California
California Aims to Shield Against Texas-Style Abortion Laws
By ADAM BEAM, Related Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — State lawmakers on Monday voted to cease courts in Texas and different states from penalizing abortion suppliers and volunteers in California, a part of Democrats’ plan to make the state a sanctuary for ladies searching for reproductive care ought to the U.S. Supreme Courtroom overturn Roe v. Wade.
Texas bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is normally after the primary six weeks of being pregnant. The regulation is uncommon as a result of it doesn’t enable state officers to implement it. As a substitute, solely personal residents can implement the regulation by suing the individuals who supplied or aided within the abortion.
California Democrats fear the Texas regulation — and people prefer it which have since been handed or proposed in different conservative states — may expose their abortion suppliers and volunteers to civil judgments from different states. Monday, Democrats within the state Meeting gave key approval to a invoice that will ban implementing these judgments in California courts.
“Taking this motion now could be essential as we put together for the U.S. Supreme Courtroom to overturn Roe v Wade and unleash a flood of hostile bans in additional than half the states,” stated Molly Robson, legislative director for Deliberate Parenthood Associates of California.
Political Cartoons
Abortion foes say the invoice is unlawful as a result of a clause within the U.S. Structure requires every state to provide “full religion and credit score” to the legal guidelines of each different state. The clause has helped maintain the peace between states, together with in 2019 when the U.S. Supreme Courtroom dominated Nevada needed to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a person who was suing California for attempting to gather previous earnings taxes.
“California is a part of the USA of America and is sure by U.S. Structure and isn’t a nation or regulation unto itself,” stated Dean Broyles, a lawyer and president of the Nationwide Middle for Regulation & Coverage, advised lawmakers throughout a legislative listening to earlier this yr. “If enacted, as a constitutional lawyer I can guarantee you California will spend some huge cash defending this invoice and can lose.”
Federal courts have acknowledged some exceptions to the “full religion and credit score” clause, together with for legal guidelines in a single state that violate the “public coverage” of one other state. That is to keep away from what the U.S. Supreme Courtroom has stated could be an “absurd” consequence of a state court docket not with the ability to implement its personal legal guidelines.
The invoice that handed the California Meeting seeks to take advantage of that exception, declaring that suing somebody in California for performing or aiding in an abortion is “opposite to the general public coverage of this state.”
“I hope that states that share our pursuits in defending abortion and abortion suppliers will do all the pieces they will to make sure that there may be secure entry to abortion of their state,” stated Democratic Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the invoice and is an lawyer. “I believe what we’re doing is totally constitutional and I believe others ought to do the identical in the event that they really feel likewise.”
The invoice is one in all 13 items of laws Democrats in California have launched this yr to both defend abortion suppliers and volunteers or make abortions simpler and cheaper to acquire.
Additionally on Monday, lawmakers within the state Meeting handed a invoice to stop the California Medical Board from suspending or revoking licenses for docs who present abortions. And earlier this yr, Newsom signed a regulation making abortions cheaper by banning personal insurance coverage corporations from charging issues like co-pays or deductibles for the process.
Lawmakers try to behave rapidly with these payments as a result of they imagine the U.S. Supreme Courtroom later this summer time will probably overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 determination that banned states from outlawing all abortions.
An early draft of a U.S. Supreme Courtroom opinion indicated a majority of justices help overturning Roe v. Wade. The draft was obtained and revealed by Politico earlier this month. The court docket later confirmed the draft was genuine, however famous nothing had modified as a result of the court docket had not but formally issued its ruling.
The payments are simply a number of the lots of of items of laws that should move the state Meeting by Friday’s deadline if they’re to have an opportunity at changing into regulation this yr. The payments subsequent transfer to the state Senate, which can vote on them earlier than the legislature adjourns in August.
Copyright 2022 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Winds fuel devastating Los Angeles wildfires growth
Firefighters are battling multiple blazes across Los Angeles, with some not contained at all.
Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect Thursday morning as wildfires continued to rage across parts of Southern California.
The deadly fires broke out this week and have destroyed more than 1,000 homes, businesses, and other structures, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. As of Thursday morning, at least five deaths had been confirmed, and nearly 250,000 were without power in the region, according to the USA TODAY power outage tracker.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency this week as more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee homes and evacuate the area.
The fires − Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia, and Sunset − have burned thousands of acres and continue to spread due to humidity and dry vegetation, authorities said. Before the fires started, the National Weather Service issued its highest alert for extreme fire conditions in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
As of Thursday morning, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, and Sunset fires were at zero containment, while firefighters had contained 10% of the Hurst Fire and 40% of the Lidia Fire.
Here’s where evacuation orders are in place for California and how to stay up-to-date on the latest.
Where are evacuation orders in place for the Palisades Fire?
Evacuation orders were in place from Malibu to Santa Monica, including Topanga State Park and stretching into the city as far south as Montana Avenue, as of just after 4:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to Cal Fire.
Wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour are expected to continue through Thursday in that area, CAL Fire reported online, “potentially aiding in further fire activity and suppression efforts.”
View an interactive map of Palisades Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.
Where are evacuation orders in place for the Hurst Fire?
Evacuation orders were in place for the San Fernando Valley, specifically at the Michael D. Antonovich Open Space Preserve, Stetson Ranch Park and Whitney Canyon Park, about 4:45 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation warnings were in place just north and south of the area.
View an interactive map of Hurst Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.
What are the evacuation orders in place for the Lidia Fire?
As of just after 4 a.m. local time on Thursday, no evacuation orders were in effect in connection to the Lidia Fire.
But Soledad Canyon Road between Agua Dulce Canyon Road and Crown Valley Road remained closed, CAL FIRE reported, as well as the entire Angeles National Forest for public safety and the protection of natural resources. The forest will remain closed through Jan. 15 at midnight.
View an interactive map of Lidia Fire on the Cal Fire website.
What are the evacuation orders in place for the Sunset Fire?
“The majority of the evacuation zone for the Sunset Fire is lifted with the exception of the area North of Franklin Ave from Camino Palmero St (East border) to North Sierra Bonita Ave. (West border)”, according to Cal Fire.
Where are evacuation orders in place for the Eaton Fire?
Evacuation orders were in place, as of about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, for areas near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive, Altadena and Pasadena, Cal Fire reported.
Evacuation warnings were in place for areas just west and south of the area.
View an interactive map of Eaton Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.
Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
California
Jamie Lee Curtis fights back tears on ‘Tonight Show’ over California wildfire ‘catastrophe’ near her home: ‘It’s f–king gnarly, guys’
Jamie Lee Curtis fought back tears as she detailed the “catastrophe” of the Palisades Fire near her California home when she appeared on “The Tonight Show” Wednesday.
“As you know, where I live is on fire right now. Literally, the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning. I flew here last night. I was on the plane and started getting texts. It’s f–king gnarly, you guys,” Curtis said.
“It’s a catastrophe in Southern California. Obviously there has been horrific fires in many places. This is literally where I live. Everything.”
Curtis said she had “many, many, many” friends who have lost their homes in the devastation of the fires.
“It’s a really awful situation,” she added.
The 66-year-old added she was flying home first thing Thursday to be with her family and friends.
The Academy Award-winning actress, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband Christopher Guest, took to Instagram earlier Wednesday to share with her followers that her home was “possibly” on fire.
“My community and possibly my home is on fire,” the actress wrote in the post. “My family is safe. Many of my friends will lose their homes. Many other communities as well.”
“Take care of each other,” she told her followers. “Stay out of the way and let the firefighters do their work. Pray if you believe in it and even if you don’t, pray for those who do.”
Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires
The Emmy winner is one of tens of thousands of people who have been forced to flee their homes in Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas.
Four fires have exploded in Los Angeles County, taking over 27,000 acres of land with zero containment in the Palisades, Eaton and Sunset fires.
The Hurst Fire is 10 percent contained, officials announced.
The fires are being fueled by strong winds, “dry fuels” and low humidity.
The “Halloween” star isn’t the only Hollywood figure whose home is under threat due to the fires.
Harrison Ford was seen talking to police as he attempted to get through to check on his $12.6 million Brentwood home he had evacuated because of the raging blaze.
Ford’s “Star Wars” co-star Mark Hamill was forced to flee his Malibu home Tuesday as the fire bore down on the area.
The 73-year-old actor detailed his hour-long “last minute” evacuation from Malibu as he experienced the most horrific fire since 1993.
Other LA-based celebrities have been forced to evacuate their homes amid the crisis, including “This Is Us” star Mandy Moore, “Schitt’s Creek” star Eugene Levy and “Once Upon a Time in America” actor James Woods.
Multiple major wildfires are leaving a trail of destruction and death in the Los Angeles area.
A handful of wildfires kicked up Tuesday, powered by high winds and dry conditions , and have exploded in size. As of Tuesday afternoon, 2 people have been killed and more than 80,000 people have been evacuated.
Follow live coverage here.
The maps below show the size and status of the fires. They will be updated frequently.
Insider: Russell Wilson’s Steelers Career in Jeopardy
WATCH LIVE: How Augusta is preparing for icy winter blast
Jimmy Carter’s life honored at funeral in Washington, DC
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers Jan 8, 2025 Box Scores
Discovery to Impact Hires New Assistant Vice President for Technology Transfer
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
The 39th president will be buried later at his Georgia home. Here’s the latest.
FBI informant who made up Biden bribe story gets 6 years in prison
Three Gaza hospitals face imminent closure as latest Israeli raids kill 50
LA fires: What's happening in Los Angeles, and what caused the wildfires?
Hollywood Hills Fire Threatens Beloved Los Angeles Landmarks
-
Business1 week agoThese are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture1 week agoThe 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports1 week agoThe top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics7 days agoNew Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics6 days agoCarter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics5 days agoWho Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
-
Health4 days agoOzempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
World1 week agoIvory Coast says French troops to leave country after decades