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☆ Daylight-saving time is one of the most controversial and impossible issues of our age
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Shayanne Gal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

No policy — permanent daylight-saving time, permanent standard time, keep switching back and forth — is near a majority. Interestingly, respondents in the West are 14 percentage points more likely to prefer permanent standard time compared to respondents from the Northeast. When asked by the poll to rank those benefits, the ones favoring permanent standard time won out, big. The three most important values for respondents – keeping the time in line with circadian rhythms, promoting morning safety, and better sleep – are all specifically benefits of permanent Standard Time over permanent daylight-saving time. On a federal level, there have been political moves towards ending the status quo and pushing for permanent daylight-saving time.

☆ New Year’s pay boost: These states are raising their minimum wage
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Minneapolis CNN —The current period of high inflation that has significantly impacted the US economy will also influence a New Year’s tradition: The annual state minimum wage increases. By January 1, hourly minimum wages in 23 states will rise as part of previously scheduled efforts to reach $15 an hour or to account for cost-of-living changes. Additionally, nearly 30 cities and counties across the US will increase their minimum wage, according to the EPI, a left-leaning think tank. “The fact that there’s high inflation really just underscores how necessary these minimum wage increases are for workers,” said Sebastian Martinez Hickey, a research assistant at the EPI. “That also means that prices aren’t going to go up at [places like] restaurants.”The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour hasn’t budged since 2009, and 20 states have a minimum wage either equal to or below the federal level, making $7.25 their default baseline.

☆ Oregon Gov. Kate Brown commutes sentences of 17 people on death row
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Kate Brown announced plans Tuesday to commute the sentences of the 17 people on death row to life in prison without the possibility of parole, most likely using her executive clemency powers for the last time as governor. “Unlike previous commutations I’ve granted to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary growth and rehabilitation, this commutation is not based on any rehabilitative efforts by the individuals on death row. Instead, it reflects the recognition that the death penalty is immoral." Brown said the commutations were consistent with a moratorium on the death penalty Gov. The death penalty was first legalized in Oregon in the 19th century, but it has been abolished and reinstated three times since then.

☆ These 7 states are the safest in the country for identity theft and fraud
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Residents of Montana and Arkansas experience less identity theft — or other types of fraud — than the rest of the country. Montana residents were least vulnerable to identity theft and other types of fraud — recording the second-fewest identity theft complaints per capita in 2021, with just 106 complaints per 100,000 residents, according to the report's analysis of Federal Trade Commission data. By comparison, Rhode Island recorded the most identity theft complaints per capita, with 2,857 reports per 100,000 residents in 2021, according to FTC data. Here are the seven least vulnerable states for identity theft and fraud, based on NerdWallet's rankings:Montana Arkansas Indiana Maine Wyoming Oklahoma WashingtonCases of fraud, including identity theft, have risen in recent years, spurred partially by the Covid-19 pandemic and an uptick in data breaches flooding the black market with stolen personal information. Earlier this year, the FTC reported that consumers filed more than 5.7 million fraud reports in 2021, roughly a quarter of which were identity theft complaints.

☆ These 7 states face the highest risk of identify theft and fraud
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Online fraud cases, including identity theft, have hit all-time highs in recent years — which means you're likely more at risk than ever of having your personal information targeted by hackers or other bad actors. Consumers filed more than 5.7 million fraud reports with the Federal Trade Commission last year, including nearly 1.4 million reports of identity theft. Online fraudsters can seek you out anywhere, but identity theft and fraud are more prevalent in some states than others. Here are the country's seven most vulnerable places for identity theft and fraud, according to the report:Washington D.C. Delaware Louisiana Rhode Island Colorado Pennsylvania GeorgiaWashington D.C. tops the list as the place with the most online fraud and identity theft. The rankings give the most weight to the number of identity theft and fraud complaints per capita, as well as the average losses for the victims of those complaints.

☆ Fact Check-Experts dispute claims that GPS data leads to election fraud by helping cast illegal ballots
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

More examples of the image, which says GPS data can help “tip the election/s to their preferred candidates” (without identifying who “they” are), are viewable (here), (here). But GPS accuracy is degraded by satellite signal blockage (due to buildings, bridges and trees), indoor and underground use, as well as signals reflected off buildings, among other factors (here). There is no mention of using online surveillance via GPS and geolocation to verify who voted, contrary to the social media claims. For example, by monitoring the sites an individual visits or the posts they create on social media, Google “can have some idea on” voter preferences. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here .

A UN study last year found "negligible" correlation between household food waste and gross domestic product, indicating most countries "have room to improve." "We do have a long way to make the goal," said Jean Buzby, the food waste liaison at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration agreed in 2018 to tackle America's food waste together. A spokesman for New Zealand's environment ministry said the country is finalizing its baseline food waste estimate so it can establish a target. SLOWEST GAZELLEIn California, which has America's most ambitious climate policies, officials are trying to ensure food waste goes to composting, not landfills.

☆ Here's how Donald Trump could theoretically run for president in 2024 and govern the US from prison, according to 9 legal scholars
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Robin Bravender | Tina Sfondeles | Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

If Trump landed in prison, nothing in the Constitution would block him from another White House run, according to nine legal experts interviewed by Insider. He served eight years in federal prison after being convicted on public-corruption charges. In the Oval Office, Trump conducted business at the ornate Resolute Desk. If he wound up in federal prison, he'd likely have more sway over his fate. Hochul would all but certainly reject calls to cut Trump legal slack in any fashion, pardons included.

In Arizona Senate, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly is ahead of Republican Blake Masters by 115,000 votes with 80% in. On Dobbs, the national exit poll showed 27% of voters picking abortion as their No. And remember that our final NBC News poll found Trump as one of the most unpopular political figures we measured, especially compared with President Biden. In each state, those Democratic secretaries of state nominees were running against Republicans who cast doubt on the 2020 election result. Two of those five feature Democrat vs. Democrat contests, thanks to the state’s Top 2 primary, so those will stay in the Democratic column.

National Democrats were fairly happy on Election Day as they dodged a predicted trouncing at the polls, but state Democrats might have even more to celebrate. And Democrats appear on track to flip the state House in Michigan, as well as in Pennsylvania and Minnesota, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the nonpartisan organization that represents legislative chambers. Democratic wins this cycle signals a shift in state legislative priorities that could have major ramifications on contentious issues. The Republican-controlled state legislatures in Pennsylvania and Michigan had entertained election denial conspiracies after the 2020 election, for example. "Success does beget success," she said, noting that many state legislative candidates outperformed those competing at the federal level.

Voters in states from across the political spectrum chose to enshrine abortion rights on Tuesday, a major victory for reproductive rights advocates in the first national election since the fall of Roe v. Wade in June. While the amendment’s defeat will not change whether Kentucky residents have abortion access if the state Supreme Court continues to allow a ban that is currently being challenged, abortion rights advocates were thrilled by voters’ support. Meanwhile, voters in two Democratic states, California and Vermont, chose to officially protect abortion rights in their constitutions. Democrats said they care most about abortion rights, while Republicans said their biggest concern was inflation, according to the poll. “Until there’s a new federal right, state constitutions are really the best avenue to ensure reproductive rights and abortion rights in any given state,” she said.

Kentucky voters rejected a ballot proposal that would have amended the state constitution to explicitly say it does not protect a right to abortion, NBC News projects. It would have been nearly impossible to restore abortion access in Kentucky through legal pathways if the measure had passed, said Rachel Sweet, a campaign manager for Protect Kentucky Access, which opposed the referendum. As of early Wednesday, voters in California, Vermont and Michigan have voted to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions. In reversing the half-century precedent, the court left the power to limit or grant abortion rights to the states. That triggered one ballot measure on abortion in Kansas over the summer, and five more this fall.

☆ Fact Check-Official U.S. election vote counts legally take weeks to certify
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

While media organizations often “call” elections on election night or soon after, experts on election processes told Reuters elections are frequently never confirmed on election night and the process of verifying ballots can take weeks. Confusion online may stem from the fact that media organizations “call” an election for a certain candidate on election night or shortly after. As explained by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), “Many voters believe that the election results they see on television on election night are the final results. Similarly, during the 2020 general election, which resulted in a Biden win against Trump, Mississippi did not certify election results until Dec. 3 (here). Different states have specific rules on when mail-in ballots can start being counted, ranging from before election day, on election day before polls close and after polls close on election day (here).

In reversing the half-century precedent, the court left the power to limit or grant abortion rights to the states. In August, a judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the anti-abortion law, which had been inactive in the decades that Roe v. Wade stood. Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic incumbent, has been a champion for abortion rights, but she is fending off a challenge from Republican candidate Tudor Dixon, who called the abortion ballot proposition “radical” in a debate with her. Voters will determine whether to alter the state constitution to explicitly say it does not protect a right to abortion or abortion funding. Abortion rights advocates are challenging those laws.

☆ For voters submitting absentee ballots, your state may require it to be verified. Here are the ways your ballot is checked for authenticity.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Kayla Gallagher | Annie Fu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

To ensure authenticity, some states require ballot verification for votes to count. In order to better prevent the risk of election fraud, some states have implemented ballot verification rules to ensure the authenticity of a voter's ballot. Currently, 27 states require absentee ballots to be verified using a few different methods: signature match, voter signature only, notary or witness signatures, photo ID, or the last four digits of a person's Social Security number. Three states — Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma — require the envelope containing the absentee ballot to be notarized, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. There are 24 states that require voters to be notified when there is a signature missing or a signature discrepancy on their ballot.

☆ Fact Check-Postage for mail-in ballots varies per location within Ohio; USPS says it will still deliver ballots with insufficient postage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Postal Service (USPS) has also said they would deliver ballots even if there was insufficient or unpaid postage. While Americans should pay for postage where required, at the time, USPS said it was their policy to deliver return ballots regardless of insufficient or unpaid postage. It is true that in Ohio, voters are responsible for paying for their mail-in ballot’s postage (here). In cases where a voter sends a ballot with insufficient postage, the cost of such missing postage would likely be absorbed by the relevant elections board. Postal Service has said they deliver ballots even if they have insufficient or unpaid postage.

☆ Over 200,000 trans people could face voting restrictions because of state ID laws
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

Seaton showed his state ID. “So I expect that we’re going to hear more stories of trans people being harassed, whether by voters, poll workers, poll monitors or other folks who are present during the election.”Impact of voter ID laws on trans votersVoter identification laws differ widely by state. Eight of those states have strict photo ID laws. Since the 2020 election, 12 states have enacted new or stricter voter ID laws, according to VoteRiders, a nonpartisan voting rights organization. In the 15 states without ID laws, voters’ identities are usually verified by checking them against their voter registration information, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

☆ A record number of Americans now have bank accounts
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The number of Americans who do not have a bank account fell to a record low last year, as the proliferation of online-only banks and an improving economy is bringing more Americans into the traditional financial system. The benefit programs largely needed a bank account to send the funds quickly to those impacted. The benefit programs largely needed a bank account to send the funds quickly to those impacted. While Americans kept their bank accounts through the coronavirus recession, there is a chance the number of unbanked Americans could rise in the future if inflation continues to damage the economy and unemployment increases. Cash checking services, utility payment services, rent payments without a bank account often come with fees, money that a person with a bank account would not be subject to.

Oct 24 (Reuters) - Challenges to election results are not new in the United States. That has raised fears among election experts that 2022 will see a wave of baseless rejections of vote tallies. There are multiple points where a rogue official could disrupt the process – by refusing to certify results, for instance. THE FUTURESeveral election experts said they are more concerned about the 2024 election than 2022, given how many Trump-inspired election deniers are running for key positions this year. A Washington Post analysis found more than half of Republican candidates for Congress and key statewide offices have questioned the 2020 results.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence of widespread ballot 'harvesting' ahead of the U.S midterm election
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Stuffing ballot boxes, ballot harvesting, gerrymandering, and the lonist goes on and on,” reads a tweet. A Reuters Fact Check explainer exploring examples of how and why voter fraud is exceedingly rare in the U.S. ahead of the midterms can be seen (here). According to Minnite, experts agree there is no evidence of systematic voter fraud happening during absentee voting. They found 491 cases of absentee ballot fraud from 2000 to 2012, a time when 146 million Americans were registered to vote (news21.com/archive/), (here), (here). A Reuters fact check article previously found that the film does not provide verifiable evidence of voter fraud (here).

☆ Covid-19 vaccines will be on the 2023 vaccine schedule, but that doesn’t mean they’re required in schools
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Covid-19 vaccines will be part of recommended immunization schedules in 2023 for both children and adults, after a unanimous vote by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The board members addressed concerns from the public that adding Covid-19 vaccinations to the schedule would force schools to require the shots. This discussion does not change that.”In fact, Covid-19 vaccines are explicitly banned from being included in school mandates in at least 20 states. “Mandates may not do anything to those people who would pull their kids out of public school,” Hackell said. Schools are public spaces with a level of control, and 95% vaccination coverage is a goal with intent.

☆ Fact Check-U.S. elections: What we know about a new Massachusetts law that allows undocumented migrants to get a driver's license
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

A law set to go into effect in 2023 in Massachusetts would enable immigrants with non-legal status to obtain a driver’s license. The bill would eliminate a restriction that says a driver’s license cannot be issued unless a person has lawful presence in the United States. “This bill [HB 4805] also fails to include any measures to distinguish standard Massachusetts driver’s licenses issued to persons who demonstrate lawful presence from those who do not. Cecilia Calabrese, a Republican candidate for Massachusetts State Senate, wrote on Twitter: “Because in Massachusetts when you get a Driver’s License you are AUTOMATICALLY registered to vote! Unlawful voter registration and unlawful voting are both deportable offenses (see “falsely claiming citizenship” and “unlawful voters”) (here).

☆ Black infants born through assisted reproductive technology at significantly higher risk of death than White infants born through same means, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Jacqueline Howard Raenu Charles | Jacqueline Howard | Raenu Charles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —It has been well-known in research that Black babies are about twice as likely to die as White babies before their first birthday. But when conceived by assisted reproductive technology, neonatal mortality was more than four-fold higher among babies of Black women. Assisted reproductive technology, which is used to treat infertility, includes infertility treatments that involve eggs and sperm. Those rates were four-fold higher in infants of Black versus White mothers who used assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF. Black women are about three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Instead, data and child welfare experts suggest the changes may have done the opposite. State child welfare officials say more vigilance in documenting severe cases of abuse likely contributed to the increase. Child welfare experts say these findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of the primary tool that states rely on to protect children: mandatory child abuse reporting. These policies, the bedrock of America’s child welfare system, were first implemented more than half a century ago in response to growing national awareness of child maltreatment. “We are continuing to tell mandated reporters, ‘Report, report, report,’ and nobody can handle it,” Berger said in an interview.

☆ Fact Check-Biden and Obama did win states that required photo ID to vote
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It shows that in 2020, six states strictly required a photo identification to vote: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Wisconsin. OBAMA WON THREE OF 10 PHOTO-ID STATES IN 2012According to the NCSL, four states required strict photo ID to vote in 2012: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas and Tennessee. An election map from 2008 shows that among states requesting photo ID, Obama won in Indiana, Hawaii, Florida and Michigan (here). Obama won in some states that had photo identification laws in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, and Biden won the 2020 vote in five states that required photo ID. Both lost in several states that had no photo ID laws at the time in all three of these elections.

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