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WA: Psych patients in Washington state often held against their will
Holding patients involuntarily is a routine practice in some of Washington state’s private psychiatric hospitals. For many patients, the revelation that they can’t leave has shaken their faith in the system.
NY: New York law now takes 17-year-olds out of adult criminal system
The change is effective this month under the second part of 2017 legislation that raised New York’s age of criminal responsibility to 18. The first part of the law addressing most 16-year-olds went into effect last year. Supporters say incarcerating youth alongside adults is connected with higher suicide rates and increased recidivism.
MI: Michigan transgender rights case at Supreme Court
A Michigan woman will become the first transgender person to have a civil rights complaint heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The 58-year-old said she was fired when she told her boss she was transitioning from male to female.
KS: Supreme Court to review Kansas’ lack of insanity defense
The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to consider how far states can go toward eliminating the insanity defense in criminal trials as it reviews the case of a Kansas man sentenced to die for killing four relatives. His attorneys argue that Kansas violated the U.S. Constitution by denying him the right to pursue an insanity defense.
LA: Convicted felons on parole, probation now allowed to vote in Louisiana, but not all do
Starting in March, Louisiana allowed felons on probation or parole to vote. But only a small fraction of the 36,000 people affected have registered to vote.
WI: Governor issuing 1st Wisconsin pardons in 9 years
Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers plans to issue the first pardons he’s making as governor after he re-started the pardons board in June. Evers’ predecessor, Republican Scott Walker, never issued a single pardon over his eight years as governor.
CT: Connecticut governor revamping transportation plan to unclog choke-points
Democratic Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is preparing to unveil a revamped transportation plan in the coming weeks, outlining specific choke points that need to be fixed. Lamont’s proposal for electronic tolls on major highways ran into a buzz saw of opposition.
SC: South Carolina considers K-12 education overhaul
South Carolina lawmakers may have a new road map for paying for K-12 education in coming years. A new report from Republican Gov. Henry McMaster gives the General Assembly four options to choose from, including scaling back state money for school districts in wealthy counties.
VA: Virginia legislation would raise maximum payout for crime tips to ,000
Inflation over 30-plus years has greatly reduced the purchasing power of $1,000, so would a tipster be more willing to call police and report a crime if that sum were multiplied by five? Virginia lawmakers are looking at a bill that would raise the tip amount to ,000.
CA: California city giving some residents an extra $500 a month. Here’s how they are spending it.
In a unique, closely watched experiment in guaranteed basic income, the recipients in Stockton, California, use the money to feed, clothe and house themselves, a survey found. Typical monthly income among the participants is $1,800, compared with $3,500 for the city as a whole.
DC: District of Columbia sued over medical marijuana policies for employees
A District of Columbia employee has filed a lawsuit against the city. The worker was not allowed to use medical marijuana for a back condition because her job raking leaves and garbage was classified as “safety-sensitive.”
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