A federal judge ruled that the measure violated the U.S. government’s right to enforce its laws and was a threat to public safety.
Tag Archives: Federal-State Relations (US)
Supreme Court Hints That It May Duck Two Big Cases
Recent orders suggest that the justices are thinking of dismissing cases involving the “independent state legislature” theory and Title 42, an immigration measure imposed during the pandemic.
Watching the Watchmen
The government must match continued investments in policing with reforms that make police more accountable to the communities that they serve.
New Lawsuit Challenges State Bans on Abortion Pills
The case, brought by GenBioPro, a company that makes one of two abortion drugs, argues that it is unconstitutional for a state to bar access to a medication approved by the federal government.
Supreme Court Refuses to Block California’s Ban on Flavored Tobacco
The state’s voters had overwhelmingly supported letting a two-year-old law take effect, and lower courts had refused to put it on hold.
This Case Should Never Have Made It to the Supreme Court
Moore v. Harper is a political power grab in the guise of a legal theory.
A Court Case That Could Transform Elections
The Supreme Court seems unusually split over a case that could give state legislatures largely unchecked power to set election rules.
Is the Supreme Court About to Upend American Election Laws?
Here’s what to know about a court case that could change the way Americans vote — and who decides how they do.
Students, Legal Scholars Push California Universities to Hire Undocumented Students
With a soaring number of immigrant students not eligible to work legally, a new campaign is urging the influential University of California system to employ undocumented students.
Jim Crow Should Have Made One Thing Clear
We don’t need foreign models to understand America’s authoritarian tendencies
Top State Judges Make a Rare Plea in a Momentous Supreme Court Election Case
In a surprising filing, state chief justices opposed an argument pressed by Republicans — that state legislatures may set federal election rules unconstrained by state constitutions.
On Monkeypox, Health Secretary Says States ‘Need to Work With Us’
The suggestion that states need to do more seemed to startle state and local officials, who said in interviews that they are generally satisfied with the federal government’s response.
States With Abortion Bans Are Among Least Supportive for Mothers and Children
They tend to have the weakest social services and the worst results in several categories of health and well-being.
The National Ambitions of States’ Rights Reactionaries
Will a red-state social order be imposed on the rest of the country?
What’s the Difference Between a Woman and a Sea Turtle? The Senate Wants to Know.
Don’t be fooled. The debate over Roe is all about women and sex.
Only the Feds Can Disqualify Madison Cawthorn and Marjorie Taylor Greene
State courts or elections boards lack jurisdiction in keeping alleged insurrectionists off a congressional ballot.
Ketanji Brown Jackson Has Her Work Cut Out for Her
The scope of judicial review is itself part of the problem.
This Is Why It Took More Than 100 Years to Get an Anti-Lynching Bill
Our political system was the primary obstacle to protecting the lives and livelihoods of its own citizens.
Supreme Court, in Case on Veteran Hurt by Burn Pits, Debates War Powers
The justices seemed split on whether Congress can allow suits against states that discriminate against injured service members returning from conflicts.
The Whole Point of the Constitution Was to Weaken the States
There’s a reason Madison was a federalist.
Covid Stimulus Money Brings Clashes Within Cities and Counties
As communities across the United States receive pandemic relief money, fierce debates have erupted over priorities, and who has the power to set them.
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Law on Adopting Native American Children
The Indian Child Welfare Act calls for special solicitude for the sovereignty and heritage of tribes in adoption decisions.
Justice Department Sues Missouri Over Its Gun-Rights Law
Attorney General Merrick Garland argued that the law allowing citizens to sue police for $50,000 for violating their right to bear arms was unconstitutional.
C.D.C. Resists Pressure to Change Guidance on Masks
The Biden administration said federal masking guidance would not change for now, but was seeking advice from public health experts on the way forward.
As Infrastructure Money Flows, Wastewater Improvements Are Key
The new law allocates $11.7 billion for wastewater and stormwater projects. Will it get to the impoverished communities who need it most?
Why Joe Biden Needs More Than Accomplishments to Be a Success
A theory of political time explains how he has become a prisoner of great expectations.
Justice Dept. Files Voting Rights Suit Against Texas Over Map
The department said the state’s redistricting plan would violate the Voting Rights Act by discriminating against minority voters.
What an America Without Roe Would Look Like
Legal abortions would fall, particularly among poor women in the South and Midwest, and out-of-state travel and abortion pills would play a bigger role.
Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated: Europe’s Covid Culture War
In pockets of Europe, vaccine resistance has become the long tail of the populist nationalist movements that shook up European politics for a decade.
Federal Judge Hears Arguments Over Texas Abortion Law
The Justice Department said the law was intended to “violate the Constitution,” and asked for it to be suspended while the courts determine if it is legal.
What Sandra Day O’Connor Stood For on the Supreme Court
Forty years after her appointment as the court’s first female justice, it’s worth reflecting on the path she took.
House Plans to Vote on Abortion Rights Bill
The measure has little chance of becoming law, but its consideration reflects a view among Democrats that the issue could resonate in midterm congressional elections.
With Roe Under Threat, House Plans to Vote on Bill to Counter Abortion Curbs
The measure has little chance of becoming law, but its consideration reflects a view among Democrats that the issue could resonate in midterm congressional elections.
Texas Leaders Are Having Problems. Time to Attack the Feds!
The state’s attorney general is trying to distract from his legal troubles by fomenting election-fraud rage.
The Really Big Fight on Voting Rights Is Just Around the Corner
The John Lewis Act would reaffirm Congress’s central role in protecting the right to vote against racially discriminatory changes.
Juneteenth Reminds Us Just How Far We Have to Go
Abolishing slavery was only one step on a winding journey.
Constitutional Challenges Loom Over Proposed Voting Bill
The sprawling legislation, known as H.R. 1, could result in lawsuits leading to a dozen Supreme Court cases, legal experts said.
The Biden Plan for Free Community College Has a Big Challenge
A federal solution has to account for states that vary widely in how much they charge for tuition.
Cities Are Flouting Flood Rules. The Cost: $1 Billion.
Cities and towns nationwide are failing to properly restrict construction in flood zones, an analysis for The Times found, violating taxpayer-subsidized insurance rules.
How to Counter the Republican Assault on Voting Rights
Congress should consider a targeted federal law to slow the march of restrictive state laws.
Biden Administration Faces Legal Fight Over State Aid Restrictions on Tax Cuts
The litigation came amid growing pushback from Republican lawmakers and state officials to a provision in the relief package that the Treasury Department said was constitutional.
A Powerful New Framing of America’s First Civil Rights Movement
Kate Masur’s “Until Justice Be Done” looks back at the fight for Black people’s freedom and equality, from the Revolutionary War to Reconstruction.
Republican Attorneys General Press Biden Over Restrictions on State Aid in Stimulus Plan
In a letter, 21 officials asked the Treasury secretary, Janet L. Yellen, to clarify how expansively her department would interpret a portion of the law.
Should Biden Cancel Student Debt?
It’s a trillion-dollar crisis that’s crippling the economy and dooming millions of college graduates. So what’s the fairest way to fix it?
As Biden Urges Caution on Covid, Governors Split on How Fast to Reopen
Even within political parties, governors were taking different approaches as they tried to balance public health guidance with residents’ eagerness to get back to normal life.
Empty Office Buildings Squeeze City Budgets as Property Values Fall
A looming hit to tax revenues puts pressure on Congress to deliver relief.
Amazon Sues New York Attorney General to Block Covid-19 Charges
The company said the attorney general, Letitia James, had overstepped her authority in investigating workplace safety.
How Our Unemployment Benefits System Failed
A decline in funding and changes in the workplace — and how long people are out of work — have left a program unequal to the 21st-century economy.
Northwest’s Salmon Population May Be Running Out of Time
The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office found that some salmon species are “on the brink of extinction.” Habitat loss, climate change and other factors are to blame, it said.
As the Virus Spikes, Vaccine Distribution Is One More Hurdle for States
Mass vaccination would be a challenge under any circumstances. But doing it during an out-of-control pandemic is straining states, cities and health departments.