Advocacy Alert: November 2020 Legislative News Round Up

December 1, 2020

For those of you who follow us on social media know, we post news stories on a daily basis that are connected to the behavioral health and addiction treatment industry.

Many of these are news stories regarding legislation, so once a month we send out a 'news roundup' of related news stories we've posted. Unless otherwise stated, BHAP has no official stance on any of these stories: the intention is to share so that we're all better informed as to what's happening in the legislative world.

A reminder that BHAP members get access to a monthly call with our advocate in Washington, DC, to find out what is going on and ask any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us for more information on that.

SD | South Dakota Gets $8 Million to Battle Drug Problem
Shared 11/1/2020
An average of 34 South Dakotans die each year from abusing opioids, according to Department of Social Services Cabinet Secretary Laurie Gill.

OR | Oregon Becomes the First State to Decriminalize Small Amounts of Heroin and Other Street Drugs
Shared 11/10/2020
Voters in the state approved Measure 110 on Wednesday, CNN projected, and the initiative also expands access to addiction assistance and other health services, offering aid to those who need it instead of arresting and jailing people for drugs.

All The States That Legalized Marijuana
Shared 11/13/2020
There are now about 109 million Americans living in areas where adults can use cannabis legally.

PA | Gov. Wolf Signs 12th Renewal of Opioid Disaster Declaration
Shared 11/13/2020
Governor Tom Wolf signed the 12th renewal of his Opioid Disaster Declaration originally created in Jan. 2018. The declaration was signed to help Pennsylvania fight the opioid and heroin epidemic that rapidly increased two years ago.

TX | Texas Agency Reverses Rule Allowing Discrimination by Social Workers
Shared 11/19/2020
The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council voted unanimously to restore protections for social workers' LGBTQ and disabled clients after backlash from advocates and lawmakers.

Trone Bill for States to Fight Opioid Epidemic Unanimously Passes House Floor
Shared 11/21/2020
U.S. Rep. David Trone, D-Md., announced that his bill, the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act (H.R. 2466), unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

CA | California Voters Approved the CPRA: What Does This Mean for Your Business?
Shared 11/24/2020
California voted "YES" on the California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA"), which amends and expands on the CCPA.

The 'War on Drugs' may be a Bigger Problem than the Drugs Themselves, Experts Say
Shared 11/25/2020
States around the US voted in November to loosen their laws around drug possession, signaling an end to the decades-old war on drugs.

DE | Delaware's First Mental Health Parity Examinations Complete
Shared 11/28/2020
Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro has announced the completion of the first in a series of Mental Health Parity examinations on health insurers in Delaware.

WY | Wyoming Holding Out as Other States Legalize Marijuana
Shared 11/29/2020
In the eight years since Colorado legalized marijuana, it’s been an open question whether Wyoming would someday follow the lead of its southerly neighbor.

HUD Launches Recovery Housing Program to Aid Americans Recovering from Substance Abuse
Shared 11/30/2020
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson announced the publication of the Notice for HUD’s pilot Recovery Housing Program (RHP). The program was authorized by the SUPPORT Act to provide stable, temporary housing to individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder.

Questions? Concerns?

As always, we want your input.

A reminder that BHAP members get regular access to our advocate in Washington, DC. If you have any questions about BHAP's advocacy efforts, please contact us.