Lisa Buie

2 weeks ago | nextstepsblog.org | Lisa Buie

The story: With less than a week to go before the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments about the constitutionality of religious charter schools, supporters and opponents are making wildly different predictions about the possible effects. Supporters, who include advocates for religious education, are framing a win for their side as a victory for religious freedom and a logical extension of recent rulings that affirmed faith-based schools’ right to participate in publicly funded programs.

3 weeks ago | ij.org | Lisa Buie

When Utah officials defended a union-backed court challenge to its Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, they relied on cases in five other states in which courts upheld similar programs as constitutional. However, in her ruling against Utah’s scholarship program last week, Third District Judge Laura Scott noted the absence of a Florida case: Bush v. Holmes. The 1999 complaint challenged the Florida Opportunity Scholarship Program.

3 weeks ago | nextstepsblog.org | Lisa Buie

When Utah officials defended a union-backed court challenge to its Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, they relied on cases in five other states in which courts upheld similar programs as constitutional. However, in her ruling against Utah’s scholarship program last week, Third District Judge Laura Scott noted the absence of a Florida case: Bush v. Holmes. The 1999 complaint challenged the Florida Opportunity Scholarship Program.

4 weeks ago | readlion.com | John Ransom |Joe Mueller |Lisa Buie

Missouri will become the first state to require dual age verification for internet users who access pornographic material online. The rule, instituted by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, requires users who are accessing commercial porn sites to verify their age, not just on the website, but on the device that is accessing the website. “This is about making Missouri the safest state in the nation for kids,” Bailey said in a statement.

1 month ago | readlion.com | Jillian Schneider |Merrilee Gasser |Victor Skinner |Lisa Buie

North Dakota is on the cusp of becoming the 47th state to legalize charter schools, as a separate school choice bill is still on the table. SB 2241, sponsored by six Republicans, would create an avenue for public charter schools to exist in the Roughrider State. Versions of the bill were approved by wide margins in both chambers – 40-7 in the Senate and then 64-29 in the House. The Senate must now approve the House version. Republicans control both chambers. If approved by the Legislature, Gov.