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☆ Opinion | Who Would Want to Go to a College Like This?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Tressie Mcmillan Cottom | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The bill is similar to Florida’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in public colleges, which was signed into law last May. This political theater lifts up a caricature of college, one on which coddled minds are seduced into liberal ideas. If states become hostile to students’ values, those students could choose to go elsewhere or to forgo college altogether. Part of a larger survey about students’ experiences of higher education, the report left me with one major takeaway: The national debate about so-called woke campuses does not reflect what most college students care about. They underscore how unhinged our national debate over higher education has become and how misaligned Republican-led public higher education systems are with the bulk of college students.

Persons: “, haven’t Organizations: Higher Education, Republican, Bills, Public, Lumina Foundation, Gallup Locations: Florida, Alabama

☆ The Many Ways Men’s Sweet 16 Players Are Being Paid
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( David A. Fahrenthold | Billy Witz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

$500 signed basketball Branded vodka and coffee “Buzzer beater” quesadillaThe Many Ways Men’s Sweet 16 Players Are Being PaidThis year’s N.C.A.A. basketball tournament is being played amid a revolutionary change in college sports: The best players are now openly recruited, retained and rewarded with cash. — under pressure from the Justice Department and state legislatures — allowed players to be paid for the use of their “name, image and likeness.” The idea was to let players endorse shoes or sports drinks. (The average men’s basketball player with a collective contract at a top school is paid $63,450, according to Opendorse, a company that processes payments to players from collectives. Every team in the men’s Sweet Sixteen has been touched by this change, which has brought windfalls to players but instability to the college game.

Persons: —, ” —, windfalls Organizations: Justice Department

Marilyn Lands, a Democrat, won a special election Tuesday for a State House seat in Alabama after campaigning on access to abortion and in vitro fertilization, underscoring the continued political potency of reproductive rights. Ms. Lands defeated her Republican opponent, Teddy Powell, by about 25 percentage points — an extraordinary margin in a swing district where she lost by seven points in 2022. The special election was called when David Cole, the Republican who had held the seat, resigned and pleaded guilty to voter fraud. “Today, Alabama women and families sent a clear message that will be heard in Montgomery and across the nation,” Ms. Lands, a licensed counselor, said Tuesday night. And last month, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos were people with rights — upending I.V.F.

Persons: Marilyn Lands, Teddy Powell, David Cole, ”, Roe, Wade, — upending, Kay Ivey, Powell, Heather Williams, ” Ms, Williams, Biden’s, Donald J, Trump, Mr, Julie Chavez Rodriguez Organizations: Democrat, House, Lands, Republican, Republicans, Alabama Legislature, Democratic Legislative, Committee, “ Locations: Alabama, Montgomery, “

☆ A controversial Supreme Court decision could hurt Biden in November
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —A Supreme Court decision related to the election could determine the presidential victor this November, but it has nothing to do with former President Donald Trump. The study also said the “narrow” racial-turnout disparity that the high court heavily relied upon in its Shelby decision was based in part on the 2012 presidential election. Yet the study’s conclusion bolsters critics of the Shelby decision. They ignored it although they knew their decision would hurt Black voters, who tend to vote for the Democratic Party, he says. The bloody history behind the Voting Rights ActThe law was passed in 1965 after King led an epic voting rights campaign in Selma, Alabama.

Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump, Brennan, —, Holder, John Roberts, Barack Obama, Shelby, Jim Crow, Alabama —, Lawrence Goldstone, ” Goldstone, Sonia Sotomayor, Joe Biden, Shawn Thew, Biden, Goldstone, Black, George W, Bush, preclearance, “, ”, Elijah Nouvelage, Horace Cooper, Martin Luther King Jr, Cooper, “ That’s, Martin Luther King, that’s, ” Cooper, King, Edmund Pettus, Obama, Lyndon B, Johnson, Jr, Ralph Abernathy, Clarence Mitchell, Corbis, Roberts, Reagan, Brett Kavanaugh, tortuously, it’s, John Blake Organizations: CNN, Brennan Center for Justice, Supreme Court, Southern GOP, GOP, State of, Getty, Black, Democratic Party, George Mason University in, US Justice Department, Edmund, White, Congress, Black voters, North Carolina — Locations: Shelby, Southern, America, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, State, Washington, Alabama’s Shelby County, Atlanta , Georgia, AFP, George Mason University in Virginia, Selma , Alabama, White Alabama, “ Shelby

☆ Treasury chief Yellen defends Biden budget against Republican senators' fears of tax increases
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Provisions of the TCJA — a landmark tax law proposed by the Trump administration and passed by Congress in 2017 — that are set to expire in 2025 include the child tax credit. An additional "other dependent credit" offers a tax credit of $500 to people with less than $400,000 in income who have qualified dependents who are ineligible for the child tax credit. Biden's budget will restore the expanded child tax credit, the White House has said. "Would you agree that if the TCJA child tax credit provisions are not extended, this would also result in a tax hike for Americans making under $400,000?" The budget would impose a minimum 25% tax rate on the unrealized income of the very wealthiest households and raise the IRA's corporate alternative minimum tax for billion-dollar companies from 15% to 21%, while increasing the larger corporate tax rate to 28%.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Joe Biden's, Biden, Sen, Steve Daines, Yellen, Daines, Trump, Mike Crapo, pare Organizations: Treasury, Capitol, WASHINGTON —, Congress, White, Child Tax, Rescue, National Conference of State Legislatures, . Census, House Republicans, Lawmakers, Department of Homeland Security Locations: Washington , U.S, Idaho

CNN —Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on and prosecute the Georgia 2020 election interference racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 14 of his co-defendants, Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday, but only if she removes the special prosecutor with whom she engaged in a romantic relationship. CNN has reached out to the district attorney’s office regarding the next steps in the case. Wilis chose to dedicate much of her energy on what she believed was the most important case: prosecuting Trump for his attempts to steal the Georgia election in 2020. But the next 40 non-racketeering charges stemmed from roughly a dozen key incidents after the 2020 election. Trump and 14 of his allies have pleaded not guilty to all the charges in the sprawling racketeering case.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Scott McAfee, Willis, Nathan Wade, Trump, Willis ’, McAfee, ” McAfee, Wade, “, Wade “, Fulton, CNN Ashleigh Merchant, Mike Roman, Merchant, sully, ” Willis, ”, Wilis, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, Mike Pence Organizations: CNN, Court, Trump, Jail, Department Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, reimbursements, Wade’s, Fulton, Coffee County , Georgia

In late November, the panel temporarily blocked the new structures for the State Board of Elections and boards in all 100 counties from taking effect while Cooper’s lawsuit was heard. The state elections board has five members appointed by the governor — a format going back over 100 years — from candidate lists provided by the major parties. Currently, county boards are five members, with state board members naming four positions and Cooper one. Should the board changes be upheld by courts in the coming months, new appointments could happen as general election campaigning heats up and voting approaches. The elections board lawsuit is one of many that Cooper has filed over the past seven years challenging General Assembly laws that he argues unlawfully weakens his position.

Persons: Roy Cooper, Cooper's, infringes, ”, Edwin Wilson, Andrew Womble, Lori Hamilton, Hamilton, Wilson, Phil Berger, Tim Moore's, Cooper, they've, Donald Trump, —, weren't Organizations: Carolina’s GOP, Democratic Gov, GOP, State Board, Democrat, Democratic, Associated Press, Cooper, General Assembly, Republican, General, Republicans Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, Carolina’s, ”

☆ Almost every single US state has considered laws to abolish daylight-saving time
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Almost every state has considering ending daylight-saving time. States cannot switch to a permanent daylight-saving time until federal law changes. A federal law to end daylight-savings has already passed in the Senate, but is waiting on a House vote. AdvertisementAmericans are tired of losing an hour of sleep every year to daylight-saving time. Lawmakers in nearly every state have considered laws that would do away with daylight-saving time since 2019, according to a National Conference of State Legislatures report.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Lawmakers, National Conference of State Legislatures, American Medical Association, Business

☆ Biden laid into SCOTUS justices to their faces in the State of the Union speech. They weren't amused.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

President Joe Biden criticized US Supreme Court justices in the State of the Union address. He hit out at the decision to overturn the Roe v Wade abortion rights ruling. AdvertisementPresident Joe Biden directly challenged US Supreme Court justices in his State of the Union speech Thursday for overturning the landmark Roe v Wade legislation. Biden went on to promise that if Democrats make significant gains in November's election, he'll push to have Roe v. Wade restored. Advertisement"If you, the American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again," Biden said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Wade, —, Biden, Samuel Alito's, Roe, thunderously, Alito Organizations: Roe, Service, US, State, Union Locations: State, November's

☆ A defining week set to lay bare the choice in the 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But Trump and Biden’s turns in the spotlight this week will highlight their all-but-certain rematch, barring health crises or other surprise events. November’s election is already heaping pressure on political and electoral institutions, the Constitution and America’s fragile national unity. The move further delayed the ex-president’s federal criminal trial over election interference, which Trump – who is seeking to push off his trials past the 2024 election – touted as a win. Ahead of a likely general election clash, Trump’s appetite for testing the rule of law and the Constitution is undimmed. While leaders of both congressional chambers have reached a bipartisan spending deal, the tiny GOP House majority means any piece of legislation is a heavy lift.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Biden’s, Biden, Trump’s, he’s, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Nikki Haley, ”, . South Dakota Sen, John Thune, Mitch McConnell, he’ll, Haley, “, GOP Sen, Markwayne Mullin, CNN’s Dana, there’s, wilder, “ Biden, White, –, Mike Johnson Organizations: CNN, GOP, Colorado Supreme, Supreme, Super, Democratic, Trump, South Carolina Gov, Capitol, Republican, “, Oklahoma, Biden, American, The New York Times, Siena College, Times, Street Journal, Hamas, MAGA ” Republicans Locations: Idaho, Missouri, Washington ,, . South Dakota, South Carolina, “ State, Greensboro , North Carolina, United States of America, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Michigan

☆ RuPaul Is Sending a Rainbow Bus to Give Away Books Targeted by Bans
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Amanda Holpuch | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

At a time of book bans and efforts by state legislatures to ban drag shows, the performer and television producer who is arguably the country’s most famous drag star, RuPaul, is the co-founder of a new online bookstore that will be sending a rainbow school bus from the West Coast to the South to distribute the very books targeted by those bans. He announced on Monday that he was one of three business partners behind the bookstore, Allstora, which will promote underrepresented authors and provide writers with a greater share of profits than other online booksellers do. RuPaul said that this sort of book website would fill an important gap, especially in “these strange days, we’re living in,” to support the ideas of people “who are willing to push the conversation forward.”

Persons: RuPaul, “, ” Locations: West Coast, ”

☆ How the fortune of one of America’s biggest pharmaceutical families has quietly funded conservative causes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Casey Tolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

From The Searle Freedom TrustThis year, the Searle trust is poised to play an even bigger role as it empties out its coffers. Researchers who study political nonprofits say that the Searle trust has had a major impact, even as the Searle family has stayed under the radar compared to more well-known conservative benefactors. The Searle trust is one of the most prolific funders of conservative groups among all private foundations, according to a CNN analysis of nonprofit tax data. The Searle trust has given millions to the Foundation for Government Accountability, which has worked behind the scenes to push conservative policies such as stricter voting laws. Dennis, the CEO of the Searle trust, is also the chair of DonorsTrust.

Persons: Searle, Daniel C, Trump, Donald Trump, ”, Galen Hall, who’s, Kimberly Dennis, ” Searle, “, Sarah Scaife, doesn’t, Michael B, Thomas, SPN, They’ve, ” Brendan Fischer, Brendan Fischer, “ They’ve, ” Hall, Caleb Rossiter, ” Galen Hall, movement’s MAGA, It’s, Mike Pence, that’s, Dennis, Henry Ford, John D, Rockefeller, ” Fischer, Gideon, Michael Searle, ” Dennis, “ We’re, Dan, Gideon Daniel Searle, Daniel Searle, Jonathan Eig, Jack Searle, Daniel Searle’s, Gregory Pincus, John Rock, Pincus, weren’t, –, Sue, Eig, Margaret Marsh, Enovid, misoprostol, Searle –, Pfizer –, ” Daniel Searle, Donald Rumsfeld, Searles, Biden, Wade, Dobbs, Kristen Batstone Organizations: CNN, Searle Freedom Trust, University of Michigan, Sarah Scaife Foundation, Searle, American Enterprise Institute, Reason Foundation, Tax Foundation, Manhattan Institute, Cato Institute, Foundation, Government, State Policy Network, American Legislative Exchange Council, Fair, Pacific Legal Foundation, Federalist Society, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Environment Research Center, CO2 Coalition, Heartland Institute, ”, CO2, Heartland, Republican Party, movement’s, America, Policy Institute, Trump, American Freedom Foundation, Everett, FDA, Rutgers University, Pfizer, Monsanto, Heritage Foundation, Reason, Affordable, New Civil Liberties Alliance, Public Policy Center, Claremont, National Women’s Health Network, Trust, IRS Locations: Missouri, St, Louis , Missouri, California, judgeships, ”, Omaha, Metamucil, Dramamine, Puerto, Brazil, Diet Coke, America

☆ Eyeing state legislative gains, Democrats are making an early $750,000 push to counter the GOP in key battlegrounds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee on Wednesday announced that it had already made early investments of almost $750,000 for the 2024 election cycle thus far. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Tony Evers has faced sizable GOP legislative majorities during his tenure despite its closely-contested statewide elections. North Carolina represents a major challenge for Democrats, as they're aiming to keep the governorship in the party's hands and erase the GOP legislative supermajority. Advertisement"We've seen Republicans try to wiggle their way around new language about their perspective around abortion, but voters are not hearing them," Williams told Business Insider.

Persons: —, Tony Evers, Heather Williams, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Roe, Wade, We've, Williams Organizations: Service, GOP, Democratic Legislative, Wednesday, Business, Democratic Gov, Democratic, Michigan Democrats, Minnesota DFL Party, Biden, Republicans Locations: Wisconsin, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire

Chesebro’s social media presence Pro-Trump attorney Kenneth Chesebro told Michigan investigators that he doesn’t have any social media accounts, including Twitter. But CNN uncovered a secret Twitter account that Chesebro used to anonymously post about the 2020 election in real-time. Yet in his interview with Michigan investigators, Chesebro said the very opposite, claiming that the entire electors plan was contingent on the courts. Michigan investigators secured Chesebro’s cooperation in December, after previously charging the 16 fake electors in that state with multiple felonies. Chesebro distances himself from the plotIn his interview with Michigan investigators, Chesebro repeatedly tried to downplay his knowledge of the electors plan.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Chesebro, ”, Robert Langford, Danny Wimmer, Dana Nessel, “, ” Chesebro, Trump, BadgerPundit, Mike Pence, Joe Biden, Pence, hadn’t, Jack, “ Chesebro, Ryan Goodman, ” Goodman, Manny Arora, Arora, Wimmer, John Eastman, Alex Jones, I’d, Gore, Laurence, “ it’s, Eastman, Boris Epshteyn, Donald Trump, won’t, Biden, ” BadgerPundit, Jefferson, ” CNN’s Selwyn Rocha Organizations: CNN, Trump, Twitter, Michigan, CNN CNN, BadgerPundit, Chesebro, Republican, Pro, CNN CNN Twitter, Wayback Machine, New York University, Michigan Attorney, Bush, Trump International Hotel, Atlantic, ”, Biden, Eastman, Pence, Capitol Locations: Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, “, Chesebro, Gore, cryptocurrency, Washington ,, Bush, Trump’s, Washington

☆ Nex Benedict death: Police video shows non-binary teen describe fight in high school bathroom
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Sara Smart | Steve Almasy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Nex Benedict, whose family and friends say identified as nonbinary, died February 8, a day after they told their family they were involved in a fight with others at Owasso High School. Body camera video from February 7 shows an Owasso police officer interacting with Nex and their guardian, Sue Benedict, in a hospital after the fight in a school bathroom between two groups of students. Nex eventually got thrown onto the ground and the other students proceeded to beat them up, Nex says in the video. Another video shows Nex being escorted by the school’s security officer to the nurse’s office and then to the principal’s office. Benedict says Nex is “not doing good at all” and was breathing, but their eyes were rolling back.

Persons: Nex Benedict, Nex, Sue Benedict, ”, “, ” Nex, Nex ‘, Benedict, Kevin Stitt, Andy Rose, Whitney Wild, Taylor Romine, Caroll Alvarado Organizations: CNN, Owasso High, Toxicology, Owasso Police, ’ Police, Owasso Public Schools, Oklahoma, Gov, American Civil Liberties Union Locations: Oklahoma, Nex

☆ The chaotic history of how we elect presidential candidates
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It is worth remembering that there are no constitutional provisions regarding presidential primaries and very few details about the election of the president itself. AdvertisementWhat were early presidential elections like? In the wake of the violence, Democrats launched a massive overhaul of their presidential primary process. According to some officials who worked on the commission, their changes had the unintended effect of popularizing state presidential primary elections. In short, party officials’ hands are initially tied, even if they want to cast the deciding votes.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, hasn’t, Here's, George Washington, framers hadn’t, John Adam, Thomas Jefferson’s, Mason, Jill Lepore, Andrew Jackson’s, enshrine, Jackson, Daniel Feller, Andrew Jackson, FDR, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Roosevelt, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Robert A, Taft's, Sen, John F, Richard Pildes, Lyndon B, Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr, Robert Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, McGovern, superdelegates, Bernie Sanders ’, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Service, LBJ, Masonic Party, Democratic Party, The, Democratic, GOP, Bull Moose Party, Hampshire GOP, Republican, Kennedy’s, West Virginia, New York University School of Law, Convention, Chicago, Democrats, Republican Party, New Hampshire Democrats, Democratic National Committee, Biden Locations: U.S, Hampshire, West, Vietnam, Chicago, Iowa, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina

Others in the GOP field have attacked transgender participation in athletics and proposed nationwide bans on affirming care for transgender minors. Transgender-related issues have become perhaps the biggest rallying call to Christian conservatives, more than abortion rights or same-sex marriage. As an ethical matter, I think it’s gross,” said Tim Miller, a former Republican political operative who worked as communications director for former Florida Gov. Several people interviewed at a recent Trump rally argued children were being wrongly confronted with issues of gender identity. Both Trump and Nikki Haley, his last major rival heading into South Carolina's Republican primary this coming Saturday, have leaned into anti-transgender rhetoric.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, “, ”, Tim Miller, Jeb Bush’s, Chase Glenn, Cheryl Savage, Nikki Haley, Haley, Trump's U.N, ” Trump, Melania Trump, Biden, Chad Connelly, they’re, Tim Carter, Christ, ” Carter, you’ve, Jami Taylor, Taylor, you’re, ” Taylor, ” Mas, ’ ” Kono, Meg Kinnard, ___ Pollard Organizations: COLUMBIA, “, GOP, Florida Gov, Republicans, Trump, ” GOP, Bills, Republican, Statehouse, Research, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, UCLA Law, AP, Iowa Republican, Republican National, U.S, Supreme, University of Toledo, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Conway, South Carolina, South, Iowa, United States, New Hampshire, Daniel Island, Kono, Conway , South Carolina

The proposed questions geared toward people age 15 and older will be tested sometime this year. Intersex is an umbrella term for a number of conditions where internal or external sex characteristics aren’t exactly like typical male or female bodies. Rene Coig objected to respondents being asked their sex at birth and then being asked their current gender. Others were disheartened by transgender being separated out as a category from male, female and nonbinary in the gender question instead of including the options of transgender man or transgender female. Several Republicans in the U.S. Senate have objected to some of the proposed questions.

Persons: ”, Gary Gates, demographer, Gates, “, ” Gates, David Ernesto Munar, Rene Coig, Coig, Amy Leite Bennett, Marco Rubio, JD Vance, Robert Santos, Mike Schneider Organizations: Associated Press, American Community Survey, UCLA, Howard Brown Health, University of Washington, Hennepin County Health, Human Services, Survey, American, Republicans, U.S . Senate, Ohio, Rutherford Institute Locations: United States, Chicago, Hennepin, Minneapolis, U.S, Sens, Marco Rubio of Florida

☆ AI could disrupt the 2024 US presidential election. What’s Congress doing about it?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But with just nine months until Americans head to the ballot box, there are few signs Congress is ready to pass any meaningful legislation on AI. Alex Wong/Getty ImagesSchumer has previously said that with the election nearing, he may seek to fast-track a bill that focuses specifically on AI and election security. Nothing looks likely to move.”Initial momentum on AI regulationFor months, Congress has focused on getting up to speed on the basics of AI. Still other ideas would require “high-risk” AI models to register for a government license, or create a dedicated new federal agency to oversee AI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Judiciary Privacy, Technology & the Law Subcommittee hearing titled 'Oversight of A.I.

Persons: Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, “, Schumer, Sen, Todd Young, Martin Heinrich, Michael Rounds, Alex Wong, New Mexico Democratic Sen, South Dakota Republican Sen, Mike Rounds, Indiana Republican Sen, didn’t, Paul Gallant, Cowen, ”, Gallant, we’re, Sam Altman, Altman, Heinrich, Rounds, Young, Julia Nikhinson, Sundar Pichai, Jensen Huang, Mike Johnson, Marcus Molinaro, Johnson, Drake, Tom Hanks, Tennessee Republican Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Hakeem Jeffries, Don Beyer, it’ll, Alan Davidson, Biden, Elizabeth Frantz, ” Davidson, —, Sarah Myers West Organizations: Washington CNN, mayoral, U.S, Senate, Capitol, Artificial Intelligence, “, CNN, New, New Mexico Democratic, South Dakota Republican, Indiana Republican, Cowen Inc, United, International Atomic Energy Agency, Intelligence, Reuters, Google, Nvidia, New York Republican, The Washington Post, Commerce, Tennessee Republican, ITI, Virginia Democratic Rep, State of, Republican, House Energy, European Union, EU, Congress, Commerce Department, White House, Privacy, Technology, Democrats, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Washington ,, New Mexico, South, Washington , U.S, Washington

Scores of people turned out Tuesday to testify well into the night on bills being considered by Nebraska lawmakers that target diversity initiatives and higher education programs, mirroring proposals by Republicans across the country. The bills before the state Legislature’s Education Committee included one that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion — known as DEI — programs and offices at state colleges and universities. Similar bills have been introduced in Republican-led legislatures across the country as the 2024 election year heats up. Already this year, Republican lawmakers have proposed about 50 bills in 20 states that would restrict DEI initiatives or require their public disclosure. Among them were several young people of color who grew up in the state or Nebraska college students who told lawmakers of the discrimination they've faced.

Persons: Sen, Dave Murman, cosigners, ”, ” Jess Lammers, Mia Perales, Ricki Barber, ” Barber, ” Sen, Loren Lippincott, —, ” Lippincott, Chris Kabourek, “, ” It's Organizations: Nebraska, Republican, Education, “, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NAACP, Big Locations: Nebraska, Holdrege, Lincoln, Iowa, Florida, North Dakota, Texas

Johnson isn't buying arguments from the bill's Republican backers that she didn't inspire the proposed change to a longstanding law. Republican state lawmakers who favor the ban have argued that winning twice often means abandoning the lower office, creating a costly special election. Johnson narrowly escaped expulsion last year for her role in a pro-gun control protest inside the Tennessee House chamber. Republican lawmakers are considering changes that target Jones and Pearson, too. In California, a judge ruled Republican state Assemblymember Vince Fong could run for Congress and reelection to his state seat at the same time.

Persons: Johnson, David Hawk, Republican Sen, Marsha Blackburn, “ That’s, Ron DeSantis, Rand Paul, Paul, Sen, Cory Booker, Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's, Joe Lieberman, Al Gore's, Blackburn, Gloria Johnson, ”, Abigail Sigler, Blackburn's, she’s, Randy McNally, Justin Pearson, Justin Jones, Pearson, Jones, Vince Fong, State Shirley Weber, Marc Levy, Adam Beam, Sean Murphy, Amy Beth Hanson, John Hanna Organizations: Republican, National Conference of State Legislatures, Republican Gov, Republican U.S, Sen, Kentucky GOP, Democratic, Former U.S . Rep, statehouse, Covenant, Tennessee, Congress, State, Democrats, Associated Press Locations: Tennessee, Knoxville, Kentucky, Montana , Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona , Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Wisconsin, U.S, Connecticut, Washington, California, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, Sacramento , California, Oklahoma City, Helena , Montana, Topeka , Kansas

Now, faced with unprecedented attacks in state legislatures, transgender rights leaders acknowledge they are playing defense — and two of the biggest groups are joining forces to counter the onslaught. “This is going to be a defense game — and a movement-strengthening game,” said Andy Marra, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund. Many of laws ban gender-affirming medical care for trans minors or bar trans athletes from competing on girls’ and women’s scholastic sports teams. The national political environment — in regard to LGBTQ+ rights — has changed dramatically since then. Marra, who has been active in the LGBTQ+ rights movement for 20 years, says she remains optimistic in the face of current setbacks.

Persons: —, ”, Andy Marra, Rodrigo Heng, Lehtinen, Marra, Ken Paxton, Greg Abbott, Abbott, ” Marra, Heng, “, Lehtinen —, “ We’ve, He’s, Ileana Ros, Ros, Rodrigo, ” Ros, Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney Organizations: Transgender Legal Defense, Education Fund, Republican, National Center for Transgender Equality, Trans, Texas, Gov, GOP Locations: U.S, New York, Washington, North Carolina

There's broad agreement that some kind of public comment time management is necessary in Virginia's sessions, which generally run no longer than 60 days. When the opponents' six minutes ran out after only three speakers, Watts attempted to cut the group off. Gilbert also suggested the limited public comment could have been by design in this instance. By the end of the public comment, then-sponsor Sen. Chap Petersen, a Democrat, threw up his hands and said: “Do what you want with the bill. She also questioned why the Senate is not taking online public comment in subcommittees or allowing the submission of written public comments.

Persons: —, “, ”, Sally Hudson, Del, Vivian Watts, Watts, Michael Grey, Melinda Wallin, Ryan Mehaffey, I'd, Wallin, We've, ” Watts, ” Wallin, legislates, capitols, can’t, Todd Gilbert, Gilbert, Sen, Chap Petersen, Megan Rhyne, Joan Porte, she’s, Creigh Deeds, Deeds, “ there's Organizations: Capitol, University of Virginia, GOP, Democrat, Delegates, Virginia Coalition, Open Government, League of Women Voters, Democratic Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Spotsylvania County, Richmond, Virginia

(AP) — Nebraska would become one of the last Republican-led states to enact a so-called “stand your ground” law under a bill presented to a legislative committee on Thursday. Thirty-eight states — including all six of Nebraska's neighboring states — have stand your ground laws. The Nebraska bill comes at a time when GOP-led state legislatures across the country are embracing bills expanding gun rights. Last year, Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill allowing residents to carry concealed guns without a permit. Under the so-called “constitutional carry” law, people can carry guns hidden in their clothing or vehicle without having to pay for a government permit or take a gun safety course.

Persons: LINCOLN, . State Sen, Brian Hardin, ” Hardin, Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, Don Kleine, Hardin's, ”, Ralph Yarl, — Organizations: Republican, . State, Nebraska Firearms Owners Association, Gun Rights, GOP Locations: Neb, Nebraska, Scottsbluff, ” Nebraska, Florida, Douglas County, Georgia, Kansas City , Missouri, The Nebraska

The pay increase appeared to have bipartisan support, though lawmakers never voted directly on it. Supporters of the pay increase say it is likely to make the Legislature more diverse when it's in danger of becoming mostly retirees and wealthy people. Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican, saw opposition to the pay raise as political grandstanding. Olson said he doubts lawmakers' constituents support such a big pay raise and said they should have the courage to debate it and vote on it. And his boss — the taxpayers — haven't told him a pay raise is OK with them, he said.

Persons: Sen, Cindy Holscher, ”, Dan Hawkins, “, Rob Olson, Ty Masterson, Nicholas Reinecker, it's, Olson, Ken Corbet, —, — haven't, Becky Bohrer Organizations: Legislative, Wednesday, Alaska, New, National Conference of, Legislatures, Wichita Republican, Kansas City, Republican, ” Legislature, Topeka Republican, Associated Press Locations: TOPEKA, Kan, Kansas, Georgia, Texas, Kansas City, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Wichita, Topeka, Juneau , Alaska

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