The 聽of health issues 聽included the federal health law, abortion, medical marijuana and more.聽 Here鈥檚 a round-up of state聽health initiatives and the results:
Four states鈥擜labama, , Montana and Wyoming鈥攈ad provisions to block聽the federal health law鈥檚 requirement that almost all Americans聽have聽insurance or pay a penalty.聽 All four provisions were before the Supreme Court ruling in June that the 鈥渋ndividual mandate鈥� was permitted under Congress鈥� taxing authority. While three of these provisions passed (in , 听补苍诲 )聽states can鈥檛 override federal law: citizens of those states will still be subject to the mandate.
Meanwhile, 聽voters approved Proposition E, which prohibits聽state officials from creating a health insurance exchange. Missouri joins eight other states that have already decided not to create a state exchange, according to the 聽(KHN is an editorially-independent program of the foundation.)
Abortion
, which failed to get the 60 percent approval needed to pass, would have prohibited public funding for聽insurance policies that cover abortion, except in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. This would have made it more difficult for government workers to have abortions paid for by their insurers.聽聽 would also have for future legislation to require parental consent for a minor to obtain an abortion.
, which did pass, requires physicians to notify parents before performing an abortion for a girl under age 16. The law also specifies that 鈥渁 parent, a guardian, or any other person may not coerce a minor to have an abortion.鈥� Montana is the 38th state to pass a parental consent or notification law, according to聽.
Assisted suicide and medical marijuana
By a , Massachusetts voters rejected , which would have life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients with less than six months to live. in Oregon and Washington state聽already have聽approved so-called physician-assisted suicide. The measure was opposed by some religious leaders, as well as advocates for the disabled, who said patients could too easily by swayed by physicians or family members. Supporters argued that the law provided enough safeguards to prevent abuse.
Voters in the state did, however, approve , which legalizes marijuana for medical use. Massachusetts joins 17 other states and the District of Columbia, which have similar measures.聽 A medical marijuana initiative failed in Arkansas, but passed in Montana, which voted to restrict usage.
last night became the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
Other health measures
voted against raising the state tobacco tax to fund tobacco control programs and public education. 聽This was the third attempt in 11 years to raise taxes on tobacco, according to the , which notes that聽Missouri鈥檚 cigarette tax remains the lowest in the nation.
Likewise, also voted against a tax-raising measure. Measure 15 would have increased state general sales and use taxes to fund Medicaid and public education.
Meanwhile, voted against creating the Michigan Home Health Care Council in the executive branch, which would have affected聽about . The initiative would have allowed the workers to unionize, give them limited collective bargaining rights and list them in a statewide registry.
And to approve Amendment 1, which protects the Medicaid Trust Fund for the Elderly from 鈥渂eing used or appropriated for other purposes when adjustments are made to eliminate a state deficit.鈥�