Latest news with #Bill491
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NC Medicaid work requirement bill meant as a shield to protect expansion, a sponsor says
Two identical bills introduced this week in the North Carolina House and Senate would update the language on work requirements that is part of the 2023 law expanding Medicaid in North Carolina. Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth), a primary sponsor of House Bill 491, said it is intended as a signal to Republicans in Washington that North Carolina is okay with work requirements, and written in the hope it will ward off federal budget cuts that would threaten the existence of Medicaid expansion in the state. The state's 2023 expansion law includes a trigger that will end Medicaid expansion if the federal government alters the funding formula and decides to cut how much it pays. The federal government now covers 90% of the cost for people covered under Medicaid expansion. 'I thought that if we were proactive on the work requirement and silent on the formula change, my hope is the feds will not mess with the formula,' Lambeth said. Changing the formula 'would be a disaster,' he said. 'It puts the whole program at risk.' About 640, 000 North Carolinians have enrolled in expanded Medicaid since its launch in December 2023. They are adults younger than 65 without dependent children who make less than 138% of the federal poverty level. Work requirements and reducing the federal contribution to states for people covered under expansion were among the options for Medicaid cuts included in a recent U.S. House budget committee document. North Carolina's expansion law already requires the state Department of Health and Human Services to ask the federal government for permission to impose work requirements on Medicaid expansion beneficiaries if 'there is an indication' that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would approve. The new bills add that DHHS must implement work requirements that receive the federal government's okay. In President Donald Trump's first term, CMS approved states' plans for Medicaid work requirements. Some of those plans were later invalidated by federal courts. President Joe Biden's administration rescinded permission granted to other states. With Trump back in charge, Republicans at the state level see another chance to have Medicaid work requirements approved. Arkansas imposed a Medicaid work requirement for less than a year in 2018 before a judge ended it. About 18,000 people lost their health insurance in Arkansas, according to a study, and the work requirement did not lead to increased employment. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is again seeking permission for a work requirement, the Arkansas Advocate reported. Governors in South Carolina and Ohio are also seeking permission for Medicaid work requirements. Lambeth is a longtime supporter of work requirements as a qualification for adults' health insurance coverage. Bills he sponsored that were precursors to the Medicaid expansion law included work requirements for participants. About 80% of people who gained insurance coverage under expansion are already working, Lambeth said Tuesday. The bills stop short of requiring DHHS to apply for permission to impose work requirements. Rather than wasting time seeking something that won't be approved, it would be good to see whether courts allow work requirements as part of Medicaid expansion in other states, Lambeth said.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Monday means rallies, this time for LGBTQ+, developmentally disabled advocates
Keith Holt, center, president of the Maryland LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, gives remarks March 3 at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) They were gathered in the cold outside the State House, but the message Monday from lawmakers and supporters of the Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus was directed more at the White House: 'Our rights are not up for debate.' On the first day of his second term in office, President Donald Trump (R) revoked dozens of former President Joe Biden's (D) executive actions, including orders calling for an end to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, and limiting federal policy to two sexes, male and female, as a step toward doing away with 'gender ideology extremism.' Trump officials 'are going to do everything they can to try to stop us from living our truly authentic selves, and they are going to do everything that they can to make sure that our lives can be a living hell from day to day,' said Del. Kris Fair (D-Frederick), chair of the caucus. 'But in Maryland, we can make that different.' With just five weeks left in the legislative session, the caucus summarized some of its legislative priorities. Those include bills – Senate Bill 491 and House Bill 699 – that would provide benefits to veterans discharged based on an incident relating to post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic brain injury, or experienced sexual trauma. The bills are sponsored by Sen. Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel) and Del. Nick Allen (D-Baltimore County). Another measure, HB 1059, sponsored by Fair, seeks to establish a state medical assistance program to help people who need help with health care costs 'associated with services and benefits provided under State law that are subject to federal restrictions.' Fair is also sponsor of a joint resolution to ensure the state's public schools acknowledge the importance of a culturally diverse curriculum. The resolution was heard Monday by the House Rules and Nominations Committee. A Senate version sponsored by Sen. Karen Lewis Young (D-Frederick) will be heard Friday by the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Speakers Monday included Keith Holt, president of the Maryland LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, became the first person of color to hold that position when he took over in January. Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery), a member of the caucus, had some direct words for the administration and Elon Musk, an adviser to Trump. 'The occupants of the White House, President Musk and Vice President Trump, are doing everything in their power to erase the history, the contributions and the presence of queer folks,' Acevero said. 'But like every person who's tried that before … those bigots will quickly realize that we ain't going no damn where, we are right here. We'll continue to be here. Kelly O. Hayes was sworn in Monday as the interim U.S. Attorney for Maryland, taking the place of former U.S. Attorney Erek Barron, a Biden-administration appointee who stepped down Feb. 12. It's not clear how long Hayes will serve in the interim role. Ultimately, a permanent replacement will be nominated by President Donald Trump. Hayes has been with the federal prosecutor's office in Maryland since 2013, when she joined as an assistant U.S. attorney. She has served as deputy appellate chief for the district, deputy chief for the district's southern division, principal deputy chief and, since, 2021, chief of the southern division in Greenbelt. In that role, she oversaw all criminal investigations and prosecutions in the southern division. In a statement from the office Monday, Hayes said she was 'beyond honored to lead this office.' Raised in Montgomery County, Hayes attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. After school, she clerked for Judge Janis L. Sammartino in the Southern District of California before joining the U.S. Attorney's Office here. Barron, a former legislator from Prince George's County, served as U.S. attorney from Oct. 7, 2021, until his Feb. 12 resignation. As an appointee of former President Joe Biden (D), his resignation was widely expected after Trump's election. They have had one win this session, but advocates for the developmental disability community are not about to rest on their laurels. So they were back in Annapolis on Monday evening, trying to explain to House members why lawmakers should oppose millions in funding cuts to a state agency that oversees funding for their care. 'We need to make sure that the rest of the legislature is aware of what the proposed $457 million cut for FY '26 [fiscal year 2026] will do to the Developmental Disabilities Administration's services,' said Mat Rice, executive director with People on the Go Maryland. 'We're really talking about something that could potentially turn back the clock for civil rights.' Gov. Wes Moore's (D) budget initially included a series of 'cost containment' for the Developmental Disabilities Administration, as the agency has experienced unsustainable growth in recent years. Initially, he proposed cutting $200 million from the DDA at the end of fiscal 2025 with more to come in the next fiscal year. It was one of the largets single cuts at the state tries to close a $3 billion gap in the fiscal 2026 budget. But after hundreds of advocates gathered on Lawyers Mall in Annapolis, amid other advocacy efforts, the administration said announced plans to postpone the immediate cuts that would have occurred at the end of this fiscal year. 'I think through the conversations we've had with the governor's office, they have really stepped up and said that they're committed to restoring as much of the funding as they can,' Rice said. He said that while the state is in 'really dire fiscal straits' lawmakers have to 'hold the line' on funding the DDA amid federal funding uncertainty. Advocates are hopeful to push back against the cuts that are still slated for the fiscal 2026 budget. 'There's always strength in numbers,' said Ken Capone, an advocate with developmental disabilities. Sen. Sara Love and Del. Marc Korman, both Anne Arundel County Democrats, announced plans to run for reelection as a team Monday — almost 20 months before the 2026 general election. The District 16 lawmakers sad they have worked well together as a team for the district and hope to convince voters to let them continue doing so. 'I look forward to four more years of collaboration on behalf of our District 16 constituents,' Korman said in the press release announcing their plan to run together. That release was packed with prepared quotes from other Democrats on the local, state and federal level praising the two lawmakers. What the release did not include were the names of the two other lawmakers representing District 16, Democratic Dels. Sarah Wolek and Teresa Woorman. The statement said only that, 'At this time, no decisions have been made regarding other campaign team members.' Wolek was appointed to the House in 2023, to fill a seat vacated by Ariana Kelly. Woorman was appointed in 2022 to fill the seat vacated by Love when she was elevated to the Senate, after Kelly left. Love was first elected in 2018. In the House, she served on the Environment and Transportation Committee, where she chaired the Motor Vehicle and Transportation Subcommittee. She is a member of the Judicial Proceedings Committee in the Senate. Her bio says that she was a leader in the House on privacy issues, sponsoring 'the country's strongest online data privacy protection law,' among other issues. Korman, now in his third term in the House, serves as chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee. He has also served as House Majority Leader and in a leadership role on the House Appropriations Committee. He wrote Maryland's dedicated funding for the Metro system, among other proposals.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate passes bill to allow Alexandria to annex property
ANDERSON — Legislation introduced by Sen. Mike Gaskill that could allow the city of Alexandria to annex about 460 acres for an industrial park has passed the Indiana Senate. The Senate passed the legislation unanimously Thursday. Rep. Elizabeth Rowray, R-Yorktown, will be the House sponsor. Senate Bill 491, authored by Gaskill, R-Pendleton, would allow Alexandria to annex the property south of Poet Biorefining, 13179 N. Madison County Road 100 East, even though it's not adjacent to city limits. Rob Sparks, executive director of the Corporation for Economic Development, would help market the property, if it's annexed. 'We have had lots of looks and several great leads,' Sparks said of businesses interested in potentially establishing a presence at the site. He said the property was at first considered for development through Madison County, but with Alexandria possibly annexing the property it would provide the necessary zoning. Local officials are optimistic about passage of the bill by the legislature and conversations have been taking place with lawmakers, according to Sparks. 'Alexandria came to me and asked for help,' Gaskill previously said. 'It would allow for a business park, and the property would be identified and useful for the county.' Alan Moore, director of economic development for the city of Alexandria, previously said the site has hosted several visits for possible development. 'The marketplace is very competitive,' he said. 'We want to get the property zoned properly and allow us to attract a development.' Moore said the site has all city utilities. 'We will continue to market the site,' he added. 'Without zoning in place, it creates a challenge of being competitive,' Moore told Indiana Inside Business. 'So that's the obstacle that we're looking at.' Moore said the business park could be expanded near the site in the future. If the bill is passed and signed into law, Moore estimates that it would take about a year for annexation to be completed. 'It's important for the community,' he said. 'Obviously, there's jobs. There's also tax revenue, which benefits the school system. The entire community benefits from having a strong industrial base.'
