Sen. Markwayne Mullin

Maddy summaryThis bill requires car manufacturers to include AM radio receivers as standard equipment in all new vehicles sold in the U.S., without additional cost to buyers. It mandates that AM radio controls be clearly visible on the dashboard for drivers. For vehicles sold before the rule takes effect, manufacturers must label them to disclose the absence of AM radio. The bill aims to maintain access to AM radio broadcasts, which are used for emergency alerts, but does not mandate new emergency systems.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2757) freezes current payment rates for veterans' transportation services provided through "special modes" (like non-emergency medical transport) starting January 1, 2023, preventing the VA from lowering these rates without strict conditions. It directly affects veterans relying on these transportation services and the contractors providing them. The key provision allows rate increases but requires the VA to conduct a detailed economic impact review, consult with veterans' groups and industry experts, and ensure new rates cover actual costs before any decrease can occur. This aims to protect veterans' access to care by preventing rate cuts that could disrupt transportation services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to allow schools to use existing federal funds for student sports clubs, teams, training, and related outdoor wellness activities. It directly affects K-12 schools by removing a previous restriction that barred such uses of ESEA funds. The key mechanism is an exception added to Section 8526(7), explicitly permitting these activities before the period ending that section. The change applies to funds already allocated under the ESEA, not creating new spending.

Maddy summaryS 2671, the DRIVE Act, prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from requiring large trucks (over 26,000 pounds gross weight) operating in interstate commerce to install speed limiting devices. This directly affects commercial trucking companies and operators transporting goods across state lines with qualifying vehicles. The bill prevents the agency from creating a new rule mandating these devices, effectively maintaining the current regulatory status for such vehicles. The legislation focuses solely on blocking this specific requirement, without altering other safety regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 2647, SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023) provides federal funding to improve stillbirth data collection, research, and education. It authorizes $5 million annually for states to collect stillbirth data using existing health records while protecting privacy, $1 million for developing standardized data collection guidelines and public educational materials, and $3 million for specialized training programs in perinatal pathology and stillbirth research. The bill directly affects state health departments, medical professionals (like obstetricians and pathologists), and families impacted by stillbirth through improved data systems and educational resources. Key provisions require standardized data reporting, consultation with affected families and healthcare providers, and mandatory reports on program progress within five years of enactment.

Maddy summaryThe Behavioral Health Information Technology Coordination Act creates a federal grant program to help behavioral health providers - including mental health clinics, psychiatric hospitals, community centers, and specialized treatment facilities - adopt certified health information technology. Grants of up to $2 million per provider for two years will fund technology that shares patient data with primary care doctors, hospitals, and emergency departments, meeting federal interoperability standards. The program requires grantees to report on improvements in care coordination, data sharing, and outcomes, with $20 million authorized annually from 2025 through 2029. This directly supports providers serving individuals with mental health and substance use disorders by modernizing their technology systems.

Maddy summaryThe EPCS 2.0 Act requires most health insurance plans and group health plans to mandate electronic prescriptions for schedule II-V controlled substances (like opioids and sedatives) for covered beneficiaries starting January 1, 2025. It directly affects health insurers, employers offering group plans, and healthcare providers writing prescriptions for these medications. Key exceptions include hospice/nursing home prescriptions, temporary tech failures, and public health emergencies where non-electronic prescriptions remain valid. The law prohibits insurers from rejecting claims based on prescription format or requiring pharmacies to verify electronic transmission, while preserving patient choice of pharmacy and existing valid written/phone prescriptions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Secretary from requiring any State, clinic, or provider to counsel or refer for abortions as a condition for receiving Title X family planning funding. It directly affects Title X-funded clinics and health centers that provide reproductive health services. The key provision explicitly adds that no entity receiving Title X funds may be compelled to offer or facilitate abortion services. This changes existing requirements by removing mandatory abortion counseling or referral as a condition for federal funding under Title X. The bill focuses on clarifying funding rules without altering other Title X program requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill reauthorizes user fees for animal drug and generic animal drug applications, which will be collected from manufacturers and sponsors to fund the Food and Drug Administration's review process. The fees will generate approximately $33.5 million annually for animal drugs and $25 million annually for generic animal drugs from fiscal years 2024 through 2028. The bill requires the FDA to provide annual reports to Congress on how these fees are used, including staffing, review times, and progress on antimicrobial stewardship. It also includes provisions to expedite the review of applications for animal drugs and generic animal drugs, with specific sunset dates for the fee authority (October 1, 2028) and reporting requirements (January 31, 2029).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires states to develop Medicaid protocols within 24 months to improve care for people with opioid use disorders. It mandates that states identify Medicaid beneficiaries who experienced nonfatal opioid overdoses (within 1-5 years) and connect them to treatment, and notify prescribing doctors within 6 months of a fatal opioid overdose with educational materials on safer prescribing. States must also ensure providers have access to patients' opioid use disorder or overdose history and conduct ongoing reviews to inform provider education on appropriate prescribing practices. The law directly affects Medicaid recipients with opioid-related overdose histories and their healthcare providers, aiming to enhance treatment access and reduce future overdose risks. It applies to opioid overdoses but allows the Secretary to expand coverage to other drugs if specified.