The UK Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the Campaign Against Arms Trade on Thursday, finding that a 2016 shift in policy resulted in illegal sales of arms to Saudi Arabia. The UK’s arms export policy, which was set out in the 2014 Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, requires licensing restrictions [...]
The US Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously vacated and remanded a decision from the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, sidestepping a determination about whether a 2006 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order and other such agency orders bind lower courts. The case revolved around a faxed advertisement sent by PDR Network, a healthcare communications [...]
Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown signed Senate Bill 870 into law on Wednesday, making Oregon the fifteenth state to join the National Popular Vote compact. The compact is an agreement that will ensure the state’s Electoral College votes are awarded to the presidential candidate who earns the national popular vote, even if that candidate does not [...]
The US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) on Thursday issued an investigative report detailing repeated violations of the Hatch Act by counselor to the president, Kellyanne Conway. The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from using their official status to interfere with election results. The OSC noted multiple violations of this Act in recent media appearances [...]
A bipartisan mix of senators on Wednesday issued 22 separate resolutions to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The Arms Export Control Act typically allows Congress 30 days to review potential international arms sales. The Trump administration, though, indicated last month that it intended to use an emergency provision of the act that would bypass [...]
Maine’s legislature approved the Death with Dignity Act this week, sending the bill to Governor Janet Mills on Wednesday for her signature. If enacted, the bill would add a new care option for individuals who are terminally ill and have fewer than six months to live. State residents would be able to request and voluntarily self-administer [...]
The Washington State Supreme Court on Thursday ruled unanimously that a florist’s refusal to provide her commercially marketed wedding services for a same-sex wedding constituted a violation of the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD). This decision reconsidered Arlene’s Flowers v. Washington, a case that was decided before the US Supreme Court heard Masterpiece Cakeshop v. [...]
Missouri Circuit Court Judge Michael Stelzer on Friday granted Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region a temporary restraining order, keeping its license active and allowing it to continue its services until a future preliminary injunction decision. The ruling was issued hours before the last abortion clinic in Missouri was set to close. Missouri’s health [...]
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak on Wednesday signed two bills, restoring felon voting rights and sealing records related to decriminalized offenses. Assembly Bill 431 grants convicted felons the right to vote immediately after release from prison or discharge from parole or probation. Felons will not have to undergo a waiting period or further conditions to restore [...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed a bill enabling people with certain diseases to legally adopt children who are living with them. Before this bill was signed, a 2013 list of diseases created by the Russian government was used to enforce a ban on all adoption proceedings by disease-positive individuals. This ban prevented individuals [...]
