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ATLANTA (AP) — A federal judge in Georgia has declined to block several provisions of a sweeping election law while legal challenges play out. The lawsuits assert that parts of the law deny Black voters equal access to voting and violate the U.S. Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act. Political Cartoons View All 1209 Images"The fight for voting rights in the South has never been easy, especially for Black voters. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who has defended the law, celebrated Boulee's ruling. The third provision says absentee ballots can be requested no later than 11 days prior to an election.

Persons: Donald Trump, District Judge J.P, Boulee, Boulee's, ” Rahul Garabadu, Brad Raffensperger, we've, ” Organizations: ATLANTA, —, U.S . Department of Justice, Republican, Constitution, ”, District, Black, American Civil Liberties Union of, “, Democrats Locations: Georgia, U.S, ” U.S, American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia

His death has been memorialized as an egregious hate crime that helped fuel the LGBTQ+ rights movement over the ensuing years. In 2011, the military scrapped the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that kept gay, lesbian and bisexual service members in the closet. Several activists interviewed this week by The Associated Press evoked Matthew Shepard as they discussed broader developments. The act expanded the federal hate crime law to include crimes based on a victim’s sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It is a popular choice for high school theater productions but has faced opposition due to policies resembling Florida's “Don't Say Gay” law that have surfaced in various states and communities.

Persons: It's, Matthew Shepard, we've, Kevin Jennings, “, you've, they're, we’ve, ”, Ron DeSantis, “ We’re, ” Shannon Minter, Rodrigo Heng, Lehtinen, ” Heng, James Esseks, Esseks, ” Esseks, Kelley Robinson, —, James Byrd Jr, Barack Obama, Shepard, Shepard's, Judy, Matthew Shepard’s, Shelby Chestnut, Chestnut, Cathy Renna Organizations: of Wyoming, U.S, Supreme, Republican, Lambda, GOP, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, American Civil Liberties, HIV, Human Rights, Associated Press, Matthew Shepard Foundation, Transgender Law, New, National, Task Force Locations: Vermont, Texas, Colorado, Florida, Laramie , Wyoming, New York City

A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday in a case filed by TikTok and five Montana content creators who want the court to block the state’s ban on the video sharing app before it takes effect Jan. 1. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy of Missoula is not expected to rule immediately on the request for a preliminary injunction. Content creators say the ban violates free speech rights and could cause economic harm for their businesses. Chinese law allows the government to order companies to help it gather intelligence. Meanwhile, 18 attorneys generals from mostly Republican-led states are backing Montana and asking the judge to let the law be implemented.

Persons: TikTok, Donald Molloy, Montana, hasn’t, ByteDance, “, Montanans Organizations: U.S, District, U.S . State Department, Oracle, Montana Legislature, American Civil Liberties Union, Frontier Foundation, Republican Locations: Montana, Missoula, U.S, Beijing, China, . Montana

☆ California caste bill veto a setback for advocates; opponents say stigma averted
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Opponents of caste discrimination say it is no different from other forms of discrimination like racism and hence should be outlawed. In vetoing the bill, officially called Senate Bill 403 or SB 403, Newsom cited existing laws that already prohibit ancestry discrimination, which he said made the bill "unnecessary." U.S. discrimination laws ban ancestry discrimination but do not explicitly mention a ban on casteism. The caste system is among the world's oldest forms of rigid social stratification. The Dalit community is on the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system and members have been treated as "untouchables."

Persons: Carlos Barria, Gavin Newsom's, Newsom, Suhag Shukla, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Soundararajan, Samir Kalra, Kanishka Singh, Mary Milliken, Grant McCool, Mark Porter Organizations: REUTERS, Activists, University of California, Hindu American Foundation, American Foundation, Equality Labs, Migration Policy Institute, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, Amnesty, MeToo International, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Berkeley, United States, South, India, Orange County, Washington

☆ Advocates of California bill to ban caste discrimination find veto heartbreaking
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In vetoing the bill, officially called Senate Bill 403 or SB 403, Newsom cited existing laws that already prohibit ancestry discrimination, which he said made the bill "unnecessary." U.S. discrimination laws ban ancestry discrimination but do not explicitly mention a ban on casteism. The Dalit community is on the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system and members have been treated as "untouchables." India outlawed caste discrimination over 70 years ago. Opponents of caste discrimination say it is no different from other forms of discrimination like racism and hence should be outlawed.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Gavin Newsom's, Angana, Newsom, Suhag Shukla, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Soundararajan, Samir Kalra, Kanishka Singh, Mary Milliken, Grant McCool, Mark Porter Organizations: REUTERS, University of California, Hindu American Foundation, American Foundation, Equality Labs, Migration Policy Institute, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, Amnesty, MeToo International, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, United States, Berkeley, South, India, Orange County, Washington

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A federal judge in Tulsa declined to stop a new law from taking effect that makes it a felony crime for health care workers in Oklahoma to provide gender-affirming medical care to young transgender people. Heil wrote that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated that parents have a fundamental right to choose such medical care for their children. At least 22 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits similar to the one in Oklahoma. A federal judge in June declared that Arkansas’ ban was unconstitutional, the first ruling to overturn such a prohibition. Arkansas was the first state to enact a ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors.

Persons: John Heil III, Heil, ” Heil, Kevin Stitt, Gentner Drummond, Bill, Drummond, Phil Bacharach, Jenner, Block, ” “, ” Organizations: OKLAHOMA CITY, —, Oklahoma's Republican, Gov, Enforcement, American Civil Liberties Union, Oklahoma, Lambda Legal, U.S, Circuit, Arkansas Locations: Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S, Arkansas

Glenn Youngkin's administration acknowledged this week, with early voting underway, that it is working to fix an error that caused an unknown number of eligible Virginians to be removed from the voter rolls. The Richmond news outlet reported the problem appears to stem from recent changes the agency has made in an attempt to remove people from the rolls who had their voting rights restored by a governor but went on to be convicted of a new felony. The governor has the sole discretion to restore those civil rights, apart from firearm rights, which must be restored by a court. “It is unacceptable that we are two weeks into early voting and the Youngkin administration does not even know how many Virginians they wrongfully purged from the voter rolls. Corinne Geller, a spokesperson for the Virginia State Police, told VPM the agency was making changes to the data it provided the Department of Elections to prevent further problems.

Persons: Glenn Youngkin's, Andrea Gaines, VPM, Aaron Mukerjee, Susan Swecker, ”, Jason Miyares, Corinne Geller, ” Geller Organizations: —, Virginians, Virginia State Police, Department, American Civil Liberties Union of, Virginia Democrats, Democratic Party of Virginia, administration’s Department, Republican, Virginia Department, Elections, Virginia Central Criminal Records Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Richmond, Virginia, Arlington County, American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia

☆ Attacked by Trump, New York judge to weigh ex-president's fraud case
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

James sued in September 2022, saying Trump, his adult sons Donald Jr. and Eric, the Trump Organization and others had orchestrated a "staggering fraud." Last year, Engoron held Trump in contempt for failing to respond to a subpoena, and eventually imposed $110,000 in fines. And in a Sept. 22 hearing, Engoron pounded his fist on the bench while admonishing the defense about the importance of not making false statements in business. He spent more than a decade in private practice and 12 years clerking for a state judge, before becoming a civil court judge in 2003. At the Sept. 22 hearing, for example, he told the courtroom he tried to appear neutral as both sides made their arguments.

Persons: Arthur Engoron, Letitia James, Donald Trump, Trump, James, Donald Jr, Eric, Engoron, Christopher Kise, John Low, Chico Marx, Marx, Beer, Jonathan Stempel, Karen Freifeld, Noeleen Walder, Daniel Wallis 私 Organizations: New York, Republican, White, Trump Organization, Trump, Marx Brothers, Columbia University, New, Voters, American Civil Liberties Union Locations: New, New York, U.S, Manhattan, Lago, Saudi Arabia

☆ Trump trial judge Arthur Engoron: Who is the quippy, Ivy league-educated judge deciding the fate of Trump's NY business empire?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Associated Press | Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

New York City judge Arthur Engoron is presiding over Donald Trump's NY fraud trial. Engoron, a Democrat, has ruled repeatedly against Trump in the three years he's been presiding over James' lawsuit. But asked Friday if he planned to be at the New York trial, Trump said: "I may. In 2013, he was appointed an acting justice of the state's trial court and ran unopposed for a permanent post in 2015. In another ruling, Engoron said New York's review process for new housing "seems like Rube Goldberg, Franz Kafka, and the Marquis de Sade cooked it up over martinis."

Persons: Arthur Engoron, Donald Trump's, he's, James, —, Stevie, Engoron, Trump, Letitia James, frontrunnerwrote, Jean Carroll, He's, Christopher Kise, who've, irreverence, Michael Bloomberg's, Wheatley, Michelle Bernstein Ravenscroft, Bob Dylan, Shakespeare, Marx, Frank Sinatra, — Engoron, Rube Goldberg, Franz Kafka, Marquis, Sade Organizations: Democrat, Trump, ACLU, Service, New, Ivy League, NYS, Trump Organization, White, The Wheatley, New York Mets, Mets, Columbia University, American Civil Liberties Union, New York University, New York, New York City Civil Court Locations: York City, Vietnam, New York City, York, Engoron, Manhattan, New, New York, Queens, East Williston, Long, Old Westbury , New York, Wheatley, Central Park, Trump

But asked Friday if he planned to be at the New York trial, Trump said: “I may. I may.”Engoron, a Democrat, has ruled repeatedly against Trump in the three years he's been presiding over James' lawsuit. He's forced Trump to sit for a deposition, held him in contempt and fined him $110,000. At a hearing in the case last Wednesday, the day after his ruling, Engoron offered “a little bit of New York humor" to break the tension. In 2013, he was appointed an acting justice of the state’s trial court and ran unopposed for a permanent post in 2015.

Persons: —, Arthur Engoron, Stevie, ”, Donald Trump's, Engoron, Trump, Letitia James, James, Jean Carroll, “, he's, He's, ” Trump, Christopher Kise, Engoron's, who’ve, ” Engoron, irreverence, Michael Bloomberg's, ” He’s, Wheatley, Michelle Bernstein Ravenscroft, Bob Dylan, Shakespeare, Marx, Frank Sinatra, Stevie ” —, — Engoron, Rube Goldberg, Franz Kafka, Marquis, Sade, James ’ Organizations: New, Ivy League, Trump, NYS, Trump Organization, Democrat, White, The Wheatley, New York Mets, Mets, Columbia University, American Civil Liberties Union, New York University, New York, New York City Civil Court Locations: Vietnam, New York City, York, Manhattan, New, New York, Queens, East Williston, Long, Old Westbury , New York, Wheatley, Central Park, Trump, Sisak, x.com

☆ Milley says the military doesn’t swear oath to a ‘wannabe dictator’ in apparent swipe at Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“We don’t take an oath to a country, we don’t take an oath to a tribe, we don’t take an oath to a religion. We don’t take an oath to a king, or a queen, or a tyrant or a dictator.”“And we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator,” he spat. Milley, who was in uniform, later apologized publicly for “creat[ing] a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.” The apology outraged Trump. Their relationship became even more contentious in the wake of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. We will take appropriate measures to ensure my safety and the safety of my family.”

Persons: Mark Milley, Donald Trump, Milley, ”, “, ” Milley, Trump, George Floyd, CQ Brown, Sen, Dianne Feinstein, Kevin McCarthy, Trump “, ” –, Bob Woodward, Robert Costa’s, ” Trump, “ I’ve Organizations: CNN, America, ’, Corps, Princeton, Trump, Capitol, Army, US, National Military Command Center, Pentagon, CBS Locations: Lafayette, United States, “, American, Beijing, China

☆ Will a government shutdown affect your wallet? Here's what's at stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Kamaron Mcnair | In Kamaronmcnair | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Will a government shutdown affect student loan payments? Your federal student loan payment will still be due in October as the pandemic payment pause officially comes to an end. Will a government shutdown affect Social Security payments? However, the National Parks Conservation Association strongly advises against visiting parks during a shutdown for your own safety and the protection of the park resources. Will a government shutdown affect air travel?

Persons: Will Organizations: Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, Social, National Parks Conservation Association

[1/7] A general view of the Torrance County Detention Facility, where migrants are housed, in Estancia, New Mexico, U.S., September 21, 2023. But ICE ultimately only ended contracts with two of the detention centers flagged in the memo. Six of the nine detention centers identified in the August 2022 memo were operated by private companies. The lawsuit cites ICE contracting reports that said Torrance staffing shortages impacted safety, security and care. The Biden administration has held more migrants in ICE detention in recent months following the mid-May implementation of stricter asylum rules.

Persons: Adria Malcolm, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden, Biden, There's, Torrance, Jenny Burke, CoreCivic, Brian Todd, Rebecca Sheff, Christopher Ferreira, Ted Hesson, Kristina Cooke, Mica Rosenberg, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: REUTERS, Adria, Biden, Immigration, Customs Enforcement, Reuters, ICE, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Homeland, U.S, Residential Center, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, ICE Processing, GEO Group, Immigration Centers of America, GEO, ICA, Thomson Locations: Torrance, Estancia , New Mexico, U.S, New Mexico, Mexico, Albuquerque, Berks, Pennsylvania, Yuba County Jail, California, Yuba, Farmville, Virginia, COVID, Adelanto, San Francisco, New York City

☆ Exclusive-Biden Officials Kept Immigration Jails Despite Internal Cost Concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

But ICE ultimately only ended contracts with two of the detention centers flagged in the memo. Six of the nine detention centers identified in the August 2022 memo were operated by private companies. U.S. President Joe Biden promised during the 2020 campaign to reform immigration detention and cut out for-profit companies. The lawsuit cites ICE contracting reports that said Torrance staffing shortages impacted safety, security and care. The Biden administration has held more migrants in ICE detention in recent months following the mid-May implementation of stricter asylum rules.

Persons: Ted Hesson, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden, Biden, There's, Torrance, Jenny Burke, CoreCivic, Brian Todd, Rebecca Sheff, Christopher Ferreira, Kristina Cooke, Mica Rosenberg, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Biden, Immigration, Customs Enforcement, Reuters, ICE, Homeland, U.S, Residential Center, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, ICE Processing, GEO Group, Immigration Centers of America, GEO, ICA Locations: Torrance, New Mexico, U.S, Mexico, Albuquerque, Berks, Pennsylvania, Yuba County Jail, California, Yuba, Farmville, Virginia, COVID, Adelanto, San Francisco, New York City

REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 26 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Texas ruled on Tuesday that the state's new law limiting public drag performances was an unconstitutional restriction on speech and he permanently forbid enforcement of it. "Not all people will like or condone certain performances," U.S. District Judge David Hittner wrote. Hittner ruled that the Texas law was discriminatory and improperly vague. He said drag performances were not inherently obscene, and were the sort of expressive speech protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. Other federal judges in Tennessee, Florida and Montana have blocked similar new drag restrictions, finding similar free-speech violations.

Persons: Joy, Callaghan O'Hare, David Hittner, Hittner, Jonathan Allen, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, District, U.S, American Civil Liberties Union, Thomson Locations: Buddy’s, Houston , Texas, U.S, Texas, Tennessee , Florida, Montana

Those lawsuits accuse all three of violating Section 1981 of the 1866 Civil Rights Act, a law enacted after the Civil War that guarantees all people the same right to make and enforce contracts "as is enjoyed by white citizens." "All of our nation's civil rights laws - including the 1866 Civil Rights Act - enshrine the command that someone's race and ethnicity must never be used to help or harm them in public and private employment and contracting," Blum, who is white, told Reuters in an email. FREE SPEECH ARGUMENTFearless Fund has brought in prominent lawyers to defend it, including civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Alphonso David, who during a news conference called Blum's use of the Civil War-era law "cynical." They argue that the rules for the grants are merely criteria for being eligible for a "discretionary gift" and do not create a "contract" subject to the civil rights law. Blum's group countered that Fearless Fund's argument would ironically undermine the very causes it favors by essentially invalidating Section 1981 and deeming racial discrimination protected by the First Amendment.

Persons: Edward Blum, Morrison, Foerster, Edward Blum's, Thomas, Fearless Fund's, Bill Clinton, Blum, Sarah Hinger, Hinger, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Arian Simone, Ayana Parsons, Blum's, Strivers, Ben Crump, Alphonso David, Nate Raymond, Alexia Garamfalvi, Will Dunham Organizations: Fair, Harvard University, Supreme, Edward Blum's American Alliance for Equal Rights, University of North, U.S, District, Democratic, Reuters, American Civil, Racial, Thomson Locations: Boston , Massachusetts, U.S, University of North Carolina, Atlanta, Black, Blum's Texas, Colorado, Boston

☆ What are legacy admissions — and do colleges need them?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Since the Supreme Court’s decision on race-based admissions, Wesleyan University and the University of Minnesota dropped legacy admissions. A 2022 report from nonprofit think tank Education Reform Now found that colleges were turning away from legacy admissions. Eighty-nine percent of college admissions directors did not support the use of legacy admits, and three-quarters of public colleges and universities didn’t even provide a legacy preference. “In that admission process, that legacy extra boost really can make a difference.”Donations, donations, donationsSome colleges say that legacy admissions play a financial role in keeping donors engaged. Casey added that getting rid of legacy admissions won’t change the compositions of the nation’s most elite colleges overnight.

Persons: Michael Roth, “, —, Brian Snyder, EFN, Joan Casey, we’ve, ” Casey, Gabrielle Starr, ” Starr, ” Chris Peterson, hasn’t, Starr, isn’t, “ Dartmouth, ”, Lee Coffin, Charles Krupa, ” Dartmouth, Casey, ” What’s, they’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, US, Court, American Civil Liberties Union, Wesleyan University, University of Minnesota, Johns Hopkins University, Pomona College, ” Wesleyan, CNN, Pew Research Center, Harvard University, Let’s, Harvard, Educational, Inc, Pomona, ”, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, Culture Colleges, Baker Library, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, US Department of Education, Harvard University discriminates Locations: New York, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Pomona, Claremont , California, California, ” Pomona, Hanover, N.H

The question is how to determine eligibility for the safety valve — whether any of the conditions is enough to disqualify someone or whether it takes all three to be ineligible. Lawyers for Mark Pulsifer, the inmate whose challenge the court will hear, say all three conditions must apply before the longer sentence can be imposed. Circuit Court of Appeals to make him eligible for a mandatory sentence of at least 15 years. Courts in Atlanta, Richmond, Virginia and San Francisco have ruled to broaden eligibility for the safety valve reductions. The safety valve has been attractive both to prosecutors and defendants because it helps obtain convictions faster and allows for more nuanced prison terms, Berman said.

Persons: —, Douglas Berman, Mark Pulsifer, Pulsifer, Nonami Palomares, Eric Lopez, James Lorenz, ” Berman, Ketanji Brown, Berman Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S . Sentencing, Ohio State, Circuit, of, U.S ., District, American Civil Liberties Union, . Sentencing Locations: Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Atlanta , Richmond , Virginia, San Francisco, Texas, U.S, San Diego, Pulsifer v

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will no longer change transgender people's birth certificates to reflect their gender identities, the state health department said Friday, citing a new law that prevents the state from legally recognizing those identities. The decision from the state Department of Health and Environment makes Kansas one of a handful of states that won't change transgender people's birth certificates. They came in response to court filings by conservative Republican state Attorney General Kris Kobach to enforce the new state law. Under the conservative Republicans who were governor before Kelly, transgender residents also couldn’t change their birth certificates. A federal judge signed off on a settlement agreement requiring the state to change transgender people’s birth certificates.

Persons: Laura Kelly's, Kris Kobach, Jaelynn, I’ve, ” Abegg, Kobach, Kelly, ” Omar Gonzalez, ”, ” Kobach, they've, ___ Hollingsworth, ___, John Hanna Organizations: of Health, Environment, Democratic Gov, Republican, GOP, Kansas, Lambda, Republicans, Lambda Legal, Kansas Supreme, American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas Locations: TOPEKA, Kan, Kansas, Wichita, U.S . Montana , Oklahoma, Tennessee, Montana, Mission , Kansas, kansas

☆ Opinion: Ukraine is fighting Russia and making progress. Don’t give up on Kyiv.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Hilary Krieger | Opinion Sébastien Roblin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

It’s true that the Ukrainian counteroffensive debuted with conspicuous setbacks and hasn’t advanced as much as hoped. Moreover, land seized by Russia earlier has been used to strike ever deeper into Ukraine, making restoring defensible borders an existential concern. But Kyiv got the ammunition needed to sustain the counteroffensive longer while awaiting expanded factory production of conventional shells in 2024. Putin miscalculated disastrously when he invaded in Ukraine, so he’s now hoping to outlast Western support for Ukraine to rescue what spoils he can. But failing to do so now could entail the US, Europe and Ukraine paying a much higher price later.

Persons: Sébastien Roblin, CNN —, Ukraine’s, Sebastien Roblin, wail, Vladimir Putin, hasn’t, Ukraine didn’t, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Biden, Bradley, Abrams, Putin miscalculated, he’s, Donald Trump, George McClellan, McClellan Organizations: Georgetown University, Peace Corps, CNN, Kremlin, GOP, Ukrainian, Engineers, British Royal United Services Institute, Defense, US, Lincoln Locations: China, Ukraine, Washington, Russia, Kherson, Ukrainian, Crimea, India, Robotyne, Verbove, Tokmak, Melitopol, NATO, British, Europe, Appomattox

☆ Growing fury from Maui residents over the direction of early wildfire recovery efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Alicia Victoria Lozano | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

US President Joe Biden is embraced by Hawaii Governor Josh Green (C) after delivering remarks as he visits an area devastated by wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii on August 21, 2023. Rebuilding hasn't even started after a deadly wildfire destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii, last month, but residents are already angry and frustrated with recent moves by Gov. Now, they say, that pattern could be repeated with the aid of an emergency proclamation signed by Green that could erode their hard-won rights, despite his reassurances that rebuilding would reflect the needs of Maui residents. "It is a real slap in the face when we still have to deal with the aftermath of this fire." Green reinstated the water rules last week, but residents are wary that future proclamations could jeopardize their efforts to restore Maui's streams and wetlands.

Persons: Joe Biden, Josh Green, hasn't, Green, Kekai Keahi, Makana McClellan, we've, McClellan, We're, Hōkūao Pellegrino, Nani Medeiros, I've, Medeiros, Marti Townsend, Townsend, Glenn Tremble, Manuel, Ed Wendt, David Henkin, Pellegrino Organizations: Hawaii, Gov, Maui Land Co, West Maui Land Co, American Civil Liberties Union, Sierra Club, Earthjustice Locations: Lahaina , Hawaii, Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii, Honolulu

They claim the Florida Constitution's privacy clause for more than 40 years has explicitly protected a right to abortion in the state. Florida officials contend the Supreme Court has in the past erroneously concluded the privacy clause covers abortion rights when it was actually intended more as a guard for “informational privacy, like the disclosure of private facts." The six-week ban DeSantis signed into law earlier this year would take effect 30 days after a Supreme Court decision to affirm the current ban. The privacy clause was put into the Florida Constitution by a voter referendum in 1980 and later affirmed as including abortion rights by the state Supreme Court. An appeals court overturned the injunction, bringing the case before the state Supreme Court.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, —, Dobbs, Roe, Wade, ”, Jennifer Canady, Charles Canady Organizations: Republican Gov, GOP, Planned, American Civil Liberties Union, Voters, Supreme, Republican, American College of Obstetricians, American Medical Association Locations: Florida, Tallahassee, “, U.S, Leon

☆ Florida Supreme Court Considers Upholding Abortion Restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Patricia Mazzei | More About Patricia Mazzei | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Florida Supreme Court’s conservative justices repeatedly questioned on Friday whether the state’s privacy rights extend to abortion as they considered whether to uphold a ban on the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy — a decision that could overturn decades of legal precedent and trigger a far more restrictive ban. Few women know they are pregnant by six weeks, and abortion rights backers say such an early ban amounts to near total prohibition. The justices did not indicate when they would rule. During a closely watched oral argument in Tallahassee on Friday, a lawyer for Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and several abortion providers argued that the court should not narrow the scope of the privacy rights that Floridians have relied on for 40 years. The state’s solicitor general countered that the court erred in extending privacy rights to abortion, as it first did in 1989.

Organizations: Florida Supreme, Republicans, American Civil Liberties Union of Locations: Florida, American, Tallahassee, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida

☆ Texas Supreme Court Allows Transgender Medical Ban to Begin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( J. David Goodman | More About J. David Goodman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The NewsThe Texas Supreme Court allowed a new law banning transition care for transgender minors to go into effect on Friday, halting a range of medically-accepted treatments, including hormones and puberty blockers, in the nation’s most populous Republican-led state. But that decision was immediately appealed by the attorney general to the Texas Supreme Court, an action that prevented the lower court’s injunction from taking effect. The request was made by the plaintiffs, including transgender minors, their parents and several rights groups, including Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. The law was passed by the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature earlier this year and was signed by Gov. It prohibits doctors from prescribing certain medications and from performing mastectomies or other surgical procedures as part of a gender transition for minors.

Persons: Greg Abbott Organizations: The, Supreme, Republican, Texas Supreme, Lambda Legal, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Texas Legislature, Gov Locations: Texas

☆ Jake Kleinmahon: One of Louisiana's only pediatric cardiologists has left the state over anti-LGBTQ legislation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Nicquel Terry Ellis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

courtesy Jake KleinmahonBut this past spring the Republican-led state legislature passed a series of controversial bills that targeted the LGBTQ community. Many of the laws enacted have been met with legal challenges from advocacy groups and LGBTQ families. In Louisiana, Kleinmahon said he lobbied against the laws, calling state lawmakers and writing letters to the state’s senate education committee. “It really showed that they just don’t care,” Kleinmahon told CNN. courtesy Katherine SasserThe challenge of movingBut relocating across the country hasn’t been an easy decision, LGBTQ families told CNN.

Persons: Jake Kleinmahon, Tom, ”, Kleinmahon, “, ” Kleinmahon, John Bel Edwards, Edwards, Terry Schilling, Schilling, ” Schilling, Tony Rothert, Rothert, ” Rothert, Cathryn Oakley, hasn’t, Oakley, ” Oakley, ” Katherine Sasser, Sasser, ” Sasser, Katherine Sasser Organizations: CNN, Tulane University, “, Mardi Gras, Republican, Human Rights, ” Louisiana Democratic Gov, HB, American Civil Liberties Union of, Columbia, University of Missouri Locations: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, Missouri, Denver, Long, , New York

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