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U.S. Supreme Court ruling reinstates ability to perform emergency abortions in Idaho under ban
This story was revised and updated to add reaction from various parties. Emergency abortion care can continue in Idaho without fear of prosecution of physicians now that the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision Thursday remanding a case about emergency abortions in the state back to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The 2022 case […] The post U.S. Supreme Court ruling reinstates ability to perform emergency abortions in Idaho under ban appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
House Speaker Johnson, Betsy DeVos lead attack on Title IX rule that protects LGBTQ+ kids
WASHINGTON — Prominent members of the GOP on Wednesday strongly criticized the Biden administration’s final rule for Title IX, including U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairwoman Virginia Foxx and former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. As the fate of a key Biden administration effort to protect LGBTQ+ students from […] The post House Speaker Johnson, Betsy DeVos lead attack on Title IX rule that protects LGBTQ+ kids appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Arkansas drug courts awarded $1 million to support participants’ need
Arkansas’ 45 drug courts received $1 million in opioid settlement funding to support program participants’ various needs as part of ongoing efforts to address the nation’s opioid epidemic. The funding comes from a national $26 billion settlement with three opioid distributors and one manufacturer through which Arkansas will receive $216 million via annual payments over […] The post Arkansas drug courts awarded $1 million to support participants’ need appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
U.S. House Democrats push for federal gun reform following surgeon general advisory
WASHINGTON – Democratic U.S. House members pushed for legislative action to address gun violence Wednesday, the day after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared the issue a public health crisis. Murthy released a 40-page advisory Tuesday. It called gun violence the leading cause of death for children and adolescents, causing just over 4,600 deaths in […] The post U.S. House Democrats push for federal gun reform following surgeon general advisory appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Document indicates Supreme Court will punt Idaho emergency abortion case for now
A document inadvertently uploaded to the U.S. Supreme Court’s website on Wednesday appears to indicate the court will send a case regarding emergency abortion care in Idaho back to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rather than make a decision, according to reporting from Bloomberg Law. Rather than rule on the merits, the unofficial opinion, […] The post Document indicates Supreme Court will punt Idaho emergency abortion case for now appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Delayed Supreme Court ruling makes Trump trial on 2020 charges unlikely before election
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule on whether presidents enjoy total criminal immunity, delaying one of the most consequential legal decisions in U.S. history and likely closing the door on former President Donald Trump facing his federal election interference trial before November. Trump, the presumed Republican presidential nominee who is entangled […] The post Delayed Supreme Court ruling makes Trump trial on 2020 charges unlikely before election appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
SCOTUS rejects Missouri lawsuit alleging feds bullied social media into censoring content
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected arguments by Missouri and Louisiana that the federal government violated the First Amendment in its efforts to combat false, misleading and dangerous information online. In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the court held that neither the states nor seven individuals who were co-plaintiffs in […] The post SCOTUS rejects Missouri lawsuit alleging feds bullied social media into censoring content appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
U.S. House GOP to file suit over Biden audio tapes, as ‘inherent contempt’ vote looms
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Republican Conference will file a lawsuit against the Department of Justice next week as it attempts to gain access to the audio tapes of special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden. House Speaker Mike Johnson made the announcement Wednesday during a press conference after being asked about Florida […] The post U.S. House GOP to file suit over Biden audio tapes, as ‘inherent contempt’ vote looms appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Arkansas receives $40 million in federal infrastructure grants
Three Arkansas infrastructure projects will receive $40 million in federal funding as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Wednesday. The funding is part of $1.8 billion in awards from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program. Wednesday’s announcement brings the total amount of RAISE […] The post Arkansas receives $40 million in federal infrastructure grants appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Biden to pardon vets discharged for same-sex relationships
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will pardon U.S. military veterans who were discharged or convicted under military law for consensual same-sex relations, the administration announced Wednesday. The White House could not provide an exact number of veterans who will be pardoned, but the administration estimates thousands were convicted over several decades and may be eligible. […] The post Biden to pardon vets discharged for same-sex relationships appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Bonuses imminent for 3,000 Arkansas educators under new program
This story has been updated to include an interactive map showing the percentage of teachers and average amount of bonuses in each school district. Nearly 3,000 Arkansas teachers can expect a boost to their paycheck by the end of the month, according to an announcement from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Tuesday afternoon. The bonuses are […] The post Bonuses imminent for 3,000 Arkansas educators under new program appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Iowa Utilities Board approves permit for controversial Summit pipeline
The Iowa Utilities Board gave its approval Tuesday for the controversial Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline and for the company to use eminent domain to acquire landowners’ property. The company hopes to begin construction next year with the goal of making the pipeline operational in 2026. The pipeline, which would be the largest of its kind […] The post Iowa Utilities Board approves permit for controversial Summit pipeline appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Arkansas attorney general sues Chinese-owned Temu for deceptive practices
Temu, an online shopping platform with Chinese ownership, is the subject of the latest lawsuit from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin. Griffin filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in the Circuit Court of Cleburne County under the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the Personal Information Protection Act and for “unjust enrichment.” The lawsuit seeks preliminary and […] The post Arkansas attorney general sues Chinese-owned Temu for deceptive practices appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Undecided voters are the prize for both Biden and Trump in Thursday presidential debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will get a crucial opportunity to reach undecided voters and set the terms for the 2024 presidential campaign at Thursday night’s debate in Atlanta. Partisans on either side have already made up their minds about which candidate they’ll support. And with this year’s race serving as a […] The post Undecided voters are the prize for both Biden and Trump in Thursday presidential debate appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Federal rulings out of Kansas, Missouri put Biden student-loan forgiveness on hold
Federal judges in Kansas and Missouri on Monday blocked the full implementation of a student-loan forgiveness program proposed by the Biden administration that was set to launch July 1. The SAVE Plan, an acronym for Saving on a Valuable Education, has been partially rolled out. The provisions already in effect may remain, United States District […] The post Federal rulings out of Kansas, Missouri put Biden student-loan forgiveness on hold appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Four states to begin voluntary testing for bird flu in dairy farm milk tanks
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that four states will launch voluntary pilot programs in the days ahead to test bulk milk tanks on dairy farms for bird flu — a move that’s aimed at making it easier for farmers to ship herds across state lines and for public health officials to […] The post Four states to begin voluntary testing for bird flu in dairy farm milk tanks appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Calm, conservative, confident: What GOP senators want in Trump’s vice presidential pick
WASHINGTON — Republican members of the U.S. Senate striving for a takeover of their chamber in the November elections have a wish list for what they’d like to see in Donald Trump’s running mate. A “little calmer” than Trump. Confident. Conservative. Military experience. Good relationships with senators. Ready to take over as chief executive if […] The post Calm, conservative, confident: What GOP senators want in Trump’s vice presidential pick appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Arkansas Supreme Court reinstates ban on gender-neutral IDs
The Arkansas Supreme Court on Monday released a formal order in an ongoing legal battle over gender-neutral IDs. For the past 14 years, Arkansans were allowed to put an “X” on their driver’s license for their gender. This came after years of only allowing “M” or “F.” License holders were also allowed to change their […] The post Arkansas Supreme Court reinstates ban on gender-neutral IDs appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Food program won’t benefit eligible Arkansas children until midsummer
By July 10, most children in Arkansas will be well into their second month of summer break with five weeks of sunny, schoolless days under their belts, but some children will have spent those weeks without a reliable source of food. Arkansas has one of the highest food insecurity rates in the nation and is […] The post Food program won’t benefit eligible Arkansas children until midsummer appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
The Dobbs effect today: Abortion ballot initiatives, expected higher mortality, more litigation
In Arizona, the state’s highest court upheld a Civil War-era abortion ban. Florida and South Carolina moved to restrict abortion to six weeks — before many people know they are pregnant. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are “children,” temporarily throwing fertility treatments, such as IVF, into uncertainty and igniting a national debate. […] The post The Dobbs effect today: Abortion ballot initiatives, expected higher mortality, more litigation appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
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Arkansas Advocate intends to show how state government affects the lives of everyday Arkansans so they can make informed decisions about themselves, their families and their communities. We strive to amplify the voices of all Arkansans. We focus especially on the relationship between people, power and policy. As an independent, nonpartisan news organization, Arkansas Advocate will keep an eye on the levers of power and those who manipulate them, and hold public officials accountable regardless of party or ideology. We believe news is a vital community service and ethical journalism a cornerstone of democracy, making us key players in fulfilling Arkansas’ state motto, Regnat Populus: “the people rule.” Arkansas Advocate proudly publishes the work of independent journalists. If you have a great idea and a passion for ethical, truthful storytelling, we’d love to hear from you. The Advocate also provides a forum for guest commentary on issues of interest to Arkansans. We separate opinion from our news reporting and clearly label each. Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Advocate retains full editorial independence.
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