Â鶹ŮÓÅ

A controversial law that criminalizes women who give birth to drug-dependent babies will sunset later this year after a bill in front of a House committee failed Tuesday. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, R-Lancaster, failed to receive the necessary approval from the Criminal Justice subcommittee, as a result of a tie vote on the six-member committee. (Ebert, 3/23)

A small but pivotal group of Tennessee representatives voted Tuesday to discontinue one of the state's most divisive criminal laws. Known as "fetal assault," the measure empowered prosecutors to arrest women who abuse heroin or pain pills during pregnancy, if their babies were born dependent. (Farmer, 3/23)

A bill that aims to protect babies born to mothers who used heroin or other opioids during pregnancy was introduced on Wednesday in the House as part of the government’s response to a Reuters investigation. The bipartisan measure would require federal and state governments to do a better job of monitoring the health and safety of babies born drug-dependent. Last week – and also in response to the Reuters investigation – a similar bill moved to the Senate floor and the U.S. Health and Human Services Department pledged reforms. (3/23)