DeSantis lowers Florida’s threshold to impose death penalty, signs legislation criticized by state’s Catholic bishops April 24, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill April 20 that will eliminate the state’s requirement that juries in capital punishment cases agree unanimously to recommend death sentences, lowering the number of jurors needed to hand down a death sentence to the lowest threshold of any U.S. state.
Supreme Court blocks lower court’s restrictions on abortion pill, leaving drug on market April 21, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, Supreme Court, World News The U.S. Supreme Court said April 21 it would block a lower court’s restrictions on an abortion pill, leaving the drug on the market while litigation over the drug proceeds.
Supreme Court extends administrative stay in abortion pill legal challenge April 19, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News The U.S. Supreme Court said it would extend the administrative stay in the abortion pill dispute until April 21, temporarily keeping in place status quo federal regulations regarding the use of an abortion drug, and giving the court additional time to consider a lower court’s ruling to stay the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug.
Georgetown panel argues for ‘women’s ordination’ in face of papal teaching April 19, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News A Georgetown panel considered “the question of women’s ordination” April 17, describing the matter as “unfinished” despite Pope Francis’ current teaching and St. John Paul II’s 1994 teaching that Jesus Christ reserved the sacred priesthood to men alone even as the Lord promoted the dignity of women.
Arizona bishops praise governor’s veto of ‘problematic’ gun legislation April 19, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Gun Violence, News, World News Arizona’s Catholic bishops praised the state’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs for vetoing legislation on gun regulations they called “problematic.”
Supreme Court hears arguments over Christians’ right not to work on Sunday April 19, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Supreme Court, World News The U.S. Supreme Court heard April 18 arguments in a case that could have broad implications for employees seeking religious accommodations from their employers.
Colorado lawmakers expand access to abortion; Kansas governor vetoes born-alive bill April 18, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Pro-life advocates encountered set-backs as Colorado’s governor signed a trio of bills to expand access to abortion in the Centennial State, and Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a “born-alive” bill that seeks to protect infants who survive failed abortion attempts.
Leading Catholic lawmaker calls on Defense secretary to back military archbishop in Walter Reed dispute April 18, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, U.S. Congress, World News A leading Catholic lawmaker and religious freedom advocate has called on the Biden administration to support the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services in a dispute over a long-running Catholic pastoral care contract that a leading U.S. military medical center awarded to a secular defense contractor.
Florida lawmakers, DeSantis approve six-week abortion ban April 14, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Florida lawmakers and the state’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely expected to launch his bid for the Republican presidential nomination soon, approved a bill April 13 to ban abortions after six weeks.
Appeals court rules to keep abortion pill on the market but reinstates prior restrictions April 13, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News A federal appeals court April 12 froze portions of a federal judge’s ruling suspending the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a medication abortion pill, ruling that the drug can remain on the market but under more strict regulations while a challenge to it plays out.
Biden proposal bars schools from enacting outright bans on athletes who identify as transgender April 13, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Sports, World News A proposed rule from the Biden administration would prohibit publicly funded schools and colleges from enacting outright bans on athletes from competing on sports teams corresponding with their self-perceived gender identity, rather than their biological sex.
Catholic governor calls on Louisiana lawmakers to abolish the death penalty as ‘a pro-life state’ April 13, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-La., called for an end to the death penalty in Louisiana during his final State of the State address, April 10, in an impassioned call for lawmakers to adopt legislative proposals reflecting its identity as a “pro-life state.”
