Latest news with #HealthBabiesAct
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Arkansas postpartum Medicaid extension bill fails in Senate committee
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A bill to extend Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers failed in its Senate committee hearing on Wednesday. House Bill 1004 had a relatively easy time passing the House after its introduction there, sending it to the Senate. The Wednesday vote in the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, however, marked the end of its process. Bill to extend Medicaid postpartum care to 12 months passes Arkansas House, heads for Senate Advocates for the bill spoke about the importance of extending postnatal care for those who did not qualify for the ARHome program, which was the bill's intent. Opponents of the legislation were concerned about its expense. Others pointed out that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders-backed Health Moms, Health Babies Act, passed earlier in the session, did not include the 12-month extension. Opposition included testimony from a Department of Human Services representative. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs 'Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act' into law Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies did streamline entry into the Medicaid maternal care process. The governor said earlier that she did not feel the state needed to extend postpartum care past 60 days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Four takeaways from the 12th week of the 95th General Assembly
Video: Arkansas legislature update for April 3, 2025 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The 95th General Assembly returned to a busy legislative session from spring break off-week. The Assembly will have one more week of sessions before its adjournment, and legislators are working to see bills through. Bills in the process include a struggling bill to allocate funding for a new prison, bills to tighten social media restrictions for youth, Medicaid for post-partum mothers and efforts to ease the voter initiative process. Booker sets record for longest Senate speech in history PRISON FUNDING A bill to allocate the remaining $750 million needed to build a 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County failed in three votes across three days for the week of March 31. An allocation bill requires a three-quarter majority to vote in favor of it, and so far, this has not happened in the Senate. Because it is an allocation bill, it may be resubmitted after a failing vote, which is the case here. The 94th General Assembly allocated an initial $75 million for the prison in 2023. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's nomination as Israel ambassador approved by Senate committee, floor vote to follow SOCIAL MEDIA RESTRICTIONS A pair of bills were submitted Tuesday to increase minors' social media use restrictions with the backing of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The first bill revises the Social Media Safety Act of 2023, which a federal judge overturned on Tuesday due to First Amendment issues. The revision removes the proof-of-age check for social media companies—which the judge cited in making his decision—while adding the need for social media companies to have a parental-control dashboard and regular audits of their system access. The second bill allows parents or guardians to sue if a child is harmed or tries to harm themselves due to something they saw on social media. If the legislation becomes law, parents could recoup damages and attorney fees. MEDICAID A bill to extend Medicaid coverage to 12 months from the current six months for postpartum mothers passed the House on Monday and is making its way through the Senate. The bill expands the coverage beyond that of the Health Moms, Health Babies Act passed earlier in the session. Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs: Here's how much countries are getting hit VOTER INITIATIVE The Arkansas League of Woman Voters has re-filed its proposal for a ballot initiative in the next general election. The initiative would allow voters to approve easier access to the voter initiative process, in turn removing a number of restrictions put on the process during the current legislative session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Arkansas' Capitol round up: Babies, taxes and trams
Friday closes week seven of the 95th General Assembly of the Arkansas Legislature. Why it matters: It's the biannual gathering of Arkansas' lawmakers to negotiate changes to the management of state government, infrastructure, education, public safety and more. Catch up quick: Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed 61 bills into law this week. They include the " Healthy Moms, Health Babies Act," a bill authorizing creation of a tramway system for state parks. Another updates public school social studies standards to include the perils of communism and autocratic governments. Other activity included: A bill allowing Arkansas to execute prisoners using nitrogen gas was reviewed and passed by the House Judiciary Committee Thursday. It moves to the House floor for a vote. The Senate Education Committee did not advance the controversial " The Baby Olivia Bill" that would've required an animated video be shown in health classes beginning in fifth grade Two Senate bills (SB208 and SB211) that will require canvassers to check a voter's photo ID before signing a petition and mandating that canvassers sign an affidavit proclaiming they will follow Arkansas law also passed the House. It now returns to a Senate committee for review. Bonus: Bills worthy of your time Sanders on Wednesday said she will back a set of six bills requiring state-sponsored entities, including universities and retirement systems, to divest from China and Russia. Among the restrictions, the legislation would withhold funding from state colleges and universities that have cultural programs linked to the Chinese government, such as the Confucius Institute. Sanders said the bills "will defend Arkansas from bad actors." What we're watching: A few other bills that were filed in the past week: 🚜 SB315 prohibits financial institutions from discriminating against agriculture producers based on the agriculture producer's greenhouse gas emissions, use of fossil-fuel derived fertilizer or use of fossil-fuel powered machinery. 🩺 SB312 would make the number of residential psychiatric treatment beds in the state unlimited. 🧓 SB318 exempts people ages 65 and older who make less than $25,000 from paying income taxes. ✅ HB1578 would establish hemp-based beverage regulations. 💧 SB282 allows public water system customers to vote on having fluoride in their drinking water. This comes after a bill to repeal the state law mandating fluoride in drinking water failed in committee. 🤰 HB1554 would require fertility clinics to track and report data for each embryo created and the number of embryos that are negligently destroyed each year due to the failure of a cryopreservation tank or other error. It also requires a variety of other embryo data to be collected but not personally identifiable information. 🧒 A few bills — SB325, SB326 and SB320 seek to make changes to the Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989, which involves child maltreatment reporting and foster care policies. We'll have more on this soon.
Axios
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Arkansas statehouse week 5 review: Fluoride, babies and cell phones
Today closes the fifth week of the 95th General Assembly of the Arkansas Legislature. Why it matters: Lawmakers hash out proposed changes to state law during the regular session. Catch up quick: Key takeaways from this week include Five of six Senate bills that would change the state's citizen-led petition process — partly by tightening requirements on canvassers — advanced through committee and the Senate. The sixth, which would've created a law enforcement agency within the Secretary of State's office, failed. A Northwest Arkansas Senator's attempt to repeal state law requiring fluoride in water systems failed in committee. Both chambers approved identical bills known collectively as the " Healthy Moms, Health Babies Act" that would provide some reforms to Medicaid. The House approved an amended version of SB142 which would ban students from using cellphones and other devices during the school day at public schools. The bill returns to the Senate to approve the amendment. A bill that would require public and open-enrollment charter schools to include a video produced by an anti-abortion organization in health classes beginning in fifth grade was pulled by its sponsor for amendments. A few bills filed from the past week that we're watching: HB1445 would prohibit local governments from restricting properties from being used as short-term rentals like Airbnbs. The bill allows local governments to require short-term rentals to register with the local government. SJ13 would allow voters to decide whether candidates for Arkansas Supreme Court justice, court of appeals, circuit judge or district judge will be allowed to declare a party affiliation. The positions are currently nonpartisan. HB1436 would prohibit food processing plants operating slaughterhouses from being within two miles of a church, public school or densely populated residential area. HB1437 would ban sex offenders from water parks, swimming areas or children's playgrounds at public parks.
