In late May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that reauthorized the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) by a voice vote. The new version, H.R. 2480, the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act sponsored by U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., expands the current law’s abuse prevention outreach requirements to include […]
Julia Beck, a self-described radical lesbian feminist and the former law and policy co-chair of Baltimore’s LGBTQ Commission, testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday during their hearing for H.R. 5, the Equality Act. The Equality Act would amend virtually all current federal laws covering employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally […]
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) last week tweeted out opposition to the ban on transgendered persons serving in the military. She said, “Banning transgender people from serving in our military violates the fundamental value at the heart of our country: equality. This cannot be our America.” Harris and others who want to see the ban […]
Last Wednesday, the Idaho House of Representatives passed HB 120, a bill that requires parental opt-in for sex education, by a party-line 56 to 14 vote. It now heads to the Republican-controlled Idaho Senate. The bill is sponsored by State Representative Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls) and co-sponsored by 23 Republican lawmakers. It reads, “Any parent or […]
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Congressmen Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.) reintroduced a bill that would essentially render the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) useless. According to its sponsors, the “Do No Harm Act” would prevent the RFRA from being used to deny: Protection against discrimination laws or the promotion of equal […]
The Colorado House voted 42 to 20 in favor of HB 1129 a bill that bans the state’s mental health care providers from practicing conversion therapy on minors.
There is a comprehensive sex education bill under consideration in the Colorado House of Representatives that would significantly erode the rights of parents in the state. HB 19-1032, sponsored by State Representative Susan Lontine (D-Denver), State Senator Nancy Todd (D-Aurora), and State Senator Don Coram (R-Montrose), would prohibit schools that teach human sexuality from providing […]
President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, criticized New York’s expansive new abortion law and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s (D) recent comments defending infanticide: There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our Nation saw in […]
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) appeared on WTOP’s “Ask the Governor” program on Wednesday morning, where the interviewer asked him about the “Repeal Act” filed by Virginia Delegate Kathy Tran (D-West Springfield). The bill sparked a nationwide controversy when Tran admitted that the legislation allowed abortions up to the point of birth, even while the […]
Oregon Governor Kate Brown has made universal home visits one of her priorities in her proposed budget. She has earmarked $4 million for the program, and Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said that the program is not just for parents who are in trouble. “This isn’t something for people in trouble. This is stuff […]
The Supreme Court released two 5-to-4 decisions this week that have serious First Amendment implications. In both decisions, the Court ruled against government coercing speech. In NIFLA v. Becerra, the Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that California’s Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency (FACT) Act was likely constitutional and […]
Last summer, rumors abounded that Associate Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy would retire, but nothing came of it. Those rumors were given new life as Politico released the audio of a speech made by Senator Dean Heller (R-Nev.) in Las Vegas last week. Heller hopes that a Kennedy retirement would rally his base in a […]
Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. This case has enormous religious liberty implications nationwide. You may remember that Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colo., refused to make a custom-made wedding cake for a same-sex couple’s wedding reception in 2012. Even though they were […]
On Sunday, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed AB 569. The bill, introduced by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego), would have prohibited faith-based organizations including churches, colleges, non-profit organizations, and pro-life pregnancy centers from having a code of conduct about abortion and sexual behavior. The bill only provided a ministerial exemption for those who are […]
The U.S. House passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act by a vote of 237 to 187 on Tuesday afternoon. The bill if passed into law would ban abortions after 20 weeks except to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape and incest. This bill was also passed by the House […]
As a former pastor and student of church history, I took issue with a few aspects of Dr. Carolyn McLarty’s article on Tuesday about President Trump’s executive order promoting religious liberty. First, as I wrote at Caffeinated Thoughts, the executive order does not accomplish anything except set a positive tone throughout the administration. I acknowledge […]
Four Colorado state legislators have introduced a bill that would lower the state’s age of consent for outpatient psychotherapy from 15 to 10 years of age. State Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-HD 30) and Lois Landgraf (R-HD 21) along with State Senators Steve Fenberg (D-SD 18) and Don Coram (R-SD 6) are sponsors of HB17-1320. […]
Over the weekend President Donald Trump took to Twitter and made some very serious claims about former President Barack Obama. Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my “wires tapped” in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017 Is it legal for a […]
Deal Hudson earlier this week claimed Donald Trump won his first debate with Hillary Clinton. He said he won because he didn’t self-destruct. We must have been watching two different debates. I think Donald Trump won the first 20 minutes of the debate, but unfortunately for him and his supporters, it was a 90 minute […]
Donald Trump has ended the speculation. Indiana Governor Mike Pence will be Trump’s running mate. Trump’s choice of Pence was a safe, but unimaginative choice. Pence has the legislative and governing experience Trump lacks, but Pence lacks three essential ingredients that Trump needs. It may not be possible to find a running mate who delivers […]