Federal judge hears arguments on Louisiana’s 25-foot police buffer law

 By Drew Costley

A federal judge in Baton Rouge heard arguments from news organizations and the state of Louisiana on Wednesday (Dec. 11) on whether a new state law, creating a 25-foot buffer zone around police officers, illegally infringes on First Amendment rights. 

The measure, Act 259, which passed the Louisiana State Legislature in the spring and was signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry in May, makes it a criminal offense to knowingly or intentionally come within 25 feet of a working police officer after being ordered or asked to step back. 

To Thwart Trump Killing Spree, Biden Urged to Commute Death Penalty Cases

The former president, warned a broad rights coalition, "executed more people than the previous ten administrations combined."

A large and diverse coalition of broad coalition of rights organizations on Monday sent a letter to U.S. President Biden Monday, urging him to commute the sentences of all 40 individuals who are on federal death row.

The letter adds to a chorus of voices—including prosecutors and law enforcement officials—advocating for Biden to use his clemency powers to issue such commutations before he departs office.

Disappearing bills: More than 2,300 bills died without a vote in the last two years

By Sameea Kamal

In summary

Few bills fail in the Legislature because lawmakers publicly vote “no.” Instead, most bills die when they are shelved, without lawmakers having to take tough votes.

We know how legislatures work: lawmakers introduce bills, debate on them and vote yes or no. 

Right?

Not exactly. Of the 2,403 bills that died in the recent two-year session, CalMatters’ Digital Democracy data found just 25 failed because a majority of lawmakers voted “no.” 

Most of the remaining bills disappeared through procedural tactics that leave little trace of responsibility for the policy decisions. Rather than vote no, lawmakers typically find ways to sideline bills they don’t want, causing them to fail when they don’t meet procedural deadlines. 

‘Critical race theory’ takes heat from GOP lawmakers on House education panel

 By Shauneen Miranda

WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers railed against what they called “woke” curriculum in schools during a Wednesday hearing in a U.S. House education panel, the latest example of culture wars rocking public education policy.

The hearing brought “critical race theory” to the forefront. The academic framework focuses on the social construction of race and has drawn strong Republican opposition in states across the country.

Though critical race theory is used in college and graduate-level programs, GOP members on the U.S. House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education said the framework is also being taught in K-12 schools.

CBO Provides 'Stark Preview of Healthcare Under Donald Trump'

By Jessica Corbett 

As Congress negotiates the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, a nonpartisan government analysis warned this week that letting the ACA subsidies expire next year would cause millions of Americans to lose health coverage in the years ahead.