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In another landmark ruling from the conservative-majority Supreme Court, this time related to protecting free speech and religious expression, the court ruled 6-3 in favor today of a Christian graphic designer who maintains that her religious beliefs prevent her from working on projects related to same-sex weddings. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority, “The First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees.”
Student Debt Forgiveness Nixed
Also in a 6-3 decision today, the court put a stop to the president’s $430 billion plan to cancel or reduce federal student loan debts for millions of Americans. The Justices in the majority said the Biden administration overstepped its authority with the plan, and it leaves borrowers on the hook for repayments that are expected to resume in the fall. The court also said that the administration needed Congress’ endorsement before undertaking such a costly program. It also rejected arguments that a 2003 law dealing with student loans, known as the HEROES Act, gave Biden the power he claimed.
DOJ Claims Florida Law Is Unconstitutional
A new Florida law that prohibits some Chinese citizens from purchasing property in the Sunshine State is unconstitutional, according to the Justice Department. The DOJ Claims it violates the Federal Fair Housing Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
The law, signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, also restricts land purchases from some citizens of several other countries including Iran and Russia. Republican lawmakers in other states have proposed bills that would ban Chinese citizens from buying or owning property, but Florida’s was the first to be signed into law.
The Parkland deputy who fled during a high school massacre was found not guilty of neglect of a child and culpable negligence in a court on Thursday. Jurors spent about three days deliberating the case of former Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson, who remained outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during a gunman’s six-minute attack on February 14, 2018.
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A tech industry trade group is challenging a new state law in Arkansas that requires parental permission for minors to create social media accounts. NetChoice, a group whose members include Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday over the measure signed by Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders in April. The requirement is set to go into effect on September 1. The lawsuit argues that the new requirement violates the constitutional rights of users and singles out types of speech that would be restricted.
Feds Tracking Baby Infections Caused By Baby Formula
U.S. health officials have started tracking infections caused by a rare but potentially deadly germ that sickened babies and triggered a baby formula shortage last year. A group that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agreed Thursday to add infections caused by cronobacter to the list of serious conditions reported to the agency. States will now be asked, but not required, to notify the CDC about cronobacter infections, although they usually comply. Such infections are required to be reported now in only two states, Minnesota and Michigan.
Madonna Released From Hospital
Madonna is back at home and on the mend after being rushed to the hospital with a serious bacterial infection. The 64-year-old pop star was taken to the ICU after she was reportedly found “unresponsive” in New York last Saturday. The news comes after sources revealed that the singer’s management team held a crisis Zoom meeting the next morning amid fears that she might not have survived the bacterial infection that saw her admitted to intensive care.
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