A special thank you to everyone involved in the No On 1 campaign to maintain the law allowing only medical exemptions for immunization requirements. It was an outstanding team effort of MMA staff, member physicians and public health experts across the state.

Legislative committees have a March 6^th deadline to vote all bills under their control in order to send them for full votes on the House and Senate chambers. The deadline is typically amended annually for a select few bills and we expect that to be the case this year for some bills we are tracking.

Here is an update of recent actions on bills of interest to MMA. Please do not hesitate to contact Dan Morin at (207) 838-8613 (24/7) or by email at dmorin@mainemed.com on any of these bills or the those on the MMA Tracker which can be found on the MMA website honmepage.

Bills MMA Supports

LD 1937 – An Act To Provide Timely Access to Behavioral Health Services for Maine Children and To Address Trauma and the Impacts of the Opioid Crisis

(Dr. Deborah Hagler testimony)

>Reported out of committee; Ought to Pass as Amended

LD 1387 – An Act To Increase Access to Safe and Affordable Prescription Drugs

(Dr. Hani Jarawan testimony)

LD 1946 – An Act To Improve Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Care by Providing Care in Clinical Reproductive and Sexual Health Care Settings

(Dr. Norma Dreyfus testimony)

>Work Session scheduled

LD 1948 – An Act To Prohibit, Except in Emergency Situations, the Performance without Consent of Certain Examinations on Unconscious or Anesthetized Patients

(Dr. Jay Naliboff testimony; Dan Morin testimony; Hannah Martin testimony)

>Engrossed by the Senate; on path toward Governor’s desk

LD 1492 – An Act To Reform Drug Sentencing Laws

>Committee Work Session held; bill held for further review

(Dr. Lani Graham & Dan Morin appeared to provide comments)

LD 1957 – An Act To Provide Women Access to Affordable Postpartum Care

(Dr. Connie Adler testimony)

>Reported out of committee; Ought to Pass as Amended

LD 2096 – An Act To Save Lives by Capping the Out-of-pocket Cost of Certain Medications

>2^nd Work Session scheduled

LD 2105 – An Act To Protect Consumers from Surprise Emergency Medical Bills

(Dr. Jay Mullen testimony)

>2^nd Work Session scheduled

LD 2106 – An Act Regarding Prior Authorizations for Prescription Drugs

(Dan Morin provided testimony)

>Public Hearing held; Work Session scheduled

Bills MMA determined Neither for Nor Against

LD 1950 – An Act To Advance Palliative Care Utilization in the State

>Committee voted Ought Not to Pass

LD 1855 – An Act To Include Student Absences for Mental Health or Behavioral Health Needs as Excusable Absences

(Dan Morin provided verbal comments at public hearing)

>Signed into law by the Governor

LD 2085 – An Act To Ensure Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care and Education in All Maine's Jails and State Correctional and Detention Facilities

(Dan Morin testimony)

LD 2111 – An Act To Update Certain Provisions in the Income Tax and Service Provider Tax Laws

>2^nd Work Session