News from around the nation.

Biden denounces Trump for two trillion tax cuts as he unveils budget plan; housing crisis heavily impacting disability community in Nevada; and new Bill would provide behavioral health services to Maryland minors without diagnosis.

TRANSCRIPT

[music] The Public News Service Daily Newscast, March the 12th, 2024.

I'm Mike Clifford. [music] Joe Biden took another swipe at Donald Trump Monday as the president revealed his $7.3 trillion budget proposal for 2025 that offers tax breaks for families, lower health care costs, a smaller federal deficit, and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy.

That from The Guardian.

They report Biden made the remarks at an afternoon appearance in New Hampshire.

Biden said, "I'm not anti-corporation.

I'm a capitalist man.

Make all the money you want, just pay your fair share in taxes."

Unlikely to pass the House and Senate to become law, the proposal for fiscal 2025 is more of an election year blueprint about what the future could hold if Biden and enough of his fellow Democrats win in November.

Like many states across the West, Nevada is facing challenges with the supply and demand for housing.

One advocate for the disability community describes a pool of affordable and accessible homes in the Silver State as sad.

Mary Evilsizer is with the Southern Nevada Centers for Independent Living.

She says some of the biggest challenges in helping disabled folks find housing is ensuring they're able to meet certain criteria and requirements set by landlords.

And second is affordability.

All landlords require that an individual with a disability or an individual without a disability, it's the same way across the board, have income that is three times the amount of the rent that they pay.

It's just a rule that we need to change in our state.

Data shows that more than 50 percent of renters in Las Vegas spend 30 percent or more of their income on rent, Evilsizer says, for most parts of Nevada.

The average rent sits above $1,500.

I'm Alex Gonzalez reporting.

Evilsizer says she would like to see Nevada invest in what she calls a rapid reentry program, which would aim to get those experiencing homelessness back on their feet.

Next to Maryland, where the General Assembly is considering a bill to expand access to behavioral health services for kids younger than 18.

This afternoon, the Senate Finance Committee will hear testimony on allowing children covered under Medicaid to access behavioral health services with or without a formal diagnosis.

SB 876 would allow minors access to preventive services, therapy, and treatment planning.

Advocates testified in a House hearing on the companion bill last week that it can be difficult for providers to make an accurate diagnosis quickly when it comes to children.

Anne Secott with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence says the diagnosis isn't the main point when treating the person.

To say the only way they can access services is if they get a diagnosis really is something that prevents the right kind of care and the services that are needed.

The diagnosis isn't what's needed.

The diagnosis is needed for the system, for the billing system to work.

Colorado adopted similar legislation last year.

Brett Pivoteau reporting.

This is Public News Service.

Community health centers in Missouri and across the nation are getting a boost in funding thanks to Congress' passage of a bipartisan spending package.

House Resolution 4366 is a package of six fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills that continues funding for several programs and helps avoid a partial government shutdown.

Community health centers provide health care access to 31 million Americans and are vital to people, especially those in rural areas.

Joe Dunn with the National Association of Community Health Centers says roughly 1 in 11 Americans across the country get his or her care from community health centers.

Over 100 million Americans need better access to primary care.

Incentivizing people to get primary care, there's fewer hospitalizations and complications from chronic conditions based on preventative screening and care.

These investments reduce the cost over the long term.

In addition to the increase of funding to $4.4 billion annually for health centers, the spending bill passed Friday also extends and increases key primary care workforce programs such as National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program.

Farah Siddiqui reporting.

In the next few years, big changes are coming to Cal State University and its admissions process.

That is thanks to a $750 million grant from the Illumina Foundation's Great Admissions Redesign Challenge.

Phase 1 will upgrade the site CaliforniaColleges.edu so 9th, 10th and 11th graders can align their schedules with the Cal State and University of California A-G requirements.

April Gramo with Cal State says right now nearly half of students don't take the right classes to qualify.

Only about 51 percent of students across the state are completing A-G and in some counties it's only about 15 percent of students.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

Finally, Eric Galatis lets us know Colorado may soon welcome back Wolverine.

An animal with a reputation for its ferocity and strength nearly wiped out by trapping, poisoning and habitat loss in the early 20th century.

Last week, lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 24171, which if passed would kick start the process of reintroducing the carnivore as soon as 2026.

Michael Saw with Defenders of Wildlife says Wolverines are native to Colorado, but just 300 or so remain in the entire lower 48.

He says the Rocky Mountains may offer the best chance for their long-term survival.

Colorado is one of the best places for holding on to deep snow through the 21st century.

Wolverines rely on hard-packed snow at high elevations throughout the winter to store food and dig dens to raise their young.

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

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