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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocates on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee's aggravated prostitution statute, arguing that the law stems from the decades-old AIDS scare and discriminates against HIV-positive people. The law was later reclassified in 2010 as a “violent sexual offense," requiring those convicted to face lifetime sex offender registration. Another plaintiff has struggled for years to find housing that complies with Tennessee's sex offender registry requirements. A separate plaintiff is currently incarcerated for violating a sex offender registry requirement and has chosen not to seek parole despite being eligible because complying with registry requirements has become so onerous. According to the complaint, 83 people are currently registered for aggravated prostitution in Tennessee.

Persons: ”, Molly Quinn, OUTMemphis, Bill Lee, Jonathan Skrmetti, David Rausch, Frank Strada, —, Jane Doe Organizations: American Civil Liberties Union, Transgender Law Center, ”, of, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Memphis Police, Unit Locations: Tenn, Tennessee, United States, U.S, Memphis, Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Shelby County

☆ Tennessee attorney general says six states to discuss big-tech investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti's office said on Monday that there would be a press conference on Tuesday with five other states to discuss a big-tech investigation. The other states participating in the press conference are California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nebraska and New Hampshire. While Reuters could not determine the topic of the press conference, in November 2021 Tennessee joined seven other states to probe allegations Meta Platforms (META.O) promoted its subsidiary Instagram to children despite potential harms. Separately, Virginia's attorney general's office said on Monday that it would hold a press conference on Tuesday to update reporters on a similar probe into Meta. Reporting by Diane Bartz, Nate Raymond and David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jonathan Skrmetti's, Diane Bartz, Nate Raymond, David Shepardson, Leslie Adler Organizations: Tennessee, Reuters, Meta, Thomson Locations: California, Colorado , Massachusetts , Nebraska, New Hampshire

☆ A Warning to the C-Suite on Racial Preferences
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/attorneys-general-letter-racial-preferences-hiring-fortune-100-companies-jonathan-skrmetti-kris-kobach-supreme-court-college-admissions-a2c5998e

Persons: Dow Jones, skrmetti, kobach

July 13 (Reuters) - A group of Republican U.S. state attorney generals on Thursday warned the country's largest companies that certain workforce diversity policies could be illegal in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision effectively striking down affirmative action in higher education. The attorney generals urged the companies to abandon race-based quotas or preferences in hiring, promotion and contracting and threatened legal action "sooner rather than later" if they do not. "Companies that engage in racial discrimination should and will face serious legal consequences," the attorney generals wrote. They were joined by the attorney generals of Indiana, South Carolina and Missouri, among others. But in Thursday's letter, the attorney generals said well-intentioned race discrimination is still illegal.

Persons: Kris Kobach, Jonathan Skrmetti, Harvard University's, Neil Gorsuch, George Floyd, Daniel Wiessner, Alexia Garamfalvi, Alistair Bell Organizations: Republican, U.S, Companies, Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp, Uber Technologies Corp, Harvard, University of North, Federal, Thomson Locations: Republican U.S, U.S ., Kansas, Tennessee, Indiana , South Carolina, Missouri, Albany , New York

CNN —Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors will now take effect after a federal appeals court lifted an injunction against the law. The appeals court granted a stay of a lower court injunction, which had been blocking enforcement of a part of the state’s ban. The ban prohibits health care providers from performing gender-affirming surgeries and administering hormones or puberty blockers to transgender minors, pending the duration of the appeal. In five states, providing gender-affirming care to minors is now a felony. The association says gender-affirming care creates “effective pathways to achieving lasting personal comfort with their gendered selves, in order to maximize their overall health, psychological well-being and self-fulfillment.”CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to note that a part of the Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors took effect on July 1.

Persons: CNN —, Bill, Jonathan Skrmetti, ” Organizations: CNN, Sixth Circuit, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child, Psychiatry, Professional Association for Transgender Health Locations: Tennessee

☆ Judge Finds Tennessee Law Aimed at Restricting Drag Shows Unconstitutional
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Emily Cochrane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A federal judge said late Friday that a law in Tennessee aimed at restricting drag shows was unconstitutional, saying it was overly broad and violated the First Amendment. The ruling is an initial victory for supporters of L.G.B.T.Q. Tennessee, which passed the law this year with the stated goal of protecting children, was among more than a dozen states that passed measures restricting L.G.B.T.Q. The attorney general of Tennessee, Jonathan Skrmetti, who said he expected to appeal the decision, maintained that the ruling did not affect the rest of the state. He added that the law’s language “is rooted in the U.S. Supreme Court’s long-established First Amendment precedent.”

Persons: Judge Thomas L, Parker, Jonathan Skrmetti, ”, Court’s Organizations: Federal, Court, Entertainment, U.S Locations: Tennessee, Shelby County, Memphis, U.S .

☆ DOJ sues Tennessee, alleging it discriminates against transgender youth with new law
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Activists for transgender rights gather in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on April 1, 2023. The Department of Justice is suing Tennessee for allegedly discriminating against transgender youth with a new state law banning the use of puberty blockers, hormones, and other medical procedures that affirm a child's gender identity. The DOJ asked the U.S. District Court for Middle Tennessee on Wednesday to declare that the law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and to prohibit state authorities from implementing the statute. The lawsuit originally was filed April 20 by the parents of transgender children in Tennessee who are undergoing gender-affirming care. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado must respond to the suit by May 8.

But many medical associations have said the law is transphobic and that gender-affirming care can be life-saving. The new lawsuit says depriving transgender youth of medically necessary care will have devastating consequences for them and their families. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of three families with transgender children and a Memphis-based doctor who performs gender-affirming procedures. Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the ban into law last month along with a separate measure restricting drag performances in public. Several other U.S. states have banned gender-affirming care for minors, and over the last several weeks groups have sued over laws adopted in Utah, Florida, Indiana and Arkansas.

☆ Drag queens fight back against Tennessee law that classifies drag shows as 'adult cabaret' entertainment and makes them a felony
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Bill Lee signed HB0009 into law, amending a law about cabaret performances. A drag queen suing the state over the law told Insider it violates performers' and parents' rights. Tennessee House Bill 0009 was signed into law by Lee on February 27, amending an existing clause regulating erotic performances to include "male or female impersonators" as "adult cabaret entertainment." The company's all-ages performances feature variety shows and comedies highlighting drag performers in an effort to provide the LGBTQ community with events and activities outside of bars and nightclubs. "Were it not for this law, Absent Friends would not have added an age restriction to its monthly performances."

☆ Ticketmaster provides no real answers as it struggles to explain disastrous Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert sale
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ticketmaster apologized for its chaotic and botched ticket-sale system for Taylor Swift's upcoming tour. "We want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans — especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets," Ticketmaster wrote in a tweet Friday night. "We're working to shore up our tech for the new bar that has been set by demand for the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour," Ticketmaster wrote. This disrupted the predictability and reliability that is the hallmark of our Verified Fan platform," Ticketmaster wrote. According to Ticketmaster, a record-breaking 3.5 million fans registered to the verified presale in hopes of snagging a ticket on Nov. 15.

Ticketmaster announced in a tweet on Thursday it had canceled the public sale of tickets to Taylor Swift's "The Eras" Tour. "Due to extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand, tomorrow’s public on-sale for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour has been cancelled," Ticketmaster wrote in the tweet. This meant 1.5 million fans were invited to buy tickets while the remaining 2 million were waitlisted. In its statement, Ticketmaster said that even if a ticket sale goes perfectly, fans still tend to leave empty-handed. Despite the bungled pre-sale, Ticketmaster said more than 2 million tickets were sold on Nov. 15 for Swift's tour.

☆ Tennessee AG investigating Ticketmaster after Taylor Swift ticket chaos
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | Chantal Da Silva Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

"Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is concerned about consumer complaints related to @Ticketmaster. He and his Consumer Protection team will use every available tool to ensure that no consumer protection laws were violated," Skrmetti's office said in a tweet Wednesday. “If it’s a consumer protection violation and we can find exactly where the problems are, we can get a court order that makes the company do better. The attorney general said he also had concerns about Ticketmaster profiting twice off ticket sales, with the website also facilitating ticket resales. “There is an incentive there for the company to profit twice off the sale of these ticket,” he said, according to WSMV.

☆ Tennessee AG says he's probing the Taylor Swift Eras presale meltdown amid customer complaints about Ticketmaster
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti said he's looking into the Taylor Swift Eras presale meltdown. On Tuesday, Swift fans complained of long wait times and outages on Ticketmaster. "You would think Ticketmaster would be prepared," Skrmetti said. At a news conference, Skrmetti said he's investigating consumer complaints about the presale and said antitrust violations "could be an issue," per Bloomberg. He added: "As an industry player, you would think Ticketmaster would be prepared.

☆ Ticketmaster expected 1.5 million 'verified' Taylor Swift fans on the site but 14 million people were trying to get tickets, Live Nation chairman says: 'We could have filled 900 stadiums'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ticketmaster was only supposed to be opened to 1.5 million "verified" Taylor Swift fans for presale. Live Nation's chairman said 14 million people tried to get tickets, and could've filled 900 stadiums. "Despite all the challenges and the breakdowns, we did sell over 2 million tickets that day," Live Nation's Greg Maffei said. However, among the 14 million fans were bots, "which are not supposed to be there," Maffei said. Maffei said Ticketmaster attempted to build "capacity for peak demand," but Swift's ticket sales "exceeded every expectation."

☆ Vanderbilt to pause gender-affirming surgeries for minors
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Officials at Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced Friday that they are pausing gender-affirming surgeries for minors in order to review their practices. If successful, it’s unclear if VUMC would be allowed to resume gender-affirming surgeries for minors, regardless of their internal review. On average, VUMC has provided five gender affirming surgeries to minors every year since its transgender clinic opened in 2018. “The revenues from this limited number of surgeries represent an immaterial percentage of VUMC’s net operating revenue,” Pinson wrote. Only a handful defended the clinic’s services, with some saying the transgender health care they received had been life-saving.

☆ GOP attorneys general call on credit card companies to drop plans for gun store code
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Two dozen Republican attorneys general are urging Visa, MasterCard, and American Express to drop their plans to adopt a new merchant category code for gun retailers, saying the move would infringe on consumers' privacy. In a letter sent to the companies Tuesday, the attorneys general warn the credit card companies that they could face legal action if they move forward with the code adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). On Saturday, Senate Republicans sent a similar letter to the three credit card companies. The letters come after the credit card companies announced plans to start applying the new sales code to transactions made at gun stores. "A fundamental principle for Visa is protecting all legal commerce throughout our network and around the world and upholding the privacy of cardholders who choose to use Visa," Visa said in a statement last week.

☆ GOP attorneys general threaten Visa, American Express and MasterCard over gun-store code
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Two dozen Republican attorneys general warned Visa, American Express and MasterCard on Tuesday not to go ahead with their plans to add a new merchant category code for gun retailers. In a letter to the CEOs of the card giants, the officials expressed serious concern that adopting a new sales code for gun stores would harm the constitutional rights of gunowners and potentially violate consumer protection and antitrust laws. Previously, gun store sales were classified under a general merchandise or sporting goods category. In other words, legal gun purchases won’t be blocked by this new merchant category code, or MCC. “We do not believe private companies should serve as moral arbiters,” Visa said in a blog post last week.

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