaal and other advocates have been lobbying the airline to carry naloxone, which is also called Narcan, to protect passengers from opioid overdoses since Gaal witnessed an apparent overdose on a Southwest flight in October 2022. (Fentem, 1/24)
More health news from across the U.S. —
CBS News:
NJ Law Expands Health Insurance Coverage For LGBTQIA+ Individuals For Infertility Treatments
A new law in New Jersey will expand health insurance coverage for infertility services to now include LGBTQ+ individuals.Infertility treatments are very expensive and insurance coverage is spotty and eligibility can be tricky, for example, if you're a single parent or a gay couple. However, that's not the case anymore in New Jersey. Dr. Serena Chen, a reproductive specialist of CCRM Fertility, helped to get a new law passed in New Jersey that expands insurance coverage for infertility treatments. (Stahl and Kuhn, 1/23)
The Salt Lake Tribune:
Utah May Ban Polygraph Tests For Sexual Abuse Victims
Utah could soon ban government officials from asking alleged sexual assault victims to undergo a polygraph test — joining a growing list of states that bar the practice. Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said she has introduced legislation banning polygraph tests in hopes that it will remove a barrier that could prevent someone from reporting they were sexually abused. Experts says that polygraph tests are known to be specifically unreliable with victims of sexual abuse, and other states have banned them for that reason. (Miller, 1/23)
CBS News:
What's Causing Measles Outbreaks? Experts Point To Vaccination Decline, Waning Herd Immunity
Measles was officially declared eradicated in the U.S. more than 20 years ago, but new outbreaks of the disease are popping up — and experts say declining vaccination rates are jeopardizing herd immunity and increasing the risk. ... According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, during the 2021-2022 school year, 94.3% of kindergarteners in Philadelphia County were fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Last school year, that dropped to 92.8% — below the 95% needed for herd immunity. (Stock, Winick, and Moniuszko, 1/23)
Key Biscayne Independent:
Miami-Dade County Hopes An Autism Decal For Cars Could Save Lives
A new program in Miami-Dade aims to save lives by alerting police that an occupant within a home or a vehicle has autism spectrum disorder. The University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism estimates as many as 50,000 individuals on the autism spectrum live in the county. The decal program evolved out of an agreement between the county and the center to provide training for police and firefighters to better understand and communicate with autistic individuals. (Pacenti, 1/22)
Reuters:
US Republican Subpoenas Health Secretary For Migrant Children Records
A top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday issued a subpoena that orders President Joe Biden's health secretary to provide records related to the handling of unaccompanied migrant children with suspected criminal ties. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan sent the subpoena to Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the committee said in a press release. (Hesson, 1/23)
KFF Health News:
In Los Angeles, Occupational Therapists Tapped To Help Homeless Stay Housed
Carla Brown waits on an air mattress, eager for her occupational therapist to arrive at her apartment next to the Hollywood Freeway, mere blocks from where she once camped on the sidewalk. She moved into the one-bedroom apartment on the second floor of PATH Villas Hollywood, a county-run apartment complex, in July, shortly after her 60th birthday. Inside the open-concept unit, the walls stand bare except for three Christian art prints hung near the front door. (Castle Work, 1/24)
