From State Capitols: Prescription Drug Prices And Health Care Costs Take Center Stage; N.H. Governor Stresses Importance Of Suicide Prevention
Media outlets take a look at some of the first things state legislatures and governors want to tackle in the new year.
The Associated Press:
Minimum Wage, Health Care, Top Issues In 2019 Legislature
More affordable prescription drugs, a higher minimum wage, and protections for abortion rights are among the top issues Maryland lawmakers are expected to debate when they gather for their annual legislative session next week. They also plan to study how best to legalize recreational marijuana if voters approve it on next year’s ballot. When lawmakers convene Wednesday for their 90-day session, there will be a record number of female legislators: 72 out of 188 members, or about 38 percent of the General Assembly. (Witte, 1/3)
Concord (N.H.) Monitor:
Gov. Chris Sununu Champions Suicide Prevention In Inaugural Speech
Gov. Chris Sununu on Thursday announced his support for legislation Dickey has championed that would require teachers to undergo two hours of mandatory youth suicide awareness and prevention training a year. It was one of many proposals in the governor’s inaugural address, which served as an outline for his second term. ...The suicide prevention legislation, called the Jason Flatt Act, was brought to Sununu by [Martha] Dickey and her husband, Paul, of Boscawen last year. It is named after Jason Flatt, who died in 1997 in Tennessee, and has been passed in more than 20 states since then – and fully funded by the Jason Foundation, led by Jason Flatt’s father, Clark Flatt. (Willingham and DeWitt, 1/3)
Denver Post:
These 6 Issues Are Going To Be Front At Center At The Colorado General Assembly In 2019
Progressives in Colorado — and across the country — promised to expand access, improve quality and drive down the cost of health care. Now the hard work begins. The buzzword of the session will be “transparency.” Lawmakers plan to push for increased clarity on drug prices and hospital procedures. Perhaps the most audacious plan regarding health care is an expected proposal from two rural lawmakers to create a state-run health insurance program. (Nic Garcia, 1/3)
Iowa Public Radio:
Gov. Reynolds: Allowing Birth Control Without Prior Prescription Is 'The Right Thing To Do'
Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday she will try to enact a law that would allow Iowans to get birth control pills directly from a pharmacist without seeing a doctor first. She said it's the right thing to do. (Sostaric, 1/3)
MPR:
Incoming Gov. Walz Shapes His Environmental, Health Teams
Some giant pieces of Gov.-elect Tim Walz's administration slid into place Thursday when the DFLer decided who would run the state's agriculture, natural resources, health and human services departments. Walz selected commissioners for those four high-profile slots, along with three others, just days ahead of his formal takeover. It leaves him with fewer than 10 major positions to fill. (Bakst, 1/3)
