Senate Passes Bill to Protect Minors Online
The U.S. Senate passed two bills to increase the protection of children and teens online. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), and the Children and Teen’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) were approved with a vote of 91-3 on July 30, 2024. The COPPA 2.0 bill is sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Coronavirus Hits the U.S. No doubt you’ve already heard plenty about coronavirus (otherwise known as COVID-19). But how worried should you really be? As of February 28, there are more than 78,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,700 deaths in China alone. In the rest of the world, there are at least 4,000 confirmed cases–15 […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
A Bridge of Love in Northern Africa In a world where it often seems like everyone is at war, the neighboring North African countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea have finally made peace. Once upon a time, these two countries were actually the same nation. But twenty years ago, Eritrea declared its independence from Ethiopia. Soon […]
Thoughts and Prayers . . . and New Gun Laws?
This week’s story update on the Election Central Web site gives some information about last week’s discussion between the White House and Congress regarding tightened gun control proposals. In the wake of the Parkland, Florida shooting last month that killed 17 people and injured 14 more, many people are calling for the federal government to […]
Pence Breaks Tie to Defund Planned Parenthood
Last Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence cast the deciding vote on a bill which will allow states to withhold federal family planning money from Planned Parenthood and other organizations which provide abortions. The controversial legislation was opposed by all Senate Democrats, as well as two Republicans: Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Another Bathroom Bill? Last Thursday, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced the filing of a new bill that would require people in government buildings and public schools to use the bathroom that corresponds to the biological sex assigned to them on their birth certificates, rather than to their gender identity. The proposed “bathroom bill” is […]
YOU DECIDE: Should Soda Come With a Warning Label?
Last year, btw brought you a story about the state of New York’s failed attempt to ban sodas larger than 16 ounces in the state. . Now, one city (Baltimore, Maryland) and two states (New York and California) have introduced legislation that could require certain drinks to be sold with a warning label. It would […]