[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6335596,"mediaKeyId","2288984-1920c6f797cbf205dc000d720405c8ed","parentId",2288984,"title","Committee hears opponents and approves identical parental-consent bills after amendment fails","audioSeconds",1723,"startMs",787000,"endMs",2510000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288984-1920c6f797cbf205dc000d720405c8ed&start=787&end=2510","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288984-1920c6f797cbf205dc000d720405c8ed/thumbnail_787000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6335596/Alabama/Committee-hears-opponents-and-approves-identical-parental-consent-bills-after-amendment-fails","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335596-90b6054b17859e9e827504cc5b9e4792/orig.mp4?Expires=1773655318&Signature=dp66tHgTRz4riI~LvSMn5hy4RJq8-BwnX~IEPTLQI-y9bHP~0ZwnPIGKxZnLeq0it~x4DNBrqwM-KYtCEVdWKJxZczjGLL1dSSvH-e8ci4m7isFAbzn~~52cx4pYo2EPb6wy5h3zncQyO~oWqkM35ywfXbM8BsT8vGXOpycw2nhPp-Se0pVcw~IbzY2YcigAJXucga5X17~LqeWa~SK2zZoP7K1JddWGu1Y~VZUBAd0fT9pPizI9g0kp-GixIzzT~lGnW4jRsiyqfnSC0DJWTYJhV~09g4Ixuxh6trfFeFsReTMAtCIIiKQEwrUe4VhimeqfUQvxuDA~HdEftiqnOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alabama Senate Children and Youth Health Committee","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","A Senate committee held a public hearing and then voted to give a favorable report on two identical bills intended to change parental-consent rules for minors’ medical decisions. Sponsors said the bills would raise the age at which parents retain default authority over certain medical decisions; opponents said the change would create dangerous barriers to care for vulnerable children.

Senator Gavan, one of the sponsors, said parents who are involved in their children’s lives want to be \"aware of their medical decisions and want to have input in those medical decisions.\" He and a co-sponsor filed identical bills and asked the committee to consider them together.

Three opponents testified during the public hearing. Susan Stewart, who said she drove from Huntsville, told senators that the bills \"actually take rights away, not just from teenagers, but from parents like me\" and that raising the medical-majority age can delay care for children who do not live in stable homes. Zephyr Scalzetti read a statement for Chris Hathcock and warned that \"schools are now afraid to offer first aid without permission slips\" in states that moved similar rules, urging senators to \"stick to common sense and vote no on senate bill 101.\" Tish Warr, a licensed social worker, said she had worked in child welfare and that the bills could create \"an astronomical barrier with far reaching, unattended consequences for children who are living in abusive and neglectful homes.\"

Committee members questioned whether the bills would unintentionally prevent abused or otherwise vulnerable children from getting timely medical or mental health care. One member noted the need to draft language that protects children in abusive situations and suggested possible exceptions; another proposed permitting parents who wish to cede authority to provide a signed affidavit to that effect. The sponsors said they were open to amendments as the bills move through the process, but at the committee they moved to advance the bills out of committee that day.

Members debated and voted on an amendment that would have set the age in the bills to 16. That amendment failed by a recorded vote of 5 to 4. The committee then took a separate vote to give a favorable report on the identical bills; the committee proceeded to advance the bills toward the floor after that vote.

During the hearing senators raised several specific points that were discussed for possible amendment or clarification: exceptions for diagnosis or treatment to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, provisions addressing emancipated minors and college students who live independently, and judicial or law-enforcement safeguards for cases involving alleged abuse. The sponsors and members agreed these items would be considered further in drafting or on the floor.

The committee did not adopt language at the hearing to codify an \"opt-out\" mechanism or a centralized repository for parental consent records; members questioned the practicality of requiring parents to file documents at a courthouse or for schools to check public records before providing care.

The bills are identical to a House-filed measure; sponsors said the House version may move faster. Committee members who expressed concern said they planned to offer amendments on the floor or work in committee to include protections for vulnerable children before final passage.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alabama Senate Children and Youth Health Committee February 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee held a public hearing on two identical bills that would raise the age of medical majority for minors (current statutory age in the state is 14), heard three opponents, rejected an amendment to lower the new age to 16 (5–4), and then gave the bills a favorable report to move forward.","taxTitle","Senate, Alabama Legislative Sessions, Alabama","taxId",62183,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335601,"Committee advances bill to give pregnant women presumptive Medicaid eligibility",274,448000,722000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288984-1920c6f797cbf205dc000d720405c8ed&start=448&end=722","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288984-1920c6f797cbf205dc000d720405c8ed/thumbnail_448000.jpg","/articles/6335601/Alabama/Committee-advances-bill-to-give-pregnant-women-presumptive-Medicaid-eligibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335601-3ab9a9b352054f4087184dc8e7f0a8dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773655318&Signature=dWWzrTUCD8dCUxsnFS-oKK~X62T7lMJjnZNJBFD84Y-nyX4ZkSG3xTeSNOj-BDMr5w4OZNdLfGGp6ybAvOWuE5kIq0r37aPAXGIeGvYOX4c~5hNKneyqpLLIxkE8L9iMM0QmJWwudhRnhCg6ipQ3-OoSgY0rbWDqPW3tKXbcFBBxdGw7JRXSyFpyyaORUOuuzaNgraDNeAB7byca4I03QSyAqE9-TB-q6zhCOMY~Oo94M2YfDCl-HR9zOkajqqWDh0LUCH9eQB0AhNI9kRUzBPUTKnJhG9YT8yq8c81QbqGPsoljArj4q6jahxy99AGFSOHREffUF7~xXmzVWIVjng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate committee on [date not specified] voted to give a favorable report to Senate Bill 102, a measure that would create presumptive Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women who have applied for coverage and have documentation from a qualified provider that they meet eligibility criteria.

The bill’s sponsor said the change would let pregnant patients start care sooner because providers would see that applicants have presumptive coverage rather than waiting for final Medicaid approval. \"This will facilitate patients getting appointments quicker,\" the sponsor said during committee discussion.

Supporters told the committee presumptive eligibility would typically convert to full Medicaid enrollment and therefore reduce delays before a first prenatal visit. The sponsor, who described long experience as a Medicaid provider, said offices often delay appointments until they confirm coverage and that the bill would remove that obstacle.

Committee members moved and seconded a favorable report. The committee recorded a 9-0 favorable vote on SB 102, advancing the bill toward the full Senate.

No formal amendments to SB 102 were recorded during the committee session. The committee minutes show the bill is intended only to establish a presumptive eligibility pathway for pregnant applicants who submit an application and provider verification and then complete Medicaid’s application process within 16 days of the presumptive determination.

The bill text as discussed includes a provider determination and a 16-day follow-up requirement for final application processing; the committee did not provide additional funding details or specify implementation timing during the hearing.

If advanced by the full Senate and enacted, the provision would affect pregnant Medicaid applicants who meet the provider-based presumptive criteria. The committee did not discuss specific rulemaking or administrative steps needed to operationalize presumptive eligibility during this session.","A Senate committee voted to give a favorable report to SB 102, which would create presumptive Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women who have applied and received a provider determination, a measure sponsors say would speed prenatal care.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears opponents and approves identical parental-consent bills after amendment fails

Committee advances bill to give pregnant women presumptive Medicaid eligibility