Idaho Reports airs Friday at 8 pm on Idaho Public Television.

House passes child protection ombudsman bill

A bill heading to the governor's desk would create a health and human services ombudsman, a new office independent of the courts and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The legislation comes in response to systemic foster care issues.

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Bill to support local EMS passes Senate

The Senate passed a bill that would declare EMS an essential service and lay the groundwork for the state government to take over some of the costs in the future.

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Legislature seeks federal waiver to add work requirements to Medicaid expansion

The resolution directs the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to develop a cost-sharing approach for Medicaid expansion coverage. It also requests a waiver allowing the Medicaid expansion population to choose between Medicaid and private health insurance plans like those on the Your Health Idaho exchange.

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Follow online for updates throughout the week:

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Bill passes to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage

The Idaho Senate passed a bill in a 24-10 vote Tuesday seeking to extend Medicaid coverage for women for up to 12 months after giving birth. Rather than enrollment in regular Medicaid, which is a 70-30 split between federal and state funding, the postpartum coverage would be eligible for a 90-10 funding split.

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Podcast: Covering Contraception

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow sat down with associate producer Logan Finney this week to discuss a bill she has been working for years to pass, which increases the amount of contraceptives that women can pick up in a single pharmacy visit. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2024.

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Third pesticide bill introduced in Senate

Bayer, the company that manufactures Roundup, has donated at least $15,000 since December of 2023 to Idaho candidates and political action committees. Like the last pesticide bills, SB 1432 states the labeling on a pesticide from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adequate warning regarding health and safety.

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In case you missed it:

A conversation with Chief Justice Bevan

Lawmakers have debated for several years over adjustments to how the state should fill judicial vacancies when judges retire. Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan joined use last week to share the potential impacts of a House bill addressing judicial retirements and tied to this year's pay raises for judges.

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