Legislation & Lobbying

16% of Americans think Clarence Thomas is chief justice, ABA civics survey finds

In a new survey, the ABA highlighted gaps in Americans’ knowledge of history and government as part of the ABA Survey of Civic Literacy 2019, the first comprehensive survey of its kind by the association. The results of the nationwide poll of 1,000 people were released Wednesday to mark Law Day, a national event established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1958 to recognize the country’s commitment to the rule of law.

May 1, 2019 6:00 AM CDT

Kansas Supreme Court rules state constitution guarantees abortion rights, even if Roe is overturned

A decision by the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday means that even if Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortions would stay legal in the state.

Apr 29, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

Equal Rights Amendment will get a hearing before House Judiciary Committee next week

The House Judiciary Committee expects to hold the first hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment in 36 years on Tuesday, April 30, committee chairman Jerrold Nadler recently announced. Nadler (D-N.Y.) has said that passage of the ERA is long overdue, and called it an “embarrassment for our nation” not to…

Apr 25, 2019 4:25 PM CDT

State lawmakers consider right to grow front yard veggies after couple’s court loss

A couple’s appellate loss in their quest to grow a front yard vegetable garden has attracted the attention of Florida lawmakers. The Florida Senate passed a bill in March that would bar counties and municipalities from regulating vegetable gardens on residential properties, report the Miami Herald, Treehugger.com and the Tallahassee…

Apr 16, 2019 8:00 AM CDT

Former White House counsel indicted in Mueller probe fallout

Criminal Justice

Apr 11, 2019 4:16 PM CDT

New bill would end ‘bureaucratic nightmare’ for Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., have introduced the What You Can Do for Your Country Act of 2019 to bolster the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which Gillibrand says is “failing to meet its obligation” to ease student debt.

Apr 11, 2019 3:59 PM CDT

‘Meeting unmet legal needs’ is the focus of 2019 ABA Day

ABA leaders and state and local bar members from around the country will meet with their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill this week as part of ABA Day, an annual initiative organized by the Governmental Affairs Office to encourage members to advocate for issues of critical importance to the legal profession.

Apr 10, 2019 10:35 AM CDT

Equality Act would afford federal protections to LGBTQ+ individuals, ABA president says

ABA President Bob Carlson sent a letter to the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, urging members to support the Equality Act of 2019, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity and sexual orientation. In the letter, Carlson explained that the legislation would include LGBTQ+ individuals in the…

Apr 2, 2019 4:04 PM CDT

SCOTUS rejects deportable immigrants’ argument against no-bail detention after arrest delay

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that federal immigration law requires no-bail civil detention of some potentially deportable immigrants, even if they are arrested years after their release from prison.

Mar 19, 2019 11:06 AM CDT

With LSC under threat for third year, ABA president asks Congress to increase legal aid funding

ABA President Bob Carlson has called on Congress to not only reject the Trump administration's proposal to eliminate all federal funding for the Legal Services Corp., but to also increase its support of the independent nonprofit organization so more individuals can gain access to the justice system.

Mar 18, 2019 3:40 PM CDT

Proposed EU regulation to modernize copyright laws generates controversy, heated opposition

The European Parliament is preparing to vote on a new copyright directive that will clamp down on online copyright infringement and harmonize laws across its 28 member states, according to proponents. But many think the directive will chill free speech.

Mar 18, 2019 7:10 AM CDT

New ABA report surveys cryptocurrency regulations

The ABA Business Law Section released a major report on digital assets and cryptocurrency regulation on Wednesday. The 353-page document titled “Digital and Digitized Assets: Federal and State Jurisdictional Issues” provides definitions relevant to digital currency, domestic regulatory issues, and what international bodies and other countries are doing when confronted…

Mar 15, 2019 4:45 PM CDT

Inconsistent policies in military housing can lead to families losing their pets, ABA president tells Senate committee

ABA President Bob Carlson sent a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, urging members to expand their inquiry into the condition of the military housing privatization initiative to also consider policies that may prevent military families from bringing their pets—or even service or emotional support animals—when transferred between duty stations.

Mar 14, 2019 1:20 PM CDT

Would expanded criminal background checks hurt federal job applicants?

The Trump administration wants applicants for federal jobs and contractor positions to divulge whether they have gone through diversion programs such as drug courts that are meant to help people avoid prison. But critics say the move undermines the whole idea of sentencing alternatives that are designed to keep permanent blemishes off participants’ records, avoiding negative background checks that can limit jobs, housing and education.

Mar 8, 2019 7:00 AM CST

Wyoming and Vermont hope to attract tech entrepreneurs by passing laws favorable to blockchain

Wyoming enacted bills to entice the blockchain industry, while Vermont created favorable laws that attempt to clear up legal ambiguity surrounding distributed ledger technology.

Mar 1, 2019 1:10 AM CST