Abortion Coverage Equity, 20 Progressive Bills, Coming Teacher Shortage and More

Posted on September 15, 2016

Abortion Coverage Equity Act: Although it is common practice for private insurance to cover abortion, most states block coverage in one way or another. For example, 33 states prohibit the use of Medicaid funds for abortion and 25 states restrict abortion coverage in their insurance exchanges. And yet, polls show that Americans favor insurance coverage, including Medicaid. The Abortion Coverage Equity Act would ensure that women, regardless of their economic status, are able to obtain insurance coverage for abortion care.

20 progressive bills for state legislators: If you are thinking about state legislation to introduce next year, you’ve come to the right place. This column lists 20 ideas for state laws, providing hyperlinks to model bills for each. Read the list on IdeaLog, our blog intended to raise eyebrows and engage minds.

Policies and Programs to Address Police Violence: Wednesday, September 21@3pm Eastern, 2pm Central, 1pm Mountain, Noon Pacific. Representatives from the organization Campaign Zero will describe programs and ten specific policies that any state or locality can adopt to limit police interventions, promote community interactions, and ensure accountability. Register for the webinar here.

The coming teacher shortage: Some states are already suffering a teacher shortage. The rest of the national will likely have the same problem soon, as enrollment goes up and the supply of qualified teachers goes down. Read this brand-new study from the Learning Policy Institute.

Far-reaching prescription drug affordability model: Several states have recently attempted to require prescription drug companies to disclose drug prices and marketing expenses. Maryland Health Care for All has a particularly strong model that includes legal action by the state Attorney General to prevent price gouging. See especially the Resolution toward the bottom.

Progress in the States and Localities Report: See nearly 100 progressive bills that have passed at least one legislative house so far in 2016. The progressive victories in our Progress in the States and Localities Report address a wide range of policies from civil rights and consumer protection to public safety and election reform.

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