On Friday a federal judge ruled that a 2010 law banning Mexican American studies in Tuscon, Arizona, is constitutional. Federal Judge Wallace Tashima of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appealsdetermined that the plaintiffs failed to prove that the law was too broad or violated student first amendment rights. Only one part of the law […]
Over 50 individuals gathered yesterday in Alexandria, Virginia to speak on strict TRAP regulation signed by Governor McDonnell. In a meeting room that was filled to standing room only, pro-choice activists argued to reject harsh regulations that could force abortion providers in Virginia to meet the building codes of new hospitals or face closure. Among […]
One of the six suspects in the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23 year-old New Delhi student was found dead early this morning. The suspect, Ram Singh, who was accused of driving the bus in which the attacks occurred, was discovered dead in his cell at Tihar Jail around 5:30AM. The jail claims […]
Last Friday, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard (R) signed into law a measure that will extend the time women seeking an abortion must wait before having the procedure. The bill passed the state House in early February and passed the state Senate last week. The law excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from being included in […]
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed a bill into law on Friday that will allow staff to carry guns in schools in an effort to provide extra security against school shootings. South Dakota is the first state to incorporate the National Rifle Association’s proposed solution to school shootings into state law. The rationale behind the […]
On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that an Idaho law banning abortion after 20 weeks is unconstitutional because it places an undue burden on a woman seeking to terminate a pregnancy before viability. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill wrote in his opinion, “the Idaho Legislature’s enactment of the [fetal pain law] in light of […]
Today marks over a century of honoring women on International Women’s Day. What grew out of protests over unsafe working conditions for female factory workers nationwide has now become an international day of recognition of women and girls around the world and the struggles they still face. As the United Nations Commission on the Status […]
Yesterday, the Arkansas state legislature voted to override Governor Beebe’s veto of the Human Heartbeat Protection Act, which bans abortion after a heartbeat can be detected with a standard ultrasound (usually 12 weeks). While the bill does include exemptions for rape, incest, severe fetal abnormality, and to save the life of the mother, the bill […]
President Obama will sign the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) into law today. The ceremony will take place at Interior Department. After over 500 days without congressional reauthorization, the House approved an inclusive, bipartisan VAWA as passed by the Senate on February 28. The reauthorization includes expanded protections for students, LGBT individuals, immigrants, and Native […]
On Monday, the 57th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women began in New York. The two-week long convention discusses the current problems facing women and girls around the world and what the international community can do in response. The primary goal of the commission is to eliminate violence against women and girls. Deputy […]
On Monday, Lieutenant General Craig Franklin overturned the rape conviction of an air force service member who was found guilty by a jury. Franklin claims there was not sufficient evidence that the woman had been raped. The Air Force fighter pilot was convicted in November for aggravated sexual assault by a jury of four colonels […]
The Arkansas Senate voted to override Governor Mike Beebe’s (D) veto of the Arkansas Human Heartbeat Protection Act yesterday. The override passed the Senate in a twenty to fourteen vote. All fourteen Arkansas Democratic Senators voted against the override. In a letter issued after Beebe’s veto on Monday, Beebe said the bill twenty to fourteen […]
Fourteen Republican members of the House of Representatives reintroduced a bill on Tuesday that would exempt unwilling employers from a requirement that their employee health insurance plans include contraceptive coverage. They are also trying to get the language included in the Continuing Resolution to extend funding for operation of the federal government. The bill’s cosponsors […]
Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe (D) vetoed a bill that would have banned abortion after a heart beat was detected with a standard ultrasound – usually around 12 weeks – on Monday. In a statement, Governor Beebe said “In short, because it would impose a ban on a woman’s right to choose an elective, nontherapeutic abortion […]
Today Senator Tom Harken (D-IA) and Representative George Miller (D-CA) announced they will introduce the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013. The legislation would increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour. In addition, the bill would also raise the minimum wage for tipped employees from $2.13 today to 70% […]
On Sunday, a Somali appeals court overturned the conviction of an alleged rape survivor who accused security forces of raping her in August 2012. A journalist who had interviewed the woman but never published a story about the allegations had his sentenced reduced, but was not cleared of the charges against him. Both the woman […]
President Obama has increased his number of judicial appointments in an attempt to diversify the federal judiciary. Since taking office in January, President Obama has nominated over three dozen candidates compared to his first term where he received criticism for not appointing judges quickly. Of the 35 nominations awaiting Senate approval, 17 are women, 15 […]
Protests are breaking out across New Delhi, India after a seven year old girl was sexually assaulted while at school. The minor was attacked Thursday while at a school run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Delhi chief minister Shelia Dikshit said, “The incident is inhuman and shameful. It is a shocking incident. The […]
On Sunday, researchers announced that an infant born with HIV is now a “functionally cured”, healthy two-year old with only trace amounts of the virus in her system. Doctors involved in her treatment made the announcement in advance of the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections today. The medical definition of “functionally cured” is when […]
Today the automatic government spending cuts called “sequesters” will go into effect at midnight. The cuts that total $85 billion of funding for government programs will have a disproportionately harsh impact on women, not only in the United States but around the world. $32 million will be cut from overseas family planning programs, resulting in […]
