Health
Alaska House approves social media ban for young kids, online pornography ID checks for all
The Alaska House of Representatives voted by a wide margin and with bipartisan support on Friday to ban children younger than 14 from using online social media. House Bill 254, from Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, also requires companies that provide internet pornography to check whether an Alaskan viewing that pornography is at least 18 years […]
Alaska House seeks to ban social media for kids, limit access to internet pornography
Late Wednesday night, the Alaska House of Representatives advanced toward a final vote on a proposal that would ban children younger than 14 from using social media and require all Alaskans to verify their age before viewing pornography online. House Bill 254, sponsored by Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, originally contained just the porn age requirement, […]
Alaska House panel removes proposal to raise the state’s age of sexual consent to 18
The Alaska House’s Rules Committee has eliminated, at least temporarily, a plan to raise the state’s age of sexual consent to 18. Members of the House said on Tuesday that they expect to revote on the idea before the legislative session ends. Meeting on Monday, members of the committee voted unanimously to remove the section […]
Biden administration unveils new rule on nursing home staffing levels
The Biden administration has introduced a controversial set of new regulations intended to increase staffing levels and improve patient care in nursing homes. The new staffing rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has faced fierce opposition from the industry and Republicans in Congress. It establishes for the first time national minimum staffing […]
Alaska Senate considers plan that would allow teens to independently seek mental health care
To address a surge in mental health problems among young Alaskans, the Alaska Senate is considering whether to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to seek therapy without their parents’ permission. On Wednesday, the Senate is scheduled to vote on Senate Bill 240, a proposal introduced by Gov. Mike Dunleavy and amended by Senate Majority Leader Cathy […]
States want to make it harder for health insurers to deny care, but firms might evade enforcement
For decades, Amina Tollin struggled with mysterious, debilitating pain that radiated throughout her body. A few years ago, when a doctor finally diagnosed her with polyneuropathy, a chronic nerve condition, she had begun to use a wheelchair. The doctor prescribed a blood infusion therapy that allowed Tollin, 40, to live her life normally. That is, […]
House committee advances bill to require overdose-reversing drug in Alaska schools
A proposal to require Alaska schools to keep opioid-overdose-reversing drugs on campus advanced out of the House Education Committee on Monday. Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, has said House Bill 202 is intended to save student lives as opioid overdoses have begun to happen on Alaska campuses. “These are drugs that are easily accessible, they’re easily […]
Alaska Native children, youth and family well-being depends on our rights to practice subsistence
From fish camps to whaling to berry picking, subsistence is more than a means of survival; it is a cultural practice integral to Indigenous peoples’ well-being. As Indigenous Peoples, we lack a specific word for “subsistence” in our languages. However, we understand these practices to be the sacred way we live in relationship with the […]
Abortions are banned in Arizona after the state supreme court upholds an 1864 law
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled to make abortion largely illegal in the Grand Canyon State, reinstating a 160-year-old law that forbids all procedures except those to save a woman’s life. Justice John R. Lopez IV, writing for the court in a 4-2 split decision, said that a 2022 law allowing abortions up to 15 weeks […]
Alaska lawmakers OK rules for subscription-style basic health care
The Alaska Legislature has voted to approve a health care approach likened to a gym membership. In a 28-12 vote on Monday, the state House voted to approve Senate Bill 45, which authorizes direct health agreements in the state. SB 45 clarifies that direct care agreements — effectively a subscription for basic health care from […]
Alaska House rejects universal health care proposal from Anchorage Democrat
The Alaska House of Representatives on Friday voted down a proposal by Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, to create a universal health care system open to all residents without regard to cost. Speaking on the House floor, Gray said, “The time has come for drastic action. We need to blow up the Alaska health care system.” […]
Bill would require Alaska beverage sellers to post warning signs about alcohol-related cancer risks
The link between alcohol and cancer has been established by medical professionals since the 1980s. But public awareness of that link is low. A bill pending in the Alaska Legislature aims to change that. The measure, House Bill 298, would require businesses that sell alcoholic beverages post signs warning of the cancer link. The cancer […]