Latest news with #Commandment
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed to halt Arkansas law putting 10 Commandments in classrooms
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A lawsuit filed on Wednesday seeks to halt the Arkansas law requiring the 10 Commandments in Arkansas classrooms. Act 573 of 2025 required the Commandment and the motto 'In God we trust' to be in each elementary and secondary school classroom. The bill received broad support in both chambers, with a 27-4 vote in the Senate and a 71-20 vote in the House. Ten Commandments, 'In God We Trust' in classrooms is now Arkansas law Funding for the displays must be acquired through private donations, as mandated by law, which also details the specific wording and size of the display. The law's requirements mean that students 'will be forcibly subjected to scriptural dictates, day in and day out,' the lawsuit states, adding that doing so violates the prohibition against public schools imposing religious doctrine. The law 'unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state's favored religious scripture,' the suit states. 'It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, to the specific version of the Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences.' Central Arkansas schools prepare for laws going into effect next year The suit also notes that a similar law passed in Louisiana in 2024 was subsequently overturned. The suit was filed in the Western District of Arkansas on behalf of six northwest Arkansas families with school-aged children, as well as four northwest Arkansas school districts. The suit states that the families who are atheist, Jewish, Unitarian Universalists, Humanists, agnostic and a household led by an atheist who is a former Mormon are being forced to observe religious doctrine they do not subscribe to or wish to force on their children. The suit claims Act 573 violates the First Amendment's establishment and free exercise clauses. Plaintiffs request a preliminary injunction to prevent the law from taking effect before the court case is completed. Arkansas legislature bills filed Tuesday include changes to the Arkansas Constitution, water bonds, human trafficking, more Act 573 is scheduled to take effect on Aug. 5. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill advances requiring fewer trips to the pharmacy for women's contraception
Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, asks a question about a bill on May 30, 2024. (Photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would make it easier for women to obtain contraceptives despite opposition from a small bloc of Republicans who put up a lengthy argument that it results in murder. Senate Bill 176, by Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, would require insurance companies that cover contraceptives to allow women to obtain a six month supply, reducing the number of annual visits to the pharmacy, after obtaining a three-month prescription. Dossett said the bill was not about abortion, but aimed to increase access to preventative contraceptive medications. Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, disagreed and cited the The Physicians' Desk Reference. 'It induces the abortion or murder of a human embryo since a new human being has been created at fertilization, which is conception,' Deevers said. Deevers asked Dossett if she believed 'abortion is murder' and a violation of Oklahoma law and the Bible's sixth Commandment, which prohibits killing. While most women rely on the birth control pill to prevent pregnancy, oral contraception is used to treat other conditions, including acne, irregular periods, cramps, migraines and endometriosis. KFF reported in November that 82% of women of reproductive age used contraception in the past year, with condoms and oral birth control being the most common. Deevers focused on the side effects of various forms of contraception and the personal experiences of he and his wife. 'These drugs are very dangerous,' he said. Deevers said that women's brains shrink while on birth control, leading to more depression and anger and increased rates of suicide. He also said women experience a decreased sexual drive, leading to less intercourse while on hormonal birth control. He did not cite a source for that information. Deevers said that women using a combination of oral birth control and the patch or the vaginal ring have two to four times higher rate of blood clots, thus an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and cervical cancer. Medical experts say there is a small risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks for women using birth control, though they note that women's risk of experiencing the first two medical conditions is actually higher during pregnancy. Taking oral birth control for five or more years can increase the risk of cervical cancer, but the risk subsides after stopping the pill, according to the American Cancer Society. There is no known risk of cancer for women who use non-hormonal intrauterine devices, or IUDs. Women do not take medication they don't want, Dossett said. No one is being forced to take birth control, she said. She said she preferred not to talk about what people do in the privacy of their homes. Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, said enabling women to plan a pregnancy leads to healthier outcomes and improved economic stability. Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, urged his colleagues not to increase women's access. 'I'm begging you to not do this, not only for the children whose lives will be saved, but also for the women who will not be harmed by taking these so-called medications,' Hamilton said. The bill passed by a vote of 33-13 and is available for consideration in the House. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
