Healthcare legislation, state by state

Strengthens state oversight of the 340B program so discounted drug pricing intended for safety-net clinics and hospitals actually reaches patients.

Sets safety standards for pharmacies that compound custom medications to reduce contamination and dosing errors.

Allows pharmacists to dispense a short emergency supply of insulin to patients who run out and can't immediately reach their doctor.

Requires health plans to cover nonopioid pain management options so patients and doctors have alternatives to opioid prescriptions.

Updates training and certification requirements for medical assistants to strengthen the healthcare workforce pipeline.

Allows schools to stock albuterol inhalers so students having breathing emergencies can get immediate treatment.

Expands requirements for schools to stock epinephrine auto-injectors for students experiencing severe allergic reactions.

Supports access to rapid whole-genome sequencing to help diagnose critically ill patients, especially infants, faster.

Requires health plans to cover fertility testing and treatment, expanding access to reproductive care.

Requires insurers to spend at least 90% of premiums on actual medical care rather than overhead or profit.

Limits out-of-pocket cost-sharing for maternity care so pregnancy and childbirth remain affordable.

Requires health plans to cover biomarker testing, which helps doctors tailor treatment for cancer and other serious conditions.

Creates or expands premium assistance to help lower-income residents afford health insurance coverage.

Caps the interest rate that can be charged on unpaid medical debt to prevent it from spiraling out of control.

Shields a larger share of wages from garnishment when collectors pursue unpaid medical bills.

Addresses barriers that keep residents from accessing primary care, mental health services, and hospital care.

Protects and expands access to medication abortion across the state.

Requires public college health centers to provide access to medication abortion for students.

Requires providers to offer pain management options during IUD insertion and removal procedures.

Strengthens requirements that health plans cover birth control without added barriers or cost.

Sets flu vaccination requirements for hospital staff to protect patients during flu season.

Strengthens state inspection and oversight requirements for hospitals to catch safety problems sooner.

Supports improved diagnosis, treatment, and awareness of endometriosis.

Caps the fees providers can charge patients to obtain copies of their own medical records.

Requires state review of mergers and acquisitions involving hospitals and healthcare providers to protect community access to care.

Sets deadlines for ambulance providers to send bills, preventing surprise charges that arrive months after a patient was treated.

Regulates who can own and control medical practices to keep clinical decisions in the hands of licensed providers.

Gives the Attorney General authority to review healthcare mergers and acquisitions that could reduce access or raise costs.

Establishes a patient advocate role to help patients navigate the healthcare system and resolve complaints.

Would create a state board to oversee healthcare costs and affordability; passed the Senate but did not complete the legislative process.

Would set how long hospitals must retain patient medical records; passed the House but did not become law.

Improves how providers share health information to coordinate patient care across different clinics and hospitals.

Would have asked voters to amend the state constitution to recognize a right to affordable healthcare; did not complete the legislative process.

Would require insurance coverage for treatment of PANDAS/PANS, pediatric autoimmune conditions; passed the House but did not complete the process.

Expands mental health support services available to students in schools.

Would have expanded children's access to primary care and mental health services; did not become law.

Would have provided additional support for families caring for children with complex medical needs; did not become law.

Would have expanded healthcare service access for residents under age 17; did not become law.

Expands mental health support programs specifically for children and youth statewide.

Would have required insurers to be more transparent about what mental health coverage actually includes; did not become law.

Would have set rules around the use of AI tools in therapy and psychotherapy settings; did not become law.

Would have funded training clinics to grow the behavioral health workforce; did not become law.

Would have created a state advisory council on rare diseases; did not become law.

Would have set rules for how biosimilar medicines can be substituted for brand-name biologics; did not become law.

Would expand what pharmacists are authorized to prescribe directly, improving access to care in underserved areas.

Updates how the state responds to mental health crises, improving treatment pathways for people in acute distress.

Funds grants to grow Oregon's behavioral health workforce.

Expands residential treatment capacity for people with serious behavioral health needs.

Requires insurance coverage that makes HIV treatment more affordable.

Protects the integrity of the 340B program so discounted drug pricing reaches safety-net providers.

Would have allowed minors to consent to certain healthcare without parental consent; did not become law.

Requires direct payments for care to count toward a patient's insurance deductible.

Allows pharmacies to be reimbursed for providing HIV-related services.

Requires insurers to pay providers during the credentialing process instead of leaving them unpaid for months.

Protects patients from surprise balance bills after ground ambulance rides.

Sets minimum nurse staffing ratios in hospitals to protect patient safety.

Funds a statewide strategy to prevent substance use among youth.

Creates licensing for art therapists and allows Medicaid reimbursement for their services.

Requires healthcare employers to implement workplace violence prevention plans.

Requires insurers to make repair decisions on complex rehab technology, like wheelchairs, within 72 hours.

Expands insurance coverage for doula services and maternal healthcare.

Requires insurance coverage for prosthetic and orthotic devices.

Sets rules for state mental health facilities treating patients under 18.

Requires insurance coverage for autologous breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

Strengthens the rights of residents in residential care facilities.

Sets rules for how pharmacies submit 340B reimbursement claims.

Creates a registry for mobile integrated healthcare providers.

Directs a study of healthcare affordability across the state.

Directs a study of behavioral health service availability.

Expands dental care access for veterans.

Updates the reporting schedule for the state's prescription drug affordability board.

Makes permanent the authority for pharmacists to test and treat for COVID-19.

Studies ways to speed up long-term care eligibility decisions.

Allows physician associates and nurse practitioners to serve as medical examiners.

Improves access to timely repair of wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

Requires insurance parity for nonopioid pain medications.

Prohibits medical debt from being reported to credit agencies.

Prohibits denying mental health services to people based on disability.

Strengthens investigation of complaints at residential care facilities.

Sets network adequacy standards for large employer health plans.

Sets reporting and confidentiality rules for health insurers reporting to the state.

Establishes civil penalties for violations of disease control rules.

Creates a registry of healthcare volunteers who can respond during emergencies.

Authorizes disease reporting agreements with tribal governments.

Strengthens monitoring of coordinated care organizations with a focus on pediatric care.

Extends Medicaid eligibility for former foster care youth up to age 26.

Restricts management services organizations from controlling medical practice decisions.

Creates licensing requirements for vehicles used to transport organs for transplant.

Prohibits paying home health and hospice workers on a per-visit basis.

Requires insurers to recognize substance use disorder outpatient facilities for coverage purposes.

Directs a study of rules governing residential treatment facilities.

Requires coordinated care organizations to collaborate with community health partners.

Creates a form patients can use to direct providers not to administer opioids.

Expands the CARE Court program that connects people with severe mental illness to court-ordered treatment plans.

Requires a report on telehealth access under Medi-Cal to inform future policy.

Extends the state's Health Benefit Review Program, which evaluates proposed insurance mandates.

Expands eligibility for Full-Service Partnership mental health programs.

Strengthens oversight of the state's health data exchange framework.

Adjusts administration of California Children's Services for small counties.

Strengthens privacy protections for people seeking reproductive health care.

Strengthens privacy and safety protections for patients and providers of gender-affirming and reproductive healthcare.

Updates evaluation rules for involuntary mental health holds.

Creates a clearer complaint process for addiction treatment facilities.

Requires cities to be notified when a new addiction treatment facility is licensed nearby.

Updates access rules for substance use disorder treatment.

Strengthens death reporting requirements for care facilities.

Requires public publication of violations found at addiction treatment facilities.

Renames and clarifies the role of the Behavioral Health Services Oversight Commission.

Adds hearing aids and infertility treatment to required essential health benefits.

Protects insurance coverage for medication abortion, including mifepristone.

Protects patient immigration status information from being shared without consent.

Regulates pharmacy benefit managers to curb practices that drive up drug costs.

Prohibits corporate owners from interfering in clinical decisions made by physicians.

Strengthens required insurance coverage for behavioral health services.

Requires hospitals to be more transparent about pricing for common procedures.

Creates licensing for alternative birth centers and allows Medi-Cal reimbursement.

Funds training programs to grow the midwifery workforce.

Addresses health risks linked to chemical hair relaxer products.

Supports the expansion of nurse-midwifery education programs.

Sets requirements related to prenatal multivitamin access or standards.

Supports standby perinatal services at rural hospitals to maintain birth access.

Addresses chemical safety standards for menstrual products.

Caps insulin copays at $35 per month to keep diabetes care affordable.

Updates the list of required essential health benefits for insurance plans.

Strengthens disclosure requirements for major food allergens.

Updates regulation of hypodermic needle and syringe access.

Creates a wellness equity fund for Two-Spirit, transgender, gender-nonconforming, and intersex communities.

Sets requirements for medical chaperones during sensitive examinations.

Allows adult day programs to stock emergency antiseizure nasal medication.

Authorizes radiologic technologists to perform venipuncture as part of imaging procedures.

Expands epinephrine delivery system access in schools and childcare settings.

Updates rules for prescriptions issued from the emergency room.

Updates the state's Health Care Quality and Affordability Act.

Prohibits AI tools or companies from using deceptive healthcare provider titles.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

A budget trailer bill covering multiple health program changes; details need verification.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

Pilots a virtual health hub to improve care access for rural communities.

Adjusts Medi-Cal payments that support graduate medical education programs.

Improves Medi-Cal provider directory accuracy for skilled nursing facilities.

Makes changes to Medi-Cal program administration; details need verification.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

Funds programs to stabilize and modernize rural hospitals and clinics across Texas.

Creates a pilot program offering nutrition counseling to Medicaid recipients.

Establishes a peer-support network for firefighters and EMS personnel.

Expands the list of conditions eligible for Texas's low-THC Compassionate Use Program.

Transfers veterans mental health programs to the Texas Veterans Commission.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

Sets duration rules for court-ordered chemical dependency exams and treatment.

Requires providers to deliver itemized medical bills so patients can review charges.

Creates a shared family leave pool for county employees.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

A health-related policy update; specific details need verification against the official record.

Expands the legal framework for direct primary care arrangements between patients and doctors.

Allows schools to stock airway-clearance devices and respiratory medications for students.

Creates a reporting exception for the Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

Requires healthcare cost-disclosure for regional health plans.

Requires human trafficking prevention training for staff at healthcare facilities.

Requires human trafficking awareness training for medical assistants.

Eases license transition for veterans entering civilian healthcare jobs.

Requires insurance coverage for telehealth visits.

Directs a study of cancer incidence among female firefighters.

Sets recordkeeping requirements for telehealth visits.

Funds grants to support ambulance services in rural areas.

Requires fentanyl and drug poisoning awareness education for college students.

Creates a council to coordinate health professions workforce planning.

Exempts certain providers from insurance preauthorization requirements based on track record.

Prohibits denying organ transplants based solely on vaccination status.

Sets updated health and nutrition standards; some provisions may need additional verification.

Clarifies abortion care exceptions for life-threatening conditions to protect maternal health.

Updates notice and filing procedures under the state's mental health code.

Strengthens requirements for reporting adverse events linked to vaccines and drugs.

Expands cost-disclosure requirements to more types of healthcare facilities.

Creates a loan repayment program for mental health professionals who work in schools.

Regulates who can perform laser hair removal procedures.

Sets the enrollment period for adding newborns to health insurance plans.

Funds grants for community mental health programs serving veterans.

Updates licensing requirements for hearing instrument fitters and dispensers.

Updates licensing requirements for speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

Creates a system to track healthcare provider continuing education compliance.

Adds consumer protections against unfair EMS billing practices.

Protects school staff from liability when properly administering student medications.

Regulates financial incentives insurers use to steer patients toward preferred provider tiers.

Expands access to investigational treatments for patients with life-threatening illnesses.

Updates audit requirements for third-party health plan administrators.

Updates procedures for emergency detention and court-ordered mental health treatment.

Updates requirements for electronic health records systems.

Requires greater transparency in pharmacy benefit network contracts.

Streamlines Medicaid provider enrollment and credentialing support.

Creates a consumer reference guide to help residents compare health insurance options.

Restricts smoke shop and e-cigarette advertising aimed at youth.

Restricts e-cigarette advertising near schools and churches.

Updates licensing regulation for massage therapy practitioners.

Lets practitioners who prescribe medication abortion drugs like mifepristone request that pharmacy labels show their practice's name instead of their personal name, protecting them from out-of-state harassment.

Strengthens legal protections shielding New York providers, patients, and helpers involved in reproductive health care and gender-affirming care from out-of-state criminal or civil liability and professional sanctions.

Allows terminally ill adults with six months or fewer to live to request medication from a physician to end their life, under specified safeguards; takes effect August 5, 2026.

Requires health insurance policies to cover follow-up screening and diagnostic services for lung cancer with no cost-sharing for patients.

Prohibits hospitals, health care professionals, and ambulance companies from reporting unpaid medical debt to consumer credit reporting agencies.

Eliminates PBM 'gag clauses' that previously barred pharmacists from discussing drug reimbursement rates and lower-cost options with customers.

Would set minimum PBM reimbursement rates for pharmacies tied to a federal cost benchmark plus a guaranteed dispensing fee, aimed at preventing independent pharmacy closures.

Requires every public school to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan with trained staff and equipment to respond to sudden cardiac arrest.

Requires social media platforms to display warning labels about addictive features such as infinite scroll and autoplay that can harm younger users' mental health.

Would have given patients greater control over health data not already covered by federal HIPAA protections, including stricter consent requirements for data sales.

Would have required hospitals to publicly disclose details about the services they provide, helping patients identify care deserts and compare facilities.

Expands the list of locations required to stock opioid antagonists like naloxone to include sports and event centers, theaters, concert venues, and amusement parks.

Prohibits health plans from imposing copayments on patients receiving care at opioid treatment programs.

Establishes a program allowing nightlife establishments to stock opioid antagonists and train staff to recognize and respond to overdoses.

Establishes a state Center for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia within the Education Department to improve how schools identify and support students with these learning disabilities.

Protects transgender youth, their families, and the physicians who provide them gender-affirming care from out-of-state investigations and legal action.

Would require state Medicaid to continue covering gender-affirming care and bar discriminatory denial of such care by insurers regardless of federal funding changes.

Requires health insurers to cover vaccines recommended by the state Health Commissioner, not just those recommended by the federal ACIP, to preserve access amid federal changes.

Removes reliance on federal ACIP recommendations in state immunization law and authorizes pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 2-18.

Would establish supplemental payments for rural hospitals designated as critical access hospitals to help keep them financially viable.

Requires regular communication between long-term care ombudsmen and facility investigators to improve the reporting and resolution of complaints at nursing homes and residential care facilities.

Requires nursing home operators to notify the Department of Health at least 90 days before an anticipated facility closure, creating a more transparent closure process.

Requires hospitals statewide to maintain adequate language assistance programs so patients with limited English proficiency can access and understand their care.

Prohibits retailers from obstructing or blocking consumer access to drug facts and information panels on over-the-counter medication packaging.

Omnibus school code law that funds $100 million in formula-based school safety and mental health grants for districts, charter schools, and intermediate units, plus targeted grants for nonpublic schools.

Gives EMS personnel permanent authority to leave naloxone at the scene of a suspected overdose, including formulations not yet fully FDA approved.

Establishes a mandatory 25-year sentence for knowingly selling fentanyl that results in a fatal overdose, named for an 18-year-old who died after taking a fentanyl-laced pill.

Creates a dedicated license for certified midwives, modernizes collaborative-practice agreements, and allows licensed midwives to prescribe treatment for opioid use disorder.

Amends the Crimes Code, Health and Safety Code, and Insurance Code to affirmatively establish state-level reproductive rights protections.

Senate companion to the Reproductive Freedom Act, codifying state-level protections for reproductive health care decisions.

Creates a civil cause of action and penalties for blocking access to reproductive health services facilities.

Amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act to bar adverse licensing or insurance actions against providers for delivering legal reproductive health care.

Senate companion bill prohibiting adverse licensing or malpractice-insurance actions against providers of legal reproductive health care, part of the Abortion Protections Package.

Codifies a state-law right to access fertility treatments such as IVF and prohibits insurers from denying coverage based on fertility-treatment use.

Amends the Health and Safety Code to prohibit certain medications, including abortion-inducing drugs, from being prescribed or dispensed via telemedicine.

Requires hospitals to proactively notify patients about financial-assistance programs and simplifies the application process to help prevent medical debt.

Caps medical debt repayment plans so patients pay no more than 4% of net monthly household income and limits aggressive collection practices.

Requires hospitals to publicly disclose standard pricing and bars debt-collection action against patients by hospitals that fail to comply.

Amends the Health Care Facilities Act to require hospitals and medical offices to publicly post pricing information for common services.

Gives the Attorney General oversight of hospital mergers, acquisitions, and closures and requires advance notice to the state before a hospital can shut down.

Requires Department of Health and Attorney General approval before certain mergers, acquisitions, or other transactions involving health care facilities.

Establishes Pennsylvania's first comprehensive consumer data privacy framework, requiring opt-in consent before processing sensitive data such as health and biometric information.

Requires health insurers and providers to disclose when artificial intelligence is used in coverage or care decisions, preserve human responsibility for final decisions, and attest to compliance.

Updates Pennsylvania's Health Care Decisions Law governing advance directives and surrogate decision-making for patients.

Establishes a grant program within the Department of Labor and Industry to help nursing students secure post-graduation employment and repay student loans, aimed at easing the statewide nursing shortage.

Requires health care facilities to establish workplace-violence prevention committees and protects staff from retaliation for reporting violence.

Creates a grant program providing direct financial support to accredited nursing schools to expand enrollment capacity and address the nursing shortage.

Requires health insurance plans, including Medicaid, to cover medically necessary prosthetic and orthotic devices and related services.

Establishes a state board to conduct affordability reviews of high-cost prescription drugs and report findings and recommendations to the General Assembly.

Establishes the Florida Institute for Parkinson's Disease and a research consortium at the University of South Florida to study causes and treatments.

Revises hospital and ambulatory surgical center billing practices and expands the definition of extraordinary collection actions against patients.

Makes comprehensive changes to Department of Health operations, prohibits discrimination based on mRNA vaccine status, and updates background screening rules for medical marijuana treatment centers.

Authorizes a single administrator to oversee up to five home health agencies with identical controlling interests and permits use of contracted personnel for certain visits.

Requires health care providers to refund patient overpayments within 30 days of identifying the overpayment.

Authorizes licensed physicians to perform certain non-FDA-approved stem cell therapies for orthopedic conditions, wound care, and pain management under strict regulatory standards.

Establishes the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and creates a pilot program offering newborn genome sequencing to detect treatable rare conditions early.

Expands the ability of paramedics to administer controlled substances in emergency and prehospital settings.

Expands the scope of services that advanced practice registered nurses may provide, including in underserved areas.

Authorizes hospitals, EMS stations, and fire stations to use infant safety devices ("baby boxes") to safely accept surrendered newborns.

Updates requirements and roles for school social workers providing mental health support to students.

Updates requirements for the state's newborn screening program to detect treatable conditions shortly after birth.

Expands access to fentanyl test strips as a harm-reduction tool to reduce overdose deaths.

Directs improvements to screening for and treatment of blood clots (venous thromboembolism) in health care settings.

Regulates how insurers handle overpayment claims submitted against licensed psychologists.

Expands training and certification requirements for home health aides who care for medically fragile children.

Requires the Department of Health to develop educational materials and a program for early detection of Type 1 diabetes.

Implements Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder recommendations, requiring biennial reviews of behavioral health services, telehealth availability in underserved areas, and workforce investments.

Creates mental illness screening at booking and new misdemeanor/felony diversion pathways to treatment instead of incarceration.

Would have added legislative intent language affirming reproductive care access and clarified that a fetus does not have independent legal rights under Florida law.

Would have repealed the state's six-week abortion ban and removed barriers to gender-affirming care for transgender youth and adults.

Would have expanded Florida's Wrongful Death Act to let parents sue for the death of an unborn child, raising concerns over abortion-access litigation risk.

Would have required parental consent for minors to access birth control, STI treatment, and other health services currently available without it.

Would have required hospitals to implement minimum direct-care registered nurse staffing levels and barred video monitoring as a substitute for in-person nursing care.

Would have exempted certain drugs prescribed for serious mental illness, including perinatal psychiatric conditions, from Medicaid step-therapy prior authorization requirements.

Bans pharmacy benefit manager spread pricing and steering, raises PBM penalties, and creates a $25 million annual grant program to support independent and rural pharmacies.

Bans prior authorization for outpatient and partial hospitalization mental health services and requires insurers to reimburse patients' travel costs when care is unavailable in-network.

Expands Illinois's shield law protecting health care providers, including licensed midwives, from discipline for providing reproductive care that is lawful in the state.

Requires public Illinois colleges and universities with a student health center or on-campus pharmacy to offer contraception and medication abortion to students.

Empowers the Illinois Department of Public Health to issue state-specific vaccine guidance independent of federal recommendations and requires regulated health plans to cover IDPH-recommended immunizations.

Makes Illinois the first state to bar AI chatbots from providing direct mental health therapy, requiring that psychotherapy services be delivered only by licensed professionals.

Clarifies when physical therapy evaluations may be delivered via telehealth, limiting direct-access telehealth evaluations to documented hardship cases with clinical justification.

Requires hospitals and birthing centers to let Medicaid-enrolled doulas accompany patients before, during, and after labor without counting against the facility's guest limits.

Requires all Illinois public libraries to stock opioid antagonists such as naloxone and keep a trained staff member on-site during operating hours.

Makes Illinois the first state to require all school districts to offer free annual mental health screenings to students in grades 3 through 12.

Removes testosterone from the state's Prescription Monitoring Program and bars estrogen and related gender-affirming medications from being added to the database in the future.

Codifies Illinois's process for selecting a gender marker on driver's licenses and state IDs and keeps that information confidential.

Requires Illinois-regulated insurers to cover up to six months of medically appropriate prescribed hormone therapy.

Requires insurance coverage of emergency and urgent ground ambulance trips, caps patient cost-sharing, and bans balance billing when providers accept a defined fair payment.

Lets retired and active healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, dentists, and optometrists, convert to fee-free volunteer licenses to help ease workforce shortages.

Bars drug manufacturers from restricting 340B drug discounts or blocking contract-pharmacy arrangements for safety-net providers serving low-income patients.

Directs the Illinois Department of Insurance to audit the federal 340B drug discount program to track how participating hospitals use program savings.

Creates a distressed hospital loan program, requires audited financial disclosures from hospitals, and expands Medicaid funding and oversight to help prevent hospital closures statewide.

Expands the Health Facilities and Services Review Board's authority to grant, deny, or defer permits for ownership changes or service discontinuations at health care facilities.

Creates statewide monitoring and early-intervention resources to support language development for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Would amend the Medical Patient Rights Act to guarantee patients free access to an electronic copy of their health records when records are available in that format.

Would require hospitals to publicly post standard charges and pricing for at least 300 shoppable services, and would restrict billing or collections against patients when hospitals do not comply.

Prohibits state and local government entities from singling out or substantially burdening access to contraception and family planning services. The bill's original language covering broader reproductive health services, including abortion, was amended out before passage.

Allows reproductive-health and gender-affirming care providers to petition a court to keep their home address confidential and adds a DMV alternate-address option, in response to safety concerns raised by providers.

Prohibits discrimination against breastfeeding individuals in public-facing businesses and directs the state to expand public education and resources on breastfeeding, with enforcement through the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.

Caps out-of-pocket cost-sharing for a 30-day supply of prescription insulin at $35 for people on state-regulated commercial health insurance plans, making Nevada the 28th state with such a cap.

Requires Medicaid to cover evidence-based lung, prostate and colorectal cancer screenings, aligning state law with Affordable Care Act screening standards and giving Medicaid beneficiaries parity with privately insured patients.

Revises rules governing health insurers' prior authorization processes to speed up approvals and limit delays patients and providers face before receiving covered care.

Allows Nevadans under 65 with ALS or end-stage renal disease to purchase Medigap supplemental insurance plans at a fair price, closing a gap that previously left many younger disabled patients without affordable options.

Creates a statewide bachelor's degree pathway for behavioral health and wellness professionals at Nevada System of Higher Education institutions, aimed at growing the behavioral health workforce.

Prohibits public schools from using artificial intelligence to perform the mental-health-related duties of school counselors, psychologists or social workers.

Allows school district employees to be paid during required student internships to become licensed social workers, psychologists or school counselors, aiming to ease workforce shortages in school mental health roles.

Revises provisions governing the Statewide Substance Use Response Working Group, which coordinates state efforts to address substance use disorder and overdose prevention.

Authorizes the Board of Regents to require Nevada System of Higher Education institutions to adopt emergency response plans for opioid overdoses on campus.

Splits the Department of Health and Human Services, creating the new Nevada Health Authority to oversee Medicaid, the state health insurance exchange and related health services, which officially launched July 1, 2025.

Ratifies Nevada's entry into the interstate Counseling Compact, letting licensed professional counselors practice across member states with a single license to ease workforce shortages.

Codifies Medicaid coverage for services from master's-level mental health and addiction counselors at federally qualified health centers and raises Medicaid reimbursement rates for medication-assisted opioid use disorder treatment.

Prohibits the Department of Corrections from collecting or reporting to credit agencies any medical debt an offender owed to the department once that person is released from prison.

Creates a $60 million statewide program, passed during the 2025 special session, to conduct a healthcare needs assessment and award competitive grants addressing shortages of physicians, nurses and behavioral health providers, particularly in rural areas.

Would have barred collection agencies from threatening arrest, pursuing liens on primary residences, or garnishing wages over medical debt, and delayed extraordinary collection actions until 180 days after a first bill. Vetoed over concerns it could discourage responsible payment and raise health care costs.

Would have established a statutory right to assisted reproduction treatment, including IVF, and required many large-group insurers to cover infertility treatment and fertility preservation. Vetoed over fiscal and liability concerns, making Lombardo the first governor to veto a statewide IVF-protection bill.

Would have capped certain prescription drug prices at the maximum fair prices negotiated by Medicare under the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Vetoed, with the Governor citing concerns it would raise costs and reduce access to care.

Would have required larger hospitals to form staffing committees and meet mandatory nurse-to-patient and CNA-to-patient ratios by unit and shift. Vetoed after the Governor said it would add bureaucracy and could worsen workforce shortages.

Would have barred state licensing boards from disciplining providers for offering medically necessary gender-affirming care and blocked Nevada from cooperating with other states' investigations or extraditions over such care. Vetoed by the Governor.

Would have required local jails and detention facilities to adopt policies protecting transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex prisoners. Vetoed by the Governor.

Would have let prescribers of medication abortion and miscarriage-management drugs list their practice's name instead of their own name on the label, to protect provider privacy and safety. Vetoed by the Governor.

Would have prohibited public and private health insurers, including Medicaid, and health care providers from discriminating on the basis of race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or similar characteristics. Vetoed by the Governor.

Governor Lombardo's signature health reform package would have sped up prior authorization, created an alternative dental hygienist licensing path, and restricted new freestanding ERs near existing hospitals. It passed the Senate but died without an Assembly vote on the session's final night.

Would have required health care facilities to make a good-faith effort to provide an in-person ASL interpreter for deaf patients, with documented video remote interpreting as a fallback. Did not pass during the 2025 session.

Requires hospitals to publish annual lists of standard charges and shoppable services, report facility fees for off-campus outpatient care, and restricts medical debt collection or credit reporting by noncompliant hospitals.

Aligns Nevada Medicaid statute with the division's policy manual by requiring providers to file payment appeals within 90 days.

Shortens the timeline for private insurers to approve and pay claims to 15 days for electronic submissions and 30 days for non-electronic claims, with annual compliance reporting.

Requires public and private health plans, including Medicaid, to cover fertility preservation procedures for insureds diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer whose treatment may cause infertility.

Directs the Aging and Disability Services Division to run public education on long-term care planning and tasks the Guardianship Commission with studying updates to the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act.

Creates licensure for speech-language pathology assistants, expands audiology and hearing-aid-dispensing scope of practice, and eases licensing barriers to increase access to care.

Authorizes police officers to temporarily remove and securely hold firearms from a person's immediate vicinity when taking them into custody on a mental health crisis hold, with defined return procedures.

Would have required DCFS to accept and provide services for certain court-ordered children and set timelines and discharge procedures for child psychiatric placements; passed the Senate 21-0 but the Assembly declined to vote on it.

Would have required PBM rebates to pass through to patients at the point of sale, banned spread pricing, and created a fiduciary duty and state contract-review authority over PBMs.

Requires Nevada Medicaid to consolidate its multiple managed-care pharmacy benefits under one state-contracted PBM by 2030 and bans spread pricing, with projected savings of about $105 million per budget cycle.

Would have required health providers to investigate suspected billing overcharges within 30 days and refund confirmed overpayments, with fines for noncompliance; vetoed by the Governor.

Clarifies that optometric telemedicine is part of the practice of optometry, expands the state optometry board, and allows summary suspension of licenses posing imminent public-health risk.

Would have required health insurers to cover doula services and testosterone replacement therapy for menopausal women, and allowed doulas and sign-language interpreters to be present during childbirth; passed both chambers but received no governor action and died.

Would have let patients record a non-opioid treatment directive, required facilities to offer non-opioid options, and required insurers to cover at least one opioid alternative drug.

Allows mobile crisis teams responding to 988/911 behavioral-health calls to use flexible staffing models, including community health workers and peer-support providers, and enables Medicaid reimbursement.

Would have authorized pharmacists to order and interpret CLIA-waived tests, prescribe for certain non-new-diagnosis conditions, and provide additional clinical services to address primary-care shortages; died without a floor vote.

Revises the categories of persons served by the Aging and Disability Services Division and renames the state attorney position protecting the rights of older and disabled Nevadans.

Revises provisions governing parking privileges and placards for persons with disabilities.

Would have required accommodations for people with physical disabilities at public meetings, mandated CART captioning equipment in new public buildings, and added American Sign Language as a recognized world-language course.

Allows qualifying critical access hospitals located more than 80 miles from an existing trauma center to be designated as Level IV trauma centers, improving emergency stabilization capacity in rural Nevada.

Appropriates $10 million per year to the Nevada System of Higher Education to expand undergraduate and graduate nursing programs amid a statewide shortage of over 14,000 nurses.

Would have declared health care records the property of the patient and required providers to give patients free access to and transmission of their electronic health records.

Would have barred providers from charging fees to furnish electronic health records to patients within 7 business days and restricted fee-based health information exchange arrangements; vetoed by the Governor.

Would have cut insurer response time for prior authorization requests from 20 days to 2 business days for urgent care and 5 business days for non-urgent care; died in committee.

Would have prohibited health insurers from using AI as the sole basis to deny, modify, or terminate prior-authorized care, requiring a licensed clinician to review denials; vetoed by the Governor as overly restrictive of technology.

Requires CPR training for coaches and athletic staff and cardiac emergency response plans with defibrillator access at public, charter and private high schools, following a student athlete's death.

Would have revised insurer prior authorization requirements for medical and dental care; failed in committee early in session.

Requires insurers to respond to state Medicaid third-party liability claim inquiries within 60 days and bars denial of state-authorized claims on prior-authorization or minor technicality grounds, aligning with federal law.

Requires the Arizona Department of Health Services to develop and distribute educational materials on postpartum depression and other maternal mental health conditions to providers and patients, and creates an OB-GYN advisory committee focused on rural access.

Prohibits health insurers from using artificial intelligence as the sole basis to deny claims or prior authorizations for medical necessity, requiring a qualified human reviewer to make the final determination.

Shortens the deadline for health insurers to complete provider credentialing from 100 days to 60 days and allows retroactive billing for services rendered during the credentialing period.

Prohibits marijuana advertising that targets minors or appears near schools, expanding existing limits on where and how cannabis products can be marketed.

Requires that people under criminal (Title 13) court-ordered treatment not be housed at the same secure behavioral health residential facility as people under civil (Title 36) commitment.

Removes an outdated regulatory cap on opioid prescription quantities, which supporters argued had unintended consequences for pain patients and prescribers.

Establishes stronger state licensing standards and oversight for sober living homes, aiming to curb fraud and improve care quality in addiction recovery housing.

Requires the Arizona Department of Health Services to publish a priority matrix on its public website showing how complaints filed against licensed health care institutions are ranked and handled.

Requires Arizona's public medical schools to interview all qualified in-state applicants during the first round of admissions, aiming to grow the pipeline of Arizona-trained physicians.

Raises the minimum legal purchase age for tobacco and vapor/e-cigarette products from 18 to 21, aligning state law with federal Tobacco 21 requirements.

Creates a streamlined provisional licensing process allowing out-of-state registered nurses and advanced practice nurses to begin practicing in Arizona within five business days of applying, addressing workforce shortages in underserved and rural areas.

Establishes a state advisory council on rare diseases to improve coordination among patients, providers, and policymakers and to inform state health policy on rare-disease diagnosis and treatment access.

Restricts pharmacy benefit managers from dropping or restricting coverage of a prescription drug mid-year for patients already stabilized on it, and requires formulary-change notice and an exception process.

Appropriates roughly $122 million in emergency funding to the Division of Developmental Disabilities to close a budget shortfall and keep services running for about 60,000 Arizonans, while capping hours under the Parents as Paid Caregivers program at 40 per week.

Appropriates $5 million to the Department of Health Services for a grant funding a certified clinical research study of ibogaine as a treatment for traumatic brain injury and PTSD, contingent on matching non-state funds.

Extends an existing state program that supports individuals transitioning out of inpatient mental health treatment back into community-based care.

Would have required schools to proactively inform parents about legally available vaccine exemptions whenever communicating about immunization requirements.

Would have required health care entities to give parents access to all electronic portals containing a minor child's medical records, even in cases where the minor could consent to confidential care without parental involvement.

Would have required the state Medicaid agency's (AHCCCS) website to display a prominent link directing pregnant women to adoption information and support services.

Would have required schools to share adoption-related information with students who sought medical advice or treatment for contraception or sexually transmitted infections.

Would have required hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status, a mandate Governor Hobbs said could deter people from seeking needed medical care.

Would have barred transgender students from using school locker-room showers matching their gender identity, instead requiring schools to provide separate private shower facilities.

Would have had Arizona join the APRN Compact, letting advanced practice registered nurses hold one multistate license to practice across participating states; the bill stalled and was held without a floor vote.

Requires dental insurers to publicly report their medical loss ratios, aiming to show how much of each premium dollar actually goes toward patient care versus overhead and profit.

Imposes new disclosure and reimbursement-practice requirements on pharmacy benefit managers to curb spread pricing and protect independent pharmacies from below-cost reimbursement.

Adds additional rare genetic and metabolic disorders to Arizona's mandatory newborn screening panel so affected infants are identified and treated earlier.

Requires insurers to reimburse behavioral health services delivered via telehealth at the same rate as in-person visits, aiming to expand access in underserved and rural areas.

Requires health plans to provide a clear, timely process for doctors to override step-therapy protocols when a patient's medical history shows the required first-line drug is unlikely to work.

Creates a state licensing category allowing struggling rural hospitals to convert to a rural emergency hospital model, keeping 24/7 emergency and outpatient care available even if they can no longer sustain inpatient beds.

Requires public schools to stock opioid overdose reversal medication and trains staff on its use, allowing them to respond to on-campus overdoses.

Bars consumer reporting agencies from including paid or settled medical debt on Arizona residents' credit reports, following similar state-level medical-debt credit reforms.

Requires health insurers to let patients with serious or chronic conditions continue care with their current provider for a transition period when that provider leaves the plan's network mid-treatment.

Extends Arizona's Medicaid postpartum coverage period, providing new mothers with continued health coverage for a full year after giving birth.

Requires the state's Division of Developmental Disabilities to publicly report waitlist lengths and wait times so families and lawmakers can track access to home- and community-based services.

Would have further restricted access to gender-affirming medical care for minors already limited under existing Arizona law; Governor Hobbs vetoed the bill.

Establishes a Medicaid reimbursement pathway for services provided by certified community health workers, expanding access to preventive and chronic-disease support in underserved communities.

Requires health insurers to cover standard fertility preservation services, such as egg or sperm freezing, for patients who face infertility as a result of necessary medical treatment like chemotherapy.

Would have expanded the detailed reporting requirements abortion providers must submit to the state; Governor Hobbs vetoed the bill as an unnecessary burden on patients and providers.

Would have altered the circumstances under which minors can consent to certain medical treatment without parental involvement; Governor Hobbs vetoed the measure.

Creates a state loan repayment program for physicians and nurses who commit to practicing in designated rural or underserved Arizona communities.

Would have loosened state restrictions on short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans; Governor Hobbs vetoed it, citing concerns the plans leave consumers underinsured.

Would have broadened religious exemptions to school childhood-vaccination requirements; Governor Hobbs vetoed the bill, citing public health concerns.

Directs Arizona's Medicaid program to establish dedicated care-coordination services for patients with sickle cell disease to improve treatment access and reduce emergency hospitalizations.

Requires health insurance plans to cover hearing aids and related services for children with hearing loss, up to a set benefit amount per ear.

Codifies an individual's right to in vitro fertilization treatment under Georgia law.

Requires health benefit policies to cover fertility preservation services for patients whose necessary medical treatment, such as chemotherapy, may cause infertility.

Requires healthcare providers, facilities, and pharmacies to share psychiatric and other clinical records with the state's Maternal Mortality Review Committee, broadening its scope of review.

Transfers licensing and oversight of drug treatment programs, narcotic treatment programs, and adult residential mental health programs from the Department of Community Health to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

Would have granted legal personhood to embryos and fetuses at fertilization and criminalized abortion at all stages of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Would have banned puberty blockers and hormone therapy for all minors, including those already receiving treatment, and increased liability for prescribing physicians.

Would have directed the Department of Community Health to seek federal approval to provide Medicaid coverage, including antiretroviral medications, to low-income Georgians living with HIV.

Would have created a state-funded program enrolling low-income adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level into fully subsidized private marketplace health plans.

Would have created a Medicaid-like coverage program for adults ages 18-64 with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level who do not otherwise qualify for Medicaid.

Establishes a state certification process and training standards for community health workers under the Department of Public Health.

Legalizes the use of fentanyl test strips and other drug-adulterant testing equipment, removing them from the state's definition of illegal drug paraphernalia.

Creates a separate, tiered sentencing schedule with mandatory minimum prison terms for fentanyl trafficking offenses, distinct from other opiate statutes.

Requires a court hearing before ordering a mental competency evaluation of a criminal defendant and shortens evaluation timelines for nonviolent misdemeanor cases.

Establishes statutory definitions, operating standards, and certification requirements for recovery community organizations and certified peer specialists serving people with substance use disorders.

Requires health benefit policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025 to cover diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of PANDAS and PANS in children, without extra cost-sharing barriers.

Reforms how the State Health Benefit Plan and University System Benefit Plan reimburse pharmacies for self-administered drugs, sets transparent dispensing fees, and gives the Insurance Commissioner enforcement authority over PBMs.

Designates ambulance services as an essential service in Georgia, a classification aimed at supporting funding and sustainability for EMS providers, especially in rural areas.

Extends Georgia's surprise out-of-network billing protections to ground ambulance transportation, capping patient cost-sharing at in-network levels and setting minimum reimbursement rates for ambulance providers.

Creates an optional specialty license plate for people with autism spectrum disorder or developmental disabilities and requires peace-officer training on interacting with neurodivergent individuals during stops.

Fiscal year 2026 budget legislation that raises Medicaid reimbursement rates for autism spectrum disorder therapy service codes by 3 percent.

Creates patient eligibility requirements and informed-consent standards for access to individualized investigational treatments (e.g., personalized gene therapies) for patients with life-threatening illnesses who have exhausted FDA-approved options.

Would have prohibited use of state funds, including the State Health Benefit Plan and Medicaid, to cover gender-affirming care for transgender state employees, dependents, and Medicaid enrollees.

Prohibits the Georgia Department of Corrections from using state funds for hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, or other transition-related care for incarcerated individuals.

Would have created a licensure pathway for physicians trained and licensed abroad to practice in Georgia's underserved areas; stalled amid disagreements with the Georgia Composite Medical Board.

Creates a limited, supervised provisional license letting qualified internationally trained physicians practice in Georgia, particularly in rural counties, en route to full licensure.

Kemp-backed tort reform addressing 'phantom damages' by letting juries consider both billed and actually-paid medical costs, and allowing bifurcated liability/damages trials.

Creates a declining five-year state tax credit for small businesses that contribute to employees' Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) to help afford individual health coverage.

Would have required health benefit policies to cover medically necessary orthotic and prosthetic devices, including materials, fittings, training, and repairs, up to three devices per limb every three years.

Would have let advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants sign orders for home health services to expand access, especially in rural areas; failed after being amended with unrelated gender-care provisions.

Restructures governance of Georgia's regional Community Service Boards, shifting executive director hiring/oversight authority from local boards to the DBHDD Commissioner to improve accountability for mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services.

Would have required hospitals to proactively screen patients for financial assistance eligibility and exhaust coverage options before pursuing medical debt collections.

Would cap medical debt payment plans at 5% of gross monthly income, ban interest and late fees on medical debt, delay credit reporting by a year, and halt collections during pending insurance appeals.

Expands Georgia's medical cannabis program by allowing vaporized inhalation for patients 21+, removing the prior 5% THC cap, and adding new qualifying conditions such as lupus.

Would impose a fiduciary-style 'duty of care' on pharmacy benefit managers toward insureds, health plans, and providers in drug coverage decisions.

Would bar the State Health Benefit Plan from contracting with pharmacy benefit managers that own or have an ownership interest in retail pharmacies, aiming to curb self-favoring reimbursement practices.

Comprehensive data privacy bill that included additional protections specifically for consumer health data; passed the Senate but was withdrawn and died in the House.

Would roll back Georgia's abortion restrictions enacted since 2005, require Medicaid/ACA plan abortion coverage, eliminate waiting periods, and let nurses and PAs provide abortion care.

Creates a new 'emergency organ transport vehicle' category of licensed ambulance service to speed transport of transplant organs and personnel.

Proposes standardizing and linking clinical and insurance claims data, with HIPAA safeguards, to produce more accurate statewide quality and opioid-treatment metrics, particularly for Medicaid.

Requires senior living referral agencies to disclose how they are compensated by communities, limits referral fee duration to 24 months, and bans steering clients only to paying partners.

Authorizes trained Georgia pharmacists to prescribe and administer PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention, aiming to expand access in rural and underserved communities.

Adds Duchenne muscular dystrophy to Georgia's mandatory newborn screening panel to enable earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Authorizes Georgia-licensed dentists to provide care via teledentistry for consultation, triage, and emergency services, and bars insurers from excluding coverage solely because care was delivered remotely.

Establishes a five-year pilot at the Division of Family and Children Services to screen and clinically evaluate foster children for autism spectrum disorder, starting in three regions and expanding statewide.

Creates new interstate licensure compacts for physicians and physician assistants and, for the first time in state history, waives physician supervision requirements for certain experienced PAs.

Extends Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, expands telehealth and remote patient monitoring billing options, and creates a new statewide Medicaid health plan for children and young adults in the child welfare system.

Provides $319 million in supplemental Medicaid funding to close a budget gap, directs DHHS to implement federal Medicaid work requirements and monthly eligibility checks, and funds a performance audit of the program.

Makes North Carolina the 29th member of the Social Work Licensure Compact, letting clinically licensed social workers practice across state lines on a single multistate license.

Regulates pharmacy benefit managers by requiring fair pharmacy reimbursement, protecting patients' choice of pharmacy, passing drug rebates through to consumers, and adding new PBM transparency and audit-practice reporting requirements.

Requires health insurers to cover all FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder and opioid overdose treatment, without prior authorization, on any formulary they maintain.

Defines sex in state law in strictly biological, binary terms, restricts state funding for gender-transition procedures, and extends the malpractice statute of limitations for gender-transition-related care, alongside online pornography age-verification provisions.

Would require health insurers to speed up prior-authorization decisions, cut the number of procedures subject to prior authorization, and increase price transparency.

Would require PBMs to reimburse pharmacies fairly, guarantee patients' choice of pharmacy, limit PBM audit practices, and increase reporting to the Insurance Commissioner.

Would require any new state health-insurance coverage mandate to be offset by repealing an existing one, in an effort to hold down premium costs.

Addresses hospital and ambulatory surgical facility billing fairness, price transparency, and collection practices.

Would direct NCDHHS to implement federal work, education, or community-service requirements as a condition of Medicaid eligibility for able-bodied adults.

Would direct state regulators to update rules governing outpatient opioid treatment programs to increase conformity with federal regulations.

Would require disclosure of the cost that state government health-insurance mandates impose on North Carolina employers and taxpayers.

Would have repealed North Carolina's certificate-of-need laws, which require state approval before hospitals and other providers can build new facilities or add major equipment.

Would cap cumulative medical-debt collection amounts for lower-income patients and require large hospitals to screen patients for financial assistance eligibility before pursuing collections.

Would ban abortion from conception, with an exception only to save the pregnant patient's life and no exception for rape or incest; the House Speaker said it would not be heard.

Would codify a state right to abortion access and contraception, countering recent federal abortion restrictions.

Would add a non-religious "conscientious objection" exemption to school, child care, and university immunization requirements.

Would make health-insurance coverage of ground ambulance services more equitable and require more transparent cost-sharing for patients.

Would fund additional school counselors, psychologists, and social workers as dedicated mental-health support personnel in public schools.

Would invest roughly $20 million in community-based maternal health programs, implicit-bias training for providers, HBCU lactation training, and a mobile outreach initiative aimed at reducing Black maternal mortality.

Would tighten Medicaid rules for autism/ABA therapy providers, including provider network limits and treatment-plan reverification, to curb fraud while preserving services for children with autism.

Directs DHHS to use state purchasing power to lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs, allows reference-based provider reimbursement rates, and creates a low-cost health plan option on the ACA marketplace.

Caps annual prescription drug cost-sharing at $2,000 per person, bars out-of-network cost-sharing at in-network facilities, and requires ground ambulance services be treated as an essential health benefit.

Requires state review of hospital mergers and acquisitions over $5 million, bans retaliation and non-disclosure clauses against whistleblowing healthcare workers, and caps nonprofit hospital CEO pay at 400 times the lowest-paid employee's salary.

Repeals North Carolina's Certificate of Need regulatory framework, which requires state approval before hospitals and other providers can build facilities, expand services, or buy major equipment.

Authorizes the Commissioner of Insurance to establish and operate a universal healthcare benefit plan for North Carolina residents.

Defines and expands the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, CRNAs, and clinical nurse specialists), allowing them to practice without physician supervision.

Establishes a statutory right to access and use contraception and prohibits the state from restricting that right.

Establishes a statutory right to access in vitro fertilization and related reproductive health services, with provisions touching insurance and Medicaid coverage.

Exempts menstrual hygiene products such as tampons, pads, and menstrual cups from North Carolina's state sales tax.

Imposes new public reporting requirements (budgets, staff credentials, client service data) on state-funded crisis pregnancy centers and redirects some of that funding toward evidence-based maternal and infant health programs.

Directs the State Auditor to periodically audit crisis pregnancy centers that receive state funding.

Comprehensive statewide response to the fentanyl crisis, increasing penalties for trafficking and death-by-distribution while expanding state-funded medication-assisted treatment and mobile opioid treatment units, prioritizing rural and underserved counties.

Would repeal North Carolina's existing restrictions on gender-transition procedures for minors, affecting patient rights and healthcare access for transgender youth.

Creates a Rural Healthcare Infrastructure Fund providing grants and below-market loans for construction, renovation, and modernization of rural healthcare facilities, replacing the existing Rural Health Care Stabilization Program.

Appropriates funds for a school-based mental health grant program and establishes a loan-repayment program to recruit mental health workers into K-12 and higher-education settings.

Exempts menstrual hygiene products from state sales tax and directs the Department of Commerce to certify menstrual products that are free of intentionally added PFAS.

Recognizes midwifery practices and doula organizations as essential public health infrastructure and reforms midwifery licensing and oversight structures to improve maternal health outcomes.

Creates a licensing framework and Midwives Council for doulas and midwives, and requires NC Medicaid and private insurance to cover doula services during pregnancy and postpartum.

Establishes and funds a Maternal Care Access Grant Program providing doula and perinatal health worker support from pregnancy through the postpartum period, alongside cancer-care insurance provisions.

Directs the DMV to create an optional autism designation on driver's licenses and provide related training for law enforcement officers.

Raises Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental services to boost provider participation and expand dental care access for low-income North Carolinians.

Would raise the minimum legal age to purchase tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21 and create a retail permitting and enforcement system through the ABC Commission.

Reforms governance of the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, modifying board membership, appointment procedures, and administrative rules.

Omnibus health and human services law covering DHHS boards, Medicaid-related programs, and public health provisions, including creation of the autism driver's-license designation.

Proposed state constitutional amendment declaring that life begins at fertilization; as introduced it would have classified abortion as homicide, drawing significant controversy and a sponsor's withdrawal of support.

Establishes statewide minimum occupational wages for direct care and health care support workers (including home health aides) and appropriates DHHS funding for implementation.

Establishes licensing, financial-disclosure, and consumer-protection requirements for continuing care retirement communities overseen by the Insurance Commissioner.

Caps patient out-of-pocket costs for emergency ground ambulance rides at $100 (or 10% of the insurer-owed amount) and requires insurers to honor local government-set EMS reimbursement rates.