Governor Ron DeSantis’ pick to head the Agency for Healthcare Administration, Mary Mayhew, passed her first Senate confirmation hearing Thursday. Ryan Dailey reports Mayhew briefly oversaw Medicaid for the Trump administration, and was over the program in Maine for seven years prior. Some Senators grilled Mayhew on her noted opposition to Medicaid.
When voters approve amendments to Florida’s constitution, lawmakers sometimes have to pass legislation that would actually implement the change. This session, lawmakers are attempting to implement last year’s Amendment 4 that allows certain felons the right to vote after completing their sentence. But some insist the amendment is self-enacting and therefore requires no implementing legislation. Both sides in that argument squared off during Thursday’s bill hearing. Blaise Gainey fills us in.
Fourteen states including Florida are currently considering fetal heartbeat bills. Those bills ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. WMFE’s Danielle Prieur (PRY-OR) reports women, healthcare providers, and pregnancy crisis centers are divided when it comes to the legislation.
A bill to exempt diaper purchases from state sales tax is once again moving in the Senate. Regan McCarthy has more…..
Florida Senators are signaling their support for Department of Corrections Secretary Mark Inch. He was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Lynn Hatter reports Inch says he wants to shore up the prison systems mental health treatment programs and infrastructure.
A clinic at the University of Central Florida is using virtual reality to treat veterans and active service members with post-traumatic stress disorder. As WUSF/Health News Florida's Stephanie Colombini tells us, the military is funding efforts to expand the therapy to more patients.