Federal news
The FY20 funding bill passed in the House and Senate late last month. The NIH will see an increase of $2.6 billion to $41.7 billion. IMLS funding increases $10 million to $252 million. [Labor-HHS-Education summary from House Committee on Appropriations, 12/16/2019]
Kaiser Health News provides further highlights: raising the smoking age to 21, funding gun violence research for the first time in over 20 years, repeal of three health law taxes, and cutting Medicaid funding to Puerto Rico [12/20/2019].
Lab animal research involving dogs, cats, and primates will be significantly curtailed under this law, as well. [Science, 12/19/2019]
Congress poised to pass paid parental leave for federal workers [The Hill, 12/11/2019; S.B. 1790]
“The provision, folded into a defense bill months in the working, would give all federal civilian employees three months of paid leave for the birth, adoption or fostering of a child.”
Trump administration restricts some e-cigarette flavors [Reuters, 1/2/2020]
Lawmakers urge Supreme Court to reexamine abortion decisions [Roll Call, 1/2/2020]
“Mostly Republican group targets Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey”
New drug price hikes set stage for 2020 fight [The Hill, 1/7/2020]
“Drug companies kicked off the year by raising prices on a wide range of treatments by an average of about 5 percent”
Five health care fights to watch in 2020 [The Hill, 12/29/2019]
Issues include drug pricing, surprise billing, ObamaCare, Medicare for All, and vaping.
State news
Registration is now open for the Illinois Library Association 2020 Legislative Meet-ups. Please see the ILA website for more details or to register. https://www.ila.org/events/legislative-meet-ups