Latest news with #HouseBill89
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anchorage lawmaker proposes ‘red flag' bill to prevent gun deaths with court-ordered interventions
A gun at Caso's Gun-A-Rama, open since 1967, on Feb 11, 2023, in Jersey City, NJ. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor) Alaska has the fifth-highest rate of gun deaths in the nation, with an average of 175 people dying each year by gun, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 70% of gun deaths every year in Alaska, or 120 people, die by suicide. House Bill 89, sponsored by Anchorage Democratic Rep. Andy Josephson, would allow law enforcement officers or household members to petition the court for a temporary protective order, to prevent someone who poses a danger to themself or others from possessing or accessing firearms. 'The goal of the bill would be to reduce the amount of fatalities,' Josephson said in an interview on Friday. 'So these come either in the form of a homicide, or a suicide, or they could be grievous assaults that are permanently disabling …. It seems like a good place to start.' Nationwide, 21 states have enacted similar gun violence protective orders, often referred to as 'red flag' or 'extreme risk protective order' laws, for quick intervention for someone at risk. A petition for the court order can be filed by a police officer, or a 'household member,' which includes a family member, current or former spouse, co-parent, person in a 'substantive dating relationship' or roommate of the individual. A judge would evaluate the petition based on several criteria: the petition provides 'clear and convincing evidence' that someone is a danger to self or others; that 'less restrictive alternatives have been tried and were ineffective'; and if the respondent has been contacted by police. Witnesses can be called to testify under oath, or provide information to the court via an affidavit. The bill allows an 'ex parte' hearing — where the individual is not notified — to protect others who may be endangered, Josephson said. 'You're not going to call your estranged lover or husband, and say, 'Hey, you're furious at me and threatening me. But I want you to feel even worse, because I'm about to tell you I'm going down to court.' I mean, think how dangerous that would be, right? So you have to sort of have an ex parte system,' he said. A judge could issue the emergency order for 20 days or up to six months, with the possibility of renewal. Often gun rights enthusiasts say, 'Please focus on the dangerous people, the people that are real threats, and leave me out of it.' And this bill absolutely does that. – Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage Police would then notify the individual of the court order, and they would have the right to respond and request the order modified at a hearing within 20 days. Under the court order, they would have 24 hours to surrender all firearms to local law enforcement, who would store them until the order expires. Opponents of the bill have voiced concerns with court orders infringing on the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment right to bear arms. Josephson said he understands, but there has to be limitations on people who are at extreme risk. 'I respect the critics of the bill,' he said. 'We shouldn't broad-brush people and say, 'a pox on everyone's houses.' In fact, often gun rights enthusiasts say, 'Please focus on the dangerous people, the people that are real threats, and leave me out of it.' And this bill absolutely does that.' The bill sparked debate in the House State Affairs Committee during its first hearing on Thursday, and passionate public testimony both in support and opposition. 'I have received more emails on this issue than I have on education,' said Homer Republican Rep. Sarah Vance. 'You have created a firestorm in the state over this bill …. What crime have they committed? Simple as that: What crime have they committed?' Josephson pointed to current state law for domestic violence restraining orders, which already allows a judge to prohibit possession of firearms for those served, and to order them surrendered to police. This would go a step further, to intervene before violence takes place, he said. 'Fundamentally, they're not allowed to threaten people with firearms or to assume that if they're suicidal, God forbid, as tragic as that is, that the public is just going to watch them live amongst guns and not care about their their health. So that's the answer,' he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Josephson also pointed to new federal case law: Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in U.S. v. Rahimi that to prohibit domestic abusers from possessing guns is constitutional under the Second Amendment. 'Our tradition of firearm regulation allows the Government to disarm individuals who present a credible threat to the physical safety of others,' Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. Supporters of the bill testified and urged lawmakers to prevent further personal tragedy, while opponents expressed concern with the process and limiting the right to have guns. 'Guns are so lethal in the suicide world,' said Gordon Williams of Douglas, a self-described gun owner and hunter, speaking in support of the bill. 'Ninety percent of suicide attempts with a gun are successful, and that doesn't give (people) a chance …. So I think HB 89 provides an important tool to focus on mental health. Having the weapon out of the equation while mental health services are provided, and mental health can address it, is a really good thing.' Spencer King of Wasilla opposed the law. 'If this is done ex parte, is this going to be like served through a no knock warrant at 5 a.m., waking people up in the middle of the night and kicking in their door with no notice?' King said. 'I don't support this bill at all. And this is just a ploy by the gun grabbers to add more burden to legal gun owners that are going to be burdened by judicial and bureaucratic hardship.' The House State Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks, said public testimony will continue, though the next hearing of the bill has not been scheduled yet. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Huntsville-area legislator's bill expanding access to prenatal care approved by Alabama House
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Alabama House has unanimously passed a bill that would ensure early access to prenatal care through Medicaid for low-income mothers. House Bill 89 is sponsored by Alabama Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-10th District, whose districts includes parts of Huntsville and Madison. Alabama congressional delegation on proposed federal workforce cuts The bill was approved on Thursday. 'We're very excited to have this legislation moving forward to really help Alabama's moms and babies,' Lands said. ' A similar measure, sponsored by Alabama Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-20th District, was passed out of a Senate Committee Thursday. Lands' bill would give expectant mothers – who can meet income eligibility requirements – 60 days to provide a proof of pregnancy record and related income records, while allowing them to start receiving prenatal care early on. Lands said the current system requires those records be submitted before prenatal care can begin. She said obtaining a proof of pregnancy record can take a month or more, which under the current system delays access to care. Lands said the measure would improve maternal and infant health, allow for pre-existing conditions to be identified sooner and help to improve Alabama's high infant and maternal mortality rates. Athens man charged for beating baby, sheriff's office says Lands said the bill was amended before winning House approval. 'The bill was amended in committee, to provide a sunset on it, which is October 2028, so we can look at the data to see how much it is actually costing, and to see how much we're saving,' she said. 'And we predict there will be some pretty enormous savings, in terms of reducing NICU stays, identifying pre-existing conditions earlier, just better all-around health outcomes.' A legislative fiscal note attached to the bill estimates the expanded access would cost about $1 million annually. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Huntsville-area legislator proposes bill to speed access to prenatal care
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Huntsville-area Representative Marilyn Lands has introduced a bill aimed at ensuring expectant mothers have access to health care, as soon as possible. The measure has a number of bipartisan co-sponsors and is aimed at speeding up access to maternal care through Medicaid for low-income mothers. The current system often has delays before care can start, this could change that. Another state wants to be considered for Space Command headquarters Lands, a Democrat who represents House District 10, said the measure is aimed at improving care for expectant mothers. She said the bill would provide 'presumptive eligibility to Medicaid for pregnant women.' Lands said Alabama has horrendous numbers when it comes to prenatal care,with 11 percent of expectant mothers never receiving that care. Many others don't see a doctor, she said, until the second or third trimester. and it takes aim at a classic Catch-22 on Medicaid eligibility. 'A woman has to have a letter from a physician verifying her pregnancy,' Lands said. 'And you can't get into a physician if you don't have money to pay for that appointment without Medicaid.' Lands said county health departments do a good job and can provide pregnancy verification, but it may take weeks to find an open appointment date. Huntsville College Preparatory School announces closure 'There are delays in proving that you're eligible for Medicaid but also that pregnancyverification,' she said. House Bill 89 would speed up the process. 'The bill would begin prenatal care and give the mother 60 days to prove eligibility,' Lands said. Lands also stressed said early prenatal care is vital. 'It is so important that we get women in right away so they understand the importance of prenatal care, the importance of vitamins and nutrition and that we're able to identify any pre-existing conditions,' she said. 'High blood pressure, diabetes, preeclampsia, all of those things, the earlier we identify the more we can treat those and we can have better outcomes for moms and babies.' She says the bill has drawn bipartisan support, with a colleague calling it 'pro-life.' The legislative fiscal note says it will increase Medicaid costs by $1 million annually, most of the money is projected to come from the federal government and about $273,000 more from the state. 'I think the benefits far outweigh the costs, thinking about what it costs for a baby to be in the NICU, and just reducing that by a fraction creates enormous savings for us all. Alabama's infant mortality rate and maternal death rate are among the worst in the U.S., figures show. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
