More Children Died In Maine In 2021 Than Recorded Before

Bangor Daily News: 2021 Was The Worst Year On Record For Child Deaths In Maine
Twenty-five children died last year in incidents tracked by the state that were associated with abuse or neglect or after a history of family involvement with the child welfare system, according to updated data released by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services last week. It is the highest number of deaths recorded in a single year dating back to 2007 and more than double the total from 2020. The data also are an undercount because homicides last year that are the subject of criminal proceedings — including four reported in June — are not included. (Andrews, 2/2)

In abortion news from Michigan and Florida —

The Washington Post: Mich. GOP Governor Candidate Said Rape Victims Shouldn’t Have Abortions: ‘Baby Inside Them May Be The Next President’
When Garrett Soldano was asked on a right-wing podcast how he would “ensure the sanctity of life” in Michigan, the Republican candidate for governor said he would stop at nothing to protect a fetus. Even in cases where victims of rape become pregnant, Soldano said, “we’re always going to fight for life.” “They don’t know that little baby inside them may be the next president, may be the next person who changes humanity,” Soldano said on the “Face the Facts” podcast. (Peiser, 2/1)

WMFE: For Some, Florida's Abortion Bill Is A 'Fight For Life'; For Others, It's A 'Fight For Freedom' 
Florida senators this week will start considering a proposal that would prevent physicians from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, one of the most-controversial issues of the 2022 legislative session. The proposal has companion legislation in the House. It was approved Thursday in a 10-5 vote in the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. It also earlier cleared the House Professions & Public Health Subcommittee. It needs approval from the House Health & Human Services Committee before it can go to the full House. (Montesano, 1/31)

In other state news from across the U.S. —

Health News Florida: Florida Leads Nation In ACA Signups With A Record 2.7 Million 
More than 2.7 million people in Florida signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act for 2022. That’s the most of any state and a record for Florida – a 600,000 increase from last year. The White House has said that 14.5 million Americans got private health insurance for this year under the Obama-era health law, thanks to help from the Biden administration. It is a record number of people signing up for coverage. The previous marketplace enrollment record was 12.7 million in 2016, the final year of President Barack Obama’s administration. (Mayer, 2/1)

Rome News-Tribune: State Senate Passes Tax Incentives For Living Organ Donors 
The Georgia Senate passed legislation Tuesday aimed at encouraging more Georgians to become living organ donors. Senate Bill 330 is sponsored by Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, who donated one of his kidneys last July to his son, who suffered renal failure and was forced to go on dialysis at the age of 24. “This bill is going to save lives,” Albers told his Senate colleagues shortly before Tuesday’s unanimous vote. “My goal is to get the transplant (waiting) list down to zero.” (Williams, 2/1)

Georgia Health News: Report Urges Medicaid Expansion To Combat Georgia’s HIV Crisis 
Expanding Medicaid would give coverage to thousands of uninsured HIV patients in Georgia and provide millions of dollars of additional services for people infected with the virus, a recently released study says. The expansion of Medicaid, as outlined in the Affordable Care Act, has been adopted in 38 states, but not in Georgia. Republican elected leaders who control the state government have consistently opposed the move as too costly. HIV, if unchecked, can lead to the disease known as AIDS, which was once almost invariably fatal. Treatment strategies now exist to block the development of the disease, allowing many infected people to live mostly normal lives. (Miller, 2/1)

AP: Missouri Health Director Out Following Conservative Blowback
Missouri senators on Tuesday effectively ousted the new state health director following conservative blowback, despite the health czar’s stances against abortion and mask and vaccine mandates. Senators on Tuesday adjourned for the week without taking up Department of Health and Senior Services Director Don Kauerauf’s nomination. The deadline to confirm him is Friday, and because Republican Gov. Mike Parson didn’t retract his nomination, Kauerauf will be barred from serving after this week. (Ballentine and Lieb, 2/2)

NBC News: Pool Heater Blamed For 'Life Threatening' Carbon Monoxide Incident At Ohio Hotel
A hotel pool heater was the likely source of carbon monoxide exposure in an incident Saturday that sent more than a dozen people to hospitals, authorities said. Fourteen people, including at least six children, were hospitalized in the incident at a Hampton Inn in Marysville, Ohio, city fire and police officials said in a statement Monday. (Romero, 2/1)

Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Lawmakers Mull Request For $2.5M To Build School-Based Centers For Homeless Teens
Utah schools might soon get additional resources to create spaces where teens experiencing homelessness can meet some of their basic needs and prepare for their future. Rep. Steve Eliason is asking fellow lawmakers to set aside $2.5 million in state funding this year to establish teen centers in middle and high schools interested in operating them. (Rodgers, 2/1)

San Francisco Chronicle: California’s First Surgeon General Resigns
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, who was appointed as California’s first-ever surgeon general in 2019, has resigned, governor’s officials said on Tuesday. In a statement provided to The Chronicle, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that Harris’ “expertise and leadership in championing equity, mental health and early childhood development have been instrumental in advancing the health and well-being of Californians.” When Burke Harris was named as the surgeon general in January 2019, governor’s officials said she would “urge policymakers at every level of government and leaders across the state to consider the social determinants of health, especially for children.” (Hernández, 2/1)

In news about marijuana use in Montana and Mississippi —

Billings Gazette: Recreational Weed Sales In MT Top $12.8M In First Month
Montana's recreational cannabis market topped $12.8 million in sales its first month, putting the Treasure State on pace to meet the state's projections of $130 million in sales in 2022. Add in January's $9.7 million in medical marijuana sales across the state, and Montana raked in $2.9 million in tax revenue from cannabis in 31 days, according to the Montana Department of Revenue's Cannabis Control Division. The recreational market's opening weekend accounted for $1.5 million of the month's sales. "It feels like the start of an industry," said Bobby Long, owner of Flower, which has dispensaries in Missoula and Kalispell. (Larson, 2/1)

AP: Mississippi Governor Noncommittal On Medical Marijuana Bill
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Tuesday that he has not decided whether he will sign a bill to legalize marijuana for people with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, AIDS and sickle cell disease. The bill is expected to become law regardless of what the Republican governor does because the GOP-led House and Senate passed it last week by veto-proof majorities. (Pettus, 2/1)