Students across Alaska walked out of schools to protest Governor Mike Dunleavy's veto of an education funding package, which the Legislature failed to override. The vetoed package included a $175-million increase in aid to districts through a school funding formula, but the governor complained about the lack of provisions he supported. The students marched through the statehouse, chanting slogans and urging lawmakers to fund their future, while some legislators expressed concerns about the governor's opposition and encouraged the students to stay involved in the legislative process.
Arizona's Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed a Republican-led bill that would have made it a crime for noncitizens to enter the state through Mexico at any location other than a port of entry, citing constitutional concerns and potential costly litigation. The move reflects ongoing tensions between Republicans and Democrats over immigration policies, with Republicans in Arizona and Texas seeking additional state powers to address unauthorized entry of migrants into the United States. This veto comes amid a history of Arizona lawmakers attempting to criminalize unauthorized migrants, and another proposal is being considered to bypass potential vetoes by sending the measure straight to voters as a ballot measure.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, has vetoed a Republican-sponsored bill known as the Arizona Border Invasion Act, which would have allowed police to arrest illegal immigrants. Hobbs called the legislation anti-immigrant and likely unconstitutional, while Republicans argued that it would help curb crimes linked to illegal immigration. The veto comes amid ongoing debate over border security and immigration policies, with similar legislation in Texas facing legal challenges.
The Kansas Legislature has passed a bill requiring providers to inform patients that a medication abortion can be "reversed" once it has started, despite experts disputing the claims of abortion opponents. The measure could face a state court challenge if supporters can overcome the governor's expected veto. Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with GOP-controlled legislatures because its legal and political climate won't allow a ban on abortion, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in June 2022 that states can outlaw abortion.
Kentucky lawmakers have passed a bill that restricts how doctors and schools treat transgender youths, overriding the governor's veto and objections by state medical associations, education officials, and parents with trans children. The law bans access to gender-affirming health care for trans children, restricts which bathrooms and lockers they use, prohibits discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, and allows teachers to use students' birth names and pronouns against their wishes. The law's passage comes amid a record-breaking number of anti-trans bills appearing across the country.
