Latest news with #HB133
Business Wire
12-08-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Vitable Health Expands Care-Backed ICHRA Platform to Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida Amid Rising Demand for SMB Health Benefits
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vitable Health, the leading all-in-one health benefits platform redefining care for the American workforce, today announced the availability of its care-backed ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) services in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida. This expansion follows the company's successful launch in Ohio and reflects growing demand from small businesses for health benefits that actually deliver care, not just coverage. As healthcare costs rise and small businesses continue to be left behind by traditional group insurance models, ICHRA adoption is accelerating across the country. New U.S. Census Bureau data, analyzed by BenefitsPro, shows that Florida and Texas are among the states with the highest uninsured rates, underscoring the urgent need for solutions that help employers close coverage gaps. According to the most recent HRA Council report, 83.5% of employers offering an ICHRA or QSEHRA did not provide any health benefits prior—a sign of the model's potential to expand access where it's needed most. 'Legislation will always lag behind reality,' said Joseph Kitonga, CEO of Vitable Health. 'This expansion is about more than geography, it's about proving that small businesses don't need to wait for lawmakers to fix the system. Affordable, high-quality healthcare for the working class isn't theoretical. It's here, it's working, and it's only the beginning.' In many of these markets, small businesses are facing what Vitable Health calls 'coverage deserts,' where traditional plans have become cost-prohibitive or inaccessible. By combining ICHRA administration with unlimited virtual primary care, preventive screenings, diagnostic lab panels, and zero-dollar prescriptions, Vitable removes the friction that typically keeps benefits and care siloed. This integrated model simplifies compliance for employers while improving health access and engagement for employees, particularly in industries like home health, construction, and hospitality, where coverage has historically been out of reach. In Pennsylvania, where Vitable Health is headquartered, this expansion marks the next stage of growth in the company's largest and most mature market. In Texas and Florida, two of the country's most challenging benefits environments, Vitable Health is helping employers deliver a competitive edge by pairing cost-efficient ICHRA benefits with real care. 'With Ohio's HB 133 and Indiana's HB 1004 setting the tone and ICHRA bills surfacing in other states, the message is clear: change is coming,' Kitonga added. 'The employers who act now aren't just getting ahead of the curve—they're leading it.' With this multi-state expansion, Vitable Health is demonstrating what a new standard for small-business health benefits looks like: affordable, accessible, and centered on real care rather than bureaucracy. To learn more about Vitable Health's ICHRA and primary care offerings for small businesses, visit Vitable Health is the nation's leading health benefits platform, making healthcare better for business owners and employees. With a focus on real access over red tape, Vitable Health offers employers affordable, ACA-compliant health benefit solutions, including Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) plans, MVP plans, and ICHRA and QSEHRA options, that are packaged with Direct Primary Care and can be enhanced with Vision and Dental benefits. Every plan includes access to virtual primary care visits, mental health coaching, and over 1,000 covered prescriptions and labs with zero out-of-pocket costs. To date, Vitable Health has raised $25 million from top-tier investors, including First Round Capital, Y Combinator, Cherryrock Capital, Citi Bank's Impact Fund, Commerce Ventures, Jack Altman, Michael Seibel, Immad Akhund, and SoftBank Opportunity Fund.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bills to ban foreign purchase of farmland, social media for minors move forward in NC House
The North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Clayton Henkel) On a busy day at the North Carolina General Assembly, the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee approved pair of bills that have received a good deal of public attention. House Bill 133, 'NC Farmland and Military Protection Act,' sponsored by Reps. Jennifer Balkcom (R-Henderson), Neal Jackson (R-Moore, Randolph), Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth), and John Bell (R-Goldsboro), would ban 'adversarial' foreign governments from purchasing, acquiring, or leasing agricultural land in North Carolina. The restrictions would also apply to land situated within a 75-mile radius of a military installation — a number influenced by national defense recommendations, Balkcom said — such as Fort Bragg near Fayetteville. A complete list of applicable installations is outlined in the bill text. The measure comes at the same time that international tensions have been on the rise amidst the Trump administration's tariffs on foreign trade partners. HB 133 defines 'adversarial' foreign governments as the ones subject to the U.S. State Department's International Traffic in Arms Regulations, according to the bill text, but does not explicitly outline the nations. Its counterpart in the upper chamber, Senate Bill 394, 'Prohibit Foreign Ownership of NC Land,' passed the Senate Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee last week and specifies the 'adversarial' governments as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Rep. Phil Sheperd (R-Onslow) asked if the bill had anything to do with legislation in previous years aimed towards reimbursing farmers for the purchase of their land. Balkcom responded that the bill is more of a preventative measure. Instead of incentivizing farmers to sell their land, it targets foreign groups and bars them from purchasing the property. 'This is basically protecting it from being able to sell, those who do were not given any incentive to do it,' she said. Rep. Jay Adams (R-Catawba) brought up the legality and constitutionality of preventing a landowner from selling their property to a ready, willing buyer. 'Private property rights are crucial here, but so is national security,' Balkcom said. 'The way we look at this bill doesn't impact private buyers or U.S. companies. It applies only to entities controlled by foreign governments designated an adversary from our own federal agency.' The bill now heads to the House Rules Committee. The committee also approved House Bill 301, 'Social Media Protections for Minors Under 16.' According to a legislative staff summary, the bill would — among other things: Prohibit social media platforms from allowing minors under the age of 14 to create an account. Prohibit social media platforms from allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to create an account without parental consent. Require social media platforms to use age verification to verify the age of account holders. Authorize the Department of Justice to bring an action for unfair and deceptive trade practices against a social medial platform that violates these provisions and collect a civil penalty of up to $50,000 per violation. Authorize a civil action on behalf of a minor account holder and an award of up to $10,000 in damages. HB 301 moves to the House Rules Committee for further discussion.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bills banning foreign ownership of NC farmland advance
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service photo by Brandon O'Connor. Two committees in the North Carolina General Assembly voted Tuesday morning to approve legislation banning certain foreign entities from acquiring farmland in the state. The House Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Affairs Committee took up House Bill 133, 'NC Farmland and Military Protection Act.' About an hour later, the Senate Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee approved the upper chamber's counterpart, Senate Bill 394, 'Prohibit Foreign Ownership of NC Land.' Both measures now head to subsequent panels — House Commerce and Economic Development and Senate Judiciary, respectively. At a time of rocky international relations due to the Trump administration's tariffs, the legislation could signify a move toward increased tension with foreign countries. HB 133, sponsored by Reps. Jennifer Balkcom (R-Henderson), Neal Jackson (R-Moore, Randolph), Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth), and John Bell (R-Goldsboro), would prohibit 'adversarial' foreign governments from purchasing, acquiring, or leasing agricultural land in North Carolina, according to the bill text. The restrictions would also apply to land situated within a 75-mile radius of a military installation — a number influenced by national defense recommendations, Balkcom said — such as Fort Bragg near Fayetteville. A complete list of applicable installations is outlined in the bill text. 'If it was up to me, I'd do the entire state,' Balkcom said. 'But this doesn't infringe on private property rights. You can sell it to anybody but a foreign national that's an adversary against the United States.' Rep. Celeste Cairns (R-Carteret, Craven) asked for clarification on the bill's parameters. She asked if people would be able to sell property to individual citizens of the 'adversarial' countries without connection to their government. Balkcom responded in the affirmative. In response to a question from Rep. Wyatt Gable (R-Onslow) about how the 'adversarial' governments are defined, she said there's guidance from the U.S. Department of Defense. Although the bill doesn't list specific countries, it refers to governments subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Over in the upper chamber, Sens. Bob Brinson (R-Beaufort, Craven, Lenoir), Bobby Hanig (R-Bertie, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell), and Timothy Moffitt (R-Henderson, Polk, Rutherford) serve as the primary sponsors for SB 394. The measure explicitly refers to the 'adversarial' nations by name: China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Brinson described the legislation as a state effort to protect national security, because 'food security is national security.' 'The key purpose of this bill is to both safeguard our agricultural integrity and to protect our national security,' he said. 'This bill ensures that North Carolina farmland does not come under international adversarial control, and also prevents adversarial nations from acquiring land near sensitive military installations.' SB 394 is more restrictive than its House counterpart. The proposal bars the prohibited foreign parties from making claims to land situated within a 25-mile radius of a military installation or land underneath special use airspace as designated by the Federal Aviation Administration. Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) pointed out there is a growing population of Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans in the state. She asked if the bill would ban someone from purchasing land if they are a legal resident of the U.S. with Chinese citizenship. 'If they're a resident alien of the U.S., they have the same right to acquire or hold land as a citizen, as long as they're a resident in the state,' Brinson said. 'As long as they are a legal resident alien, they should have the same land ownership rights as a citizen.'
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senators reject another House bill; Law tweaking open carry laws for 18-year-olds shot down
Guns are shown at Caso's Gun-A-Rama in Jersey City, New Jersey, which has been open since 1967. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor) Utah Senators dealt another blow to the House on Wednesday, preventing a bill from advancing that sought to expand gun rights for 18-year-olds while clarifying a number of firearm-related measures in state code. Sponsored by House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Syracuse, HB133 was held up during a Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee meeting on Wednesday after a 2-4 vote. Sens. Mike McKell of Spanish Fork and Evan Vickers of Cedar City joined the committee's two Democrats to vote 'no.' It's the second time in two days that the Senate has shot down a high-profile House bill. On Tuesday, lawmakers voted 'no' on an immigration-related bill that would have increased the maximum sentence for class A misdemeanors to 365 days, which per federal law, would automatically initiate deportation proceedings. Senate leadership said it's likely the immigration bill will be revived this session, if it's amended. But based on the sentiments from Senate leadership and Lisonbee on Thursday, it could be the end of the road for the gun bill this year. The lengthy, 9,000-line bill would have made a number of incremental changes to the state's gun laws. Some of the more substantive provisions included preventing property owners from restricting gun ownership in lease agreements, making state code align with federal law regarding sawed-off shotguns and other modified weapons, and prohibiting 18- to 21-year-olds from carrying firearms in K-12 schools, whether they have a concealed carry permit or not. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX But the most controversial piece was a change to open carry laws for people under 21 years old. Current state law allows anyone over 21 years old to openly carry a loaded firearm, while 18- to 21-year-olds can openly carry a loaded firearm in their vehicle, or an unloaded firearm anywhere that permitless carry is allowed in Utah. Lisonbee's law would allow 18- to 21-year-olds to openly carry a loaded firearm in those areas. 'We're not changing any code significantly in this bill, we're just recodifying and making it really clear for constituents and law enforcement what is and isn't allowed,' she told the committee on Wednesday. But the committee, fueled by concerns that the bill could encourage irresponsible behavior among young gun owners, ultimately voted it down. 'I think common sense prevailed in the committee,' McKell said on Thursday. In a statement, Lisonbee said there's been a 'large amount of misinformation' directed at the bill, telling Utah News Dispatch that it was mainly focused on recodification. 'Law enforcement, the public, the courts, and prosecutors should be able to understand Utah's dangerous weapons law. One thing I learned in running HB133 this year is just how confusing the code is in its current form,' she said. Lisonbee said she plans on bringing back the bill during the interim, where lawmakers meet outside of the 45-day general session. Two much-anticipated House bills have been shot down in Senate committees this week — Lisonbee's bill had been public and debated leading up to the session, while the immigration bill was touted as a key policy that would help the Trump administration achieve its immigration goals in Utah. In both committees, McKell was a key 'no' vote. When asked about the relationship between the House and Senate on Thursday, McKell said it was typical, healthy disagreement that often happens between the two bodies. 'I think we're working well together. I think disagreements are healthy. I think we should disagree, and I think we should ask tough questions. But I had concerns with that bill,' McKell said. In the House, Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, echoed McKell. There's always tension between the House and Senate, he said, which he said leads to productive debate. 'That's the way the system is set up,' he said. 'You take 104 lawmakers, people, most of which have Type A personalities, throw them all in the same room and tell them to find good policy … there's going to be a little tension.' Schultz, wrapping up his comments, joked: 'we're looking forward to killing a couple of our Senate colleagues' bills.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah House passes bill allowing 18-year-olds to openly carry loaded firearms
A Utah bill allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to openly carry loaded firearms in the state advanced through the House of Representatives Tuesday. Sponsored by House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Syracuse, HB133 makes several technical changes to the state's firearms code, while also lowering the age for openly carrying loaded weapons and preventing landlords from prohibiting tenants from possessing firearms in their residences. As a "constitutional carry" state, residents can conceal carry firearms without a permit, and adults over the age of 21 can legally openly carry loaded firearms in most public places. Lisonbee told last year that the distinction between 18-year-olds and 21-year-olds when it comes to open carry law likely runs afoul of anti-age-discrimination law, citing a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision. "Utahns should know their rights," she told colleagues on the House floor Tuesday. "This bill clarifies their rights and allows every Utahn to be able to read the code and understand what they can and cannot do." HB133 passed the House on party lines, though only a couple of Democrats spoke against it. Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek, said he supports Second Amendment protections for the right to bear arms, but expressed concerns about allowing younger Utahns to carry loaded weapons in public. He said young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 are more likely to commit firearm homicide, arguing the policy change could be dangerous. Adults between those ages are three times more likely to commit gun homicides compared to adults over the age of 21, according to the gun control advocacy group, Everytown for Gun Safety. "I think that we could still support the Second Amendment by leaving that provision in our law intact and allowing that open carry by 21-year-olds," Owens said. "I think that life would be a little calmer ... we otherwise could bypass incidents of violence." Lisonbee countered, saying: "A vote against this bill is not a vote to prevent 18- to 21-year-olds from carrying in Utah. They have been able to carry in their vehicles for over a decade, and they can carry in their domiciles under current code." Her bill would expand the places where younger adults can carry loaded weapons, however. "Guns don't commit violence, people commit violence," Lisonbee added. The bill now advances to the Senate for further consideration.
