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In Focus
Another legislative session is nearly upon us, and it’s looking like a busy session. Lawmakers have already pre-filed 70 bills, as compared with just 14 bills by this point last year.
Fun fact: of the bills pre-filed so far, exactly half come from the House and half from the Senate.
Slightly more fun fact: of the 35 bills that have been introduced in the Senate, Sens. David Farnsworth (R-Mesa), John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) and Steve Farley (D-Tucson) are responsible for all but two. Show-offs.
The 2018 session convenes at noon on Jan. 8, which is also the deadline for the pre-filing of bills. The deadlines for the introduction of bills by the Senate and the House are not until January 29 and February 5, respectively.
By the numbers, the 2018 session is shaping up to be marathon. That’s not even considering some of the more controversial topics we may eventually see addressed in 2018.
Hot topics to watch this session include: water policy; workplace harassment; K-12 funding; occupational licensing; opioid abuse and more.
76,000 Arizonans to Receive $4.6 Million in Theranos Refund Checks
For Immediate Release: December 14, 2017
PHOENIX - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced $4.6 million in refund checks will be mailed to every Arizonan who purchased a Theranos blood test. The average refund per person is $60.92. More than 76,000 checks will be mailed on Friday, December 15, 2017.
[...] Arizona consumers will receive a full refund including one consumer who paid more than $3,400 for testing. In April 2017, Theranos, Inc. agreed to pay $4.6 million dollars in consumer restitution as part of a consent judgment reached with the Attorney General’s Office.
Between 2013 and 2016, Theranos sold thousands of blood tests in Arizona. According to Theranos, 10 percent of the tests were voided or corrected. Each customer will now be reimbursed the full amount the consumer paid for testing regardless of whether the results were voided or corrected.
The State alleged that Theranos’ advertisements misrepresented the method, accuracy, and reliability of its blood testing and that the company was out of compliance with federal regulations contained in the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988.
Under the consent judgment, Theranos may not own, operate, or direct any laboratory in Arizona for two years.
[...] Read more HERE.
Arizona business leaders draft referendum to keep Prop 301 funding alive, improve education in the state
Phoenix Business Journal
Arizona business leaders are stepping up efforts to boost education funding at a time when the state is lagging in educational funding nationwide.
The Education Vision Breakfast hosted by the Phoenix Business Journal and Hickman's Family Farms this morning presented six priorities to improve education in Arizona: increasing teacher pay, implementing full-day kindergarten as a grade, reinstating capital funding, beefing up construction workforce development and permanently extending the current 0.6 cent sales tax under Proposition 301.
Proposition 301, which currently generates $643.8 million a year for education, is set to expire in 2020.
A coalition of CEOs is proposing a 1.5-cent initiative, dedicated to fully funding Gov. Doug Ducey's priorities.
"As CEOs, we prefer legislative referendums to citizen initiatives," Phil Francis, retired chairman and CEO of PetSmart, told the group of business and education leaders and politicians.
"That said, we are fully committed to work with business leaders and the education community to raise the $2 million necessary to successfully place the 1.5-cent proposal on the 2020 ballot," he said. "Anything less will not move the needle."
Reginald M. Ballantyne III, immediate paste president of the Arizona State Board of Education, served as master of ceremonies for the breakfast event, held at Arizona State University's downtown Phoenix campus.
Ballantyne said the funding would be distributed as follows:
• $340 million for increasing teacher pay
• $240 million for transitioning kindergarten to a full-day grade
• $40 million to invest in construction workforce development and teacher training
• $660 million for permanently extending the current .6 cent distribution formula
• $190 million to support Arizona's universities
"So in a nutshell, to do what must be done, and to do it with sufficient resources, the funding must be there and it cannot be less than the proposed 1.5 cent tax as proposed this past June," Ballantyne said.
Read more HERE.
Teen opioid use appears to decline despite increases in drug-related deaths among adults
Washington Examiner
Misuse of prescription opioids among 12th graders continued to decline in 2017 despite increasing rates of overdose deaths in other age groups, survey data suggests.
The annual Monitoring the Future survey, published Thursday, shows that misuse of Vicodin and Oxycontin by 12th graders has reached a historic low of 4.2 percent, a 0.5 percent decrease from the year before. The totals represent half the usage recorded in 2004, when 9.5 percent of high school seniors said they had misused a prescription opioid during the past 12 months.
[...] Vicodin, the most-used opioid among teens surveyed, showed a decline in use among 12th graders from 2.9 percent in 2016 to 2 percent in 2017. Its annual prevalence is now at the lowest levels in all three grades observed — meaning 8th, 10th and 12th grades -- since it was first included in the study in 2002.
[...] Read more HERE.
Veridus clients in the news
American Express to Provide Additional Flexibility to Merchants By Eliminating Signature Requirements Worldwide
American Express Is First Payment Network To Make Signatures Optional In All Global Regions
American Express today announced it is eliminating the requirement for merchants to collect Card Members’ signatures for all purchase transactions at the point of sale beginning in April 2018. The move, which applies globally to all American Express-accepting merchants, will help provide a more consistent and simplified checkout experience for merchants and Card Members in regions around the world, speed up the process of paying in store and help reduce merchants’ operating expenses associated with retaining signatures.
[...] The need for signatures has declined around the world due to a number of advancements in the payments industry. These include the growth of contactless payment options, including card-based and mobile tap-and-pay methods, the global adoption of EMV chip technology, and the continued expansion of online commerce. American Express has also deployed advanced machine learning algorithms that allow for more precise detection of fraud while minimizing disruption of Card Members’ genuine spending.
The elimination of American Express’ signature requirements will apply to purchase transactions of all amounts at the point of sale. American Express is the first payment network to announce this change globally, expanding previous policy changes it has made in various regions. For example, American Express has already eliminated signature requirements for transactions at the checkout that are under $50 in the U.S., under $100 CAD in Canada, and under £30 in the U.K. In regions outside the U.S. where signatures are already less common, this change can help provide a more consistent checkout experience for Card Members traveling from countries where signatures are more common. Once this change takes effect in April 2018, merchants will still have the option to collect Card Members’ signatures at the point of sale if they choose to do so, and must continue to collect signatures if they are required to do so by applicable law in a particular jurisdiction.
The Merchant Advisory Group, an organization that represents many large merchants on payments-related topics, believes American Express’ decision will make the checkout process more efficient for merchants and their customers, said Laura Townsend, Senior Vice President of Operations for the group.
[...] Merchants may visit www.americanexpress.com/merchant for more information.
Read more HERE.
Service Corporation International Sponsors Donate Life’s “The Gift of Time” Float at the 129th Rose Parade®
Floragraph Finishing Events Across U.S. Honor Donors and New Rose Dedication Program Recognizes Organ Procurement Organizations
HOUSTON, Dec. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI), North America’s largest provider of funeral and cemetery services, and its brand, Dignity Memorial®, are pleased to announce their tenth year as a major sponsor of the Donate Life float that will appear in the 129th Rose Parade® on Jan. 1, 2018 in Pasadena, Ca.
For the past 10 years, SCI has participated in Donate Life’s annual tribute to organ, eye and tissue donors, and has helped many client families honor their loved ones with a portrait featured on the Donate Life float. Underscoring the importance of organ donation, these portraits, called “floragraphs,” are made of flowers, seeds, beans and other natural materials. Living donors and recipients also bring the float to life by riding or walking beside it during the Rose Parade.
[...] Additionally, as a part of Donate Life’s celebration of its 15th annual Rose Parade float, Dignity Memorial is sponsoring the new “Making a Difference Rose Dedication Program,” which presents honorary silk roses to recognize and give thanks to organ procurement organizations, transplant centers, eye banks and tissue banks across the United States who share the mission of saving and healing lives through organ, tissue and cornea donations. These Honorary Making a Difference roses will be placed on the Donate Life float before the Rose Parade on Dec. 29, 2017 by Dignity Memorial representatives, the CEO and president of the American Association of Tissue Banks, the CEO and president of the Eye Bank Association of America, the program manager of NATCO, The Organization for Transplant Professionals, the CEO and president of LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma, the past president of the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation, and the CEO of OneLegacy and chairman of the Donate Life Rose Parade Float.
[...] Read more HERE.
CVS Health Foundation Announces Grant to Increase Access to Provider Education and Diagnosis Program for Alzheimer's Disease
First-year results demonstrate program's meaningful impact
WOONSOCKET, R.I., Dec. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The CVS Health Foundation today announced a $550,000 commitment to the Alzheimer's Association, extending its support for a new program to enhance disease diagnosis and assessment with clinicians while also educating them about care and support programs available to help families following a diagnosis. The grant is being shared with six local Alzheimer's Association chapters and brings the Foundation's total contribution to more than $1 million since 2016.
[...] The new charitable commitment builds upon support from the CVS Health Foundation for a new program established in 2016 to increase diagnosis, disclosure and education for Alzheimer's disease.
[...] The number of people living with Alzheimer's disease is expected to rise from over 5 million people today to more than 16 million by 2050, and costs are expected to rise as high as $1.1 trillion. Research shows effective health care provider outreach and education are essential for helping people with Alzheimer's disease achieve their best quality of life.
Read more HERE.
Global bike sharing venture comes to Scottsdale, offers free rides
Phoenix Business Journal
A third bike-sharing company has launched in Scottsdale and is offering free rides to new customers this month.
China’s ofo has launched its rental bikes in Scottsdale with rides costing $1 per hour.
Ofo operates in 200 cities in 18 countries including Seattle, Los Angeles, Dallas and Washington D.C.
Ofo also operates in Europe, Asia and Australia.
“We’re excited about our expansion into Scottsdale and look forward to bringing a greener, more convenient and affordable transportation option to residents and visitors,” said spokesman Taylor Bennett.
Bennett said ofo customers can find bikes via the company’s smart phone app and then unlock it via that app.
[...] Read more HERE.
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