Laws

LGBTQ+ Advocates Fight Back Against North Carolina Education Laws

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RALEIGH, N.C. – LGBTQ+ advocates have filed two federal complaints with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice, raising concerns about North Carolina’s education laws. The Campaign for Southern Equality objects to a law known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights and another law that prohibits transgender students from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity. The complaints were submitted on Tuesday and the departments will make a decision on whether to investigate. The Parents’ Bill of Rights, a law supported by Republicans, has faced opposition from LGBTQ+ advocates. It … Read more

Lawsuit Challenges California’s New Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Risk Disclosure Laws

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SAN FRANCISCO, California – A lawsuit has been filed challenging California’s new laws that require businesses to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risks. The Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act and the Climate-Related Financial Risk Act were signed into law recently, mandating annual and biennial disclosures respectively. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and several other organizations filed the lawsuit, arguing that the laws violate the First Amendment and that federal regulations preempt California’s ability to regulate emissions in other states. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with the American Farm Bureau Federation, California … Read more

U.S. Steel Agrees to $42 Million Settlement for Violating Federal Clean Air Laws

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HARRISBURG, Pa. – U.S. Steel has reached a settlement in a lawsuit that accused the company of violating federal clean air laws. The lawsuit, filed by environmental groups Clean Air Council, PennEnvironment, and the Allegheny County Health Department, alleged that the Pittsburgh-based company operated plants without desulfurization controls for over three months, resulting in the release of sulfurous gas into nearby towns. The settlement, which is now being reviewed by a federal judge, includes provisions for $37 million worth of improvements to U.S. Steel’s pollution control and plant reliability systems at its Mon Valley Works … Read more

Thailand’s Progressive Move Forward Party Ordered to Halt Campaign for Reforms on Royal Defamation Laws

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Bangkok, Thailand – The progressive Move Forward Party in Thailand, which emerged as the winner in the last election, has been ordered by the country’s top court to halt its campaign to reform royal defamation laws. The party’s victory in the May 2020 general election disrupted the political order, but its advocacy for military, business monopoly, and lese-majeste law reforms unsettled the conservative elite. As a result, former party leader Pita Limjaroenrat was prevented from becoming prime minister, and the Move Forward Party was excluded from the governing coalition. On Wednesday, Thailand’s Constitutional Court deemed … Read more