Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Strict Abortion Bill Fails To Advance Out Of South Carolina Subcommittee
AP: South Carolina Bill To Jail Women For Abortions Stalls In Subcommittee
A South Carolina bill that would allow judges to sentence women who get abortions to decades in prison and could restrict the use of IUDs and in vitro fertilization has stalled after failing to get out a legislative subcommittee Tuesday. Four of the six Republicans on the subcommittee refused to vote on the bill, which would ban all abortions unless the woman’s life is threatened. The three Democrats were then able to vote against sending the bill forward. The proposal is not dead, but the effort did reveal a lack of support for the most extreme positions among groups opposing abortions. (Collins, 11/18)
ProPublica: “Ticking Time Bomb”: A Pregnant Mother Kept Getting Sicker. She Died After She Couldn’t Get an Abortion in Texas.
ProPublica has found multiple cases of women with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions. Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old mother, was told by doctors there was no emergency before preeclampsia killed her. (Surana and Presser, 11/19)
Post-Tribune: Dolton Woman Turned Away By Crown Point Hospital While In Labor Speaks Out
As she was told to leave Franciscan Health Crown Point and had to give birth in her car, Mercedes Wells said she felt less than human. Now, she wants the hospital staff to be held accountable for their actions. (Wilkins, 11/18)
More health news from across the U.S. —
New Hampshire Bulletin: Despite Safety And Liability Concerns, Lawmakers Push To Deregulate NH Meat Processing
A proposal to deregulate New Hampshire’s meat market could defy federal food safety laws and carry risks for farmers and consumers, lawmakers acknowledge. But members of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee voted to support it anyway, saying those risks are acceptable if the move helps alleviate a statewide slaughterhouse bottleneck taking a toll on smaller farms. (Rains, 11/18)
AP: Florida Takes Early Steps To Advance Recreational Marijuana Question To 2026 Ballot
Florida elections officials have taken early steps under pressure from activists to advance a proposed initiative to legalize recreational marijuana to next year’s ballot, legal filings show. The procedural move comes after the campaign behind the issue, Smart & Safe Florida, filed a complaint with the Florida Supreme Court, alleging that officials in Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration were trying to improperly block the measure from getting on the ballot in 2026. (Payne, 11/18)
The New York Times: Hochul Urged To Ban Horseshoe Crab Fishing
Conservationists are pressing Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York to approve a ban on the harvesting of horseshoe crabs in state waters after she vetoed the same measure a year ago. ... New York’s version would also prevent the state’s fishing industry from taking the creatures for their blood, which is used by the pharmaceutical industry in testing for toxins in medical products including vaccines. Although New York does not issue permits for the so-called biomedical catch, the bill’s supporters say that some in the fishing industry illegally “rent out” captured crabs for bleeding and then kill them for bait. (Hurdle, 11/15)
North Carolina Health News: Psych Commitment Process Under Scrutiny After Iryna’s Law
North Carolina lawmakers are now taking a closer look at how people with mental health issues can be involuntarily committed for treatment in the wake of a new law they passed — in September. (Knopf, 11/18)
North Carolina Health News: Police Embrace Social Workers To Help Field Rising Calls Tied To Social Issues
Chris Hatton oversees a 15-officer police force in a small western North Carolina town in Jackson County — a place where he says many calls to 911 aren’t really police matters at all. A “suspicious” person loitering. Someone yelling in the street. A person rummaging through a dumpster. Someone in a mental health crisis threatening self-harm. (Crumpler, 11/19)
KFF Health News: A Hidden Health Crisis Following Natural Disasters: Mold Growth In Homes
After returning from what felt like the best internship of her life, Danae Daniels was excited to unwind and settle into a new semester at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. But when she opened the door to her off-campus apartment, she was met with an overwhelming smell — and a devastating reality. “There was mold in my bedroom, on my bed, mold in my expensive purse,” Daniels said. “Mold in my closet, my bathroom — literally everywhere.” (Charles, 11/19)
