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Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ohio bill offers protection for off-label prescriptions
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A discussion about off-label drugs is back in the spotlight in Ohio after a similar effort failed last year. House Bill 12 would generally allow a doctor to prescribe any drug, even if it is for off-label use, and require a pharmacist to dispense it. An off-label drug is when it is prescribed for a purpose that is not explicitly approved by the FDA. May 2025 primary election results for central Ohio 'It stems from a lot of the criticisms we've heard surrounding COVID response,' Ohio Rep. DJ Swearingen (R-Huron), the bill's sponsor, said. 'Doctors who felt like they had an idea of how they wanted to handle that disease and wanted to go one way with it and were kind of outcasts in some sort of sense.' Off-label drug prescriptions have been used in more cases than just COVID-19 and Ivermectin. Executive Director of the Ohio Pharmacist Association David Burke said it is most prevalent today, for example, in diabetes drugs, like Ozempic, being used for weight loss. 'Currently, today, off-label prescribing and dispensing occurs unencumbered,' Burke said. Swearingen said that if an off-label prescription can work in the best interests of a patient, then physicians and prescribers should 'have the freedom to pursue that option.' He said there is little 'medical free speech' and this bill would protect that. 'So, if a doctor gives an opinion in a medical setting that they can do that without threat of retaliation from a regulatory board or a licensing board for something along those lines,' Swearingen said. Black smoke rises from Sistine Chapel chimney, conclave doesn't elect pope in first vote Burke argued that there is a different standard of free speech when it comes to medical professionals. 'Physicians don't have free speech for personal opinion on how drugs are to be used, they use scientific background just like pharmacists do or nurses do, and they administer care to a patient,' Burke said. Burke said he worries that under this legislation, pharmacists will have little ground to push back when they think a prescription will be harmful to a patient. He said often, pharmacists have information about certain drugs before a prescriber might. 'This returns us to the days of Dr. Smith's medicine wagon, where he has a liquid that will cure your rheumatism,' Burke said. 'That's where we're going. That's who this empowers.' Burke said while he believes most prescribers do act with care, he worries about places like medical spas and the prescriptions that come from those establishments. 'We've got folks writing prescriptions for any valid reason to which they think a patient could use without scientific background,' Burke said. 'That's going to cause a lot of harm to patients and bypasses the current system that just allows an individual opinion rather than a scientific opinion.' Which school issues central Ohio voters approved in May 2025 election Swearingen said the bill already has a liability portion, and does not leave the prescriber completely immune should the drug cause harm to the patient and not meet the standard of care. He said that at the heart of the bill is wanting 'medical providers to seek the truth.' 'Also have a dialogue about what they believe to be best practices and what they believe to be in the patient's best interest without threat of retaliation,' he said. The bill had its third hearing on Wednesday afternoon, which featured opponent testimony. Fifty-eight people against the bill either submitted written testimony or appeared in person. During the bill's proponent testimony hearing, 42 people supported it. The bill failed to pass the Ohio Statehouse last year, in a last-minute move, but Swearingen said he is hopeful it will get through this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats say session brought meaningful change, but more work to be done
The tone in the House chamber noticeably shifted around 12:45 p.m. Saturday. Both houses of the New Mexico Legislature adjourned at noon Saturday after 60 days in session. And after celebrating the adjournment with hugs, selfies and many rounds of applause, a cadre of about two dozen Democratic lawmakers from the House and Senate filed to the front of the House chamber. These party leaders emphasized their efforts this session to improve public safety, behavioral health options and the beleaguered Children, Youth and Families Department, in addition to making some important policy changes in education and housing. But, they noted, more must be done to make New Mexico a safer and more prosperous place, a reality made particularly clear after a mass shooting Friday night in a Las Cruces park. 'This tragedy reminds us that it's going to take all of us to continue to come together to address these senseless acts of violence,' said House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque. 032225_MS_Legislature_007.JPG Skye Devore, right, takes a selfie with Rep. Catherine Cullen, R-Rio Rancho, after the end of the session Saturday at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. He added, 'We are here to acknowledge all the good work we've done and to recommit ourselves to continuing this work in the weeks, months and years to come.' Public safety, behavioral health This year's session got off to a faster start than most, with lawmakers arriving in Santa Fe 'ready to move quickly,' Martínez said. The result of that movement: A wide-ranging public safety bill plus a plan to rebuild New Mexico's behavioral health system. House Bill 8 combined six public safety bills into one, reforming criminal competency laws; prohibiting devices to transform semiautomatic firearms to fully automatic; and cracking down on shooting threats, fentanyl trafficking and drunken driving. Lawmakers also passed House Bill 12 to expand the 'extreme risk firearm protection order' — or 'red flag' law — to allow police to immediately seize guns in cases of imminent harm and file the so-called red flag petitions themselves. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed it into law Friday. 032225_MS_Legislature_011.JPG Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, holds her head as she wraps up the legislative session at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. One gun bill that didn't pass was Senate Bill 279, which would have mostly banned gas-powered semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines. Shortly after the Legislature adjourned, Everytown for Gun Safety put out a statement blasting lawmakers for failing to pass the bill, singling out by name Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, Senate Judiciary chair Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, and Senate Finance chair George Muñoz, D-Gallup. 'I grew up in Las Cruces — I know the park, the neighborhood and some of the victims that were there — this shooting is personal,' said Leighanne Muñoz, a New Mexico Students Demand Action volunteer. 'My senator, Joseph Cervantes, blocked legislation to ban assault weapons and, after last night, it's time he asked himself if he plans to turn a blind eye while his constituents die or if he'll actually do what he was elected to do and vote for gun safety.' Senate Bills 1 and 3 offer 'monumental behavioral health reform,' Wirth said. SB 1 establishes a trust fund for annual spending on behavioral health initiatives while SB 3 creates an organizational framework for the state's revamped behavioral health system, requiring region-specific plans to address local behavioral health needs. Funding for those changes is now in the state's budget bill, House Bill 2. 'We had laid the foundation in the interim to do that work, and I was super proud of this team — in both chambers, the members — to bring those bills across the line in that first 30 days,' Wirth said. He added, 'I think we're all extra exhausted because we literally started right out of the gate, and it was critical that we did that.' CYFD reforms The 2025 legislative session brought about 100 bills aimed at reforming the perennially challenged CYFD, with lawmakers from both parties clamoring for reforms, said Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque. 'I will tell you that everybody standing behind me and everybody in this Legislature absolutely had a hand in crafting a great piece of legislation called Senate Bill 42,' said Padilla, who grew up in foster homes. SB 42 overhauls the state's law governing treatment plans for children born with drugs in their systems and requires New Mexico to comply with federal law calling for prevention services for at-risk families, among other changes. 'I encourage the governor to sign that bill,' Padilla said. 'It is a big piece of legislation that's going to truly reform CYFD.' Lawmakers also heralded the signing of House Bill 5, which creates an Office of Child Advocate within the state Department of Justice to monitor CYFD. 032225_MS_Legislature_006.JPG Rep. John Block R-Alamogordo, hugs House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, after the session closed Saturday at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. 'This office will provide the independent oversight needed to ensure the agency is acting in our kids' best interest and giving kids in CYFD a trusted advocate who will not only listen to their concerns, but help resolve them,' said House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe. Despite pressure from the governor and Republicans, lawmakers stopped short of acting on juvenile crime. However, Martínez argued reforming CYFD is part of addressing juvenile crime. 'You cannot talk about juvenile crime without ensuring that this state steps up and shows up for those children who are in situations where they are struggling, right?' he said. Climate, education and everything else Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said this session brought a change in the Legislature: 'We are starting to talk about climate change. A lot of people don't want to talk about that,' she said. In the past 60 days, Stewart said lawmakers in both houses did good things for the climate, including creating two funds to adapt to and mitigate climate change as well as taking control of regulating New Mexico's surface waters. Stewart also lauded lawmakers' progress on a few key education bills, including a major update to the state's per-pupil funding formula and salary increases for teachers. 032225_MS_Legislature_005.JPG A woman walks through the quiet Rotunda on Saturday at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Conservation groups expressed mixed feelings about the session, lauding the passage of some climate bills and the Game Commission overhaul in Senate Bill 5 while expressing disappointment that an oil and gas tax hike didn't pass. 'We are grateful for the legislative investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in climate solutions driven by community and workforce development initiatives,' Camilla Feibelman, director of the Sierra Club's Rio Grande chapter, said in a statement. 'The innovative programs that this money funds will help the state avoid the worst impacts of global warming.' However, she lamented that the oil and gas industry 'spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to stop commonsense safeguards against the very emissions harming our state all while fighting modest taxation on their multibillion dollar profits that would support working families.' The final hours of the session almost brought an education policy upset. The House voted unanimously to override a gubernatorial veto of House Bill 65, which would have specified the power of local school boards and charter school governing bodies to determine 'the total number of instructional days per year.' The bill was a direct legislative response to the Public Education Department's so-called 180-day rule. The Senate stopped short of voting to override the governor's veto on House Bill 65, inaction Stewart attributed to a lack of time. 'And now we're all very tired [from] getting two hours of sleep a night,' Stewart said.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NM Legislative Recap March 18: Poetry in motion
Poetry the therapy pony makes a stop at the Roundhouse on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM) Poetry was in motion at the Roundhouse. On Tuesday, the Gypsy Vanner therapy pony from the Loving Thunder Ranch in Rio Rancho paid a visit to the Roundhouse. The ranch, operated by Poetry's handlers Tuwana and Mike Raupp, received state funds last year for a pilot project of equine therapy programs for at-risk kids, expanding on the work the ranch already does with veterans and people with disabilities. 'She's here to offer a little love,' Mike Raupp said, leading her around the building to peek in windows and allowing people to pet her. Poetry's visit was part of New Mexico's Outdoor recreation day at the Roundhouse, which included a variety of programs encouraging New Mexicans to get outside, whether riding a horse, a four-wheeler or an inflatable raft. Carl Colonius, the program director at the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division, told Source NM that the state should celebrate the recent investment of $6.5 million from the Outdoor Equity Fund to support educational outdoor experiences for New Mexico's kids. 'We want folks recreating in our public lands to reflect the diversity of the rest of our state,' he said. In both chambers, bills are picking up the pace as we roll into the last four days of the Legislature. House Bill 12 would create an alternative process for police officers to ask a judge for an Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order, if a reporting party isn't available or doesn't want to be involved. Pared-down gun seizure bill clears second committee The Senate passed HB12 on Monday night, sending it to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's desk. Wesley Clum, a senior at Bosque School in Albuquerque and leader of its Students Demand Action chapter, told Source NM on Tuesday his organization supports HB12, as well as Senate Bill 279, which would prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt or possession of gas-operated semi-automatic firearms, magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, and devices that convert semi-automatic guns into fully automatic ones. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed SB279 on March 7 but it still needs to get through the Senate Finance Committee and then the entire process in the House of Representatives to reach the governor's desk. Clum said he wants to see lawmakers advance SB279 and doesn't understand why it was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. 'We are an independent state, and New Mexicans need to stand up against the NRA,' he said. 'When we have Democratic legislators stalling it, it needs to stop.' Both chambers have now approved 33 bills, including 29 within the last week. A list of those bills can be found here. Three bills, including House Bill 143 (more on that bill below), are scheduled for concurrence committees, meaning lawmakers will have to reconcile differences between both chambers' versions of the bills before sending them to the governor. On Monday and Tuesday, both chambers had signed off on 14 bills, including one that beefs up enforcement of unlicensed cannabis vendors, and another that funds wildfire suppression. The Senate concurred with the House on Senate Bill 17, sending a bill with parole changes to the governor. SB17 would enact a series of changes to modernize the Parole Board and how the body considers incarcerated people's requests for parole. The Senate also passed five House Bills during Tuesday's floor session, kicking them up to the governor's office. Those include: House Bill 191, which would create two wildfire-related permanent funds administered by the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department: the post wildfire fund and the wildfire suppression fund; House Bill 54, which, as amended, would require defibrillators in all schools, not just high schools, along with cardiac response plans based on nationally recognized and evidence-based guidelines; House Bill 192, which would appropriate $2.8 million from the general fund to the Department of Information Technology in FY26 to pay a year of subscriber fees for the digital trunked radio communications system (used by various agencies that provide law enforcement, fire, medical or other emergency services); House Bill 10, which would establish the Enforcement Bureau within the Regulation and Licensing Department and grant it law enforcement authority to investigate and enforce violations under the Cannabis Regulation Act; House Bill 323, which would revise exemptions under the Engineering and Surveying Practice Act to clarify when business-employed engineers must be licensed Make sure to check out Source's bill tracker as we near the session's end. Late Monday evening, the Senate approved House Bill 143, which would require greater transparency from lobbyists in the Roundhouse. It still needs a concurrence vote from the House of Representatives because the Senate Rules Committee removed an amendment that was added to the bill during the floor debate in the House. 'I know how hard it is for New Mexicans to get a real and true account of what happens during their legislative sessions,' Co-sponsor Rep. Sarah Silva (D-Las Cruces) said in a statement. 'This is one step in helping them do that.' Sen. Jeff Steinborn, HB143's co-sponsor, told Source NM concurrence usually happens quickly, but said he did not know when the bill would be scheduled for a second floor hearing. HB143 would require a paid lobbyist to file a lobbyist activity report within 48 hours of trying to influence an issue or help writing a bill, or changing their position on a bill. 'What we're going to find is if signed into law, this is going to be kind of a gamechanger for our level of understanding of who is involved in bills that are being put before us and helping to shape our debate,' Steinborn said. 'Right now, this very important information is kept secret from us.' On Tuesday the Senate named the tortilla the official state bread, with only a few mentions of sopapillas, unanimously passing Senate Bill 315. Adaline McIntosh, a fifth grade student from Las Cruces, joined sponsors Sens. Joshua Sanchez (R-Bosque) and Carrie Hamblen (D-Las Cruces) on the floor as the expert witness, and even brought freshly cooked tortillas for lawmakers from Andele Restaurant in Mesilla. Senators took turns asking McIntosh about the best ways to use tortillas in meals and the differences between traditional and alternative ingredients. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 146 which corrects two incorrect citations to federal law in an interstate compact for teaching military children; Senate Bill 58, which would expand the Early Childhood Education and Care Department's role in regulating child care providers; Senate Bill 495, which would allow public schools to receive funding for educational television and radio stations; and Senate Bill 401, which would make public school broadband infrastructure eligible for tax severance bond funding. The House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 219, which would create a program for New Mexicans to receive medicinal treatment using psilocybin, a psychedelic found in mushrooms, for pre-qualified behavioral health conditions; Senate Bill 252, which would allow licensed social workers to provide telehealth services; Senate Bill 345, which would give more pathways for teachers, educational assistants, interpreters and counselors to obtain licenses; Senate Bill 39, which would add rare diseases to the list of conditions that don't require prior authorization or step therapy; House Bill 112, which would allow federal background checks for cannabis licenses; Senate Bill 101, which would raise the cap on livestock inspection fees; and House Bill 120, which would create the Office of Accessibility to provide reporting and technical assistance to state facilities and websites. At press time on Tuesday, the House was debating Senate Bill 7, which would allow, but not require, municipalities to manage stormwater runoff as a utility. The House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee passed Senate Bill 327, which would create a special registration license plate for the lowrider capital of the world; Senate Bill 236, which would create a special registration license plate promoting motorcycle safety awareness; and Senate Bill 128, which would prohibit special license plates that are derogatory, offensive or are otherwise inappropriate. The Senate Finance Committee passed Senate Bill 197, which would make amendments to the Municipal and County Bond Revenue acts and the Emergency Medical Service Act; House Bill 56, which would increase Medicaid rates for services provided at birth centers; House Bill 128, which would create a local solar access fund to issue grants to counties, municipalities, school districts, land grants-mercedes and Indian nationalism tribes and pueblos to establish solar infrastructure; House Bill 41, which would appropriate $13.25 million from the public project revolving fund to the drinking water state revolving loan fund, the local government planning fund and the cultural affairs facilities infrastructure fund; House Bill 157, which would create new licenses for site administrators and school administrators; House Bill 174, which would require community pharmacies be paid professional dispensing fees no lower than what Medicaid pays in professional dispensing fees; and Senate Bill 425, which would reauthorize 421 capital outlay projects that were authorized in previous years. The Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee passed House Bill 519, which would transfer operating duties for the African American Performing Arts Center from the New Mexico State Fair to the center's proposed board of directors; and Senate Memorial 24, which would recognize the cultural and historical significance of El Santuario de Chimayo and the annual Easter pilgrimage.. The Senate Conservation Committee advanced a pair of bills to address current and future contamination from PFAS. The committee also passed House Bill 348 which would increase the fines for violating water laws for the first time since 1907; House Bill 219, which would designate Slot Canyon Riverlands a state park; House Bill 427, which would amend the Water Project Finance Act with criteria for real-time water quality monitoring projects; House Bill 361, which would allow the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to repurpose depleted oil and gas wells for energy storage or geothermal energy development; and House Bill 295, which would confirm that transmission lines owned by the Renewable Transmission Authority is exempt from property taxes. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Proposed Louisiana law adds criminal penalties for selling consumable hemp to minors, allows civil action
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A proposed law in the upcoming Louisiana legislative session would up the penalties for selling consumable hemp products to people under the age of 21. The age limit is already in law, but a state representative wants to put teeth behind enforcement and allow there to be avenues for civil action if a minor gets injured by a product. 'When it comes to THC, it's so detrimental to the developing brain where if adolescents do consume THC, you can not only have short term, but you can have long term consequences,' said state Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie. House Bill 36 expands the definition of 'illegal controlled substance' to include consumable hemp products that contain THC. Schlegel wanted to have a way for people to sue the dealers or sellers of these products for damages after incidents of minors taking these products and becoming extremely ill. 'I think he was 17 years old, from Baton Rouge, and ended up in the ICU unconscious for hours, so it just made me look at what are the safeguards around this product, especially when it comes to minors,' Schlegel said. What is delta-8? What to know about the alternative THC products and their use by teens Her companion bill, House Bill 12, adds penalties to sell, distribute, or deliver consumable hemp, such as gummies, drinks, and tinctures, to people under 21. The only exception is if an underage person lawfully works for an establishment that sells the products, then they can handle the products. 'The thing that we really, truly don't know is, what was the product. Whenever you have the particular gummy, what was it tested for? What does it say on the product label?' Joey Jones, system director of North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory, said. 'And we've done testing at our laboratory here in Shreveport. I have colleagues out on the East Coast that do testing on hemp-derived products, and this is published, peer-reviewed, evidence-based testing where the labels do not match. There's more cannabinoids in some of the products.' The punishment for the sellers of the product would be a fine of $1,000 to $2,000 or jail time for at least 30 days or up to six months. If someone underage is caught with these products, they can face a fine of $100. Those fines would not be included in a person's criminal history, however. Schlegel said she is modeling this off of how the state manages alcohol sales and minor possession. 'This is just in line with the criminal penalties. Like if a bar would sell alcohol to a minor that you could be held criminally liable,' Schlegel said. The proposed law also creates the crime of producing, manufacturing, distributing, dispensing consumable hemp products without the proper licenses already laid out in law. The punishment would be a fine of no more than $50,000 and 1-10 years of prison time. Consumable hemp has taken the spotlight multiple times at the legislature in recent years. After the sale of consumable hemp was opened up, some felt too much THC was being allowed in individual products. Last year, the age was raised from 18 to 21, the serving size was lowered, and the products were moved out of reach. Flower hemp products remain banned in the state. The bills will not be heard until after the legislative session begins on April 14. Baton Rouge summer camps for kids, teens with sports, art, music Trader Joe's recalls 61K sparkling water bottles — here's why Louisiana families sue Southwest Airlines over flight turbulence injuries Farmers sue Trump administration over halted IRA grants ICE looks for more space Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House votes 41-27 to approve bill expanding NM's red flag gun law
Feb. 25—SANTA FE — Five years after it was first approved, New Mexico's red flag gun law could be expanded under legislation advancing at the Roundhouse. The House voted 41-27 on Tuesday to approve a bill making several changes to the law, which allows firearms to be temporarily seized from individuals deemed to pose a danger to themselves or others. The red flag gun law has divided New Mexico law enforcement officials since its approval in 2020. Most New Mexico sheriffs fiercely opposed the law when it was enacted and vowed not to enforce it, arguing it violated individuals' constitutional rights. But many law enforcement agencies have since grown comfortable with the law, and several top New Mexico State Police officers joined bill sponsors on the House floor on Tuesday as expert witnesses. Rep. Art De La Cruz, D-Albuquerque, pushed back during the debate against Republican questions about rogue law enforcement officers possibly abusing their expanded authority under the bill. "I feel dismayed that we feel confidence in our law enforcement when it's convenient, and not so much confidence when it's not convenient," De La Cruz said. But GOP representatives brought up fundamental concerns about the law, while also seeking unsuccessfully to amend the proposed legislation. Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, pointed out during Tuesday's debate the state does not allow vehicles to be seized from individuals receiving treatment for alcohol addiction. "We do not allow due process (with this law) before someone's property is taken from them," Lord said. Specifically, the bill approved Tuesday, House Bill 12, would clarify that law enforcement officers can directly initiate a court petition — instead of waiting for someone else to contact them. Under the current law, spouses, parents, children and employers are among the parties who are able to ask law enforcement agencies to file a court petition. The legislation would also require that firearms be relinquished immediately upon a judge's order, instead of within 48 hours. Backers said that change would eliminate a potentially dangerous waiting period created by the original law, which Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, described as "illogical." The red flag gun law, officially known as the Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order Act, was approved by lawmakers after several years of debate at the Roundhouse. The law was used sparingly in the two years following its enactment. But utilization of the law increased over the last two years as law enforcement officers have received more training on its workings. Statewide, the number of temporary firearm seizure petitions filed by law enforcement agencies has jumped from three petitions in 2021 to 90 petitions last year, according to bill sponsors. Currently, New Mexico is one of 21 states that have adopted red flag gun laws, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a national group that has pushed for gun safety laws. The Tuesday vote in the House of Representatives broke down largely along party lines, as Rep. Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde was the only Democrat to vote against the measure. All House Republicans also voted in opposition. The bill now advances to the Senate with just over three weeks left in this year's 60-day legislative session.
