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PBMs Driving Up Prescription Drug Prices The three largest pharmacy benefit managers—CVS Health, Cigna and UnitedHealth Group—often “steer patients toward pricier drugs, charge steep markups on what would otherwise be inexpensive medicines...

NY Enacts Social Media Protections for Minors New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed first-in-the-nation legislation ( SB 7694 ) prohibiting social media platforms from providing algorithmic feeds to minors to try to keep them online. But the “Stop...

CA to Make Changes to Labor Law Costing Employers Billions Business and labor groups in California have agreed on changes to the Private Attorney’s General Act, a landmark state law that has allowed workers to sue employers for workplace violations...

With America facing an obesity epidemic , it’s no wonder some are embracing the concept that food—simple, healthy, nutritious food—is medicine in and of itself, a philosophy that’s growing in popularity among health care providers...

VT Gov Vetoes Tough Privacy Bill Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) vetoed HB 121 , which would have been one of the strongest consumer data privacy laws in the nation, allowing residents to sue data brokers for violations. Scott said the measure would make...

Hospital Cost Transparency Bill Advances in PA The Pennsylvania House Health Committee approved a bill ( HB 2339 ) that would require hospitals to publish a list of the standard costs for all of their services on their website. It would also prohibit...

AI Disclaimer Bills Draw Support in NY First-of-its-kind legislation introduced last month in New York ( AB 10103 / SB 9450 ) would require generative artificial intelligence systems to notify users that the content they provide “may be inaccurate...

FDA Advisory Panel Rejects Use of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD An advisory panel for the Food and Drug Administration rejected the use of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Among other things the panelists raised...

With no action at the federal level, over a dozen states have enacted comprehensive consumer privacy legislation since 2018. Many of these bills, however, have been significantly watered down by the influence of Big Tech. A recent joint report by the...

Last June a new federal law went into effect that requires companies with 15 or more employees to provide “reasonable accommodations” for workers who are pregnant or have recently given birth, or who have a related medical condition. Accommodations...

LA County Launching Ambitious Plan to Address Medical Debt Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health has developed an ambitious plan to address the problem of medical debt, which impacted one in ten, or about 810,000, residents of the county...

Back in November , we told you about a surge in victories by labor unions across the country, both on the picket line and in statehouses. Six months later, labor’s momentum continues—but that’s also sparked a backlash from anti-labor...

Homeowners Insurance Industry Turmoil Spreading to Other States Recent turmoil in the insurance industry related to climate change has largely been concentrated in states like California, Florida and Louisiana. But the problem appears to be spreading...

CO Enacts Sweeping AI Law Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed SB 205 , the most sweeping artificial intelligence legislation in the country so far. In a letter to lawmakers, the governor said he was signing the measure in the hope of furthering the...

AL Enacts Bill Allowing Off-Label Medical Treatment Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed a bill ( SB 72 )—passed unanimously by both legislative chambers—that bars the state’s Board of Medical Examiners and Medical Licensure Commission...

For more than half a century Americans have been talking about recycling. Yet in 2024 pollution remains a top priority for state lawmakers across the country as they grapple with plastic pollution and “ forever chemical ” contamination—dual...

LA Enacts Bills Aiding Insurers Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signed a trio of bills aimed at addressing the state’s insurance crisis, with insurers failing and fleeing the market and rates skyrocketing, as in other states at high risk of extreme...

CO Lawmakers Pass Sweeping AI Bill Colorado lawmakers have passed the most sweeping artificial intelligence legislation (SB 205 ) in the country to date. The bill was patterned after a bill ( SB 2 ) introduced in Connecticut this year by Sen. James...

Bills Dealing with Psychedelics, Nurses and Breast Exam Insurance Coverage Near Enactment in AK Alaska’s Senate passed a pair of health care bills that originated in the House ( HB 228 and HB 237 ), sending them to Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R). A third...

Restaurateurs are accusing the California attorney general of a bait and switch on legislation targeting bait-and-switch pricing practices employed by car rental companies, hotels and other businesses—and it could have serious ramifications nationwide...

VT Retailers Fight Data Privacy Bill Orvis and other online retailers based in Vermont are mounting an effort to scale back comprehensive consumer data privacy legislation ( HB 121 ) that has been passed by the state’s House. The opposition campaign...

CA to Cap Health Care Providers’ Annual Price Increases at 3% California’s Health Care Affordability Board voted to limit annual price increases from doctors, hospitals and health insurers to 3%, about 2.4% below the annual rate of those...

Even as states are falling behind on their greenhouse gas emissions goals , that topic remains a top priority in legislatures across the country. Numerous bills have been introduced this year that would establish new renewable energy targets and mitigate...

ME House Passes Restrictive Data Privacy Bill Maine’s House narrowly approved a bill ( LD 1977 ) that would impose restrictions on the digital information that companies can collect. Businesses would only be allowed to collect “personal...

States Loosening Occupational Licensing Laws In an effort to boost their workforces, states are advancing legislation to loosen their occupational licensing laws. For example, the Louisiana House passed HB 933 , which would end licensure requirements...