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American Dental Education Association

Volume 1, No. 40, November 26, 2019

California to Accept ADEX Examination for Dental Licensure

 

On Nov. 15, the Dental Board of California voted to begin accepting examination results from the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) for dental licensure. The state legislature passed adding ADEX as a pathway to licensure in 2016, but also required the exam to be reviewed by the state’s Office of Professional Examination Services (OPES) to ensure compliance with state laws before the exam could be accepted. OPES recently completed their review, finding that ADEX “professional guidelines and technical standards.” According to a press release from the American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc., implementation of the new policy is expected to begin in four to six months.

U.S. Congress Extends the Continuing Resolution

 

Last week, both Houses of Congress passed by large bipartisan margins and President Trump signed the “2nd FY2020 Continuing Appropriations Resolution” (CR) which will keep the federal government open and oral health programs operating through Dec. 20. In addition, the new law extends the authorization to keep community health centers, the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program operating during this time as well.

 

Congress now has 15 working days to complete action on the 12 annual appropriations bills before the CR expires. The sticking points are the level of funding for the wall at the southern border between the United States and Mexico and some questions about the authorization of the U.S. Space Force.
Massachusetts May Ban All Flavored Tobacco Products, Including Menthols

 

The passed last week legislation banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. The ban would also stop the sale of all flavored vaping products. The legislation is part of a statewide effort to reduce youth vaping and smoking. Similar legislation passed the Massachusetts House on Nov. 13, and differences between the two bills will need to be worked out before a final bill can be sent to Gov. Charlie Baker (R). Gov. Baker announced a on flavored tobacco products in September, but that ban will expire on Dec. 24.

 

If signed into law, Massachusetts would become the first state to ban all flavored tobacco products.

Equal Rights Amendment Ratification Likely Though Passage Still in Question

 

Last week, , which would remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Since the deadline for ratification has passed, removing the ratification deadline is needed so that the . If ratified, the amendment would impact women—and men—by insuring pay equity, strengthening pregnancy discrimination protections and guaranteeing that paternity leave be equal to maternity leave.

 

Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972. However, for the amendment to become part of the Constitution, 38 of the 50 states must ratify the amendment. The original deadline for ratification was 1979, but Congress extended the deadline to 1982. Only 35 of the 38 states needed for ratification had ratified the amendment by 1982.

 

In 2017, there was a renewed focus on ratifying the amendment when Nevada became the 36th state to ratify. In 2018, Illinois became the 37th state to ratify the amendment. The Virginia legislature’s new Democratic leadership has agreed to take up the Equal Rights Amendment ratification vote as soon as it convenes in January. Given that the Democrats hold majorities in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, ratification of the amendment is assured. This would make Virginia the 38th and final state needed for the Equal Rights Amendment to become part of the Constitution if the deadline is removed.

 

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the majority leader of the republican-led U.S. Senate, has not commented on whether he will bring H.J. Res 79 to the Senate floor for a vote.

Rule to Ban H-4 Visa Holders From Working Expected in March 2020

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that the proposed rule to rescind employment authorization for spouses of H-1B visa holders will be released in March 2020. The announcement came on Nov. 20 in the Unified Agenda, which is the federal government’s rulemaking agenda.

 

This announcement is in line with the publication date cited in the September 2019 Justice Department memo to a federal appeals court in the Save Jobs USA v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security case.

 

In the Save Jobs USA case, former Southern California Edison employees are contesting a DHS regulation allowing H-4 visa holders, many of whom are spouses of H-1B visa holders, to work in the United States. The former employees argue that they were displaced by H-1B guest workers and that they will be further harmed if the DHS’ rule providing work authorization to the spouses of H-1B workers is permitted to continue.

U.S. Territories Face Possible Medicaid Funding Cliff

 

Medicaid dollars for U.S. territories are and may run out of funding soon if U.S. Congress doesn’t act. Federal Medicaid funding in the territories is more restricted than in the states, because unlike the states where Medicaid is an entitlement program and dollars flow to the state based on need, Medicaid funding in territories is capped. Additionally, instead of using the , a formula that determines federal match for Medicaid by using a state’s per capita income, the rate for U.S. territories is fixed at 55%.

 

For the past several years, territories have had additional money to run their programs, due to a one-time grant under the Affordable Care Act, and additional funding for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following the devastating hurricanes of 2017, but money under both programs ran out at the end of September. Without additional funding, territories will be forced to make tough decisions, which will likely lead to reductions in coverage.

 

The spending bill, which passed Congress and was signed by President Trump last week, included funding to avert the Medicaid cliff, but only for one month. Congress will need to adopt a long-term solution to prevent the territories from running out of Medicaid funds.

The is published weekly. Its purpose is to keep ADEA members abreast of federal and state issues and events of interest to the academic dentistry and the dental and research communities.

 

©2019

American Dental Education Association

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B. Timothy Leeth, CPA

ADEA Chief Advocacy Officer

 

Bridgette DeHart, J.D.

ADEA Director of Federal Relations

 

Phillip Mauller, M.P.S.

ADEA Director of State Relations and Advocacy

 

Brian Robinson

ADEA Program Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations

 

Ambika R. Srivastava, M.P.H.

ADEA/Sunstar Americas, Inc./Jack Bresch Legislative Intern

 

Higher Logic