law
Gutting Arkansas’ open meetings law
I spoke too soon. Yesterday, I published a hopeful opinion piece about legislation that, if passed, would enhance the public’s right to know enshrined in Arkansas’ 56-year-old Freedom of Information Act. One of those bills, Senate Bill 382, would define what a public meeting is. As I noted in Monday’s column, the FOIA doesn’t specify […]
Federal judge strikes down part of Montana’s far-reaching anti-vax law
In a victory for public health advocates, a federal judge in Montana has blocked the state from implementing a law that would make it illegal for hospitals to ask employees if they are vaccinated. The measure, which passed last year, was the country’s most extreme anti-vaccination law. Health care providers in Montana had sued the […]
Louisiana medical panel stops enforcement of in-person visits for cannabis patients
The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners is temporarily halting enforcement actions against doctors who recommend medical marijuana via telemedicine. The pause on enforcement comes days after a state Senate committee threatened to revoke the board’s rule-making authority for refusing to lift the in-person visit requirement. LSBME Executive Director Dr. Vincent Culotta confirmed the news […]
GOP groups seek emergency ruling from Georgia Supreme Court on Saturday voting
Several Republican organizations have asked the Georgia Supreme Court to block Georgians from early voting in the U.S. Senate runoff this Saturday after two courts rejected state attempts to do so. On Monday evening Georgia’s Court of Appeals rejected Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s attempt to nullify a Fulton County judge’s order giving Georgia […]
U.S. Supreme Court to consider case that could radically reshape the country’s elections
The U.S. Supreme Court could soon grant state legislatures unconditional control over federal elections, clearing the way for lawmakers to gerrymander their states with impunity and pass voter restriction measures without interference from state courts. The high-stakes election case, Moore v. Harper, comes out of North Carolina after its Republican-controlled legislature passed in November 2021 […]
Limited-English voters face barriers to casting ballots in Arkansas
Language poses a big challenge for voters with limited English proficiency in Arkansas, where ballots are only printed in English. Newly naturalized citizens are often afraid to vote because they don’t understand the ballot, said Mireya Reith, executive director of immigrant advocacy group Arkansas United. Voters with limited English proficiency also worry poll workers won’t […]
Federal judge sides with Texas, blocks HHS guidance on emergency abortions
WASHINGTON — A federal district judge has granted the Texas attorney general’s request to temporarily block guidance from the federal government that says federal law protects health care providers who perform abortions to save the life or health of pregnant patients in emergency situations. Judge James Wesley Hendrix wrote the U.S. Department of Health and […]
Why same-sex marriage has become a less polarizing issue for Congress
While public opinion and different state laws on abortion rights are sharply dividing the country, there’s growing indication that most people agree on another once-controversial topic – protecting same-sex marriage. The U.S. House of Representatives voted on July 19, 2022, to enshrine same-sex marriage into law with a bipartisan vote – all 220 Democratic representatives […]