Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Hampshire Protects Abortion Rights
New Hampshire Public Radio: NH House Votes To Codify Abortion Rights, Remove Penalties From 24-Week Ban
Reproductive rights advocates won several victories Thursday in the State House, as the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to protect abortion rights under state law and remove civil and criminal penalties for doctors from the state’s 24-week ban. Lawmakers also overwhelmingly rejected bills that would have placed new restrictions on abortion. (Cuno-Booth, 3/23)
AP: Abortion-Rights Supporters Prevail In New Hampshire House
In New Hampshire, Republicans hold a 201-198 majority in the House, with one seat vacant. That has made attendance on session days extra important, as evidenced by the vote on a measure Thursday that ended in a tie. The proposal in question, backed by virtually all Democrats, would have repealed the state’s ban on abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy. The bill was tabled after the 192-192 tie. (Ramer, 3/23)
Abortion news from New Mexico, Texas, Missouri, and Wyoming —
Houston Chronicle: Abortion Provider That Left Texas Opens New Clinic In New Mexico
One of the largest independent abortion providers in the nation opened a new clinic in New Mexico on Thursday, nearly nine months after it shuttered its clinics in Texas after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Whole Woman’s Health of New Mexico opened its Albuquerque clinic on Thursday. The clinic is expected to see 19 patients over the next few days, with 18 of them coming from Texas. (MacDonald, 3/23)
Kansas City Star: GOP Seeks To Bar Planned Parenthood From Medicaid In MO
Despite Missouri’s sweeping abortion ban, some Republicans are still attacking Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid reimbursements. Multiple bills attempt to block funding to abortion-affiliated facilities, like Planned Parenthood, from different avenues. One would prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements and another would create a constitutional amendment to stop all Medicaid reimbursements from going to the facility, with voter approval. A third zeroes out funding for Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood in the budget. (Bond and Bayless, 3/24)
Vox: Thanks, Obama! The Hilarious Reason Why A Judge Just Blocked Wyoming’s Abortion Ban.
On Wednesday, a judge in the deep-red state of Wyoming temporarily blocked a state law that would make performing nearly any abortion in that state a felony. She relied on a 2012 amendment to the state constitution that was intended to spite then-President Barack Obama. Obama’s early years in office were marred by a scorched-earth political campaign Republicans wielded to try to thwart what became the Affordable Care Act. Obamacare’s opponents warned of a “government takeover of health care” that would strip many Americans of their ability to make their own health decisions. (Millhiser, 3/23)
