Nebraska judge rules medical marijuana ballot initiatives are valid
A ruling during the week of Nov. 24 brings Nebraska one step closer to a growing list of states where medical marijuana is legal. Although voters across the state approved ballot initiatives earlier this month by more than a two-thirds majority, the resolution was challenged and sent to the courtroom.
The Nebraskans for Marijuana campaign has been at the center of a lawsuit brought by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, the Attorney General’s Office and former State Sen. John Kuehn.
According to court documents, they allege there were issues with how thousands of signatures were collected.
Per Nebraska’s Constitution, ballot sponsors needed 86,499 signatures for both initiatives, which were certified ahead of Election Day by the Secretary of State’s Office.
One initiative focuses on how cannabis is regulated and the other on legalizing its use. Both passed with 67% and 71% of voter approval, respectively, when Nebraskans cast their ballots on Nov. 5.
One of the paid circulators for the campaign was criminally charged for his role in falsifying 164 signatures. That raised questions about the other collected signatures and whether they were properly notarized.
Michael Egbert admitted to forging signatures and illegally adding names to both petitions using a phonebook.
Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana pushed back and said even if some signatures were faulty, the group still has close to 90,000 valid signatures on both petitions.
District Judge Susan Strong agreed with the group and released a 57-page order stating that in order to show fraud, the plaintiffs would have to prove more than 3,000 signatures on each petition were invalid.
However, according to the order, the “presumption of validity” was lost because the plaintiffs could only show less than a thousand signatures were invalid.
Strong wrote her decision wasn’t the result of the exclusion or inclusion of petitions and both Evnen and Kuehn would still fall short of the challenged signatures.
Judge Strong further said she could not find sufficient evidence of widespread wrongdoing through the campaign and the plaintiffs’ arguments were not made during court proceedings.
Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana had previously spent three years working to get these measures on the ballot but weren’t able to meet the signature requirements.
In 2020, the campaign came close before facing another legal issue when the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled the measure was unconstitutional because it violated the “single subject rule.”
Crista Eggers, the statewide campaign manager for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, helped push for the legalization of cannabis to help her son, who suffers from severe seizures and epilepsy.
“Many years of hard work have gone into this effort, from volunteers, patients and families across the state.”
Crista Eggers, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.
In response to the recent decision, she said she hopes the election results will be upheld and that she’s happy with Strong’s ruling. She also looks forward to the safe, regulated use of medical marijuana.
The Attorney General’s Office could file an appeal on the judge’s ruling but the general election results are set to be certified on Dec. 2.
A spokesperson for the AG’s office said they are reviewing the decision and are determining what the next steps are.
Voters in Florida, South Dakota and North Dakota pushed back on legalizing recreational cannabis, denying ballot measures on Election Day.
In 2023, Ohio joined 24 other states – including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Alaska and Arizona – that legalized recreational marijuana use for adults.
The growing support is also prompting the federal government to redefine marijuana. The Drug Enforcement Administration has started the process of reclassifying the drug as less dangerous.
Omaha’s blue dot goes to Kamala Harris, but GOP House candidate leads
Nebraska’s split electoral votes have created a now-famous blue dot in the middle of America in recent elections. Congressional District 2, that dot, split when it was declared for Vice President Kamala Harris, but incumbent Republican Rep. Don Bacon leads in the U.S. House race.
Douglas County is home to Omaha, the largest city within the blue dot. The Douglas County, Nebraska Election Commission will be counting roughly 8,000 ballots on Friday, Nov. 8, most of them from early voting that came in on Monday, Nov. 4, and just before the polls closed on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
The blue dot became somewhat of a focal point with the television networks, the major newspapers and political sites in the run-up to the presidential election.
Nebraska is a state that splits its electoral votes. Congressional District 2, in the traditionally red state of Nebraska, is where Democrats have made inroads in recent elections with Barack Obama winning it in 2008 and Joe Biden in 2020.
National pundits presented various scenarios in which the electoral college and the path to 270 had Kamala Harris at 269, needing one electoral vote to push her over the top and win the election. Democrats in Omaha held out hope it would be them and the blue dot.
Harris lost the election, but she did win the blue dot’s one electoral vote. According to the Nebraska secretary of state, she garnered 51% of the vote to Donald Trump’s 47.5%, a margin of about 11,000 votes.
Now, Republicans are counting on District 2 to help them keep control of the House of Representatives. Incumbent Rep. Don Bacon, R, is seeking a fifth term. He leads Democratic challenger Tony Vargas by 8,000 votes. Vargas had hoped to flip the seat from red to blue.
Bacon declared victory in Nebraska District 2 and said the blue dot should now be called the “Bacon dot.” Vargas has refused to concede, saying every vote needs to be counted.
The measure passed in Missouri with 58% voting in favor. It requires companies to give employees one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, totaling up to five days per year for small businesses with fewer than 15 employees and up to seven days a year for larger companies.
In Nebraska, 74% of voters said they were in favor of requiring companies to offer paid sick leave. Small businesses must now provide 40 hours per year — or up to five days — paid sick leave, and large businesses must give employees up to 56 hours — or seven days’ worth.
Nebraska considers small companies to be those having fewer than 20 employees.
So far in Alaska, 56% of voters want paid sick leave. As of Wednesday, Nov. 6, only 76% of Alaska’s precincts had reported, so that could change, but the measure is still likely to pass.
It’s similar to Missouri’s measure, requiring one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. It’ll require smaller employers to provide up to five days paid sick leave, and larger ones seven.
The measure also raises the state’s minimum wage to $15 dollars per hour by 2027. Currently, Alaska’s minimum wage is $11.73 an hour.
Marijuana measures run into strong opposition during 2024 election
Americans in four states voted on marijuana measures on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Two measures passed while three others failed.
Voters in North Dakota considered a measure that asked them to decide if they should legalize the consumption and sale of recreational marijuana for people 21 and over. The measure lost by about five points. Medical marijuana was already legal in the state.
Measure 29 in South Dakota would’ve also legalized the possession, sale and use of recreational marijuana by anyone 21 and over. However, that measure was defeated by more than 12%.
In Florida, a state constitutional amendment would’ve legalized the possession and purchase of recreational marijuana. A majority of Florida voters supported it but the amendment failed to reach the 60% needed to pass.
Two medical marijuana measures passed in Nebraska. It’s now legal for Nebraskans to possess, use and buy up to 5 ounces of cannabis for medical purposes. People will need to get a written note from a health care provider before.
It’s also legal for private companies to set up dispensaries. The state will establish the Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate it.
This was the third time medical marijuana supporters have tried to get a law passed in Nebraska. They argue it will provide relief for those suffering from medical conditions like seizures and epilepsy.
Trump speaks of ‘incredible’ win after projected to be next US president
Donald Trump is poised to win the presidency again. How Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania helped put him over the top. And while Republicans have picked up seats in the Senate, will they also take the House? A look at where things stand. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.
Trump speaks of ‘incredible’ win after projected to be next U.S. president
Former President Donald Trump declared victory while addressing supporters in Florida early Wednesday morning, Nov. 6, as his lead over Vice President Kamala Harris grew. He picked up critical wins in key battleground states Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina.
“We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible, and it is now clear that we’ve achieved the most incredible political thing,” Trump said. “Look what happened — is this crazy? But it’s a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this. I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president.”
Harris’ path to the 270 electoral votes has become less of a possibility, with most media outlets projecting Trump as the winner Wednesday morning. As of the time this article was published, Fox News, ABC, NBC, CBS, the Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ, a forecasting and analysis organization, have projected him to be the winner.
Donald Trump wins presidency for second time, completing improbable comeback https://t.co/VGPT8X5I88
Trump, who survived two assassination attempts during the campaign, was surrounded by family, Republican leaders, and his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance as he addressed the crowd inside the Palm Beach Convention Center around 2:30 a.m. ET Wednesday.
“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” he told supporters. “Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason and that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness and now we are going to fulfill that mission together.”
Vice President Harris, who picked up wins in California and New York, did not speak Tuesday night, Nov. 5, but earlier in the evening campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond spoke to supporters at Howard University. He said the vice president was not giving up the fight despite how the numbers were going.
“We will continue overnight to fight to make sure that every vote is counted, that every voice has spoken, so you won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow,” he said. ”She will be back here tomorrow to address not only the HU family, not only to address our supporters, but to address the nation.”
Multiple news networks have confirmed Harris is slated to speak Wednesday morning. However, it is worth noting there reportedly has been no concession call yet from Harris to Trump.
Ray Bogan recaps election night from Washington
Washington is going to look a lot different in January.
Donald Trump made an extraordinary comeback. He lost the electoral and popular votes in 2020 after stinging defeats in Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania. This time around Trump won back both Georgia and Pennsylvania. He also took Wisconsin.
Republicans also won a majority in the Senate, with key victories in Ohio and West Virginia pushing them over the top. This will give them a key advantage as they work to confirm Trump’s cabinet picks and judicial nominations.
It’s important to remember that the majorities in Congress are razor-thin and nowhere near filibuster-proof in the Senate. So passing legislation will require bipartisanship.
The big question now is – who will be the Senate majority leader? The three candidates are John Thune from South Dakota, John Cornyn from Texas and Rick Scott from Florida.
Balance of power in Congress shifts, GOP retakes control of Senate
As Ray mentioned, the balance of power is shifting in Congress. Republicans will retake control of the Senate for the first time in four years.
The GOP flipped seats in West Virginia and Ohio, giving Republicans at least a 51-seat majority in the Senate.
In West Virginia, Republican Gov. Jim Justice is slated to replace the outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin, an independent who caucused with Democrats. In Ohio, Republican Bernie Moreno is projected by multiple outlets to defeat incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown.
How the House of Representatives will play out remains to be seen. Republicans are hoping to retain control of the chamber.
They currently hold a slim majority, yet there are still over 100 races yet to be determined as of the time of publishing. Going into the night, Democrats needed to flip four seats to gain.
Stein wins in NC governor’s race, Republicans see victory in other states
Voters in 11 states also chose their next governors. While Republicans won big, Democrats did manage to retain power in several states.
North Carolina remained blue after the state’s Democratic attorney general, Josh Stein, beat out controversial Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Robinson — who made history as the first Black lieutenant governor in the state — was already trailing in the polls, but his numbers took a dive in mid-September after CNN released a report detailing comments he allegedly made on a pornography website message board more than a decade ago on race, gender and abortion.
Thank you, North Carolina! I am honored to serve as your next governor. Tonight, we came together to resoundingly embrace a vision that is optimistic, forward-looking, and welcoming. I couldn't have done this without each of you. pic.twitter.com/3eeGGTVHed
In Delaware, Democrat Matt Meyer wins the race for governor. Meyer defeated Republican Mike Ramone and will take over from two-term Democratic Gov. John Carney.
Washington state will stay blue after Attorney General Bob Ferguson beat out Republican challenger Dave Reichert for the job. The seat was up for grabs after Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee said he would not be running again after serving three terms.
Indiana went from blue to red, with Republican Mike Braun defeating Democrat Jennifer McCormick. McCormick is a former Republican who split with the party after serving as the state’s schools superintendent.
Meanwhile, Republican Missouri remained red. The state’s Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe is set to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Mike Parson.
North Dakota stayed red, as well. Kelly Armstrong is projected to succeed Gov. Doug Burgum, who also chose not to run again after serving three terms. It is possible Burgum will get a place in the Trump administration.
Republicans will now have governors in 27 states; Democrats in 23.
*Editor’s Note: This story has been updated since our recording to correct that North Carolina did not flip blue as the current governor, Roy Cooper, is a Democrat.
Voters in four states chose whether to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right. The measure did not pass in Florida, Nebraska or South Dakota, but did in Colorado and Nevada.
Nebraska voters actually had two abortion-related measures on their ballot. While the constitutional right to an abortion failed, the other measure, which would prohibit abortions after the first trimester, passed.
Five other states were deciding on the right to an abortion. The measures passed in Arizona, Maryland, Missouri, and New York and is expected to make it through in Montana.
3 newly elected senators, 1 congresswoman making history
History was made in three states on Election Day.
In Delaware, Lisa Blunt Rochester — who already made history as the first woman and first Black person to represent the state in Congress — will now become the first Black woman to represent Delaware in the U.S. Senate.
Maryland Democrat Angela Alsobrooks will be the first Black candidate to represent her state in the Senate.
We just won our Senate race! As a son of immigrants, a public school kid, I never could’ve imagined I’d get to serve as a US Senator. I’m deeply humbled and grateful to NJ and for everyone who got us here. I promise I’ll serve with honor and integrity as a public servant for all. pic.twitter.com/qpuobm9Vf3
New Jersey Democrat Andy Kim will become the first Korean-American ever elected to the Senate. At 42 years old, he’ll also be the Senate’s third youngest member.
Finally, Sarah McBride, who won Delaware’s only open House seat, will be the first openly transgender person to be elected to Congress.
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Republicans claim Senate majority, end Democrats’ four-year hold
Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District looms large in upcoming election
One week until the presidential election and pundits are running all sorts of scenarios in which former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris win the necessary 270 electoral college votes. One key battleground is Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District.
Nebraska is one of two states that splits its electoral votes. Democratic presidential candidates won the district, which includes the city of Omaha, in 2008 and 2020. Democrats are hoping the district goes for Harris this year and she garners its one electoral vote. They have also given the district a nickname: Nebraska’s Blue Dot.
A New York Times poll, out this week, has Harris leading Trump by 12 points in the district, 54% to 42%. Trump is ahead statewide and if the numbers hold, Trump would win four electoral votes and Harris one.
There is also a key congressional race in the 2nd District. Republican incumbent Don Bacon is vying for a fifth term. His Democratic challenger is State Sen. Tony Vargas, who narrowly lost to Bacon in 2022.
Democrats need to pick up just four seats in the upcoming election to take control of the House of Representatives.
For Bacon to keep his seat, he might need many voters in the 2nd District to be ticket-splitters, which means voting for Harris for president but then switching to Bacon in the congressional race.
Bacon admits he is facing strong political headwinds this time around.
FSIS issues alert over illegally imported foods from Myanmar
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert Thursday, Oct. 24, centered on several meat and poultry products from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Officials said these food items were illegally imported.
The Southeast Asian nation is not eligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States. The products include cans and packages of beef, chicken and fish. The FSIS says the items do not bear an establishment number or a USDA mark of inspection.
In a statement to Straight Arrow News Friday, Oct. 25, an FSIS spokesperson said the agency is investigating how the products entered the country. The spokesperson says Barlarlar.com is the importer of the record. Straight Arrow News has reached out to the company for comment.
The FSIS directed Straight Arrow News to its “import certification checklist,” an overview of the steps needed to be taken when importing meat, poultry or egg products to the United States.
The first step being –– “products must originate from certified countries and establishments eligible to export to the united states.”
The FSIS says officials discovered the products from Myanmar while performing surveillance activities at a retailer.
The products were shipped to retail locations in nine states: Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.
So far, the FSIS says no adverse reactions have been reported from anyone eating these products.
This is not the first time this year the FSIS has issued a public health alert regarding meat and poultry items imported from Myanmar.
Back in August, the agency warned consumers about products not bearing any import marks that were shipped to retailers nationwide. That investigation is still active, according to the FSIS website.
A separate open investigation from July involves meat and poultry products illegally imported from the Philippines, another country ineligible to export these products to the United States. The items were shipped to restaurants and retailers to multiple states across the East Coast.
In a statement regarding this latest incident the agency says, “FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries and on retailers’ shelves. Retailers who have purchased the products are urged not to sell them. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
Consumers with food safety questions can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.
Harris, Trump speak on importance of election with 13 days to go
With less than two weeks until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris got some help on the campaign trail from a former president and a famous rapper, while former President Donald Trump targeted a certain voting block. And one of McDonald’s famous burgers has been linked to a deadly E. coli outbreak. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024.
Harris, Trump speak on importance of election with 13 days to go
With less than two weeks to go until the next U.S. president is chosen, both candidates are highlighting the importance of this year’s election as they make their final pushes to sway undecided voters on the campaign trail.
During an interview with NBC News on Tuesday, Oct. 22, Vice President Kamala Harris once again addressed how her presidency would be different than that of President Joe Biden.
“Let me be very clear, mine will not be a continuation of the Biden administration,” she said. “I bring my own experiences, my own ideas to it, and it has informed a number of my areas of focus, most of which are on to your point, lowering costs. The voters know it, I know it.”
During the interview, Harris was asked about why she is reluctant to talk about the historic nature of her candidacy. If she were to win, she would become the first female U.S. president.
“Well, I’m clearly a woman, I don’t need to point that out to anyone. The point that most people really care about is, can you do the job, and do you have a plan to actually focus on them?” she said. “My challenge is the challenge of making sure I can talk with and listen to as many voters as possible and earn their vote. And I will never assume that anyone in our country should elect a leader based on their gender or their race. Instead, that that leader needs to earn the vote based on substance and what they will do to address challenges.”
In Detroit, a rally was held in support of the vice president featuring rapper Eminem and former President Barack Obama.
“I also think that people shouldn’t be afraid to express their opinions, and I don’t think anyone wants an America where people are worried about retribution, or what people will do if you make your opinion known,” Eminem told rallygoers. “I think Vice President Harris supports a future for this country where these freedoms and many others will be protected and upheld.”
“We’re not going to play games because we’re going to lose our country, our country is failing,” Trump said. “We don’t know what we’re doing. We’re laughed at all over the world. [Chinese] President Xi [Xinping] thinks we’re stupid. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin thinks we’re stupid. That would have never happened if I were president. Putin would have never ever got into Ukraine.”
Then the former president returned to North Carolina for a rally where he criticized the vice president for not having any campaign events so close to Election Day.
THANK YOU, NORTH CAROLINA! This election is a choice between whether we will have four more years of incompetence, failure, and disaster—or whether we will begin the FOUR GREATEST YEARS in the HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY! pic.twitter.com/JJhJsJcOHk
“You know what she did?” he said. “She took a day off. How do you take a day off 14 days — you don’t take days off, right? I’ve gone 52 days, now, I got 14 more. We don’t take days off we got to win this thing if we don’t win it our country is in big trouble.”
Next up on the campaign trail, Vice President Harris will visit Pennsylvania Wednesday and then on Thursday, Oct. 24, hold a rally in Atlanta alongside Bruce Springsteen. Former President Trump will visit Georgia Wednesday and will record an interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast on Friday, Oct. 25.
The Georgia Supreme Court said it will not step in to reinstate Republican-backed new election rules ahead of Election Day. Seven of the rules, put in place by the State Election Board after the 2020 election, were declared “illegal, unconstitutional, and void,” by a lower-level judge last week.
On Tuesday, Georgia’s supreme court rejected the Republican-led effort to put the rules, which include one requiring ballots be hand-counted and two related to certifying results, back in place and declined to consider an expedited appeal.
Israel says it killed man next in line to lead Hezbollah
Israel said it has killed the man who was next in line to take over as the leader of the militant group Hezbollah. Israeli officials say an air strike in Beiruit, Lebanon killed Hashem Safieddine a few weeks ago, along with other commanders of the Iran-backed militant group.
Hezbollah has not confirmed Israel’s claim that Safeiddine is dead.
🔴 Hashem Safieddine, Head of the Hezbollah Executive Council and Ali Hussein Hazima, Commander of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters, were eliminated during a strike on Hezbollah’s main intelligence HQ in Dahieh approx. 3 weeks ago.
This comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the Middle East looking to broker a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas in the wake of the the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and bring more humanitarian aid to Gaza.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, Israeli leaders told Blinken it’s not Israel’s policy to isolate northern Gaza, despite recent United Nations claims that Israeli authorities have denied efforts to bring more aid to the area, according to an NBC News report.
In a letter this month, Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gave Israel 30 days to increase basic humanitarian aid to Gaza or risk restrictions on U.S. military assistance, as required under U.S. law. Israeli officials said they have taken actions in response to the letter, and while Blinken acknowledged progress has been made, he said it is not sufficient.
McDonald’s Quarter Pounders linked to multi-state E. coli outbreak
The CDC has issued a safety alert over a McDonald’s staple: the fast-food chain’s iconic Quarter Pounder. Health officials say McDonald’s Quarter Pounders have been linked to E. coli outbreaks in at least ten states.
E. COLI OUTBREAK: CDC is investigating 49 illnesses in 10 states linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers. If you ate a Quarter Pounder hamburger from McDonald’s and have severe symptoms of E. coli, contact your healthcare provider. https://t.co/g87itkupCQpic.twitter.com/gHzUKCnTi9
The CDC says, so far, it appears the onions used as a topping on the burgers are the likeliest source of the outbreak. McDonald’s has now stopped using the onions and is not serving the Quarter Pounder in affected states.
In a statement, the company said it believes the onions came from a single supplier.
Denny’s closing 150 restaurants, including 50 by end of 2024
It seems Denny’s hasn’t been such a grand slam for Americans lately. The diner chain, known for its Grand Slam breakfast, is closing 150 of its restaurants.
Denny’s, which has been in business for more than 70 years, says the focus is on closing locations that are too old to remodel, as well as some in unprofitable areas. It has not yet specified which locations are shutting down.
FAA finalizes rule for electric air taxis to enter service
We might soon be riding around in flying vehicles called electric air taxis after the Federal Aviation Administration released what its say is the “final piece of the puzzle.”
An extraordinary moment for aviation! Our rule for training and certificating pilots to fly powered lift is the final piece of the puzzle to get these revolutionary aircraft flying safely in our skies. https://t.co/96Q7TQZfkMpic.twitter.com/7RvSqbdGT8
The FAA issued its new rules Tuesday regarding the planes — 880 pages of special regulations including training protocols for pilots and operational requirements for the half-airplane, half-helicopter air taxis. The planes act like a helicopter during takeoff then change modes to be more like an airplane during flight, before switching back for the landing.
The FAA calls it the introduction to “a new category of aircraft.” The first electric air taxi could be operational by sometime next year.
Paid sick leave on the ballot in several states in November
Voters in Missouri, Nebraska and Alaska, will go to the polls in November and vote whether to mandate paid sick leave for workers. The issue initially gained steam during the COVID pandemic. Right now, employees who are part-time or lower-wage workers are less likely to have such coverage.
Without sick leave, some workers feel they have to make a tough choice at times, between their financial well-being and their physical health. More specifically, they opt to go into work when sick, because they don’t want to lose money.
If paid sick leave passes, workers would be compensated based on how much time they have accrued and their jobs would be held for them when they are “out sick” or caring for a family member. Each state would have different policies.
In the Missouri case, businesses would be required to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. The maximum leave would be five days a year for employees of small businesses and seven days a year for larger companies.
Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., currently mandate paid sick leave. In addition, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires most employers to provide unpaid leave for certain situations, such as after the birth of a child or a long-term illness.
Opponents, including some business groups and chambers of commerce, have said paid sick leave constitutes a mandate and government overreach. They said that it should be up to individual business owners to decide whether to provide such a benefit to workers.
On Thursday, Oct. 10, attorneys who represent immigrants called “Dreamers,” protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, defended it before a federal court. Now, federal judges will decide the program’s fate.
DACA shields immigrants who came into the United States as children and don’t have permanent legal status or a path to citizenship. The program was meant to be temporary during the Obama administration.
But 12 years later, the program is still going, despite legal battles. Over the last six years, Texas and eight other Republican-led states that oppose the policy have sought to end it in court.
The Biden administration has tried to turn DACA into federal regulation. Their attempts have been in hopes of increasing the program’s chances of surviving legal challenges in the future.
It was first challenged in 2018, when the nine Republican-led states enacted their lawsuit after then-President Donald Trump’s efforts to terminate DACA failed. A Supreme Court ruling kept the program in place.
It could take weeks or months for a new federal ruling, which could lead to the fate of DACA being left to the incoming administration. Vice President Kamala Harris has been supportive of the initiative.
There were roughly 535,000 immigrants enrolled in DACA at the end of June, according to government data.
