In Jackson, Emily Le Coz reports at
The Clarion-Ledger:
An autism insurance reform bill unanimously passed the full House floor Thursday and now heads to the Senate.
House Bill 885 would require health insurance policies to cover autism treatment, and specifically Applied Behavior Analysis, for Mississippi children ages 2-8.
"Every once in a while you get up here and you get a fast pitch, one that you ought to hit outta the park," said state Rep. Charles Busby, R-Pascagoula, referring to the bill.
It now heads to the Senate, which has a similar bill awaiting vote on its full floor.
Janel Davis and Kristina Torres report
at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
With a unanimous decision, the Georgia Senate approved a bill on Thursday that would require insurance companies to provide autism treatment coverage for young children.
The 54-0 vote echoed a unanimous vote on similar legislation approved by the Senate during last year’s session.
Senate Bill 1 will likely reignite one of the most controversial issues from last year’s legislative session, when the chamber used a similar proposal as a wedge that eventually sank both it and a popular medical marijuana bill. With the state Legislature starting fresh in the first of a two-year cycle, supporters believe they have enough time to find common ground with opponents.
