Minnesota passed H.F. 5216, a bill that bans the infamous LGBTQ+ panic defense, the LA Blade reports. The LGBTQ+ panic defense is when a defendant argues that they “panicked” when they learned that their victim was LGBTQ+ as an excuse for anti-LGBTQ+ violence. Signed by Gov. Tim Walz (D) after making its way through the state’s House of Representatives and Senate. It will go into effect on August 1, 2024.
Under the measure, people with marijuana convictions will have a chance to clear their records by automatically expunging low-level convictions and establishing a review board to determine eligibility for higher-level offenses.
Companies that sell in Minnesota but don’t offer customers or independent repair shops the materials needed to fix devices within 60 days can be found in violation of state law.
Walz’s executive order parallels legislation awaiting a floor vote in the state House to make Minnesota a “trans refuge state.”
In 2006, the U.S. EPA banned the agricultural use of lindane, linked to anemia, lung cancer, and lymphoma. In 2010, it began to phase out endosulfan, which experts say may damage the liver and kidneys.
The U.S. conglomerate has set a 2025 deadline to stop producing PFAS, the “forever chemicals” used in anything from cell phones to semiconductors that have been linked to cancer and other health problems.
The retail giant currently pays a $15 per hour starting wage but said Monday that it would begin paying workers wages ranging from $15 to $24.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will clean up, strengthen nearby infrastructure, and improve nearby supporting communities in 22 identified areas of concern.
“You don’t have to wonder whether this is the last Thanksgiving you’ll spend with family and friends for a while,” Target CEO Brian Cornell wrote in a note to employees.
A new report by Indigenous Environmental Network and Oil Change International found that Indigenous-led resistance over the past decade has stopped or delayed the equivalent of 25% of annual U.S. and Canadian emissions.
