Mississippi
Senate committee asks public to comment about needs of Mississippi women and children
A committee Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann created to review the wants of girls, youngsters and households within the wake of Roe v. Wade abortion rights being overturned has scheduled 4 hearings and needs written enter from the general public.
Hosemann mentioned on Thursday the bipartisan, nine-member Senate Research Group on Girls, Kids and Households will maintain hearings on the Capitol on September 27 and 28, and on October 25 and 26. The hearings will probably be webcast, archived and open to the general public.
The general public is invited to e mail written testimony to WCFStudyGroup@senate.ms.gov. The feedback will probably be offered to the total committee.
Home Speaker Philip Gunn final month additionally introduced he was creating the same committee — the Speaker’s Fee on the Sanctity of Life — to handle post-Roe wants for providers in Mississippi. He has not introduced its membership or hearings, and his workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for an replace on Thursday. Gunn had mentioned his fee will embrace lawmakers, specialists and advocates making suggestions to the Home for insurance policies to assist ladies’s and kids’s wellbeing.
Republicans Hosemann, Gunn and Gov. Tate Reeves have praised the U.S. Supreme Court docket’s resolution on a Mississippi case that overturned the decades-old Roe v. Wade resolution offering ladies abortion rights. However the three mentioned the choice additionally requires Mississippi leaders to offer extra assets to assist moms, youngsters and households.
Mississippi, the poorest state within the nation, suffers from lack of prenatal, postnatal and all different types of well being care. It additionally has the very best toddler mortality fee within the nation and one of many highest maternal loss of life charges. It has for years confronted federal courtroom decrees to handle its substandard foster care and kids’s providers system.
The Senate committee will probably be chaired by Sen. Nicole Boyd, a Republican from Oxford.
“Could individuals have private tales about these matters and written testimony offers and alternative to share them with research group members and the Senate,” Boyd mentioned in an announcement. “We’re additionally encouraging legislators to achieve out to their constituents and maintain public hearings of their districts earlier than the research group listening to dates within the fall.”
Hosemann mentioned: “Testimony primarily from state company heads and specialists, and analysis following these hearings, will assist Stn. Boyd and the research group members in forming coverage proposals going into the 2023 legislative session.”
Gunn has steadfastly opposed Medicaid growth to cowl the working poor, and earlier this yr he torpedoed a Senate proposal backed by Hosemann to increase postpartum Medicaid protection for Mississippi moms.
Hosemann is the one one of many state’s high three leaders who’s mentioned he’s open to dialogue about increasing Medicaid, which would supply the state about $1 billion a yr in federal funds to offer well being protection for the working poor. However Gunn mentioned just lately when requested about Medicaid and postpartum growth mentioned, “All of these stuff you’re mentioning are issues that will probably be on the desk” together with his new fee.
Matters set for the Senate hearings are:
Sept. 27: Statistical overview and maternal/baby healthcare
Sept. 28: Adoption, foster care and baby help
Oct. 25: Childcare availability
Oct. 26: Early intervention
Hosemann mentioned further listening to dates or matters could also be added as crucial.
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