Article Summary – The Montana Supreme Court has revised the ballot language for a constitutional abortion rights amendment, which could be put before voters this fall. The court’s ruling moves supporters of the initiative, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, closer to launching a signature-gathering campaign that must be completed before a
Article Summary – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed the Michigan Family Protection Act into law, decriminalizing paid gestational surrogacy contracts and ending Michigan’s status as the only U.S. state where such contracts were illegal. The new law repeals a 1988 prohibition against paid surrogacy contracts, creating protections for surrogates,
Article Summary – Lou Conter, the last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that was attacked during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, has died at 102. After the attack, Conter went to flight school, flew 200 combat missions in the Pacific, and later became the Navy’s first SERE (Survival,
Article Summary – Josie Badger, co-chair of Pennsylvania’s Family Care Coalition, is advocating for paid family and medical leave legislation for the approximately one in four adults in Pennsylvania living with disabilities. Legislation is currently being considered to create a universal paid family and medical leave program for full- and
Article Summary – Virginia is applying for federal funds to implement its Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) which targets emissions reduction in various sectors. Local oil and gas companies have opposed this plan, asserting that it abandons Virginia’s commitment to expanding renewables and relying on lower-carbon energy sources like natural
Article Summary – Wisconsin Democrats believe newly adopted legislative districts will allow them to compete for a majority and help increase voter turnout for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in November. The concept, termed “reverse coattails,” suggests that down-ballot candidates can help boost votes for the top
Article Summary – Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser signed a $515 million deal with billionaire owner of the Wizards and Capitals, Ted Leonsis, ensuring the teams will stay at Capital One Arena until at least 2050. Bowser had initially faced criticism for failing to deliver a significant offer to
Article Summary – The Florida Legislature has approved a $117.5 billion 2024-2025 budget plan, designating more than $346 million under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for home efficiency and electrification/appliance rebates. These federal funds are intended to encourage the installation of higher-efficiency HVAC systems and energy-saving home upgrades. However, Florida
Article Summary – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry has awarded nearly $5.5 million in grants for 36 urban forestry projects across Ohio through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Urban Forestry Grant Program. The grants range from $50,000 for emerging urban forestry programs to $1 million for
Article Summary – The group Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights is challenging Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen in court over his proposed description of an initiative to protect abortion access in Montana’s constitution. The group has asked Montana’s Supreme Court to certify its proposed ballot language and invalidate Knudsen’s, claiming it
Article Summary – The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is distributing nearly $12 million in federal funds to 40 school districts in the state to address student mental health. The funding is part of the Stronger Connections Grant Program, which is designed to provide mental health support for students,
Article Summary – The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will distribute nearly $12 million in federal funds to 40 local school districts to tackle student mental health issues. The funds are part of the Stronger Connections Grant Program under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that President Biden signed in
