News from around the nation.

Virginia Senator calls for updates to Affordable Care Act health coverage; Parents of school shooter sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison; Wisconsin utilities make union jobs a priority for green projects; Idaho could boost local election turnout with timing change.

TRANSCRIPT

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The Public News Service Daily Newscast, April the 10th, 2024.

I'm Mike Clifford.

First to Virginia, where Senator Tim Kaine wants to update the 14-year-old Affordable Care Act.

He and Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, both Democrats are asking for updates to the ACA's list of essential health benefits, or EHBs.

Affordable Care Act plans must cover these 10 categories, including mental health services and prescription drug coverage.

Sarah Bedard-Holland with Virginia Health Catalyst says, inaction will only further the medical debt crisis.

Four in 10 adults nationally have medical debt because they understand the importance of some of these services that are covered.

So they are either choosing to access care or in very emergent situations and need to be paying out of pocket to access care that is fundamental to their overall health.

Around 580,000 Virginians have medical debt, close to the national average.

Dental benefits are optional for adults, but mandatory for kids.

This month, the Department of Health and Human Services finalized a policy allowing all states to update their EHB benchmark to include adult dental services, starting with the 2025 application process.

I'm Edwin J. Vieira.

Meantime, the parents of a teenager who killed four students in the 2021 school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, were each sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison Tuesday, weeks after being convicted of manslaughter.

That from CNN.

They report that James and Jennifer Crumbly, who each had faced up to 15 years in prison, have already been in prison for more than two years since their arrest in a Detroit warehouse days after the shooting.

CNN notes they are the first parents to be held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting committed by their child.

And with the help of federal aid, Wisconsin is catching up to neighboring states in accelerating clean energy construction projects.

Four major utilities operating in Wisconsin recently announced a pledge to hire union workers for clean energy development tied to federal incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Kent Miller of the Wisconsin Laborers District Council says it pays the way for a smoother transition to more wind, solar, and similar projects.

With the commitment from the utilities to make sure that the wages and benefits are the same standard as legacy energy, it allows workers to focus on updating their skill sets to meet the needs of the project and not worry about are there concessions in wages and benefits.

In earlier phases of renewable energy construction, Miller says some project leaders focused on bringing in out-of-state non-union contractors.

Now that Wisconsin labor organizations have a seat at the table, Miller says the next challenge is getting more advanced notice before a project breaks ground.

I'm Mike Moen.

Analysts say the hiring pledge and associated projects could lead to nearly 19,000 construction jobs that come with the prevailing wage.

This is Public News Service.

Next to the West, where a trio of mountain states has similar policies and geography, but one far outpaces its neighbors in voter turnout.

Our Eric Ticketoff explains.

Voting numbers in Wyoming are about twice those of neighboring Idaho for local elections.

Wyoming also encourages more voters to the polls for local races than Montana, where residents have been historically active in elections.

Head of the think tank Sightline Institute, Alan Durning, says there is a simple reason.

Wyoming schedules its local elections on the same date and the same ballot as national elections.

Idaho and Montana hold their local elections in odd years at odd times when far few people are motivated to participate.

Sightline Institute data show turnout for 2022 municipal elections in Wyoming was about 37 percent.

In Idaho's 2021 local elections, turnout was about 19 percent.

Durning says moving elections to even-numbered years could boost engagement in Idaho.

However, critics say long ballots could lead voters to lose interest as they get down to local races.

And as out-of-state and sometimes disreputable companies offering solar installations crowd the market, a Kentucky effort called Solarize aims to connect residents and small businesses with pre-screened solar contractors.

Pure Power solar owner and Solarize partner, Nick Hartnett says, "Residents considering solar "should find local companies, read reviews, "and talk to customers who've had systems installed."

Adding the Solarize program is designed to do the legwork.

There's a lot of aggressive sales techniques as well.

And so when companies that aren't really invested in the local community and don't plan on being there for a while come in with the goal to just sell as much as they can.

David Gomez of Daily Green Power, another Solarize installation partner, says his company went through a thorough analysis based on experience and work quality to be selected as a vetted contractor.

Nadia Ramligan reporting.

Finally, our Shantia Hudson reminds us April is Earth Month and North Carolina's climate justice groups are addressing the crucial role of air, land, water, and health in protecting the environment.

Clean Air NC and Sol Nation are working together on an Earth Day event to raise awareness about the environmental challenges confronting communities across the state.

Madison Fragnito with Clean Air NC says they're taking a holistic approach in planning STEM activities with a focus on vital areas like transportation, energy, and land conservation.

We're gonna have some activities related to environmental justice and storytelling, as well as recycling and how you can take everyday actions in your life to improve your commitment to sustainability.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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