State Highlights: N.J. Lawmakers Pass Assisted Suicide Bill; Va. GOP Splinters; Md. Medical Marijuana Rules
A selection of health policy stories from New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, New York and Massachusetts.
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
N.J. Assembly Passes Assisted Suicide Bill
The New Jersey Assembly narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow terminally ill patients to end their lives by obtaining and self-administering lethal doses of medication prescribed by a doctor. The 41-31 vote - the minimum required to achieve a majority - came amid a national debate over physician-assisted suicide, also referred to as aid in dying. A similar version of the bill has not advanced in the Senate, and Gov. Christie has said he opposes it. (Seidman, 1/14)
The Washington Post:
In Wake Of Cantor Loss, Top Va. Republican Faces Primary Challenge Next Year
[Virginia House Speaker William J.] Howell led Republican opposition to Medicaid expansion and denied any secret effort to let it pass. But [his likely opponent Susan] Stimpson and others objected to the creation of a 10-member commission that they feared would bolster the case for expansion. They also mistrusted budget language that they believed would have given Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) the legal power to expand Medicaid unilaterally. (Portnoy, 11/13)
The Associated Press:
Panel Approves Medical Marijuana Regulations
A Maryland commission approved regulations on Thursday to implement a medical marijuana program after a drawn-out process in a state that has struggled to make marijuana available to sick patients. While the regulations still need approval from a legislative panel and the state’s health secretary, advocates say the vote marked a significant step forward. (11/13)
The Associated Press:
Lawmakers Probe Care For Mentally Ill Inmates
The head of the troubled New York City jail system said Thursday it's critical to send mentally ill inmates to treatment programs instead of a lockup.
Department of Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte told state lawmakers that Rikers Island is poorly equipped to be a mental health treatment center. The primary goal, one he shares with the medical staff, is to keep staff and inmates safe, he said. Dr. Homer Venters, head of the jail's health services, testified and said admission medical screenings done on every incoming inmate show about 25 percent have mental illnesses, though that diagnosis applies to about 38 percent of the daily population of about 11,500. Those inmates tend to stay twice as long. (11/13)
WBUR:
Westminster Officials Shut Down Rowdy Hearing On Tobacco Ban After 20 Minutes
Health officials in the central Massachusetts town of Westminster say they will not hold another public hearing on their proposed first-in-the-nation town-wide ban on tobacco sales, after a rowdy crowd of hundreds forced Wednesday night’s meeting to end in just 20 minutes. (Kaufman, 11/13)
The New York Times:
Gov.-Elect Larry Hogan, A Republican, Stands Tall In Democratic Maryland
Many of Mr. Hogan’s policy views remain largely a mystery. Since election night, he has been steadfast in refusing to articulate positions until he takes office on other major state issues — like plans for the state’s troubled infrastructure or the expansion of Medicaid. ... Further, he attacked Mr. Brown, who was in charge of the disastrous and costly rollout of the state health care exchange. Maryland’s site crashed at the start of open enrollment, delaying the ability of many residents to sign up and costing the state tens of millions of lost dollars. (Steinhauer, 11/13)
