Issac Morgan, Florida Phoenix Florida Democrats in the state House on Monday questioned the legality of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent move that transported about 50 asylum seekers from Florida to Martha’s Vineyard and urged GOP leaders to stop using “inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars” for the operation that has sparked …
Read More »An ‘unprecedented flood’ Of Book Bans Engulfs U.S. School Districts, PEN Reports
Ariana Figueroa, Iowa Capital Dispatch More than 1,600 book titles across 32 states were banned from public schools during the 2021-22 school year, with the bulk of the ban requests coming from a handful of right-wing groups pushing for censorship of books that feature LGBTQ+ characters and characters of color, …
Read More »The End Of Roe Could Be Changing People’s Minds About Abortion Bans
Shefali Luthra, The 19th This story was originally published by the 19th. Roe v. Wade’s overturn may have meaningfully shifted public opinion on abortion for the first time in years, a change that could affect what kinds of bans or restrictions abortion rights opponents can safely consider. Polling on abortion, …
Read More »Texas Social Media “censorship” Law Goes Into Effect After Federal Court Lifts Block
Jesus Vidales, The Texas Tribune A Texas law prohibiting large social media companies from banning users’ posts based on their political viewpoints will go into effect after a federal appeals court on Friday lifted a block placed on the statute. NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association sued Texas …
Read More »Congress To Take Up Bills That Would Overhaul Presidential Elector Process
Lawmakers in both chambers on Friday announced plans to take up bills that overhaul a 135-year-old law governing the counting of presidential electoral votes. The House Rules Committee will take up a still-unseen bill Tuesday dubbed the Presidential Election Reform Act, and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said on Thursday …
Read More »Biden Signs Bill That Removes Statute Of Limitations For Child Sexual Abuse Offenses
President Joe Biden on Friday signed a bill removing the statute of limitations for reporting child sexual abuse. This new legislation will update current federal laws, which set the statute of limitation for child sexual abuse claims until the victim reaches the age of 28 or until ten years from …
Read More »Two Idaho Republicans Sent A Judge Letters Of Support For Convicted Rapist
James Dawson, Idaho Capital Sun This story is from Boise State Public Radio, published Sept. 16. The original version is located at this link. Two Republican state lawmakers sent letters of support for one of their former colleagues convicted of raping a teenage legislative intern prior to his sentencing late last month. Reps. …
Read More »Second Bus With Migrants Arrives Outside Kamala Harris’ Residence
Matthew Watkins, The Texas Tribune A second bus of migrants sent from Texas arrived outside the residency of Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday, continuing Gov. Greg Abbott’s policy of sending migrants from his state to target the Biden administration over its immigration policies. The bus arrived before daylight outside …
Read More »Youngkin Administration Overhauls Virginia Transgender Student Policies
Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration quietly released a document Friday overhauling Virginia’s policy on the treatment of transgender students, citing “parental rights.” The “Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools” published by the Virginia Department of …
Read More »Senate Republicans Pan Democrats On Crime, Say They’ll Introduce Their Own Bill
Jennifer Shutt, Florida Phoenix A small group of U.S. Senate Republicans are seeking to draw attention to U.S. crime rates, saying they plan to introduce a bill that would direct more resources to state and local police departments as well as require the Government Accountability Office to study the amount …
Read More »Fight Over Border Security Escalates After Governors Send Migrants To Kamala Harris’ Home, Martha’s Vineyard
Stephen Neukam, The Texas Tribune Gov. Greg Abbott’s state-funded program to bus migrants to cities run by Democrats reached a national fever pitch on Thursday, with buses dropping people off outside of Vice President Kamala Harris’ D.C. residence. What started in the spring as a publicity stunt to draw the …
Read More »At Detroit Auto Show, Biden Praises American Workers, Progress On Climate Crisis
Ken Coleman, Michigan Advance President Joe Biden touted the emerging electric vehicle market during a nearly three-hour visit to the North American International Auto Show on Wednesday at Huntington Place. Biden’s visit included a tour of the showroom floor and a 30-minute rally that was packed with area union workers …
Read More »House Passes Bill That Would Thwart Trump Plot to Purge Federal Workers
House Democrats and a handful of Republicans on Thursday rejected former President Donald Trump’s plot to oust civil servants by passing the Preventing a Patronage System Act. “The civil servants who make up our federal workforce are the engine that keeps our federal government running,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), …
Read More »Senate Delays Same-Sex Marriage Vote Until After Midterm Elections
Jennifer Shutt, Arizona Mirror The U.S. Senate won’t vote on legislation to secure marriage equality for millions of Americans until after the midterm elections, bipartisan negotiators announced Thursday. The move follows weeks of behind-the-scenes discussions among five U.S. senators from both political parties who have been drafting an amendment to …
Read More »‘Authoritarian’: Politicians, Advocates React To FL’s Transport Of Migrants To Mass.
Danielle J. Brown, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis took his bows Thursday for airlifting some 50 asylum seekers to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts the day before. The move triggered a furious response from Florida Democrats, immigrant advocacy groups, and members of Florida’s Hispanic community, some of whom saw the move …
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