Legalectric

REMEMBER THIS?!?!  tRump’s “Statement on Preventing Muslim Immigration” during campaign and AFTER sworn in January, 2017?

Just in, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Hawaii v. Trump – check the language in 3(b) below:

Trump v Hawaii 17-965_h315

Bottom line (click for larger version):

The U.S. Supreme Court has partially reinstated Trump’s EO13780 Travel Ban.  Here’s the Supreme Court decision:

U.S. Supreme Court_Case No. 16-1436_l6hc

Today the MPCA announced several new public “listening sessions” regarding the Clean Power Plan.  There are no rules yet proposed, but there have been many “stakeholder” meetings thus far, listed below. Note there’s one in Rochester on March 9.

And because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, it’s “up in the air,” though Gov. Dayton has pledged to carry on.

North Dakota v. EPA, et al._020916_15A793

Meetings from today forward are an open house at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.:

Upcoming meeting locations:

• February 16:  Bemidji State University, the American Indian Resource Center’s Gathering Place, Bemidji (event flyer here)
• February 23:  University of Minnesota–Duluth, Swenson Civil Engineering Building, Rooms 265/231, Duluth (event flyer here — updated with the full building name)
• February 24: Southwest Minnesota State University Conference Center, Upper Ballroom, Marshall (event flyer here — updated with the new date)
• March 2:  The Wellstone Center, St. Paul (event flyer here)
• March 8:  Minneapolis Urban League, Minneapolis (event flyer here)
• March 9:  Centerstone Plaza Hotel, Rochester (event flyer here)

There will be a rulemaking, but they’re not planning on forming an Advisory Group (which I think should be done), so that means that when they present the rule, it’ll pretty much be a done deal, SO that’s why the stakeholder meetings and info listed below is important, and that’s why you should go to these meetings and speak up.

If you have questions about the rulemaking or anything else regarding the Clean Power Plan, sign up for email notices through GovDelivery.Contact.  For questions about the status of the MPCA’s rulemaking contact Katie Izzo at katie.izzo@state.mn.us or by phone at 651-757-2595.

Clean Power Plan stakeholder group info:

Here are the actual Opinions (and the Dissents are … stunning… hilarious… OH… MY… DOG!):

14-114_6-25-15_King v. Burwell

13-1371_6-25-15_Texas Dept. of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project, Inc.

14-556_3204_6-26-15 – Obergefell v. Hodges

Turns out our own Rep. Frank Hornstein has a tie to this — very cool:

I feel a personal connection to history today. Around a year after my Mom’s death in 1998, my father sold the Cincinnati home I grew up in to James Obergefell and John Arthur. A few years later I visited that home with my father, brother and sister and James and John gave us a tour, proudly showing off the renovations and improvements they made to the place. Scott Dibble’s text to me a few minutes ago says it all: LOVE WINS. Thank you James Obergefell for your courage and activism and may John Arthur’s name forever be a blessing

Here’s the full decision.  … sigh… read the Dissent:

Hobby Lobby_U.S. Supreme Court Case No. 13-354

A short version of this decision, with some implications, taken from the Ginsberg dissent:

In the Court’s view, RFRA demands accommodation of a for-profit corporation’s religious beliefs no matter the impact that accommodation may have on third parties who do not share the corporation owners’ religious faith—in these cases, thousands of women employed by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga or dependents of persons those corporations employ.

This decision mirrors the track of academic “free speech” which follows the institution, not the teachers or students.  This decision follows the corporation, not employees, allowing the corporation to impose its opinions and beliefs on individual workers.  Gee, thanks.

Read the decision, read the dissent…