search
Sections List
American Journal News

News you might have missed: New Mexico governor signs gun safety bill

Elsewhere this week, Virginia rolled back abortion restrictions and Colorado banned the death penalty.

By Dan Desai Martin - February 28, 2020
Share
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Red Flag gun law

This week, gun safety advocates won a big victory in New Mexico, Florida announced that a record 5 million Democrats were registered to vote, and a photo of two powerful young activists meeting for the first time broke the internet.

Read on to see what you might have missed this week in the news.

New Mexico governor signs red flag gun bill into law

New Mexico’s Democratic governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, signed red flag gun legislation into law on Tuesday, the Albuquerque Journal reported. The new law will allow law enforcement personnel to temporarily take firearms away from individuals considered dangerous to themselves or others.

“Enough is enough,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement, adding, “We have the power to change the dynamic of gun violence in our communities.”

She said the new law balances “individual rights and public safety in a responsible way that will reduce our unacceptable suicide rate and other forms of gun violence.”

New Mexico is the 18th state to enact a red flag law, the Albuquerque Journal reported. The law goes into effect in May of this year.

Florida Democrats set new voter registration record

The Florida Democratic Party announced on Tuesday that more than 5 million Floridians are registered as Democrats. This is the first time any political party in the state has ever surpassed 5 million registered voters, according to data from Florida’s Department of State.

Florida “must expand the electorate to make sure that all people — especially young people and people of color and women — have a voice and a vote,” Andrea Mercado, executive director of New Florida Majority, said at a Tuesday press conference organized by the Florida Democratic Party.

Republicans in the state have 4.79 million registered voters, and an additional 3.78 million voters are registered with minor parties or have no party affiliation.

Virginia removes statewide abortion restrictions

The Virginia Legislature passed the Reproductive Health Protection Act, a bill that will roll back abortion restrictions enacted by previous Republican-controlled legislatures, WHSV reported on Thursday. The bill has passed through both legislative chambers, and Gov. Ralph Northam is expected to sign it into law.

The legislation removes both the 24-hour waiting period and mandatory ultrasounds, and gets rid of strict building codes for facilities where abortions are performed.

“Virginia voters spoke loudly and clearly in November when they voted to elect pro-reproductive health legislators to the Senate and House,” Jamie Lockhart, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said in a statement.

After the 2019 election, Democrats gained control of both the state House of Delegates and the state Senate.

House passes federal anti-lynching bill

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Emmet Till Antilynching Act by a 410-4 margin. The bill would designate lynching as a federal hate crime.

“After 120 years, and 200 failed attempts, the House finally positions itself on the right side of history, outlawing the heinous act of lynching once and for all,” Rep. Bobby Rush, the Illinois Democrat who introduced the bill, said in a statement.

The bill now heads to the Senate, which has previously passed the same bill. The Senate is expected to pass the bill again and send it to Donald Trump’s desk.

Colorado bans the death penalty

Both chambers of the Colorado Legislature have passed a statewide ban on the death penalty, sending the bill to Gov. Jared Polis, TIME reported on Wednesday. Polis, a Democrat, has previously said he will sign the bill into law.

Colorado’s last execution took place in 1997, according to TIME. When the bill is signed, Colorado will become the 22nd state to abolish the death penalty.

Washington to become 10th state to ban “gay panic” defense

Defendants in Washington state will no longer be able to use the so-called “gay panic” defense, thanks to a bill that passed on Wednesday, the Portland Mercury reported.

“Gay panic” is a bigoted defense strategy that argues violence against LGBTQ individuals is justified if the person carrying out the aggression is suffering “shock” from discovering the LGBTQ person’s identity.

The newly passed Nikki Kuhnhausen Act, named after a 17-year-old transgender murder victim, declares that defendants do not “suffer from diminished capacity” upon learning about a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation.

The bipartisan bill passed both legislative chambers and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee, making Washington the 10th state to outlaw such a defense.

Malala and Greta Thunberg break the internet with photo

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai met climate activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday, posting a photo of the moment with the caption, “She’s the only friend I’d skip school for.”

Notable figures such as Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton later retweeted the image from their official accounts, prompting it to go viral.

Yousafzai, a Pakistani native, was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 as she was on her way to school. She recovered and became a global activist for girls’ education. She won the Nobel Prize in 2014 at the age of 17.

Thunberg is a 17-year-old climate activist who made global headlines for regularly skipping school to protest government inaction on climate change. Thunberg was named TIME’s 2019 Person of the Year after organizing worldwide strikes to call attention to climate change.

Check back next week for more news you might have missed.


AJ News
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Read More
Republicans spread misinformation and lies as California burns

Republicans spread misinformation and lies as California burns

By Jesse Valentine - January 09, 2025
Feds to issue grants to support NC residents experiencing homelessness due to Hurricane Helene

Feds to issue grants to support NC residents experiencing homelessness due to Hurricane Helene

By Greg Childress, NC Newsline - October 11, 2024
Biden pledges federal help for states in the Southeast stricken by catastrophic storm

Biden pledges federal help for states in the Southeast stricken by catastrophic storm

By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom - September 30, 2024
Ohio GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno takes anti-immigrant, pro-fossil fuel message on tour

Ohio GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno takes anti-immigrant, pro-fossil fuel message on tour

By Nick Evans, Ohio Capital Journal - August 08, 2024
Horsford credits Biden for $800 million to help tribal communities in NV deal with climate impacts

Horsford credits Biden for $800 million to help tribal communities in NV deal with climate impacts

By Michael Lyle, Nevada Current - July 23, 2024
Gov. Greg Abbott defends trip to East Asia during Hurricane Beryl

Gov. Greg Abbott defends trip to East Asia during Hurricane Beryl

By Jasper Scherer, Texas Tribune - July 16, 2024
AJ News
Latest
Republican Bill Huizenga cheers power plant funds he tried to block

Republican Bill Huizenga cheers power plant funds he tried to block

By Jesse Valentine - May 12, 2025
Jack Ciattarelli called harmful tariffs a “grand experiment”

Jack Ciattarelli called harmful tariffs a “grand experiment”

By Jesse Valentine - May 09, 2025
Paul LePage, a Medicaid critic, launches congressional bid in Maine

Paul LePage, a Medicaid critic, launches congressional bid in Maine

By Jesse Valentine - May 06, 2025
Earle-Sears ignored trans issues in office—now she uses them as a wedge

Earle-Sears ignored trans issues in office—now she uses them as a wedge

By Jesse Valentine - May 05, 2025
Trump effectively shuts down campaign finance watchdog

Trump effectively shuts down campaign finance watchdog

By Jesse Valentine - April 30, 2025
Ciattarelli wants a DOGE-style commission to crack down on New Jersey Medicaid recipients

Ciattarelli wants a DOGE-style commission to crack down on New Jersey Medicaid recipients

By Jesse Valentine - April 30, 2025
House Republicans roll out new plan to decimate Medicaid

House Republicans roll out new plan to decimate Medicaid

By Jesse Valentine - April 24, 2025
Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

By Jesse Valentine - April 22, 2025
Megadonor embroiled in ethics scandal gave thousands to Winsome Earle-Sears

Megadonor embroiled in ethics scandal gave thousands to Winsome Earle-Sears

By Jesse Valentine - April 21, 2025
“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

By Bonnie Fuller - April 21, 2025
Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

By Jesse Valentine - April 17, 2025
Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

By Jesse Valentine - April 16, 2025
North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

By Jesse Valentine - April 11, 2025
Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

By Jesse Valentine - April 09, 2025
Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

By Jesse Valentine - April 08, 2025
Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

By Jesse Valentine - March 28, 2025
Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

By Jesse Valentine - March 26, 2025
GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

By Jesse Valentine - March 18, 2025
HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

By Jesse Valentine - March 11, 2025
Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

By Jesse Valentine - March 10, 2025