Commissioners name state bills to support or oppose during short legislative session

Commissioner Douglas used the commission’s updates item to call attention to multiple state bills she said the commission should monitor during the short legislative session.

Douglas listed priorities she urged the commission to support: SB051 (postpartum care for mothers enrolled in Medicaid), HB1014 (licensing requirements for those performing sonography/ultrasound), HB1020 (access to birth control) and HB1049 (insurance coverage for doula services). She also said the commission should oppose SB236, which she described as restricting abortion drugs and creating new reporting requirements for those drugs. Douglas told the group that Senate bill SB076 and HB1039 involve immigration matters and would call for local law-enforcement cooperation with federal authorities.

Douglas noted the session moves quickly and reminded members of the League of Women Voters legislative update on Jan. 31 as a resource; she also cautioned commissioners to watch so-called 'vehicle' bills, which can be placeholders used to move policy changes rapidly. The commission did not take a formal endorsement or vote on legislative positions during the meeting.