This week I would like to celebrate legislation that was passed by the General Assembly; several still await the governor’s signature. Once the governor signs legislation and they take effect, we can begin to see the real fruits of our labor.  It’s through these pieces of legislation, such as those mentioned in this column, that provide the citizens of the 33rd Senatorial District and the entire state with some relief or help regarding issues relating to health, our election system and keeping hard earned dollars in your pockets.

Senate Bill 639 is beneficial legislation that, once the governor signs it, will require facilities performing mammograms to give women with dense breast tissue information on alternative tests and how they may benefit from them.

Women with dense breast tissue may not receive accurate results from their mammogram when using standard testing machines and protocols. While most physicians will naturally provide women with dense breast tissue all of the information they need, this bill simply requires the facility to give women information on the alternative tests. When the governor signs this bill into law, the legislation will provide women with the medical knowledge they need to make informed decisions regarding their health care.

The first piece of legislation signed by the governor in March, months before session ever ended, was the oral chemotherapy bill, Senate Bill 668. This bill mandates health insurance companies to pay the same amount toward both oral and intravenous (IV) chemotherapy medications.

With this much-needed change, we can eliminate a financial barrier and put the emphasis on access to quality care for cancer patients and peace of mind for their families. Oral chemotherapy allows patients the ability to continue to work and contribute to their families, because they are self-administered and often have fewer side effects. More than 25 percent of the 400 chemotherapy drugs currently being developed are oral therapies. IV treatments, which are covered as a medical benefit, require a flat co-payment, while oral therapies are covered as a pharmacy benefit. Patients receiving IV treatments can be charged up to 50 percent of the costs of these drugs, which can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. Senate Bill 668 takes one worry away from families who are faced with coping with an illness, possibly lost wages, and mounting medical bills.

In November voters will have their say about House Joint Resolution 90, an early voting measure.
Upon voter approval, this proposed constitutional amendment would require, starting with the 2016 general election, early voting opportunities. The constitutional amendment passed by the Legislature allows for voting for six days before an election by mail or in-person during regular business hours at a local election authority. Weekends are excluded, and the early voting period ends the Wednesday before the election.

The amendment would rely on the state budget to allocate funds to compensate local election offices for early voting costs. Early voting allows more individuals, especially those with unusual schedules, a chance to vote and still take part in the democratic process that makes this state and country so great.