Mamas First Act This bill requires state Medicaid programs to cover doula and midwife services, including prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services, in a variety of settings.
Energy Security and Independence Act of 2022 This bill addresses domestic industrial base and manufacturing capabilities for specified energy-efficiency and renewable energy systems and technologies (e.g., electric transportation systems), including by establishing a program to provide financial assistance for the construction of new facilities that manufacture components of specified energy-efficiency and renewable energy systems and technologies (or to retool, retrofit, or expand such facilities).
Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover diagnosis and treatment of congenital anomalies and birth defects, such as reconstructive services and items. Coverage must include services and items that functionally improve, repair, or restore any body part that is medically necessary for normal bodily functions or appearance, as determined by the treating physician. Coverage limits and cost-sharing requirements for such services and items may not be more restrictive than those applicable to all medical and surgical benefits under the plan.
Future of Water Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the trading of futures contracts in water or water rights. A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a commodity or financial instrument at a set price at a specific time.
Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act or the MORE Act This bill decriminalizes marijuana. Specifically, it removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. The bill also makes other changes, including the following: replaces statutory references to marijuana and marihuana with cannabis , requires the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees, establishes a trust fund to support various programs and services for individuals and businesses in communities impacted by the war on drugs, imposes an excise tax on cannabis products produced in or imported into the United States and an occupational tax on cannabis production facilities and export warehouses, makes Small Business Administration loans and services available to entities that are cannabis-related legitimate businesses or service providers, prohibits the denial of federal public benefits to a person on the basis of certain cannabis-related conduct or convictions, prohibits the denial of benefits and protections under immigration laws on the basis of a cannabis-related event (e.g., conduct or a conviction), establishes a process to expunge convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings related to federal cannabis offenses, directs the Government Accountability Office to study the societal impact of state legalization of recreational cannabis, directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to study methods for determining whether a driver is impaired by marijuana, directs the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to study the impact of state legalization of recreational cannabis on the workplace, and directs the Department of Education to study the impact of state legalization of recreational cannabis on schools and school-aged children.
Electronic Currency And Secure Hardware Act or the ECASH Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to support the development of an electronic dollar. The electronic dollar must be payable to the bearer; considered legal tender; an obligation of the United States; placed into circulation by Treasury; able to be directly used by the public; and capable of instantaneous, offline transactions using hardware devices not involving a third-party intermediary. The bill also provides for privacy requirements applicable to any hardware device used for electronic dollar transactions. Merchants who accept physical currency and the federal government must accept electronic dollars as a form of payment. The bill also establishes the Electronic Currency Innovation Program to direct the development and implementation of electronic currency, the Digital Dollar Council to coordinate Treasury's activities with other government entities, and the Monetary Privacy Board to review and evaluate the electronic dollar program. Finally, the bill provides for the establishment of a Treasury Electronic Currency Innovation Fund Account to carry out related programs.
Homes for All Act of 2021 This bill provides funding for the construction of new public housing units, authorizes additional assistance for the construction of new affordable housing units, and otherwise addresses housing affordability. Specifically, the bill provides permanent, mandatory funding for the capital and operating funds available to public housing agencies (PHAs) and allows PHAs to use such funds to construct new public housing units. Under current law, a PHA generally may not use such funds to construct public housing units if doing so would result in a net increase of the number of public housing units owned, assisted, or operated by the PHA. The bill also (1) provides annual funding through FY2032 for the construction of new public housing units; and (2) authorizes additional assistance through FY2032 from the Housing Trust Fund for the construction of new, private-market, affordable housing units. A PHA may not discriminate, with respect to the rental of a unit developed with assistance under the bill, based on an individual's criminal record or immigration status. Additionally, a PHA receiving such assistance must meet specified requirements with respect to the new units regarding other forms of discrimination, supportive services, environmental standards, and accessibility. Finally, the bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish a Community Control and Anti-Displacement Fund to award grants to local governments for the purpose of combatting gentrification and neighborhood destabilization.
Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2022 or the CROWN Act of 2022 This bill prohibits discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill prohibits this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment. Persons shall not be deprived of equal rights under the law and shall not be subjected to prohibited practices based on their hair texture or style. The bill provides for enforcement procedures under the applicable laws.
Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act of 2022 or the FAIR Act of 2022 This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.
Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2022 This bill requires owners of certain federally assisted housing constructed prior to 1978 to screen for and remove lead-based paint hazards in housing where families with a child under the age of six are living. Specifically, an owner of such housing must, with some exceptions, conduct an initial risk assessment that consists of not just a visual inspection for lead-based paint hazards in housing where such a family will reside. If the assessment identifies any lead-based paint hazards, the owner must address the hazards within 30 days of the assessment and notify all residents in the affected housing. If the owner fails to address the hazards within 30 days, the family in the affected dwelling unit may relocate on an emergency basis without (1) being placed on any waiting list, (2) paying any penalty, or (3) experiencing any lapse in assistance. Further, the Department of Housing and Urban Development must establish a demonstration program to pay for the costs to address lead-based paint hazards in dwellings that receive certain federal rental assistance and in which the tenant is a family with a child under the age of six.
