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This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, July 6th, 2023.
Later in the program, WFHB Correspondent Leo Paes reports on racial inequality in sports. More in today’s feature report.
Also coming up in the next half hour, the Indiana Supreme Court upheld its abortion ban – saying it doesn’t violate the state’s constitution. WFHB News Correspondent Brookelyn Lambright has more coming up next in your Statehouse Roundup.
The Statehouse Roundup
On Friday, June 30th, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to cancel/reduce federal student loan debts. The court held in a 6-3 decision that President Biden must receive approval from Congress before issuing his student debt relief program. But it is unlikely his plan would have passed Congress either, as Republicans hold a majority in the House.
Many Democratic politicians called out the hypocrisy of the Supreme Court’s decision with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeting quote, “Justice Alito accepted tens of thousands of dollars in lavish vacation gifts from a billionaire who lobbied to cancel the student loan forgiveness. After the gifts, Alito voted to overturn. This SCOTUS’ corruption undercuts its own legitimacy by putting its rulings up for sale.” End quote.
If passed, Biden’s bill would have canceled nearly $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000. Nearly 43 million Americans would have been eligible for Biden’s relief plan.
Hours after the Supreme Court ruling, Biden released a new plan, which he says is quote “legally sound”. It is essentially the same plan as before but relies on a different circumvention of the law to issue student debt relief. But Biden’s new plan will not be available until October 2023 and some are still questioning its legality.
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On Thursday, June 29th, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. The court declared that race cannot be a factor when universities decide which students to accept. Schools will be forced to rethink their admission practices and how they will achieve a diverse student body.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in her dissent, “With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.”
Now, some worry college campuses will become less diverse, as higher education institutions have no law requiring them to maintain diversity. Conservatives have long argued affirmative action discriminates against white and Asian Americans. However, in cases brought forward from UNC and Harvard, lower courts have upheld affirmative action programs, rejecting claims of discrimination.
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On Friday, June 30th, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the state’s abortion ban doesn’t violate the state constitution. The injunction placed the ban on hold, not allowing it to take effect. It is unclear when the ban will take effect. The ban doesn’t allow the seven abortion clinics in the state to operate. The bill states only licensed hospitals may perform abortions.
The Court said in their decision quote, “protects a woman’s right to an abortion that is necessary to protect her life or to protect her from a serious health risk, the provision does not protect a fundamental right to abortion in all circumstances.”
There is still one more injunction on the ban on grounds of a violation of the Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The Court has said it will not immediately hear arguments on the religious freedom lawsuit. Indiana’s intermediate Court of Appeals is set to begin hearing arguments on the case beginning September 12th.
Feature Report:
In today’s feature report, WFHB Sports Correspondent Leo Paes reports on racial inequality in sports. We turn to Paes for more.
Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Brookelyn Lambright.
Our feature was produced by Leo Paes.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.
