With tax season winding down, efforts continue to spread the word about Minnesota s new Child Tax Credit. Outreach leaders say it s another way to help struggling households land on firmer financial ground. Under the plan approved by lawmakers last year, families who qualify will receive up to $1,750 per child, with no limits on the number of children for filers claiming the credit. .
Critics say a bill passed by West Virginia lawmakers increases the bureaucratic red tape folks who rely on unemployment benefits have to navigate and could financially hurt families already struggling with the high cost of living and ongoing inflation. Kelly Allen, executive director with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, said the bill includes new reporting from employers and job research requirements for recipients, but keeps the maximum number of benefits available at 26 weeks. "Safety-net kind of programs like this, that help bridge families between jobs and keep them economically secure, is a really important tool," Allen said. " .
The Iowa House has passed a measure to establish a licensing board for midwives. Iowa is one of 15 states currently without such a program, often leaving rural residents without access to critical medical care when it is time to deliver their babies. House File 265 would create a board to certify midwives have completed 2,000 hours of training before they are licensed, and are held to the same medical standards as nurses who deliver babies in hospital settings. .
March is Sleep Awareness Month and health experts say Americans are not getting enough of it. United Health Foundation data found more than 32% of those surveyed said they got fewer than seven hours of sleep, although the rate was slightly better in Oregon at about 28%. Dr. .
It s been 13 years since more than 156,000 West Virginians gained health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. As sweeping and sometimes controversial as the ACA has been, its longer-term effects are still being felt today at the state level. Gary Zuckett, executive director of the West Virginia Citizen Action Group, pointed to a new West Virginia law capping insulin copays at $35 per month. .