Civil Rights
Trump ‘White House in waiting’ helped develop Ohio voting bill touted as model for states
A new bill announced by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to standardize and modernize state voting records is being welcomed by election administrators and some voter advocates, who say it could increase transparency and confidence in elections. But the first-of-its-kind legislation was developed with help from a think tank that is leading the charge […]
Legislation barring trans athletes from women’s sports introduced in Ohio House
A bill to keep trans athletes from participating in women’s sports in college and youth athletics was introduced in the Ohio House on Wednesday. State Rep. Jena Powell’s House Bill 6 came to the House Higher Education Committee, where Powell spent her testimony emphasizing the biological differences between males and females, and decrying a “biological […]
Idaho college censors portions of art exhibit for discussing abortion
Artists whose work was scheduled to be displayed at Lewis-Clark State College for an exhibition called “Unconditional Care” say their First Amendment rights were violated after the college censored parts of the show related to abortion. The college, which is located in Lewiston, Idaho, and serves close to 4,000 students, cited Idaho’s No Public Funds […]
As abortion measures loom, GOP raises new barriers to ballot initiatives
This story was originally published by Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Roused by voters’ recent endorsement of abortion rights — even in conservative states — Republican legislators are ramping up efforts to make it tougher for citizens to change laws or amend state constitutions through ballot measures. Some of the GOP proposals […]
In Selma, President Joe Biden vows to continue work on voting rights
President Joe Biden Sunday praised the courage of civil rights activists and condemned efforts to restrict voting and attack the election process in a speech commemorating the 58th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. In his 20-minute address delivered at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where a law enforcement posse attacked civil […]
Ohio abortion rights amendment takes next step after petition language certified
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has certified petition summary language for a proposed amendment to protect abortion rights in the state constitution, which organizers hope to place on the November ballot. The Ohio Ballot Board will now determine whether or not the initiative only involves changing only one amendment, as required. If approved by the […]
A behind-the-scenes look at how Ohio enacted the most restrictive voter photo ID law in America
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 458 on Jan. 6, enacting what’s been called one of the most restrictive voter-ID laws in the country. Public records obtained by the Ohio Capital Journal show how the law moved through the process, with lawmakers often ignoring moderation suggestions proposed by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office […]
How to find out if your voter registration was removed in Ohio’s latest mass purge
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. The latest mass purge of Ohio voter registration data is not without controversy […]
Doctors recount ‘heart-wrenching’ stories in new study on medical care post-Roe
Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) are trying to piece together how the end of Roe v. Wade has so far transformed pregnancy-related medical care in America, and the yet-to-be-released preliminary data are alarming, the lead principal investigator told States Newsroom in an exclusive interview. The team has already received dozens of […]
House GOP member reintroduces bill to deny gender-affirming health care to Ohio youth
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. An Ohio bill to limit health care for LGBTQ+ youth that was postponed by […]
Democratic governors in 20 states form reproductive rights alliance
Democratic governors from 20 states across the U.S., led by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have formed a Reproductive Freedom Alliance to safeguard and improve abortion and reproductive health care access “in the face of an unprecedented assault by states hostile to abortion rights,” according to a joint statement. The announcement represents another divide in the […]
Activists submit proposal to have abortion protections placed on Ohio’s November ballot
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Less than 48 hours after starting to collect signatures, Ohio activist groups submitted […]