Photo by Aiden Craver On June 11th, a federal judge struck down a 2023 Florida law which blocked gender-affirming care for transgender minors and restricted this treatment for adults. For minors, this law stopped puberty blocking treatments and cross-sex hormones. For adults, this law still allowed treatment, but it could only be done by a physician, […]
Florida Supreme Court’s ruling triggers DeSantis’ 6 week abortion ban
On April 1st, the conservative Florida Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to uphold the state’s 15-week abortion ban. As a result, the ruling has triggered Gov. Ron DeSantis’ extreme 6-week abortion ban, which is set to take effect in just 30 days. The state Supreme Court’s decision rests on the notion that the state constitution’s privacy […]
Florida bans DEI from State College System
On January 17th, 2024, the Florida State Board of Education passed a ruling that will strictly limit public funding towards DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives in the Florida College System. This ruling comes with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ long campaign against “WOKE” policies in Florida. The bill details how education should be “free from undue […]
Florida Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Ban Most Abortions, Imitating Texas’s SB 8
On Wednesday, a Florida state representative introduced a bill that would ban most abortions in the state, mimicking the Texas six-week ban that went into effect earlier this month. Rep. Webster Barnaby (R) introduced HB 167 into the Florida state legislature. Like Texas’s SB 8, the Florida bill would ban abortion after six weeks of […]
Florida Governor Signs Voter Suppression Bill into Law
On Thursday morning, Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed a sweeping anti-voter bill into law that enacts restrictions that will make it more difficult to vote in upcoming elections, especially for people of color, young voters, and disabled voters. Senate Bill 90 includes provisions that make it more difficult to vote by mail by […]
Florida Passes “Anti-Riot” Bill to Criminalize Protesting
On Monday morning, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB1 into law, referred to as an “anti-riot” bill, which puts stronger penalties on protesters who engage in “violent rallies”. This comes days before a verdict is expected in Derek Chauvin’s high profile case. The law staunchly criminalizes “rioting”, “looting”, and “harming law enforcement officers”, as well […]
Court Rules that Trans Students Must Have Access to Bathrooms that Match Their Gender
On Friday, a federal court in Florida ruled that it is unconstitutional for public schools to ban transgender students from using the bathroom that best matches their gender identity. In a 2-1 decision, the Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit issued the ruling on the basis that “a public school […]
Supreme Court Rules Against Reinstating Florida Felon Voting Rights
The Supreme Court upheld a lower court order on Friday that will prohibit thousands of formerly incarcerated people in Florida from voting. In 2018, the Florida electorate voted to amend the constitution to allow felons to vote. Felons who finished their parole or probation periods would be eligible, but felons convicted of murder or sexual […]
Sybrina Fulton, Mother of Trayvon Martin, Qualifies to Run for Public Office
Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, has officially qualified to run for public office in Florida. On Monday, she announced her qualification to run for Miami Dade County Commissioner for District 1. Fulton lost her 17-year-old son to racial violence in 2012, when he was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer. She has since […]
COVID-19 Cases Increase at Women’s Prison in Florida
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 at a Florida women’s prison totaled 73 on Monday, a jump from the previous day’s total of two. Seventy percent of tests administered at Homestead Correctional Institution so far have come back positive and 616 tests are pending results. The spike in confirmed cases comes after weeks of the facility’s shuffling […]
Demand for Vote-By-Mail Grows as November Elections Loom
In the midst of a global public health crisis, the outcome of the November U.S. election is uncertain and steeped in partisan politics. Republicans argue that Democrats’ efforts to enact vote-by-mail are undermining and remaking democracy while Democrats argue such efforts are, in fact, to protect democracy and voter’s rights. Across the country, people are […]
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Ohio Governor Releases Gun Reform Policies in Response to Mass Shootings
This Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine released a series of policy proposals aimed at reducing gun violence statewide. He addressed the issue from both major perspectives, outlining ideas to ensure better mental healthcare services and to implement gun control reform legislation. The legislative reforms are broad in scope and include many policies that the federal […]
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Acosta Resigns as Labor Secretary After Criticism Over Lenient Epstein Plea Deal
Today, Alex Acosta formally resigned as labor secretary amid controversy stemming from a lenient plea deal he offered as US Attorney to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was indicted last week on charges of sex trafficking and abuse. During Acosta’s announcement, Trump emphasized to reporters that the resignation was solely Acosta’s decision. Yesterday, House Democrats called […]
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Ex-Felons in Florida can now Register to Vote
Today, over a million people are eligible to register to vote in Florida after voters passed Florida Amendment 4 in the November midterms, allowing ex-felons the right to vote. In the 2018 midterms, Florida voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of Amendment 4, which re-instated voting rights to convicted felons as long as they have completed […]
Women Win Across the Country in 2018 Midterms
Women won more seats in Congress yesterday than ever before, with over 110 women elected, including the first Muslim women, first Native American women, and two women in their twenties. The women who were elected include the former Teacher of the Year, small business owners, former military helicopter pilots, activists, a former CIA officer, and […]
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American College of Physicians’ New Gun violence Reduction Recommendations
On Monday, the American College of Physicians (ACP) released new recommendations in the Annals of Internal Medicine for doctors on how to reduce gun violence across the country. These recommendations were released two days after the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the United States at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. In the […]
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Death Toll from Hurricane Maria Higher Than Originally Reported
Fourteen Democrats from the House Committee on Natural Resources have called for an investigation into the Harvard study published last week that concluded Hurricane Maria caused 73 times more deaths than originally claimed by the U.S. government.
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Thousands March For Our Lives
On Saturday, thousands of people took the streets of more than 800 cities and towns around the world to take part in the March For Our Lives, a student-led movement advocating for commonsense gun reform in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 students and teachers on Valentine’s Day.
Assault Weapons Ban Gets Renewed Attention
Florida State Representatives rejected a proposal Tuesday to move forward with debate on a bill that would ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. The measure was rejected 36-71 as survivors of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida watched on from the gallery in tears.
Students Demand Gun Reform, Condemn NRA Influence
Students across the country are demanding that politicians address the epidemic of gun violence and are calling out those who take money from the National Rifle Association (NRA) in exchange for silence and inaction. These actions come in the wake of last week’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, during which 17 teachers and students were killed by a 19-year old man armed with a semiautomatic assault rifle.
