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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

☆ Newly Released Messages Detail Roots of the ‘Fake Electors’ Scheme
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Luke Broadwater | Maggie Haberman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Just five days after Election Day in 2020, a conservative lawyer named Kenneth Chesebro emailed a former judge who was working for the Trump campaign in Wisconsin, James R. Troupis, pitching an idea for how to overturn the results. Through litigation, Mr. Chesebro said, the Trump campaign could allege “various systemic abuses” and, with court proceedings pending, encourage legislatures to appoint “alternative” pro-Trump electors that could be certified instead of the Biden electors chosen by the voters. “At minimum, with such a cloud of confusion, no votes from WI (and perhaps also MI and PA) should be counted, perhaps enough to throw the election to the House,” Mr. Chesebro wrote to Mr. Troupis, referring to the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Mr. Troupis quickly brought Mr. Chesebro into the Trump legal team, directed him to lay out the plans in a series of memos now central to the indictment of Mr. Trump and a month later — with the help of Reince Priebus, the former White House chief of staff — secured a meeting with Mr. Trump at the White House.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Trump, James R, Chesebro, Biden, ” Mr, Troupis, Mr, Reince Priebus, — Organizations: Trump, “, WI, White House, White Locations: Wisconsin, Wisconsin , Michigan, Pennsylvania

☆ 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

☆ Election Deniers Seek to Rewrite the Law
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Nick Corasaniti | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the conspiracy-soaked aftermath of the 2020 election, far-right activists clamored to inspect ballots based on elaborate — and false — theories. In Georgia, election deniers pushed for a review that might detect counterfeit ballots because they were not folded, appeared to be marked by a machine or were printed on different card stock. In Arizona, auditors were on the hunt for bamboo fibers in ballots to prove that they had fraudulently came from Asia. National attention from voters and the mainstream news media eventually shifted to the 2024 election. (Similar bills regarding ballot scans have come out of committee in the New Hampshire and Arizona Legislatures.)

Persons: clamored Organizations: Arizona Legislatures Locations: Georgia, Arizona, Asia, New Hampshire

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

☆ Ohio Law Forces Transgender Candidate to Use Deadname on Ballot
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Emily Schmall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ari Faber has lived as a man for nine years. But because of a state law, Mr. Faber, a Democratic candidate for the Ohio Senate, will appear on ballots in a March primary election with a woman’s name. The law, which was passed in 1995 to prevent deception, requires candidates who have changed names in the last five years to list previous names on election petitions. It has become an obstacle for Mr. Faber, who has not legally changed his name, and the three other transgender people seeking a seat in Ohio’s Legislature this year. One candidate was disqualified for failing to do so; another saw her campaign challenged; a third campaign faced a disqualification hearing; and Mr. Faber was directed to run under his deadname, a term that transgender people use for a birth name that they no longer use.

Persons: Ari Faber, Faber Organizations: Democratic, Ohio Senate, Republican Locations: Ohio’s, Ohio

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

The first is a bipartisan measure to require political candidates and groups to include disclaimers in ads that use AI technology. The surge of commercial investment in generative AI tools has generated public fascination and concerns about their ability to trick people and spread disinformation. Sophisticated generative AI tools, from voice-cloning software to image generators, already are in use in elections in the U.S. and around the world. Last year, as the U.S. presidential race got underway, several campaign advertisements used AI-generated audio or imagery, and some candidates experimented with using AI chatbots to communicate with voters. The Biden administration issued guidelines for using AI technology in 2022 but they include mostly far-reaching goals and aren't binding.

Persons: doesn't, —, Joe Biden’s, Biden Organizations: Assembly, League of Women Voters, Republican, Netflix, District of Columbia, Federal Communications Commission, New, U.S Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, Texas , North Dakota, West Virginia, Louisiana, U.S

☆ 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

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

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

And in this election, a new party is seeking to win representation for marginalized groups like domestic workers and people with disabilities. Female candidates face perhaps a steeper uphill battle, despite a quota system requiring 30% of candidates to be women since 2004. Muharyati said many policies, laws and regulations tend not to side with women, especially women with disabilities. Domestic workers often work long hours without adequate rest or time off, and have little protection from violence from employers. “But we seriously need representatives in the parliament to voice the rights of fellow domestic workers."

Persons: Rian Ernest, Ernest, Indonesia’s, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Baswedan, “, ” Ernest, it's, ”, Supriatna, Commision, Muharyati, Yuni Sri, Rahayu, ” Rahayu Organizations: Wednesday, Golkar, Purnama, Bank, Indonesian Association of Disabled, Labor Party, National Advocacy Network for Domestic Workers, Indonesia’s National Commission, Lawmakers Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Jakarta, East Jakarta, Chinese, Jakarta’s House, Yuni Sri Rahayu

Some bills would bar financial institutions from discriminating against those who refuse to participate in DEI programs. Meanwhile, Democrats have filed about two dozen bills in 11 states that would require or promote DEI initiatives. The Supreme Court’s June decision ending affirmative action at universities has created a new legal landscape around diversity programs in the workplace and civil society. Rob Standridge, who has authored four bills aiming to hollow out DEI programs in the state, said it has become a salient campaign theme. In a 2023 report, White said Mississippi’s public universities are spending millions on DEI programs instead of student scholarships.

Persons: JACKSON, Republican Oklahoma Sen, Rob Standridge, Standridge, “, Trump, ” Mike Gonzalez, Josiah Magnuson, ” Magnuson, Kevin Stitt, it’s, Sen, Marko Liias, Liias, Ron DeSantis, ”, Shad, White, Becky Currie, Currie, Spencer Cox, Cox, Robin Vos, Jonathan Butcher, ” Butcher, Fentrice, ” Driskell, Trisha Ahmed, David Lieb, Hannah Schoenbaum, Todd Richmond, ___ Michael Goldberg Organizations: Republican, Associated, Democratic, Republican Oklahoma, Heritage Foundation, Rep, Republican Gov, Oklahoma State Regents, Higher Education, ”, Washington, Utah Gov, The Heritage Foundation, Democratic House, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Miss, Washington, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, Jefferson City , Missouri, Salt Lake City, Madison , Wisconsin

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

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

☆ ‘A false sense of security’: Experts say delta-8 THC products can still be dangerous
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Delta-8 THC, or delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, is one of more than 100 chemical compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant. To make delta-8 products, scientists typically make synthetic versions in the lab. Unlike regulated medical products like acetaminophen, which must have uniform ingredients and doses, the contents of delta-8 products vary from product to product — sometimes even from batch to batch. She also encourages people who buy delta-8 products to store them safely so children can’t get to them. Until there are more regulations on the products, experts said, poison centers will still get calls about delta-8 and other cannabis products.

Persons: Daniel Kruger, ’ ”, can’t, Kait Brown, ” Brown, Brown, ’ ” Brown, Kruger, Cassidy LoParco, aren’t, LoParco, They’ve, ” LoParco, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, “, you’re, ” Kruger Organizations: CNN, Centers, Jacobs School of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New, US Food and Drug Administration, Federal Trade Commission, George Washington University, National Cannabis Industry Association, Delta, HHC, CNN Health Locations: State University of New York

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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