In an effort to combat Alabama’s high infant mortality rate, legislators this session have proposed a bill that they say could improve health outcomes for mothers in Alabama. HB89, sponsored by Rep. Marilyn Lands, D-Huntsville, would expand access to prenatal care by making women presumptively eligible for Medicaid eligibility.
Essentially, this would mean that women could show a basic proof of pregnancy and current household income and then receive 60 days of “presumptive Medicaid” before their application is approved. Those receiving presumptive aid must submit an application for Medicaid “no later than the last day of the month following the month in which the determination is made.”
The bill also states that women can’t be “retroactively denied” Medicaid, preventing them from being billed for the coverage they received if they are ruled ineligible or fail to submit an application.
According to Lands, prenatal care is utilized too little and far later than would be ideal. In 2023, 18.1% of pregnant women received less than half of the recommended medical appointments during their pregnancy.
In 2023, Alabama also had one of the highest rates in the nation for preterm births, with a rate of 12.9% of all live births born preterm.
An amendment to the bill added a sunset to the bill, repealing it on Oct. 1, 2028. The bill was approved unanimously by the house and now moves to the senate.
Alabama top stories in brief
Senate committee approves bill to provide injury compensation to teachers
- The bill, SB1, was approved by a committee on Feb. 12 and would expand workmen’s compensation to all public education employees.
- SB1 was prefiled in May 2024, and if passed, would be known as the “Mary Anne Leonard Educators’ On-The-Job Injury Act,” in honor of Leonard, a teacher who was injured in an accident during the school day.
- A version of the bill was filed last session. It passed the Senate but did not pass the House before the end of the session.
New bill would require schools to allow dual enrollment for students
- HB102, which passed with full support from both sides of the aisle, would require local boards of education to allow students to participate in dual enrollment programs.
- Dual enrollment is generally available to students whose schools have partnerships with local institutes of higher education; the new bill would require that all schools allow students to participate in dual enrollment programs.
- The bill would not place the financial burden on schools to fund programs.
- Local districts would need to have a designated role for students to discuss dual enrollment with who would “determine the appropriateness of those courses based on the preferred college and career interests of the student.”
Vaccines would require parental consent under new bill
- HB2 would change existing law so that minors would require a parent’s consent before they were allowed to receive a vaccination.
- Currently, children 14 and older may give consent to medical services for themselves without their parent or guardians consent.
- The bill would allow minors who were at least 14 to give consent if they were living independently of any legal guardian for support.
Alabama U.S. Legislators fall along party lines regarding DOGE
- Across the nation, the Department of Government Efficiency, which is led by Elon Musk and was created through an executive order, has become a major political talking point. The organization sees large support amongst Republican politicians in Alabama, but has been protested by Democrat leaders in the state.
- Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, has publicly voiced opposition to the DOGE’s actions, calling an emergency phone town hall to discuss the impact of DOGE’s access to American’s data and the dismantling of federal programs by the current administration.
- Sewell expressed particular concern regarding the access to the Department of the Treasury given to DOGE.
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville has expressed support for the work of DOGE, including the decision to cut National Institutes of Health funding, which was paused by a federal judge. The cut in NIH funding would have a large impact on the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which ranks among the top 15 universities receiving NIH funding.
- Sen. Katie Britt has also been supportive of DOGE, though she has been an advocate for continuing to have NIH funding sent to Alabama and exploring options to continue funding medical research in Alabama.
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