With A Bit Of Trickery, Louisiana Senate Passes Gender Care Ban For Minors
The controversial bill was defeated by a Republican-controlled state Senate committee last month. But senators moved the bill to a different committee, which approved the bill. And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill aimed at tackling patient confusion over titles used by medical professionals.
The Hill:
Louisiana Senate Passes Resurrected Gender-Affirming Care Ban
The Louisiana Senate voted Monday to pass a controversial bill to ban gender-affirming health care for transgender minors, advancing the measure even after it was defeated by a GOP-controlled state Senate committee last month. The measure, House Bill 648, seeks to bar health care providers from administering gender-affirming medical care to patients younger than 18 under the threat of having their professional licenses revoked. (Migdon, 6/5)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
Health News Florida:
DeSantis Vetoes A Bill Intended To Remove Patient Confusion Over Medical Titles
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday vetoed two bills, including a measure that would have added restrictions about titles used by medical professionals and required practitioners to wear name tags or display licenses when treating patients. DeSantis did not detail his reasons in two veto letters sent to Secretary of State Cord Byrd. (6/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Mayor Breed Urges Biden To Step Up Federal Action On Fentanyl
San Francisco Mayor London Breed led two dozen fellow mayors to urge the Biden administration on Monday to step up enforcement against trafficking of fentanyl, start a public awareness campaign against open-air drug markets and increase public health interventions to address an out-of-control epidemic nationwide. (Moench, 6/5)
In abortion news from Texas, Missouri, and Wyoming —
Reuters:
Texas Seeks To Bolster $1.8 Bln Fraud Claim Against Planned Parenthood
Texas and an anonymous anti-abortion activist made a joint court filing over the weekend, urging a federal judge to decide a $1.8 billion fraud lawsuit they brought against Planned Parenthood in their favor, saying a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling strengthened the case. ... Texas and the anonymous plaintiff are seeking to force Planned Parenthood to return money it collected from Texas' and Louisiana's state Medicaid programs after the states tried to cut off its funding, plus heavy additional penalties. (Pierson, 6/5)
Missouri Independent:
Missouri AG Asked Treasurer To Inflate Abortion Amendment Cost
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey overstepped his authority when he demanded changes to the cost estimate of an abortion-rights initiative petition, state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick argued in a legal brief filed in Cole County Court last week. Fitzpatrick, Bailey and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, all Republicans, were sued last month by the Missouri ACLU over delays in finalizing the ballot summary for an initiative petition seeking to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. (Hancock, 6/5)
Jackson Hole Community Radio:
Wyoming’s Secretary Of State And Other Parties Cannot Intervene In Abortion Case
Wyoming’s secretary of state and other parties will not be allowed to weigh in on a lawsuit that could decide the future of reproductive rights in the state. Secretary Chuck Gray, two conservative state lawmakers and an anti-abortion advocacy organization tried to intervene, to help defend the state’s near-complete abortion ban. But Teton County Judge Melissa Owens decided the group didn’t qualify as intervenors. (Merzbach, 6/2)
Environmental health news from Texas and Minnesota —
Houston Chronicle:
3 Texans Die From Fungal Meningitis, CDC Ties Deaths To Mexican Clinic
Three Texas residents have died this year as a result of a fungal meningitis outbreak linked to elective surgeries in Mexico, prompting a travel advisory warning of the newfound dangers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Nickerson, 6/5)
Minnesota Public Radio:
State Health Officials: Norovirus May Have Sickened Dozens At Dakota County Lake
State health officials on Monday said there are indications that norovirus is responsible for sickening dozens of swimmers and closing a popular beach in Dakota County. The beach at Schulze Lake, in Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, was closed over the weekend and remained closed Monday. (6/5)
Minnesota Public Radio:
U Of M Expert Warns Of Increasing Likelihood Of CWD Transmission To Humans
Minnesota scientists have watched chronic wasting disease (CWD) — a fatal, neurological illness — kill deer and elk. Now, they’re studying its potential to jump to humans. The University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy has received more than $1.5 million in state money to start prepping for the possibility of CWD spreading to cows, pigs and possibly humans. (Wurzer and Brown, 6/5)
On gun violence in North Carolina and Texas —
AP:
North Carolina Governor Launches Safe Gun Storage Campaign As Raleigh Recovers From Mass Shooting
A safe firearm storage campaign launched Monday by the North Carolina governor’s administration aims to counter a recent surge in gun thefts and shooting injuries by making safety features available to more gun owners statewide. The initiative will distribute free gun locks starting this week and equip local law enforcement, doctors and school personnel with resources they can use to teach community members how to prevent children from accessing guns. (Schoenbaum, 6/6)
Dallas Morning News:
Medics Saved ‘Every Recoverable Victim’ Of Allen Mass Shooting, Fire Department Says
The Allen Fire Department released a report Monday related to how long it took for emergency medical crews to respond to the May 6 shooting at an outlet mall. Within five minutes of the first call about the Allen Premium Outlets shooting, dispatch notes showed emergency crews receiving information about victims at various stores at the mall. Emergency crews also dealt with unsubstantiated reports of a second possible gunman, the notes state. (Choi, 6/5)
