�鶹Ů��

Philadelphia is on the road to becoming the first city in the U.S. to make medical deportations illegal, according to an immigrant advocacy group. In a 14 to 1 vote Thursday, Philadelphia City Council approved a bill that makes it unlawful for a hospital in the city to send a noncitizen to their home country without consent. (Baietto and Burton, 12/14)

A bill that would block doctors from providing gender-affirming care to trans youth and prevent trans athletes from participating in Ohio women’s sports is going to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk. The Ohio Senate passed House Bill 68 in a 24-8 vote Wednesday afternoon and the Ohio House concurred with the Senate amendments in a 61-27 vote Wednesday night. DeWine now has 10 business days to sign or veto the bill. (Henry, 12/14)

With a mother testifying that it would be “devastating” if her child could not get gender-affirming care, a federal judge Wednesday began a trial in a constitutional challenge to Florida restrictions on such things as puberty blockers and hormone therapy. (Saunders, 12/14)

With prospects for a smoking ban in Atlantic City’s casinos looking hazier than ever, workers who want smoking banned took matters into their own hands, lips and lungs Thursday. Members of the United Auto Workers union disrupted a meeting of a state Assembly committee that had been scheduled to take a preliminary vote on a bill to ban smoking in the casinos by lighting cigarettes and blowing smoke toward legislators. That vote was canceled Wednesday night when one of the main champions of workers who want smoking banned in the gambling halls gave up on a bill that would end smoking in the nine casinos, and embraced some measures the casino industry wants, including enclosed smoking rooms. (Parry, 12/14)

A new DPH report says there were 2,359 opioid-related deaths in the state in 2022, a 3% increase from 2021 and the most-ever recorded in the state. Now the department is recommending that state leaders take steps to open "overdose prevention centers," which would allow people struggling with addiction to use drugs under medical supervision. DPH Commissioner Dr. Robert Goldstein said in a statement that overdose deaths are preventable and Massachusetts should "forge a culture of harm reduction." (Riley, 12/14)

With a nod to a colleague struggling with an aggressive form of Parkinson’s disease, members of the House saved, for likely the last vote of the year, a bill they hope may one day help stomp out the debilitating illness. The bill is named for Democratic Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton, who has the disease, and Republican Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ brother, who passed away in May after a long battle with it. (Freking, 12/14)