Health Care
Abortion ballot organizer says Montanans should not take reproductive rights for granted
Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of conversations about voter-initiated efforts to restore abortion access across the country. The year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Montana’s Republican-majority legislature passed an array of bills restricting abortion. Though these laws were blocked by courts and abortion until fetal viability […]
Anti-trans laws may complicate access to the ballot for trans voters
Originally published by The 19th in partnership with Them. In Kansas, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union have drafted a letter reminding election workers that a gender marker on a person’s identification does not need to match or correspond to a voter’s gender expression. Staff for the organization have also held clinics elsewhere to […]
Arkansas medical marijuana amendment supporters submit 39K more signatures
Supporters of changes to Arkansas’ medical marijuana industry submitted petitions with 38,933 additional signatures to Secretary of State John Thurston’s office Friday in hopes their proposed measure qualifies for the November ballot. The ballot question committee Arkansans for Patient Access submitted 108,512 signatures July 5. Thurston’s staff verified that 77,000 were from registered voters, totaling […]
Federal appeals court upholds Alabama’s gender-affirming medical care ban
The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday refused to reconsider a three-judge panel’s decision to allow Alabama’s ban on gender-affirming medical care. Ten of the circuit’s 11 judges participated in the ruling, including U.S. Circuit Judges Barbara Lagoa and Andrew Brasher, both appointed by former President Donald Trump and members of the panel that […]
Her life was at risk. She needed an abortion. Insurance refused to pay.
Ashley and Kyle were newlyweds in early 2022 and thrilled to be expecting their first child. But bleeding had plagued Ashley from the beginning of her pregnancy, and in July, at seven weeks, she began miscarrying. The couple’s heartbreak came a few weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion. In […]
Arkansans brace for challenges of new voter registration, driver’s license policies
Two new Arkansas policies approved by lawmakers Friday continue to raise concerns among activists as potentially suppressive measures: one limiting the use of electronic signatures on voter registration forms and one eliminating the gender-neutral “X” marker on driver’s licenses. Earlier this year, the voter advocacy group Get Loud Arkansas created a popular online voter registration […]
What’s IUI? What’s IVF? A look at the fertility treatments the Walz family is talking about
The broader scope of fertility treatments entered the spotlight last week after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen shared that they had children through a less commonly known procedure. Since Vice President Kamala Harris selected Gov. Walz as her running mate, he has discussed his family’s fertility journey during speeches in Pennsylvania, Nebraska […]
A steady job doesn’t guarantee food on the table for many Arkansans
This story is part of a series about Arkansans who work hard but struggle to survive, people who are part of the asset limited, income constrained and employed (ALICE) population. Today’s story deals with issues of food access. Previous stories in this series can be found here, here and here. As a Fayetteville food […]
Arizona ballot measure leader says abortion ‘is not a dirty word’
Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of conversations about voter-initiated efforts to restore abortion access across the country. Three months before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to an abortion, Arizona’s former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation banning abortion after 15 weeks. When the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization […]
Behavioral health priority of $15 million funding for Arkansas groups
Six Arkansas organizations that focus on supporting people who have substance abuse disorders, mental illness or intellectual disabilities will receive a total of $15 million in grant funding for infrastructure improvements and developments. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office on Friday announced the grants via a press release. The Department of Human Services will distribute the […]
Gender-neutral IDs prohibited, electronic voter registration limited in Arkansas
Arkansas lawmakers gave final approval Friday to two rules that have generated opposition and litigation: one limiting the use of electronic signatures on voter registration forms and one eliminating the gender-neutral “X” marker on driver’s licenses. The Arkansas Legislative Council’s Administrative Rules Subcommittee approved both rules Thursday. The driver’s license rule prohibits the use of […]
Subcommittee approves rules regarding Arkansas voter registration, gender on IDs
Rules regarding how Arkansans can sign their voter registration forms, gender neutrality on driver’s licenses and a coach’s ability to enter the opposite sex’s locker room at a public school were among the highlights of a legislative subcommittee meeting Thursday. The Arkansas Legislative Council’s Administrative Rules Subcommittee heard dozens of proposed rules Thursday; three drew […]