1/13/2023 Session Update
By: Anna White
The 2023 legislative session has officially begun! It kicked off on January 9th and will wrap up by April 29th. In addition to carrying out their usual tasks, legislators will also set the budget for the next two years over the course of the session. We will continue to advocate for women’s economic stability, women’s health and maternal and infant mortality, sexual harassment, assault and consent, and fair voting and voter access.
Over the past week:
The House and Senate reconvened on Monday, January 9.
Bill filing ended on Thursday, January 12, for the House and today, Friday, January 13, at 4:00 PM for the Senate.
Below is a list of bills we’re following during the legislative session, divided by topic. We’ll continue to add bills to the tracker and this list as they are published.
Women’s Economic Stability:
SB 17: Urges the legislative council to create an interim paid family and medical leave study committee
SB 364: Orders the Department of Workforce Development to create a paid family and medical leave program to supply payments for employees who take family and medical leave.
SB 255: Provides a refundable child and dependent care tax credit for taxpayers whose income is not more than 250% of the federal poverty level.
SB 259: Makes feminine hygiene products sales-tax exempt
SB 186: Provides a tax credit for employer-provided childcare
HB 1283: Funds lactation rooms in public buildings
Women’s Health
SB 206 & SB 153: Permits pharmacists to prescribe hormonal birth control
SB 252: Allows LARCs (Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives) to be transferred between Medicare recipients
SB 311: Reestablishes licensure of abortion clinics, eliminates the 8-week limit on abortion-inducing medication, and allows removal of physician license for performing abortions instead of requiring it
HB 1066: Creates a more comprehensive sexual health education for public schools that already teach curriculum about human sexuality or sexually transmitted diseases
SB 256: Mandates licensing of pregnancy resource centers and requires full disclosure of certain information.
HB 1302: Changes the name of the doula advisory board to pregnancy support professions advisory board and adds a member appointed by the executive director of the professional licensing agency
Sexual Harassment, Consent, and Assault:
SB 22: Removes limitations on punitive damages if rape results in conception
SB 89: Provides that definition of “credit-restricted felon” include those convicted of rape
Fair Voting and Voting Access:
SB 14: Prohibits firearms at voting precincts
HB 1302: Defines election worker and raises the charge of influencing election worker to Level 6 Felony
HB 1334: Requires the Secretary of State to create and adopt stricter procedures for absentee voting