US Supreme Court sidesteps dispute on state laws regulating social media
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday sidestepped making a decision on the legality of Republicanbacked laws in Florida and Texas designed to restrict the power of social media companies to curb content that the platforms deem objectionable.
The justices unanimously threw out separate judicial decisions involving challenges brought by tech industry trade groups to the two laws under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment limits on the government's ability to restrict speech. The justicesdecidedthelowercourtsdidnotadequately assess the First Amendment implications and directed them to conduct further analysis.
The Supreme Court's ruling came on the final day of the Supreme Court's term that began in October.
The two 2021 laws authorized the states to regulate the content-moderation practices of large social media platforms.
US workplace safety agency proposes protections from extreme heat
The Biden administration on Tuesday unveiled a long-awaited proposal that would require many U.S. employers to protect 36 million workers from extreme heat.
The proposed rule, opens new tab from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which enforces workplace safety laws, would require employers to provide workers with water and shaded or air-conditioned areas to take breaks when temperatures at indoor or outdoor work sites reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).
At 90 F, workers would be guaranteed 15-minute breaks every two hours and employers would be required to monitor workers for heat-related illness. When businesses hire new employees, the rule would mandate that their workload gradually increases to allow them to adjust to high temperatures.
Souce:
https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-set-decide-fate-texas-floridasocial-media-laws-2024-07-01/
US Supreme Court gives miners, farmers new shot at overturning regulations
Challengers to federal rules covering a range of industries including mining and farming got a fresh shot on Tuesday at rolling back regulations as the U.S. Supreme Court applied a new standard for reviewing the power of federal agencies.
Nine lower-court rulings were vacated by the Supreme Court and sent back to be reconsidered in light of Friday's decision reversing the decades-old Chevron doctrine that said judges should defer to agencies to interpret laws they administer.
The cases were the first of what is expected to be a wave of rulings reassessing the power of federal regulators, who make rules covering everything from food and drugs to airlines and drinking water.
"This is going to have a widespread effect that we're going to be feeling for the months and years to come," said Loren Seehase, senior counsel at conservative legal group Liberty Justice Center.
US asylum change aims to speed up some rejections at Mexico border
Millions of Americans took a welcome Fourth of July break on Thursday, flocking to parades, fireworks shows and barbecues for a brief respite from the daily drumbeat of unsettling news at home and abroad.
The holiday, which marks the July 4 signing of the Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776, is a day when Americans traditionally celebrate with proud displays of old-fashioned patriotism.
This year, with the country's drift toward hyperpartisanship and an election battle underway between President Joe Biden and challenger Donald Trump, it was a chance for Americans to come together for a day and forget about their differences.
"It seems to me that the country is much more divided than it ever has been," said Dwight Kinsey, 69, a New York City resident enjoying the sun on the Coney Island beach on Wednesday.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-gives-miners-farmers-newshot-overturning-regulations-2024-07-02/
Alaska sues to challenge new NPR-A oil and gas leasing rules
The state of Alaska on Wednesday said it has filed a lawsuit challenging new federal regulations imposed for oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A).
In April, President Joe Biden's administration took steps to limit both oil and gas drilling and mining in Alaska.
The regulations blocked development on 40% of NPR-A to protect wildlife habitat and indigenous communities' way of life, but did not affect existing oil and gas operations.
"The new rules were passed without proper input from affected parties, exceeded their congressional authorization and were rushed into place as an end-run on congressional oversight," the state of Alaska said in a statement.
Souce:
https://www.reuters.com/legal/alaska-sues-challenge-new-npr-a-oil-gas-leasingrules-2024-07-04/