Texas’ Newly Approved Bill Requires ‘Biological Sex’ On Official Documents
The bill, titled the “Women’s Bill of Rights” and passed in the middle of the night, next goes to Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, for signing. The legislation creates no criminal or civil penalties. More news comes from Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, and Virginia.
The Texas Tribune:
Texas Lawmakers Say State Documents Must List Biological Sex
In the middle of the night, the Texas Senate approved a bill strictly defining man and woman based on reproductive organs on a 20-11 party line vote. The bill has already passed the House and will go now to the governor’s desk. (Klibanoff, 5/28)
The Texas Tribune:
Texas Set To Expand Medical Marijuana Program Eligibility
The Texas Senate advanced a bill Tuesday that will expand the conditions eligible for the state’s medical marijuana program, including chronic pain and Crohn’s disease, and allow for vaporized and aerosol products to be sold by prescription. (Simpson, 5/27)
Chicago Tribune:
UChicago Medicine Patient Information Potentially Exposed
The personal information of about 38,000 patients of a UChicago Medicine medical group may have been exposed in a cybersecurity incident involving one of the group’s vendors. UCM Medical Group said in a news release that one of its vendors — debt collection agency Nationwide Recovery Service — notified the group that in July an unauthorized person accessed the company’s systems. The person obtained information from certain files and folders, according to the news release. (Schencker, 5/27)
North Carolina Health News:
NC House Budget Reduces HHS Positions, Tweaks Medicaid Funding
The North Carolina House of Representatives approved a budget plan on May 22 for the next two fiscal years that would cut some vacant positions in the health department, loosen child care regulations and eliminate Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, for weight loss. (Vitaglione, 5/28)
AP:
Boil Water Advisory Issued For Richmond, Virginia
Officials issued a boil-water advisory Tuesday in parts of Virginia’s capital city, leaving many residents without drinkable tap water following an operational issue at the city’s water treatment plant for the second time this year. Richmond officials said that the city’s water treatment plant experienced an operational hiccup as poorer-quality water flowed through the facility and clogged the plant’s filters. In the morning, the water system had been restored to full production, but reclogged roughly an hour later. (5/27)
