Federal
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR, the U.S. government’s global HIV response) was recently re-authorized for the 4th time, extending its funding until March 25, 2025. This comes after opposition (for a plan that historically has had strong bipartisan support) raised concerns that PEPFAR was promoting abortion rights. Eventually the plan was able to pass without any of modifications that were demanded (e.g., the Mexico City Policy). More information is available here
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) is jointly considering 2 cases (about the fishing industry…..bear with me here) that could weaken regulations on patient and consumer protections. The key component of the cases is the Chevron Doctrine, a fail safe that says when a policy/law is ambiguous, the federal courts can make an interpretation and companies must adhere to that interpretation. Businesses feel that this leads to governmental overstepping, but many fear that the removal of the Chevron Doctrine could be detrimental for patient and consumer protections. More background is available here.
Illinois
Legislation to watch: HB4567 edits the Criminal Code. This bill has now gone through the Judicial – Criminal Committee with a “Do Pass” and has been scheduled for its “2nd Reading – Short Debate”. Among other changes, this bill “Includes in offense of threatening a public official or human service provider, threatening a library employee. Provides that the threat to a public official, human service provider, or library employee includes a threat made electronically or via social media. Defines ‘library employee’.” More information is available here.