This bill establishes which state law governs health insurers offering coverage in multiple states. Specifically, the bill provides that the laws of a state designated by a health insurer (primary state) apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that insurer in any other state (secondary state) if the coverage, states, and insurer comply with the conditions of this bill. Insurers are exempted from any secondary state's laws that would prohibit or regulate the operation of the insurer in that state. The primary state is given sole jurisdiction to enforce its covered laws in any secondary state. The Government Accountability Office must study the effect of this bill on specified health insurance issues.
Reassuring that the United States Has Wide And Scrupulous Rhetorical Insight to Garnish Honest Thought Act of 2023 or the RUSH WAS RIGHT Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from reinstating in any manner the requirement that broadcasters present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance (commonly known as the Fairness Doctrine).
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for the admission of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the United States. The commonwealth consists of all the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding certain federal property. The excluded property shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of federal government; it includes the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court Building, and the federal office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and Capitol Building. In addition, the bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property and prohibits the commonwealth from taxing federal property except as permitted by Congress. Within 30 days of this bill's enactment, the DC mayor must call for the election of two Senators and one Representative for the commonwealth. The commonwealth shall be admitted into the United States upon a presidential proclamation announcing the results of that election. The bill applies current DC laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings. It also continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, and courts, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over those authorities and responsibilities. Further, the bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution to repeal the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution (which allows DC citizens to vote in presidential elections). The bill also establishes a commission to advise the President, Congress, and DC and commonwealth leaders on the transition.
Voter Integrity Protection Act This bill imposes additional immigration-related penalties for non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who vote in an election for federal office. It shall be an aggravated felony for a non-U.S. national who is unlawfully present to violate an existing prohibition against a non-U.S. national voting in a federal election. (An aggravated felony conviction carries various immigration consequences, such as rendering the non-U.S. national inadmissible, deportable, and barred from establishing good moral character for naturalization.) A non-U.S. national who is unlawfully present and who knowingly violates the prohibition against voting in a federal election shall be deportable.
Protection from Obamacare Mandates and Congressional Equity Act This bill alters provisions relating to the requirement to maintain minimum essential health care coverage (i.e., the individual mandate), as well as provisions relating to health care coverage for certain executive branch and congressional employees. Specifically, the bill exempts individuals from the requirement to maintain minimum essential health care coverage if they reside in a county where fewer than two health insurers offer insurance on the health insurance exchange. Under current law, there is no penalty for failing to maintain minimum essential health care coverage. The bill also requires certain executive branch and congressional employees to participate in health insurance exchanges. Under current law, Members of Congress and their designated staff are required to obtain coverage through health insurance exchanges, rather than the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Current regulations authorize government contributions toward such coverage and require Members of Congress to designate which members of their staff are required to obtain coverage through an exchange. The bill requires all congressional staff, including employees of congressional committees and leadership offices, to obtain coverage through an exchange. The bill also prohibits Members of Congress from having the discretion to determine which of their employees are eligible to enroll through an exchange. Further, the President, Vice President, and executive branch political appointees must also obtain coverage through exchanges, rather than FEHB. The government is prohibited from contributing to or subsidizing the health insurance coverage of the officials and employees subject to this requirement, including Members of Congress and their staff.
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2023 This bill modifies provisions relating to federal funding for, and health insurance coverage of, abortions. Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions. Such restrictions extend to the use of funds in the budget of the District of Columbia. Additionally, abortions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. Historically, language has been included in annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions—such language is commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. Similar language is also frequently included in appropriations bills for other federal agencies and the District of Columbia. The bill makes these restrictions permanent and extends the restrictions to all federal funds (rather than specific agencies). The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for abortions. Currently, qualified health plans may cover abortion, but the portion of the premium attributable to abortion coverage is not eligible for subsidies.
Chance to Compete Act of 2023 This bill modifies examination requirements and other components of the federal hiring process for positions in the competitive service. Specifically, the bill provides that a qualifying examination includes a résumé review that is conducted by a subject matter expert. Additionally, beginning two years after the bill's enactment, the bill prohibits examinations from consisting solely of a self-assessment from an automated examination, a résumé review that is not conducted by a subject matter expert, or any other method of assessing an applicant's experience or education; an agency may waive these requirements when necessary but must report any such waivers and may not use waivers to fill more than 10% of agency positions. Agencies may use subject matter experts to develop position-specific technical assessments that allow applicants to demonstrate job-related skills, abilities, and knowledge; assessments may include structured interviews, work-related exercises, procedures to measure career-related qualifications and interests, or other similar assessments. The bill also allows agencies to establish talent teams to support and improve hiring practices. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must create online platforms through which agencies may share and customize technical assessments and share the résumés of qualifying applicants. The OPM must also create online platforms with information about (1) the types of assessments used and hiring outcomes, (2) educational requirements for certain positions and related justifications, and (3) authorities and programs that support agency recruitment and retention.
Qualified Immunity Act of 2023 This bill provides statutory authority for qualified immunity for law enforcement officers in civil cases involving constitutional violations. Current law provides a statutory civil cause of action against state and local government actors (e.g., law enforcement officers) for violations of constitutional rights, also known as Section 1983 lawsuits. The Supreme Court has also found an implied cause of action against federal law enforcement officers in certain situations (e.g., Fourth Amendment violations), also known as Bivens lawsuits. However, under the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity, government officials performing discretionary duties are generally shielded from civil liability, unless their actions violate clearly established rights of which a reasonable person would have known. The bill provides statutory authority for these principles with respect to law enforcement officers. Specifically, under the bill, law enforcement officers are entitled to qualified immunity if (1) at the time of the alleged violation, the constitutional right at issue was not clearly established or the state of the law was not sufficiently clear for every reasonable officer to know that the conduct was unconstitutional; or (2) a court has held that the specific conduct at issue is constitutional. The bill applies to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. It also specifies that law enforcement agencies and local governments may not be held liable if their officers are entitled to qualified immunity.
This bill prohibits an individual who is not a U.S. citizen from voting in any elections in the District of Columbia (DC). Federal law bars noncitizens from voting in federal elections; however, the DC Council passed a bill on October 18, 2022, that allows noncitizens who meet residency and other requirements to vote in local elections.
This bill allows a deduction from gross income (above the line deduction) for attorney fees and court costs awarded with respect to a qualifying wildfire disaster (i.e., any forest or range fire that is a federally declared disaster, occurs in a disaster area, and occurs in 2015 or later). The bill excludes from the gross income of a taxpayer, for income tax purposes, amounts paid to compensate victims for losses or damages in connection with a qualifying wildfire disaster.