Health plan premiums and deductibles have risen sharply in recent years - so the state Office of Health Care Affordability is proposing to limit growth to 3% a year. A recent survey by Kaiser found that in 2023 the average employer-sponsored family plan cost almost $24,000 and $8,500 a year for individuals. Chris Noble, organizing director with the nonprofit advocacy group Health Access California, said all entities within the health care system would be required to stay within that spending growth target or face the threat of financial penalties. .
West Virginia House delegates passed a bill this week that would allow raw milk products from farmers to be sold directly to consumers. Maria Moles, owner of Meadow Branch Farms in Clay County, and a member of the West Virginia Alliance for Raw Milk who has been milking cows for more than a decade, said the bill will make it easier for small farmers to get their raw dairy products to consumers. "We need the legislators to listen to the farmers. " .
Farming trend researchers are poring over new federal data that only come around every five years. The latest information helps some organizations check the pulse of conservation efforts. This month, the USDA released the new Census of Agriculture. .
Voters from Arizona and across the West say a public official s position on conservation will be an important factor when deciding who to support in the upcoming election. Colorado College s most recent Conservation in the West Poll shows 81% of voters in the Grand Canyon State support 30x30 conservation goals, which would translate to protecting 30% of lands and oceans by 2030. Lori Weigel, a pollster with New Bridge Strategy, said while last year Arizona voters expressed concern over the Colorado River, this year s poll didn t include specific questions about the vital waterway. .
New York disability rights advocates are working to break barriers in numerous legislative areas, including those in transportation, housing, and employment. Another area of focus is voting and accessible polling places. A Brennan Center for Justice report finds almost all of New York s polling places aren t disability accessible - leaving them unable to accommodate a quarter of the state s population. .