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☆ Fact Check: Katie Hobbs did not step down as governor of Arizona
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Arizona governor Katie Hobbs did not step down from her position, contrary to claims shared online following a brief visit by Hobbs out of state. Arizona treasurer Kimberly Yee was temporarily serving as acting governor in line with Arizona state constitution which requires the transfer of power while a governor is out of state. This prompted Yee to serve as acting governor in their absence. Hobbs returned to Arizona on Sept. 28, 2023, and gave a speech at the Tempe Center for the Arts. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs did not step down from her role.

Persons: Katie Hobbs, Hobbs, Kimberly Yee, Adrian Fontes, Kris Mayes, Fontes, Mayes, Yee, “, ” Yee, Christian Slater, ‘ Hobbs, Alejandro Mayorkas, ’, Read Organizations: Washington D.C, AZ Central, Republican, Fox News, Washington , D.C, Homeland, Tempe Center, Arts, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Arizona, Washington, “ Arizona, Washington ,

REUTERS/Paul Ratje/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 6 (Reuters) - A New Mexico judge on Friday rejected a Republican challenge to the state's Democratic-drawn congressional lines, improving the odds Democrats will maintain their hold on all three of the state's districts in next year's election. The Republican state party, which brought the lawsuit, said it would appeal the decision with the New Mexico Supreme Court. "The legislature intended to and, in fact, did egregiously gerrymander the congressional maps," said state Republican party chairman Steve Pearce in a statement. Earlier this week, a federal court approved new congressional lines for Alabama after finding a Republican-created map illegally hurt Black voters. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments next week over whether South Carolina's Republican-drawn congressional map unlawfully diluted the power of Black voters.

Persons: Paul Ratje, Fred Van Soelen, Gabe Vasquez, Van Soelen, egregiously, Steve Pearce, Joseph Ax, Andrew Hay, Colleen Jenkins, David Gregorio, Chris Reese Organizations: Center, REUTERS, Republican, Democratic, U.S . House, Judicial, District, Democrat, Democrats, New, New Mexico Supreme, The U.S, Supreme, South Carolina's Republican, Thomson Locations: Dona Ana, Las Cruces , New Mexico, U.S, Mexico, New Mexico, Alabama, The

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge in North Dakota has denied a request from supporters of congressional age limits to temporarily allow out-of-state petition circulators as they seek to advance their proposed ballot measure. The measure's backers sued over state constitutional provisions and laws that require that initiative petition circulators be North Dakota residents. Out-of-state petition circulators are currently subject to misdemeanor penalties of up to nearly a year’s imprisonment, a $3,000 fine, or both. Political Cartoons View All 1202 ImagesThe precedent case he cited held that North Dakota laws requiring petition circulators to be state residents are constitutionally sound. Measure supporters want to use out-of-state petition circulators to help gather more than 31,000 signatures of valid North Dakota voters by a February deadline to prompt a June 2024 vote.

Persons: Daniel Hovland, circulators, Hovland, Democratic U.S . Sen, Dianne Feinstein, Mitch McConnell Organizations: N.D, —, Eighth Circuit, House, North, Democratic U.S ., California, Republican Locations: BISMARCK, North Dakota, U.S

Alabama will have a new congressional map that gives Black voters more power and almost certainly, a pickup for Democrats, a federal court ruled Thursday. After a long legal battle that had the GOP-controlled state legislature repeatedly offering maps critics said diluted the Black vote and benefited Republicans, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama directed the state to adopt a map that will include a second Black opportunity district. After a September trial, Georgians are awaiting a ruling by a federal judge over whether that state's congressional district lines violate the Voting Rights Act, which has been invoked to thwart maps that dilute the Black vote. The Supreme Court is set to hear a voting rights challenge to congressional lines in South Carolina. In Florida, people are challenging district lines on state constitutional grounds, arguing that Florida Gov.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Dave Wasserman, Jerry Carl, Barry Moore –, Suzan, Jack Pandol, Doug Spencer, Spencer, Ron DeSantis Organizations: GOP, U.S, Northern, Northern District of, Democratic Congressional, National Republican Congressional, University of Colorado, Republican, voters, Florida Gov, Democratic, Republicans Locations: Alabama, Northern District, Northern District of Alabama, Washington, Southern, South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, New York, York

Lawyers who helped file the lawsuit on Monday on behalf of the alliance against the State Board of Elections and board leaders have represented Democratic interests previously. North Carolina’s constitution sets a one-year state residency requirement to vote in state elections, but that provision was held unconstitutional decades ago and isn’t enforced. A 30-day precinct requirement is still carried out, however, and state law says lying about one’s residency on a registration form is a low-grade felony. The state board had not been served with the lawsuit as of Tuesday afternoon, board spokesperson Pat Gannon said. Republican legislative leaders were incensed by the settlement, which overruled state law and ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

Persons: ” David Fox, Pat Gannon, Marc Elias Organizations: —, North Carolina Alliance, Constitution, State Board, Democratic, U.S, Supreme, Republican, Alliance, Retired Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, — North Carolina, Washington, North Carolina, Tennessee

An election official hands a ballot to a voter at a polling station in Ridgeland, Mississippi, U.S., November 27, 2018. A spokesperson for the office of Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Circuit Judge Carolyn Dineen King in reversing a lower-court judge's ruling. Circuit Judge Edith Jones, an appointee of former Republican President Ronald Reagan, was also on the panel and had dissented. Twelve of the 16 currently active judges on the court were appointed by Republicans.

Persons: Jonathan Bachman, Jonathan Youngwood, Lynn Fitch, James Dennis, Dennis, Carolyn Dineen King, Edith Jones, Ronald Reagan, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Circuit, U.S ., Democratic, Republicans, Thomson Locations: Ridgeland , Mississippi, U.S, Mississippi's, Mississippi, U.S . Civil, New York

The New Mexico Supreme Court gave the state district judge overseeing the case until Oct. 6 to come to his conclusions in an order that can be reviewed by the high court. They control every statewide elected office, command majorities in the state House and Senate, and make up the five-member Supreme Court. The Supreme Court did reject a late effort by Gov. The court has yet to decide on another petition that challenges an earlier denial by the state district judge to dismiss as defendants the governor and lieutenant governor. The New Mexico Supreme Court in an opinion issued last week explained its reasoning for allowing the gerrymandering challenge to be heard by the lower court.

Persons: Gabe Vasquez, Yvette Herrell, Kevin McCarthy, Michelle Lujan Grisham's, Lujan Grisham, Vasquez, C, Shannon Bacon Organizations: SANTA FE, Democratic, New Mexico’s, U.S . House, Republican, U.S ., New, New Mexico Supreme, Republican Party, Democrats, Senate, Gov, The New, The New Mexico Supreme Locations: SANTA, U.S, Mexico, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas , Kentucky, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas, Utah, In New Mexico, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Lovington, New Mexico, Mexico's, The, The New Mexico

Abortion rights protesters gather for a rally in Columbus, Ohio, after the United States Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs v Women's Health Organization abortion case, overturning the landmark Roe v Wade abortion decision, June 24, 2022. The law took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that had guaranteed abortion rights nationwide. Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers at arguments on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court of Ohio to reverse a preliminary order blocking the law. Jessie Hill, a lawyer for abortion providers challenging the law, said that "longstanding, well-established rules" in Ohio bar the state from appealing preliminary orders before final judgment. Ohioans will vote in November on a referendum that would explicitly add a right to abortion to the state constitution.

Persons: Wade, Megan Jelinger, Mike DeWine, Benjamin Flowers, Flowers, Jessie Hill, Hill, Ohioans, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Aurora Ellis Organizations: United States Supreme, Women's Health Organization, REUTERS, Wednesday, Ohio Supreme, Republican, U.S, Supreme, Voters, Thomson Locations: Columbus , Ohio, Dobbs, Ohio, Cincinnati, New York

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Court of Appeals on Monday asked the state's highest court to decide whether Republican state senators who carried out a record-setting GOP walkout this year can run for reelection. Oregon voters last year overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure that created the amendment following GOP walkouts in the Legislature in 2019, 2020 and 2021. They and Oregon Department of Justice attorneys on the opposite side of the case jointly last month asked the appeals court to send the matter straight to the state Supreme Court. The appeals court on Monday formally asked the Oregon Supreme Court to take the case, said Todd Sprague, spokesman for the Oregon Judicial Department. The senators insist that the way the amendment to the state constitution is written means they can seek another term.

Persons: LaVonne Griffin, Valade, “, Oregonians, ” Griffin, Griffin, Todd Sprague, Sprague, Sen, Bill Hansell, Tim Knopp, they’ve, ” Knopp, Ben Morris Organizations: Oregon, Monday, Appeals, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon Supreme, Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Republicans, Democrat Locations: SALEM, Ore, Oregon, Statehouses, Montana , Tennessee, United States, U.S, Rhode Island, Rutland , Massachusetts

(AP) — The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday struck down part of a state law that would have authorized some circuit court judges to be appointed rather than elected in the capital city of Jackson and the surrounding county, which are both majority-Black. Tate Reeves were usurping local autonomy in Jackson and Hinds County, which are governed by Democrats. Circuit judges hear criminal cases for felonies such as murder and aggravated assault. In May, Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas dismissed the Jackson residents’ lawsuit days after he removed Randolph as a defendant. U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate temporarily put the law on hold, which has blocked Randolph from appointing the four temporary circuit court judges.

Persons: JACKSON, Critics, Jackson, Ann Saunders, Dorothy Triplett, Jackson aren’t, Triplett, Tate Reeves, Hinds, “, Mike Randolph, Dewayne Thomas, Randolph, Thomas, Henry Wingate, Wingate, “ Jackson, ” Organizations: Mississippi Supreme, Capitol Police, Republican, Republican Gov, Democrats, Jackson, NAACP, Mississippi ., District Locations: Miss, Mississippi, Jackson, Hinds, Hinds County, Mississippi . U.S

REUTERS/Angus Mordant/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 19 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday said DoorDash (DASH.N), Grubhub (TKWY.AS) and Uber Eats (UBER.N) can sue New York City over a law capping how much they can charge restaurants for delivering meals. "Good news from New York City," CEO of Grubhub's parent company Just Eat Takeaway, Jitse Groen, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Woods said the plaintiffs adequately alleged that the law unconstitutionally interfered with their ability to collect higher commissions under their contracts with restaurants. The plaintiffs have said commission caps would necessitate higher delivery fees, resulting in higher prices for consumers and less revenue for restaurants. The case is DoorDash Inc et al v City of New York, U.S. District Court, District of New York, No 21-07564.

Persons: Angus Mordant, DoorDash, Gregory Woods, Nicholas Paolucci, Grubhub, Jitse Groen, Woods, Jonathan Stempel, Diana Mandiá, Mark Potter, Timothy Gardner Organizations: REUTERS, New, Constitution, New York, City Council, Council, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York, U.S, New York City, Manhattan, New York, Amsterdam, San Francisco, City of New York, Gdansk

☆ Kentucky's Democratic governor hits GOP opponent over abortion with ad featuring incest survivor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Beshear's ad features an incest survivor who said Cameron's anti-abortion views would have left her without options. Cameron previously appeared to flip-flop over his opposition to rape and incest exceptions to bans. Cameron previously said that he supported Kentucky laws, neither of which has exceptions in the cases of rape or incest. In June, abortion rights advocates vowed to continue fighting the bans that continue to be in effect. In a major vote, Kentuckians in November 2022 rejected an anti-abortion effort that would have denied any state constitutional protections for abortion rights — one of a string of abortion rights victories since Roe was reversed.

Persons: Andy Beshear's, Cameron, Roe, Wade, Daniel Cameron, Hadley, Beshear's, Beshear, Mitch McConnell, Steve Beshear, Joe Biden, Andy Beshear, Kentuckians Organizations: Kentucky Gov, GOP, Service, Wednesday, Republican Party, Democratic, Gov, Republicans Locations: Kentucky, Wall, Silicon

☆ The group behind a viral abortion rights ad is back with a new spot in Ohio and Pennsylvania focused on the hypothetical rape of a 12-year-old girl
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Democratic super PAC has a new provocative abortion rights ad it's going to air in key states. The ad will air in Ohio and Pennsylvania where abortion hangs over two key off-year elections. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Democratic group previously made waves with a provocative ad that showed a fictional "Republican congressman" watching a couple as they tried to have sex. The ad will also air in Pennsylvania, where abortion is looming over an off-year state Supreme Court election. Republicans dating back to Ronald Reagan supported exceptions on abortion bans in the case of rape, incest, or the life of the mother.

Persons: We've, Joe Jacobson, Roe, Wade, Ronald Reagan Organizations: Democratic, PAC, Service, Republican, Ohio Republicans, NBC News, Republicans Locations: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wall, Silicon, Michigan, Kentucky, States

Brereton C. Jones, a Republican turned Democrat who led efforts to improve health care and strengthen ethics laws during his one term three decades ago, has died, Gov. He moved to Kentucky and switched parties, first winning election as lieutenant governor before running for and winning the state's highest elected office. Once in office, Jones got the legislature to create an ethics commission for executive branch officials and employees. But despite his frequent speeches about ethics, Jones seemed to many to have a blind spot when it came to his own finances and business dealings. The major initiative of Jones’ administration was access to health care and controlling the cost of health coverage.

Persons: —, Brereton C, Jones, Andy Beshear, ” Beshear, “, ”, I’ve, “ I’m, Republican Larry Hopkins Organizations: — Former Kentucky Gov, Republican, Delegates, “, Airdrie Stud Locations: FRANKFORT, Ky, West Virginia, Kentucky

And he retains the shield of the attorney general's office in legal battles still to come. The former deputies' accusation that Paxton abused his power to help Paul were at the core of Paxton's impeachment. The judge overseeing it said in August that she would set a trial date after the impeachment trial. THE DISCIPLINARY HEARINGAlso on hold during Paxton's impeachment trial was an ethics case brought by the state bar. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at: https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton

Persons: Ken Paxton, acquit Paxton, Joe Biden, Paxton, INVESTIGAITON Paxton, Nate Paul, Paul, Drew Wicker, Paxton’s, Wicker, Nate ”, general’s Austin, Dan Cogdell, Weeks, Cogdell, Donald Trump's, Brent Webster, he's, paxton Organizations: DALLAS, Texas, FBI, Republican, Lawmakers, U.S, Supreme, State Bar of Texas Locations: Paxton, Austin, Texas, Washington ,, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston

☆ Opinion | Republicans Don’t Mind the Constitution. It’s Democracy They Don’t Like.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Jamelle Bouie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

It is very clear that given the power and the opportunity, a large portion of Republican lawmakers would turn the state against their political opponents: to disenfranchise them, to diminish their electoral influence, to limit or even neuter the ability of their representatives to exercise their political authority. So again, to the extent that “the Constitution” stands in for “American democracy,” Romney is right to say that much of his party just doesn’t believe in it. But if Romney means the literal Constitution itself — the actual words on the page — then his assessment of his fellow Republicans isn’t as straightforward as it seems. At times, Republicans seem fixated with the Constitution. When asked to consider gun regulation, Republicans home in on specific words in the Second Amendment — “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” — to dismiss calls for reform.

Persons: we’ve, ”, Romney, isn’t, — Organizations: Republican, State, Florida Republicans, Ohio Republicans, Wisconsin Republicans, Alabama Republicans, Black, Republicans Locations: Tennessee, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, “

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia state senator won't be suspended from office after he was one of 18 others indicted along with former President Donald Trump on charges that he sought to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state. A three-person panel didn't recommend that state Sen. Shawn Still be temporarily removed from office while the case is pending, Garrison Douglas, a spokesperson for Gov. Still, a Republican who lives in the north Atlanta suburb of Johns Creek, is a swimming pool contractor and former state Republican Party finance chairman. Political Cartoons View All 1163 ImagesAs is required by state law, Kemp appointed Attorney General Chris Carr, as well as Republican state Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch and Republican state House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration. “Efforts to subvert election outcomes and stifle the will of Georgia voters remain one of the biggest threats to our democracy.”

Persons: Donald Trump, Sen, Shawn Still, Garrison Douglas, Brian Kemp, Trump, “, Still, Kemp, Chris Carr, Steve Gooch, Chuck Efstration, ”, David Shafer, Cathy Latham, Mark Meadows, Nicole Robinson Organizations: ATLANTA, Gov, Republican, Republican Party, Georgia Republicans, Trump, Trump Chief, Georgia Locations: Georgia, Atlanta, Johns Creek, Coffee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Legislative workers at the California Capitol are close to forming their first labor union after state lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday that allows them to organize. But despite California lawmakers' pro-union stance, the people who work for them have never been allowed to form a union. An attempt to do so last year failed to get a vote in the state Assembly. INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDEThe state Assembly approved a proposal to change the state constitution to remove exemptions to involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime. The proposal would have to get a two-thirds vote in the state Senate, which doesn’t plan to vote on it until next year.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, ”, Tina McKinnor, “, —, Newsom, Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua, Villapudua, James Gallagher, doesn’t, Sen, Shannon Grove, Chris Ward, ” Ward, ___ Sophie Austin, Austin @sophieadanna Organizations: —, California Capitol, Legislature, Democratic Gov, Legislative, Democratic, Republican, Democrats, FOSTER, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California, Newsom’s

(AP) — A Missouri judge has upheld the constitutionality of the state's Senate districts in a case that provided the first legal test of revised redistricting criteria approved by voters. Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem rejected claims that the Senate map unlawfully divided certain local governments into multiple Senate districts, but an attorney said Wednesday that his clients are considering an appeal. In Missouri, two separate bipartisan citizen commissions are supposed to redraw state House and Senate districts after each census to account for population changes. Hatfield said he doesn't believe the constitutional criteria make it OK to split a county into multiple districts when it could be kept whole. The Senate districts were defended in court by Attorney General Andrew Bailey's office.

Persons: Jon Beetem, “, Chuck Hatfield, Beetem, Hatfield, doesn't, Andrew Bailey's, Bailey, Madeline Sieren, ” Organizations: JEFFERSON CITY, —, Cole, Republican, Judicial Locations: Mo, Missouri, state's, ” Missouri, Louis, Hazelwood, Buchanan County, St

(AP) — Abortion advocates asked a judge on Monday to rewrite what they call misleading descriptions of several constitutional amendments on abortion rights that voters could see on Missouri’s 2024 ballot. Missouri is among several states, including Ohio, where abortion opponents are fighting efforts to ensure or restore access to the procedure following the fall of Roe v. Wade last year. In Missouri, summaries of proposed constitutional amendments are provided on ballots to help voters understand what the measures would do. Ballot measures on abortion could also be put before voters in 2024 in states including Arizona, Maryland, New York and South Dakota. In all of them, including generally conservative Kansas and Kentucky, the abortion rights side prevailed.

Persons: Roe, Wade, State Jay Ashcroft, Tony Rothert, Jason Krol Lewis, Lewis, Rothert, Andrew Bailey, Scott, Fitzpatrick, Bailey, —, Geoff Mulvihill Organizations: JEFFERSON CITY, —, State, Supreme, Republican, Missouri Supreme, Associated Press Locations: Mo, Missouri, Ohio, U.S, Arizona , Maryland , New York, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Cherry Hill , New Jersey

☆ Elon Musk's X sues California over a law it claims is aimed at eliminating 'problematic' content
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

X Corp is suing California over content moderation law, claiming freedom of speech infringement. It requires social media companies to say how they're tackling hate speech, harassment and extremism. X argued that the law pressures platforms to remove "constitutionally-protected" content. Social media companies routinely remove accounts and content that violate local laws and their own policies. It requires social media companies to publicly share their content moderation policies and report their enforcement data to the state attorney-general twice a year.

Persons: Elon, Bill, X, Gavin Newsom, Musk Organizations: X Corp, Service, Corp, Twitter, State, Social, Media, FBI Locations: California, Wall, Silicon

'X' logo is seen on the top of the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies B2x Corp FollowTesla Inc FollowSept 8 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's X Corp sued California on Friday over a state law establishing new transparency rules for social media companies, requiring them to publish their policies for policing disinformation, harassment, hate speech and extremism. In a complaint filed in federal court in Sacramento, California, X said the law's "true intent" was to pressure social media companies into eliminating content the state found objectionable. AB 587 requires social media companies with at least $100 million of gross annual revenue to issue semiannual reports that describe their content moderation practices, and provide data on the numbers of objectionable posts and how they were addressed. Gavin Newsom, California's Democratic governor, signed the law last September, saying the state would not let social media be "weaponized" to spread hate and disinformation.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Elon, Bill, X, Musk, Rob Bonta, Gavin Newsom, A.J, Brown, Jonathan Stempel, David Gregorio, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, Elon Musk's X Corp, Twitter, U.S, Defamation League, Center, SpaceX, Democratic, ADL, X Corp, Court, Eastern District of, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, California, Sacramento , California, Eastern District, Eastern District of California, New York

☆ Opinion | Wisconsin Republicans Try to Subvert Democracy, Again
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

If Republicans move ahead with this impeachment, it will be for one reason only: because they think they can. (Given the size of their Senate majority, they couldn’t afford to lose a single vote.) But some observers think that even if Republicans impeach Protasiewicz, they have no intention of actually holding a Senate trial. But since the state Constitution is silent on a timeline for that process, Republicans could impeach Protasiewicz and then leave her in legal oblivion indefinitely. “Senate Republicans in Wisconsin are basically saying, ‘Yeah, we’re not going to have a trial.

Persons: ”, Charlie Sykes, Protasiewicz, Tony Evers, ’ ”, Sykes, “ Organizations: Democratic Party, Wisconsin’s, Republicans, Trump, State Senate, Democratic Locations: Wisconsin, State

☆ Abortion rights at stake as Florida court weighs DeSantis-backed ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 8 (Reuters) - The future of abortion rights in Florida will be at stake on Friday when the state's highest court hears arguments over whether the Florida constitution protects the right to end pregnancies. The case before the conservative Florida Supreme Court concerns the state's current ban on most abortions after 15 weeks, which took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned a national right to abortion. The outcome will also determine the fate of a stricter six-week ban, which has been on hold since Governor Ron DeSantis signed it into law in April. One justice, Charles Canady, is married to a state representative who co-sponsored the six-week ban. But if the court throws out the 1989 decision, Torres-Spelliscy said, it would be nearly impossible to mount a successful legal challenge to the six-week ban.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Ron DeSantis, Charlie Crist, Charles Canady, Ciara Torres, Torres, Spelliscy, Joseph Ax, Colleen Jenkins, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Woman's Health, REUTERS, Florida Supreme, U.S, Supreme, Republican, Stetson University, Thomson Locations: Clearwater , Florida, U.S, Florida

At issue was whether the Republican-drawn map violated a bedrock federal civil rights law, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. "We have now said twice that this Voting Rights Act case is not close," the judges wrote. Alabama's Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen in filings submitted to the lower court disclosed plans to appeal to the Supreme Court and the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. The Supreme Court in June allowed a challenge to Louisiana's congressional map to advance. The Voting Rights Act was passed at a time when Southern states including Alabama enforced policies blocking Black people from casting ballots.

Persons: Terri Sewell, Michael A, McCoy, Steve Marshall, Wes Allen, Ron DeSantis, Joseph Ax, John Kruzel, Colleen Jenkins, Bill Berkrot, Will Dunham Organizations: Republican, U.S, Supreme, Democratic, U.S . House, Democratic U.S, Selma Fire, REUTERS, Circuit, Appeals, NAACP, Republicans, Thomson Locations: U.S, Alabama, Birmingham, Selma, Selma , Alabama, Atlanta, Florida, Black

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