Skip to Main Content
Heart Attack and Stroke Symptoms

From the Gold Dome: This Session’s Wins and What Comes Next

April 20, 2026

The Latin phrase Sine Die translates to “without a day”, meaning there is no set day to reconvene. Legislators translate it to “It’s signed or it dies”. And we had a little of both.

First, the good–priorities funded in the budget:

  • Coverdell Stroke Registry Funding: $360,095 included in the final state budget to strengthen stroke care and outcomes statewide.
  • SunBucks/Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT): $2 million for laying groundwork for successful 2027 implementation, helping ensure more children have access to food during the summer months.
  • Maternal health/Hypertension monitoring: $3.7 million allocated to expand home visiting and hypertension monitoring for pregnant and postpartum women covered by Medicaid, supporting better blood pressure management and preventing life-threatening complications.

Second, the legislative wins:

  • HB 1118/Paid Leave: Expands maternal paid leave for teachers and state employees from 6 weeks to 9 weeks.
  • HB 370/Vape Registry Stopped: This tobacco industry bill did not come up for a vote, which is a win!

And third, the not-so-good:

  • HB 506/Medicaid Cessation: Lawmakers replaced the language in the bill with another issue.
  • HB 970/Heart Assessments for Student Athletes: Passed both the House and Senate and was sent to a conference committee, but at the end of session, was not “lifted from the table” for a vote. Now is considered “dead” and must start from the very beginning.

Many advocates understandably ask why popular or bipartisan bills fail to move in the final days of session. Below is a photo of the Senate agenda from the final night.

In addition to debate and voting, the final day includes farewell speeches for departing lawmakers and the Governor’s closing address. Lawmakers worked past midnight, yet many bills remained “on the table” when the session ended.

Your Advocacy Matters!

Even if bills don’t pass, your advocacy is an important part of the process. This session, advocates helped strengthen relationships, build bipartisan understanding, and lay important groundwork. Conversations about both Medicaid tobacco cessation and heart assessments for student athletes were overwhelmingly positive, and that support will be carried into next session.

As we look ahead to the interim and future sessions, we’ll continue engaging lawmakers, refining strategies, and preparing to bring these priorities back stronger.

Thank you to everyone who made calls, sent messages, joined us at the Gold Dome for lobby day, and stayed engaged throughout the session. Your advocacy made real progress possible and continues to shape what comes next.