Crematory horrors spur Maryland lawmakers to push for reform
Following the discovery of mishandled remains and decomposing bodies at a Maryland crematory in January, state lawmakers are proposing stiffer penalties and heavier oversight for the death industry.
Del. Harry Bhandari (D-Baltimore County), who presented H.B. 1555 to the House Health and Government Operations Committee on Thursday night, said he began drafting the bill in February after lawmakers first heard about families whose loved ones were sent to Heaven Bound Cremation Services in White Plains, Maryland. Horrifying conditions that led the state to shutter the crematory left those families reeling and questioning how their loved ones' bodies had been handled and whether they received the right ashes.
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3 days ago
- Yahoo
Lawmakers clash over Ohio bill to ban therapy for minors without parent consent
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — An Ohio lawmaker said a bill that would prohibit counseling and healthcare services to minors without guardian consent would solidify parental rights, while other legislators argue the measure could stifle youth experiencing abuse at home. Introduced by Rep. Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) in March, House Bill 172 reiterates regulations set by Ohio's 'Parents' Bill of Rights' law requiring schools to notify a parent of a student's change in counseling services, emotional or physical health, or well-being. Educators also must provide parents the opportunity to review instructional material that includes 'sexuality content.' Watch a previous NBC4 report on the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' in the video player above. H.B. 172 additionally bans a mental health professional from treating a minor who 'presents for the diagnosis or treatment of a gender-related condition' without first obtaining consent from a parent. Ohio bill that would require free feminine hygiene products in prisons moves forward During H.B. 172's first hearing on May 21 in the Ohio House Health Committee, Newman said the legislation is needed, given that part of Ohio's Revised Code is not in compliance with the 'Parents' Bill of Rights,' which went into effect in April. Should the state's revised code remain as is, Newman said it could cause confusion in Ohio schools and make 'them think they should or could promote children keeping the knowledge of mental health treatment from their parents.' 'We all should want to see students who suffer with mental health issues receive the help they need,' Newman said during the hearing. 'This bill seeks to do that, maintaining that the students' parents cannot be left out of the picture because the parents are the child's authority and most important and essential part of the student's recovery.' However, Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) voiced concern for how H.B. 172 might impact a student facing abuse from a parent or relative. Somani argued 'there is not safe space for that child' if they need to get permission before seeking help, and asked how a teacher is expected to identify abuse without communicating with the student. Newman said he expects a student would seek counseling services after reporting an abusive parent, not the other way around. The lawmaker noted H.B. 172 would not interfere with school employees' obligation to report to law enforcement if there's evidence of a child suffering a crime of abuse or neglect. Ohio lawmakers push for stricter rules on 'obscene' drag queens, indecent exposure Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Township) said she has worked through such situations as a clinical social worker in Cincinnati. Brownlee said there were many times parents weren't readily available when she, or other school staff, had to send a student to the hospital for a medical emergency. 'Are you suggesting that we do not get them that immediate care because of this parental consent need?' Brownlee asked. Newman reiterated that many of these provisions are already law because of the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' and said that if a child needs help and a school employee is aware, then 'parents must absolutely be notified and informed.' If there's a crisis at the school and parents cannot be reached, 'certainly we address the emergency,' Newman said. 'This bill seeks to uphold what the law currently says, that if there are mental health services to be provided, parents are to be notified. Parents can't be written out of the mental health or behavioral care of their children,' Newman said. 'Parents must be a part of the solution for care.' Brownlee also said 'it would completely go against, not only code of ethics, but would impede the safety of the child' for a social worker or educator to discern a 'gender-related condition' or any diagnostic or mental health issue, before that student received treatment. Pilot program testing tasers in Ohio's prisons; may expand statewide H.B. 172's provision banning mental health professionals from treating minors who 'present for the diagnosis or treatment of a gender-related condition' is one of several reasons the proposal has been condemned by Ohio LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. Equality Ohio argued in March that both H.B. 172 and the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' will cut off 'a crucial lifeline' for LGBTQ+ youth who live in unsupportive homes and confide in their therapist or school counselor. Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio's executive director, said H.B. 172 continues the Ohio Statehouse's trend of 'anti-LGBTQ+' legislation and that the measure would force youth out of the closet 'in very, very dangerous situations where they're already experiencing crisis.' 'The bill would remove the confidentiality of a trans student who was experiencing mental health needs, and it could delay or keep a child from going and getting the mental health care that they need,' Steward said. 'It's extremely dangerous and another way in which our legislature is failing trans students.' H.B. 172 could receive additional hearings in the Ohio House Health Committee, which would be open for public testimony. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
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Kalyanaraman becomes latest to leave Maryland Department of Health
Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman testified in March on nursing home inspections to the House Health and Government Operations Committee. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) The deputy secretary of public health services is leaving the Maryland Department of Health this week after two years serving under the Moore Administration and more than a decade in both private and public health services in Maryland, state officials confirmed Monday. Tuesday will be Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman's last day with the department. 'We thank Dr. Kalyanaraman for raising his hand to serve the people of Maryland — especially through the COVID pandemic — as a dedicated champion for public health,' according to a spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore. His departure is the latest in a string that began in February, when then-Secretary Laura Herrera Scott left amid several controversies at the department, including oversight issues at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, a high-security hospital that has been riddled with complaints of patient abuse and violence. Secretary Meena Seshamani, a former top official with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, took the reins of the department in April. Just last week, Erin McCullen left her position as the department's chief of staff, a position she's held since 2023. McCullen also worked in the department in various positions from 2013 through 2017. Chase Cook also left his job last week as the department's director of communications, following several years in the position. Former CMS administrator takes helm of controversy-laden health department As the deputy secretary of public health services, Kalyanaraman has spoken on a wide variety of health and safety issues throughout the years — from heat illnesses and dental health workforce to bird flu threat levels and more. Before working with the Moore administration, Kalyanaraman served as the health officer for Anne Arundel County from September 2019 through March 2023, leading the county through the COVID-19 pandemic. 'He was a really, really good resource for the issues that we dealt with during COVID,' said Sen. Pam Beidle (D-Anne Arundel), chair of the Senate Finance Committee. 'He was always willing to do a webinar with us and our constituents. I think he did a really good job guiding our county through COVID.' Before his time in local government, Kalyanaraman served from 2012 to 2019 as the chief health officer for Baltimore-based Health Care for the Homeless, a nonprofit that provides health care and housing support to 10,000 people in the region annually. He leaves a health department that's trying to pull itself out of a series of controversies and challenges. During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers grilled Kalyanaraman for answers about one of those controversies — a significant backlog of nursing home annual inspections. Kalyanaraman argued that the department had been making progress on the backlog of state inspections, but lawmakers remain concerned that some facilities had not received annual inspections for over four years, putting vulnerable senior citizens at risk of inadequate care. Kalyanaraman declined Monday to comment on his departure. Neither McCullen nor Cook responded to a request for comment. But McCullen said in a social media post about her departure from the health department that she was 'filled with immense gratitude for the privilege of serving alongside such dedicated public servants.' 'The experience has been invaluable, and I am forever thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the health and well-being of Marylanders alongside some of the best people you will ever meet,' she said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
5 days ago
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Ohio bills further regulating SNAP use, fraud prevention, see activity as cuts loom
A 'SNAP welcomed here' sign is seen at the entrance to a Big Lots store in Portland, Oregon. (Getty Images) As Ohio food assistance recipients await decisions on the federal and state level about whether they will see large cuts to their benefits, some state legislators are trying to iron out other details related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Congressional budget reconciliation is ongoing in the U.S. Senate, after what anti-hunger advocates say would be a nearly 30% reduction in SNAP benefits was approved by the U.S. House in their draft of budget documents, encouraged by the Trump administration as part of efforts to slash federal spending. Advocates say the cuts will be devastating for low-income families across the country, with rural communities disproportionately impacted, according to the national Food Research & Action Center. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks said the loss of SNAP funding would restrict services 'vital for everyday Ohioans in every Congressional district.' The potential cuts come as legislators work on the state's SNAP program, with bills ranging from supplements to the benefits for older Ohioans to a push to prevent the defrauding of Ohioans who need the funds. Most recently, supporters of House Bill 163 – which would make the electronic benefit cards (EBTs) that hold SNAP benefits chip-enabled, like most mainstream credit and debit cards – spoke on the impacts chip technology would offer to households. The modernization of the EBT cards would help stem fraud through 'skimming,' a method of stealing information from the swipe of a card and capture of PIN numbers at checkouts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Ohio Poverty Law Center said fraud occurs for many individuals 'in the first few days after benefits were loaded, leaving them without benefits until the next month.' Joree Novotny, executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks said there was a congressional 'pathway' for state agencies to reimburse victims of benefit theft, which took nearly $17 million in SNAP benefits from more than 34,000 Ohio households between June 2023 and Dec. 2024. But the pathway ended in December of last year, when Congress decided against extending authorization for replacement of those benefits, Novotny told the Ohio House Agriculture Committee during a recent hearing on H.B. 163. Since then, it's unclear how much has been stolen from Ohioans and other SNAP beneficiaries, because Novotny said 'theft reports are no longer being collected.' Still, she said emergency food distribution representatives say the 'issue remains pervasive.' One of the sponsors of H.B. 163, state Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, is working with fellow Democratic Rep. Desiree Tims to create a state program to replace stolen SNAP benefits in a bill that would appropriate $17 million from the state's General Revenue Fund for the task. State-level budget discussions have included maintaining work requirements for SNAP participants, along with other regulations related to waivers for SNAP participants. The state budget approved by the House also included a requirement that the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services seek a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exclude 'sugar-sweetened beverages' from items that can be purchased using SNAP benefits. While the provision of the budget doesn't specify types of sugar-sweetened beverages, a bill introduced recently by Republican co-sponsors singles out soft drinks as an item they want to see removed from the SNAP-eligible list of products, along with candy, chips, ice cream and 'prepared desserts such as cakes, pies, cookies or similar products.' If the bill passes, those products would join alcoholic beverages, tobacco, hot foods or 'hot food products prepared for immediate consumption' as SNAP-exempted items. Last week, the sponsors of the bill said exempting 'junk food' from SNAP eligibility is one way of ensuring to taxpayers that their money is being spent for the betterment of Ohioans. 'What this bill's all about is helping focus folks who are using taxpayer money – which we're glad to provide for folks that are having a rough time, don't have resources at home, whatever the case may be – but just helping them realize there are better choices here than the stuff that adds calories … and no nutritional benefits,' Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, told the Senate Health Committee. Bill co-sponsor, Sen. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, pointed to a change 'demographically in our country' toward obesity and health problems, 'and it's primarily the nutritional things that we consume.' 'We're doing America a great disservice by ignoring the fact that what people actually need is clean air, clean water, clean food, good exercise and a little bit of sunshine,' Johnson said. Committee member Sen. Beth Liston, D-Dublin, wondered whether discouraging sweets and soda consumption should start with a different population for which taxpayers subsidize food assistance, like the military or public universities. 'If you're looking at how to make the best impacts, I think looking at only poor individuals that are struggling to get by may not be, certainly not the largest population,' Liston said to the bill sponsors. 'There are many other tax-funded foods that we purchase, and if you're going to be looking at it holistically, just the SNAP program is a pretty small population.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
