The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday in favor of Catholic Social Services, an adoption and welfare agency, in a discrimination case. The City of Philadelphia contracted with the agency for foster care services. Philadelphia declined to renew Catholic Social Services’ contract with the city because it was out of compliance with a local regulation that [...]

The US Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), rebuking a number of Republican-led states that want to see the law invalidated. The case, California v. Texas, was seen by many court observers as a sequel to the 2012 suit National Federation of Independent Business [...]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday signed a bill that allows for adults to carry a firearm without a permit. The bill, one of seven the governor passed to expand gun laws in the state, allows for any Texan 21 years and older to carry a firearm if they are not barred from doing so. [...]

The Connecticut state Senate on Thursday approved a bill allowing adults to use recreational marijuana. Under the new bill, prior marijuana-related criminal convictions would be erased. Police will be unable to stop and search people or vehicles suspected of possessing marijuana for a cannabis odor. Schools would not be allowed to punish students more for [...]

The National Assembly of Hungary adopted Bill Number T/16365 on Tuesday, effectively banning sexual orientation and gender identity related discourse in schools. The new law, which bans discussions relating to the LGBTQIA+ community, contains various other provisions that put in place stronger measures against acts of pedophilia and sexual crimes against children–all the provisions forming [...]

US President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law Thursday establishing June 19 as a US federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the country. The Senate unanimously passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Tuesday without amendment. The Act then passed overwhelmingly in the House Wednesday with a [...]

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named the Honorable Mahmud Jamal to the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) on Thursday. Jamal will replace the retiring Justice Rosalie Abella, and becomes the first person of color to sit on Canada’s highest court. Preceding Jamal’s appointment, the Liberal government formed a non-partisan advisory board led by former Progressive [...]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 3979 into law Wednesday, banning Texas public schools from being able to teach students critical race theory. Critical race theory is a social theory that asserts that racial issues in society are influenced, created, and maintained by societal structures and cultural assumptions. It focuses on the intersections between gender, [...]

Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards signed a new law on Tuesday that eliminates prison time for the possession of modest amounts of marijuana. The new law is the latest move away from Louisiana’s traditionally strict stance on the drug. The bill makes the possession of 14 grams or less a misdemeanor in all cases and [...]

A judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana ruled Tuesday that the Biden administration does not have the constitutional right to temporarily pause issuing new oil and natural gas leases for offshore and public lands. For now, the federal court has blocked Biden’s executive order issued on January 27. The [...]