Court challenge to Indiana trans sports ban has been dropped
INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — A lawsuit challenging an Indiana law that prohibits transgender students from competing in girls school sports was dropped Wednesday just weeks before it was to be heard by a federal appeals court. A federal judge earlier this month ruled that West Virginia can keep its ban on transgender athletes competing in female school sports. A federal appeals court in New York, however, dismissed a challenge to Connecticut's policy of allowing transgender girls to compete in girls sports. U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson had ruled that the fifth-grade girl had “a strong likelihood” of prevailing in arguments that the Indiana law violated federal Title IX protections. The federal appeals court in Chicago was scheduled to hear arguments in the case on Feb. 15.
wftv.comCourt: Abortion doctors can’t be charged under Arizona law
PHOENIX — (AP) — An Arizona court has ruled that abortion doctors cannot be prosecuted under a pre-statehood law that criminalizes nearly all abortions yet was barred from being enforced for decades. But the Arizona Court of Appeals on Friday declined to repeal the 1864 law, which carries a sentence of two to five years in prison for anyone who assists in an abortion and provides no exceptions for rape or incest. Still, the court said doctors can’t be prosecuted for performing abortions because other Arizona laws passed over the years allow them to perform the procedure, though non-doctors are still subject to be charged under the old law. “The statutes, read together, make clear that physicians are permitted to perform abortions as regulated” by other abortion laws, the appeals court wrote. After the Roe decision was overturned and the issue of abortion was left up to the states, bans went into effects in some states.
wftv.comCourt: Abortion doctors can’t be charged under Arizona law
PHOENIX — (AP) — An Arizona court has ruled that abortion doctors cannot be prosecuted under a pre-statehood law that criminalizes nearly all abortions yet was barred from being enforced for decades. But the Arizona Court of Appeals on Friday declined to repeal the 1864 law, which carries a sentence of two to five years in prison for anyone who assists in an abortion and provides no exceptions for rape or incest. Still, the court said doctors can’t be prosecuted for performing abortions because other Arizona laws passed over the years allow them to perform the procedure, though non-doctors are still subject to be charged under the old law. “The statutes, read together, make clear that physicians are permitted to perform abortions as regulated” by other abortion laws, the appeals court wrote. After the Roe decision was overturned and the issue of abortion was left up to the states, bans went into effects in some states.
wftv.comState looks to scrutinize LGBTQ support guides at all Florida schools
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. on Wednesday gave his staff the go-ahead to "pull" LGBTQ support documents at all school districts, after a State Board of Education member asserted that some could violate a controversial new law.
‘Don’t Say Gay’ law confuses some Florida schools
Educators are cautiously making changes as they wait to see how the new law governing lessons on gender and sexual orientation will be interpreted and enforced. Ron DeSantis, bans lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade as well as material that is not deemed age-appropriate. Critics dubbed it "Don't Say Gay," though it contains no bans on specific phrases and doesn't bar material on sexual orientation considered age-appropriate for grades 4 and above. Opponents say the law would stifle classroom discussion, arguing that it doesn’t clarify what could be deemed inappropriate. DeSantis and other Republicans have argued parents should be the ones in control of teaching their children about sexual orientation and gender identity.
wftv.comSo-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law confuses some Florida schools
Educators are cautiously making changes as they wait to see how the new law governing lessons on gender and sexual orientation will be interpreted and enforced. Ron DeSantis, bans lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade as well as material that is not deemed age-appropriate. Critics dubbed it "Don't Say Gay," though it contains no bans on specific phrases and doesn't bar material on sexual orientation considered age-appropriate for grades 4 and above. Opponents say the law would stifle classroom discussion, arguing that it doesn’t clarify what could be deemed inappropriate. DeSantis and other Republicans have argued parents should be the ones in control of teaching their children about sexual orientation and gender identity.
wftv.comSo-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law confuses some Florida schools
Ron DeSantis, bans lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade as well as material that is not deemed age-appropriate. Critics dubbed it "Don't Say Gay," though it contains no bans on specific phrases and doesn't bar material on sexual orientation considered age-appropriate for grades 4 and above. Opponents say the law would stifle classroom discussion, arguing that it doesn’t clarify what could be deemed inappropriate. DeSantis and other Republicans have argued parents should be the ones in control of teaching their children about sexual orientation and gender identity. DeSantis recently addressed some of the concerns at an unrelated news conference, saying: “You know I hear some people say, ‘Wow, school’s coming up.
wftv.comAppeals court says Georgia abortion law should take effect
ATLANTA — (AP) — A federal appeals court on Wednesday overturned a lower court ruling and said Georgia’s restrictive 2019 abortion law should be allowed to take effect. The Georgia law bans most abortions once a “detectable human heartbeat” is present. The Georgia law includes exceptions for rape and incest, as long as a police report is filed. Circuit Court of Appeals said that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a Mississippi case that overturned Roe v. Wade clears the way for the law to take effect. The Supreme Court ruled on June 24 and Georgia’s attorney general asked the appeals court that afternoon to overturn the lower court ruling and allow the state’s abortion law to take effect.
wftv.comNorth Korea: Medication offered as Covid fight continues
A North Korean army medic hands out medication to counter 'fever' -- a term Pyongyang often uses to refer to Covid -- and related sickness. The medic, Jong Jun Ho says the number of people receiving treatment for 'fever' has gone down in recent times. North Korea says its Covid-19 outbreak has been brought under control, but experts question the official numbers given the isolated country has one of the world's worst healthcare systems and likely no Covid-19 drugs or mass testing ability.
news.yahoo.comWhat is stare decisis? Constitutional expert explains why Roe v. Wade decision stood for 50 years
The Roe v. Wade decision from the U.S. Supreme Court could soon be overturned or significantly weakened as the nine justices prepare to release their ruling in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
Judge blocks Montana's transgender birth certificate law
Transgender Birth Certificate Lawsuit FILE - In this March 15, 2021, file photo, demonstrators gather on the steps of the Montana State Capitol protesting anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Helena, Mont. — (AP) — A Montana judge on Thursday temporarily blocked enforcement of a law that required transgender people to have undergone a “surgical procedure” before being allowed to change their sex on their birth certificates. Both argue having a birth certificate that does not match their gender identity puts them at risk of embarrassment, discrimination, harassment or violence if they are asked to provide their birth certificate. Having a birth certificate that does not match her gender identity puts her at higher risk of harassment, hostility and discrimination, the lawsuit said. Before the 2021 Legislature passed the challenged law, transgender residents seeking to change their birth certificate needed only to provide an affidavit to the state health department.
wftv.comJudge blocks Montana's transgender birth certificate law
A Montana judge on Thursday temporarily blocked enforcement of a law that required transgender people to have undergone a “surgical procedure” before being allowed to change their sex on their birth certificates. District Judge Michael Moses of Billings ruled the law is unconstitutionally vague because it does not specify what surgical procedure must be performed. The law also required transgender people to obtain a court order indicating they'd had a surgical procedure.
news.yahoo.comSpain bans harassment of women entering abortion clinics
MADRID — (AP) — Spain is awaiting the publication in coming days of a new law banning the intimidation or harassment of women entering abortion clinics. Spain’s government, led by the center-left Socialist government, proposed the law last year and lawmakers approved it in September. They argued that the alterations flew in the face of the constitutional right to free speech and the right to assemble. Anti-abortion groups said their gatherings outside abortion clinics were organized to pray and offer help to the women. The national Association of Accredited Clinics for Pregnancy Termination says that more than 100 cases of harassment are reported outside clinics each year.
wftv.comSupreme Court agrees to review California law on pork sales
WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it would review a challenge to a California law that set certain conditions for pork sold in the state. The case stems from a 2018 ballot measure where California voters approved the nation’s toughest living space standards for breeding pigs. Two agricultural associations challenging the law say almost no farms satisfy those conditions. The law had a Jan. 1 effective date, but California is currently allowing the continued sale of pork processed under the old rules. The groups challenging the law are the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
wftv.comSupreme Court agrees to review California law on pork sales
The Supreme Court said Monday it would review a challenge to a California law that set certain conditions for pork sold in the state. The case stems from a 2018 ballot measure where California voters approved the nation’s toughest living space standards for breeding pigs. Two agricultural associations challenging the law say almost no farms satisfy those conditions.
news.yahoo.comSupreme Court to review Native American child adoption law
WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to review a case involving a federal law that gives Native Americans preference in adoptions of Native children. The high court said Monday it would take the case involving the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act. The law has long been championed by Native American leaders as a means of preserving their families and culture. The law gives Native American families priority in foster care and adoption proceedings involving Native children, and it places reporting and other requirements on states. But the judges also found some of the law's provisions unconstitutional, including preferences for placing Native American children with Native adoptive families and in Native foster homes.
wftv.comSoon it will be illegal to chain your dog outside in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas — A new law going into effect on Jan. 18 in Texas mandates that dogs cannot be chained outside. >> Read more trending newsThe law, passed during a special session, bans any “unlawful restraint” of a dog, banning both chains and heavy weights, the Texas Tribune reported. The law also requires that any animal outdoors have “adequate shelter,” which includes shade from direct sunlight and drinking water, KSAT reported. Texas Governor Greg Abbot signed the bill into law in October after vetoing a previous version over the summer, People Magazine reported. ©2021 Cox Media Group
wftv.comMexico to require appeals on social media account blocking
(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)MEXICO CITY – The party of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador presented for public comment a proposed set of regulations on Twitter, Facebook and other social media companies, a move that drew criticism Tuesday. López Obrador was close to Trump and was outraged by the blocking of his accounts. Like Trump, López Obrador thinks traditional media outlets are biased against him, and like Trump, the Mexican president has used the term “fake news,” or Spanish variants of it. López Obrador said in January that his administration is reaching out to other government to form a common front on the issue. “I can tell you that at the first G20 meeting we have, I am going to make a proposal on this issue,” López Obrador said.
Florida Supreme Court looks at high-stakes marijuana case
Tampa-based Florigrown LLC is challenging the 2017 law, which created a regulatory structure for the state’s medical marijuana industry. Several prospective medical marijuana operators have intervened in the case, hoping to gain access to what is forecast to be one of the nation’s most lucrative markets. Triangle’s principles hold medical marijuana licenses in Colorado and Arizona, according to court documents. “We are not allowed to use the statutes to hand out special favors to private corporations, which is exactly what has happened in the medical marijuana arena,” he said. “Ultimately, our goal is to provide affordable, safe medical marijuana to patients.
The dream is alive:' Florida, national officials react to Supreme Court DACA ruling
It was a historic and powerful day on Capitol Hill as the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Trumps efforts to end protections for young immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program Thursday. The program covers people who have been in the United States since they were children and are in the country illegally. According to the AP, young immigrants will retain their protection from deportation and their authorization to work in the United States. The American Dream means that if you play by the rules and work hard, you can make it in America, and Im thrilled to see the Supreme Court agree, Demings said in a statement. On Monday, the Supreme Court also ruled that its illegal to fire people because theyre gay or transgender.
Florida lawmakers propose bill to prevent young children from being arrested
Florida lawmakers propose bill to prevent young children from being arrestedPublished: March 2, 2020, 12:52 pmA Florida senator who filed a bill to prohibit children under 12 from being arrested has announced a compromise with lawmakers that is expected to pave the way for the legislation to pass.