“May the force be with you” is exactly how I feel about the legislation proposed throughout the month of May. From the beginning of May when the house passed a new version of AHCA to bills about protections for youth, minorities and discrimination worldwide, May has stayed true to the idea that this year has been and will continue to be an interesting ride.
CA SB562 – The Healthy California Act – This bill would create the “Healthy California program” to provide comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state (including its undocumented residents) – effectively replacing private medical insurance. If this bill passes, California would consolidate existing federal funds (payments for Medicare, Medicaid, and tax revenues) to support the universal health insurance. Colorado voters overwhelmingly rejected a similar proposal in the fall of 2016 due to widespread concerns about the cost to citizens of the state. Nevada just passed a bill letting anyone buy into Medicare, though it isn’t clear if the governor will sign it.
NJ A1952 – Out-of-network Consumer Protection, Transparency, Cost Containment and Accountability Act – The bill reforms various aspects of the health care delivery system in New Jersey to increase transparency in pricing for health care services, enhance consumer protections, create an arbitration system to resolve certain health care billing disputes, contain rising costs associated with out-of-network health care services, and measure success with regard to these goals. The bill uses the term “health care provider” to include both facilities and professionals and requires them to be honest and disclose about possible out of network issues before appointments are scheduled amongst other changes.
IA SF266 – Relating to marijuana and cannabidiol by modifying penalties and creating a drug court revolving fund – This bill defines marijuana possession as one ounce or less and people who do not have a valid written recommendation can be found guilty. The penalties for being found guilty of marijuana possession are: fifty dollars for a first offense, one hundred dollars for a second offense and two hundred dollars for a third or subsequent offense. For all other unlawful possession of marijuana offenses that involve more than one ounce of marijuana, the following apply: first offense the punishment shall be by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment, for a subsequent offense the person is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. This legislation gives people permission to knowingly or intentionally recommend the administration of cannabidiol if the recommendation, possession, use, dispensing, delivery, transporting or administering is in accordance with provisions. The bill calls for fines to be deposited into a fund which will be used by the judicial branch to establish, administer and maintain drug courts throughout the state. To read more about marijuana legislation go here, here or here.
AL HB440 – the Alabama Youth Residential Facility Abuse Prevention Act – Relating to regulations and licensing for private religious or faith-based organizations and residential youth facilities which house children for a period over 24 hours. This bill is a response to victims nationwide forming organizations to expose the trauma, abuse and neglect they experienced while residents at or in these institutions, facilities and programs. These different regulations range from requiring a ratio of one staff person to every four youths and three nutritious meals per day, to submitting their staff training plan, to explaining disciplinary practices individually with each child at the time they are placed or enrolled, to requiring written consent for the use of any restrictive behavior management practice from parents or legal guardians. The bill aims to protect these rights for the children:
- To be afforded dignity in personal relationships with staff, youth and other persons.
- To live in a safe, healthy and comfortable environment where he or she is treated with respect.
- To be free from physical, sexual, emotional, or other abuse or corporal punishment.
- To be granted a reasonable level of personal privacy in accommodations, personal care and assistance and visits.
- To confidential care of his or her records and personal information, and to approve the release of those records prior to the release of them, except as otherwise authorized or required by law.
- To be served food and beverages of the quality and in the quantity necessary to meet his or her nutritional and physical needs.
- To present grievances and recommend changes in policies, procedures, and services to the facility’s staff, management, and governing authority, or any other person without the possibility of restraint, coercion, discrimination, reprisal, threat, or other retaliatory actions.
NJ A3677 – To require racial and ethnic impact statements for certain bills and regulations affecting sentencing – This bill was introduced in response to public policymakers being increasingly concerned with the disparity between the number of minorities in the population and the number incarcerated in jails and prisons. It moves to require the Office of Legislative Services prepare a racial and ethnic impact statement for each proposed criminal justice bill, resolution or amendment that would affect pretrial detention, sentencing, probation or parole policies. This statement would be a statistical analysis of how the change in policy would affect racial and ethnic minorities, correctional facilities and services for racial and ethnic minorities and the estimated number of criminal and juvenile justice matters involving racial and ethnic minorities adjudicated each year.
NJ A4741 – Expands crime of bias intimidation to include law enforcement officers – According to New Jersey law, a person is guilty of ‘bias intimidation’ if they commit, attempt to commit, conspire with another to commit or threaten the immediate commission of an offense with a purpose to intimidate an individual or group of individuals because of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or ethnicity. They can also be found guilty of this crime if they know the conduct constituting the offense would cause an individual or group of individuals to be intimidated because of the same factors. This bill expands the definition to include “status of a law enforcement officer” in response to the growing tensions in America with our different law enforcement agencies.
US HR3942 – Save Christians from Genocide Act – This bill is in response to the growing concern and probability of people who identify as Christians and Yazidis in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, and Libya to be targets of genocide. It asks the Department of Homeland Security to provide expedited visa processing and ensure their applications receive first priority among refugee and (family- or employment-based) immigrant applications. This would apply to someone who is a citizen or national of Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, or Libya seeking refugee or immigrant admission to the United States.
CA SB807 – Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act of 2017 – This bill is attempting to combat the teacher shortage in the United States and would help teachers in two different ways. First, it would give new teachers tax credits for the money they spent to earn full teaching credentials, like college tuition and certification tests. With this credit, they could entirely recoup their expenses over five years. Second, teachers who remain in the profession more than five years would be exempt from paying state taxes on income earned from teaching. This would effectively result in a 4% to 6% salary increase.
TX SB16 – Relating to decreasing the fee for the issuance of an original or renewed license to carry a handgun – The bill aims to require an applicant for a license to carry a handgun to provide, amongst other things, a certified copy of the applicant’s birth certificate or certified proof of age, two complete sets of legible and classifiable fingerprints of the applicant and evidence of handgun proficiency. If someone is classified as “indignant” or considered a senior citizen, the department will reduce their fee by 50 percent for a duplicate or modified license. There will be a $5 fee required for the issuance of a renewed license. If someone applies for certification as a qualified handgun instructor, the department will need to conduct a background check of a person.
NJ S298 – Relating to prohibiting the sale or distribution of flavored electronic smoking devices. This bill amends current smoking bills to include information on the on the health risks associated with flavored electronic smoking devices, quickly replacing traditional cigarettes. The bill defines “electronic smoking device” as an electronic cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, or pipe.
Where do you think the legislative trends will be next month? Are there any specific bills in your state that have people worried or excited?
About BillTrack50 – BillTrack50 offers free tools for citizens to easily research legislators and bills across all 50 states and Congress. BillTrack50 also offers professional tools to help organizations with ongoing legislative and regulatory tracking, as well as easy ways to share information both internally and with the public.