Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Justices Side With NJ Faith-Based Pregnancy Center Over State Subpoena
AP: Supreme Court Backs Anti-Abortion Center Raising First Amendment Fears
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with a faith-based pregnancy center that raised First Amendment concerns about an investigation into whether it misled people to discourage abortions. The high court’s unanimous ruling is a procedural victory for First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, which is challenging a New Jersey investigation of its practices. (Whitehurst, 4/29)
More reproductive health news —
The CT Mirror: CT Bill Criminalizing Female Genital Mutilation Gets Final Passage
A bill that makes female genital mutilation a crime in the state of Connecticut, among other provisions, received final passage in the House on Tuesday afternoon with the unanimous support of those voting. For survivors, the bill’s passage was a hard-fought victory, with several other attempts at legislation failing to cross the finish line in recent years. (Tillman, 4/28)
The Colorado Sun: Colorado Parents Can Turn Over Newborn Babies Up To 30 Days Old
Colorado is expanding a law that lets parents leave unharmed newborns at fire stations or hospitals without facing child abandonment charges. Under the new version of the “Safe Haven” law signed this week by Gov. Jared Polis, parents will have 30 days to drop off babies they don’t want to keep. That’s up from just 72 hours. (Brown, 4/29)
The CT Mirror: 2 Babies Relinquished Under CT Safe Haven Law In April
In April, two babies were relinquished at Connecticut hospitals under the state’s Safe Havens Act, according to the state Department of Children and Families. The babies were surrendered to Yale New Haven Hospital and Connecticut Children’s at the University of Connecticut Health Center, DCF said. (Bunnell, 4/29)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
CBS News: Minnesota Senate Approves Funding To Rescue Hennepin Healthcare From Closure
The Minnesota Senate on Wednesday cleared $150 million for HCMC hospital in Minneapolis which leaders warn could close in just months if it isn't given a lifeline and fast. The measure to support Hennepin Healthcare—the state's busiest trauma hospital—was part of a health and human services package that the DFL-led Senate approved on a party-line vote. The broader spending bill also includes $115 in stabilization for other hospitals that are facing financial struggles, especially with some looming federal changes coming to Medicaid. (Cummings, 4/29)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Lawsuit Over State’s Management Of Home And Community-Based Care Program Heads To Trial
A class action lawsuit against New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services over its management of a Medicaid-funded program is headed to trial, following a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro. (Richardson, 4/28)
KFF Health News: States Rush To Figure Out How To Enforce Trump’s Medicaid Work Requirements
State officials remain uncertain on how to enforce a requirement that many adult Medicaid enrollees show they’re working — even as one state launches its program this week — and they’re taking a variety of approaches to the job, including, in a handful of states, using artificial intelligence. A KFF survey of Medicaid officials from 42 states and the District of Columbia offers insights into key policy decisions state officials face as the Jan. 1, 2027, deadline for implementing the work requirement nears. Lingering questions include which diseases and illnesses will qualify Medicaid beneficiaries for exemptions and how to automate compliance verification. (Spears, 4/30)
San Francisco Chronicle: SF Mayor Lurie Targeted Free Pipes, Foil Last Year. Has It Helped?
One year after San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie moved to restrict the distribution of free drug supplies such as foil and pipes, there’s little evidence that the shift has helped meaningfully ease the city’s drug crisis. For decades, San Francisco has embraced a harm reduction strategy, providing free supplies intended to reduce the risks associated with illicit drug use. But last April, Lurie declared that the city had lost its way and needed to pivot as part of a new, tougher crackdown on open air drug use. (Angst, 4/29)
AP: AP Investigation: Adopted Kids Confined In Private For-Profit Facilities
She was 13 years old and scared of the dark when she arrived at a residential treatment center that had promised her adoptive parents it would help her heal — from the pain of not knowing who her mother was or why she’d given her away. Kate plugged in a night light in the dorm room. She had needed one since she was sexually assaulted at another facility, she said. Her roommate turned it off. She panicked. She ran and then curled into a ball, heaving, weeping. Three employees followed her — to comfort her, Kate thought. (Galofaro and Ho, 4/28)
CBS News: Pasadena Confirms Whooping Cough Outbreak At Don Benito Fundamental School
Pasadena public health officials confirmed a whooping cough outbreak at Don Benito Fundamental School, which is near Eaton Canyon. Scientists detected four confirmed cases of pertussis, better known as whooping cough, according to the Pasadena Public Health Department. Officials said they are working closely with the Pasadena Unified School District to monitor for additional cases. (Rodriguez, 4/29)
In environmental health news —
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Farmers Hope Supreme Court Protects State Safeguards
Harold Wilken still remembers the moment nearly 30 years ago when he was sprayed with herbicides after a hose broke on his family farm in Danforth, Illinois. A decade later, Wilken was diagnosed with cancer. He said he believes years of herbicide exposure contributed to his health problems, including tonsil and lymph node cancer. (Freitag, 4/29)
KFF Health News: When Natural Disasters Strike, Another Crisis Hits Those Recovering From Opioid Addiction
A day after Hurricane Helene ripped through western North Carolina in late September 2024, Toni Brewer had no power or water. The storm had strewn fallen trees across most roads, wiped out phone and internet communications, and put some neighborhoods near her Asheville home underwater. Brewer cleared out the food in her refrigerator, grabbed some clothes, and drove more than an hour southwest with her partner to Franklin, to stay with relatives. (Jones, 4/30)
WyoFile: EPA, Conservation Groups: Wyoming’s ‘Impaired’ Water Protocols Run Afoul Of The Clean Water Act
Federal environmental regulators and water quality advocates want the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to rectify a policy restricting who can submit water samples used to decide whether waters are too polluted and below Clean Water Act standards. Currently, Wyoming only accepts water samples collected by the state and federal government and their subdivisions when it’s directly making “impaired” water determinations — that’s been the case since 2020, according to state officials who in March proposed to continue that policy. (Koshmrl, 4/29)
CBS News: Chemical Leak Prompts Safety Alert At UI Health Campus
A leak from a tank at the University of Illinois Chicago's Biologic Resources Laboratory prompted a safety alert Wednesday morning. UIC said there was a chemical spill and leak from a tank at the laboratory building at 1840 W. Taylor St. (Harrington and Kelly, 4/29)
