Utah Makes Fathers Responsible For Child Support From Conception
In other news across the states, Arkansas' governor vetoes a bill banning health care access by trans youth, Ohio consolidates its pandemic orders and keeps mask requirements, and reports say only about half of children at risk in Massachusetts are visited by child welfare.
AP:
New Utah Law Requires Dads To Pay Prenatal Child Support
Biological fathers in Utah will be legally required to pay half of a woman’s out-of-pocket pregnancy costs under a new law unique to the state that critics say doesn’t do enough to adequately address maternal health care needs. The bill’s sponsor has presented the measure as an effort to decrease the burden of pregnancy on women and increase responsibility for men who have children. But some critics argue the new legislation won’t help women who are most vulnerable and could make abusive situations even more dangerous for pregnant women. (Eppolito, 4/5)
Modern Healthcare:
Arkansas Governor Vetoes Bill Banning Care For Trans Youth, Citing Doctors' Concerns
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) vetoed a bill Monday that would severely hamper access to care for transgender kids, citing opposition from medical experts and doctors. The bill would have banned doctors from prescribing puberty blockers, hormone therapies and other gender-affirming care to transgender people under the age of 18. Leading medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association and others opposed the proposal, citing the negative health impacts kids who don't have access to a gender-affirming care experience. (Hellmann, 4/5)
AP:
California Stalls Bill Banning Some Intersex Surgery For Children
California legislation to ban some medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children stalled Monday for the third straight year in the same committee, with the author saying that proposed amendments would have stripped much of its purpose. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) wants to bar certain types of surgeries on children born with intersex characteristics. That’s when their genitalia, chromosomes or reproductive organs don’t fit typical definitions for male or female bodies. (4/5)
AP:
Tennessee Mental Health Support Line Adds Texting Capability
A Tennessee phone line that offers callers mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic has added an option to talk via text messaging. The state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services says the Emotional Support Line for Pandemic Stress now lets people call or text the line at 888-642-7886 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central time daily. (4/6)
AP:
CDC Inquiry Sought On HIV Outbreak In WVa's Largest County
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin on Monday submitted a congressional inquiry with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding an HIV outbreak in West Virginia’s largest county. The West Virginia Democrat asked for the inquiry on behalf of the Kanawha County Commission two months after a CDC official warned that the county’s outbreak was “ the most concerning in the United States.” (Raby, 4/6)
KHN:
Missouri ‘Voted For This Lie,’ Says State Rep Trying To Block Medicaid Expansion
It is hard to qualify for Medicaid as an adult in Missouri. Single adults aren’t eligible for coverage through the state’s program — dubbed MO HealthNet — at all, and parents can’t make more than 21% of the federal poverty level: $5,400 in 2021 for a family of three. That was all set to change on July 1 because of a constitutional amendment voters approved last summer, which made Missouri the 38th state to expand Medicaid coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Single adults would be covered if they made under around $17,770. (Martinez Valdivia, 4/6)
In covid updates from Texas, Arizona, Ohio and Massachusetts —
Dallas Morning News:
Near-Capacity Crowd Gathers At Globe Life Field As Rangers Fans Seek Return To Normalcy In Largest Documented Event During Pandemic
A near-capacity crowd of 38,238 gathered Monday afternoon at Globe Life Field to watch the Texas Rangers take on the Toronto Blue Jays, marking the largest publicly documented attendance at an event during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stadium was open to 100% capacity — 40,158 — for Monday’s home opener and was officially announced as a sellout, but health protocols established by the stadium proved difficult to enforce as thousands of people poured into the stadium throughout the afternoon. (Smith and Blum, 4/5)
AP:
Some Businesses Want Masks On, Even As States Drop Mandates
Several weeks have passed since Texas ended its COVID-19 mask mandate. But if you want to pick up a snack at Soul Popped Gourmet Popcorn in Austin’s Barton Creek Square Mall, you’ll still be turned away if you aren’t wearing a face covering. “We cannot afford to take chances with the lives of my staffers. They’re young people and their parents have entrusted me with their care,” says owner De J. Lozada. She’s also concerned about her 85-year-old father, who will soon return to his part-time job in the store. (Rosenberg, 4/5)
AP:
Arizona Governor Signs COVID-19 Liability Shield
Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday signed legislation giving businesses, nursing homes and others a broad shield from lawsuits related to COVID-19, making Arizona the latest state to limit liability after the pandemic. Republican lawmakers approved the legislation in party-line votes in the House and Senate last week, saying businesses struggled during the pandemic and shouldn’t have to worry about the potential for frivolous lawsuits. (4/5)
Cincinnati Enquirer:
Ohio To Consolidate Health Orders Into One; Masks, Social Distancing Still Required
Ohio consolidated many of its health orders into one, but masks and social distancing will still be required, Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday. The new health order issued Monday focuses on four priorities: wearing masks, maintaining distance, washing hands and spending more time outside rather than inside. "If we can keep those things in mind, those four things, we're going to be able to do about anything we want to do this summer," DeWine said. "People are tired. They've been at this for a year and so it has to be simple." (Balmert, 4/5)
Boston Globe:
A Year Into The Pandemic, DCF Workers Visiting Only About Half Of Children In-Person
Workers in Massachusetts’ child welfare agency are seeing only about half of the children under their watch in-person each month, state data show, illustrating the state’s heavy reliance on remote check-ins during the pandemic even as schools, day cares, and others have returned mostly to face-to-face interactions. The October death of David Almond, an intellectually disabled teen from Fall River, underscored the potential risks in relying solely on virtual visits, particularly as other safeguards fail. The 14-year-old’s father and his father’s girlfriend — now charged with murder in his death — routinely staged his video meetings with social workers from the Department of Children and Families to hide his abuse, state investigators found. (Stout, 4/5)
