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Dental professionals support raising legal age for purchasing tobacco to…
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareThe American Dental Association (ADA) recently announced its support for a new bill that would raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. The ADA praised lawmakers for introducing Senate Bill 1541, the Tobacco-Free Youth Act. "Preventing oral cancer and other tobacco-related diseases has been a longstanding priority for the ADA," said ADA President Jeffrey M. Cole and Executive Director Kathleen T. O’Loughlin.
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Who’s against affirmative action in education?
Patrick Gleeson EducationAmericans' views about affirmative action are notoriously slippery. To give you some idea of how slippery they can be, consider two polls. A February 2019 Gallup Poll determined that over 60% of all Americans favor affirmative action policies in education for both women and minorities, a pronounced increase in favorable responses from the previous 2016 Gallup poll. Meanwhile, a 2019 Pew Poll determined that about three-quarters of all Americans oppose affirmative action in education based on race or ethnicity and only 7% believe it should be a major consideration in college admissions.
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How will travel businesses be affected by new Cuba restrictions?
Seth Sandronsky Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementThe Trump administration has restricted travel to and trade with Cuba, reversing Obama-era policies that opened doors closed during the Cold War. What are the business impacts of the president’s decision? "Given the recent growth in legal U.S. travel to Cuba," Erika Richter, communications director for the American Society of Travel Advisors, told MultiBriefs in an email, "ASTA is concerned about the potential for disruption from these policy changes, especially as they relate to the operations of our cruise line, airline and hotel partners on the island." The travel restrictions took effect on June 5. According to the administration, the Cuban government's foreign policy is to blame.
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Labor, environment shape USMCA debate
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingU.S.-Mexico relations currently revolve around two distinct discourses. One discourse emphasizes separation and punishment, as President Trump seeks support for his border wall while Mexico strengthens border control. The other discourse emphasizes economic cooperation and trade relations, which we witness as tariff threats fade and renewed talk of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) passing in Congress heats up.
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Texas gives teachers a raise with new education funding bill
Julie Anne Wells EducationRecently, the Texas Legislature made unprecedented moves to direct money towards education initiatives. On June 11, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that will reward schools and districts based on their performance, support low-income students, and increase compensation for working and retired teachers. While the new bill guarantees that teachers will receive a raise, it is still unclear what the exact amount will be. Here are a few things we do know about the bill that will impact every school and every teacher in the state of Texas.
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ICE tells local agencies they can bypass sanctuary city policies
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityThe new chief of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced that the agency plans to target more immigrant families for deportation. Additionally, a new ICE program will allow local law enforcement officers to "disregard" sanctuary policies. These cities are so named because they limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. But under the new ICE stance, local law enforcement officers can bypass sanctuary policies and make immigration arrests in jails and correctional facilities on behalf of the agency.
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HHS’ ONC division wants streamlined prior authorization, better price…
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationThe United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is having a busy time. In addition to its effort to provide clarity for its interoperability rule, the department announced that it’s looking for ways electronic prior authorization can be improved. Don Rucker, head of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, said at Academy Health's annual research conference in Washington, D.C., in early June that the current state of prior authorization, including the requirement that providers obtain approval from a patient's insurance before prescribing medication or therapy, is a "non-computerized kabuki of payment" that "needs to get rethought."
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EPA’s Energy Star program gets updates, new building certifications
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsThere have been several updates to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, including changes to the Star score. The score ranges from one to 100, which is the current national benchmark for energy performance. Per program guidance, facility managers and users enter information about their buildings into Portfolio Manager, the EPA’s online resource management tool that is used to assess the status of the application submitted. Then, using this information, which includes key operational details and actual energy use, Portfolio Manager calculates a score that compares a building’s energy performance to similar buildings nationwide.
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The final word on what the legislative session meant for outdoorsmen in…
John McAdams Recreation & LeisureThe 86th Session of the Texas Legislature is in the books. As previously discussed, there were two pieces of legislation under consideration that were of particular concern to sportsmen and women. One pertained to hog hunting in the Lone Star State while the other involved a sales tax holiday on firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies. First, we’ll start with the news on the hog hunting front. SB 317 was passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on May 31. The bill takes effect on Sept. 1 and amends state law to permit hunters to take feral hogs on private land without possessing a hunting license.
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Youth climate change lawsuit controversy continues
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalSeven-generation sustainability is the idea that we should only impact the earth in a manner that can sustain itself seven generations into the future. We may be far from that sensibility today, and time is running out, but young people are making a notable contribution to nothing short of planetary survival. From jobs to health to education, many issues connect to the planet’s future, and the young will bear the greatest brunt of any negative ecological developments.
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