Items

2021

Changes in the House--Anti-Vaccine Mandate Bill

South Carolina House changes its rules and advanced a bill against the federal vaccine mandate. On December 9th, 2021, the House Ways and Means Committee amended House Bill H. 3126 that blocks employers in state and local governments and school districts from firing or suspending unvaccinated employees. House Bill H.3126 will make workers who were fired or suspended due to their unvaccinated status eligible for unemployment benefits. This bill would also allocated $10 million dollars to the department of Health and the Medical University of South Carolina to fund COVD-19 testing for private employers. The House Republicans argue that an employer's right to fire an unvaccinated employee is "discriminatory" in nature. They also attest that private businesses and public offices cannot mandate an "unlawful" mandate that violates the individual freedoms of employees. Thus, the House Bill H.3126 signifies a growing concern of individual autonomy in the State. As the pandemic continues to variate and spread, some civilians feel that COVID-19 protection should stop at the doorstep of private business owners. As Republican Russell Ott argued, South Carolina now faces the possibility of growing liability lawsuits if this law is passed. While this bill may protect employees, it would not protect employers and private business owners from being sued in the event that one of their employees contracted COVID-19 and passed it to a consumer.

2021-10-17

HERMIT HERALD, ISSUE 130

$3.5 TRILLION BILL, YES OR NO

2020-12-09

Life in the Pandemic

My life in the pandemic was tough. I couldn't work so I was not able to pay my bills, I like the rest of the world during lockdown had to sit at home bored out of my mind because nobody could leave. I was very scared for my mom when she got covid because she had oxygen issues and also heart issues. Going to school during the pandemic really bothered me because I lost a lot of focus and became very lazy when it came to handing in assignments. I would rather physically go onto campus because when I am actually listening to the professors' talk, it makes it so much easier to understand and to focus.

2021-03-22T08:10

HB-1475, Florida

An Anti-Trans sports bill preventing transgender women from participating in women's sports in high school. Whether or not you agree with the prospect of transgender women in female sports, this line from the bill seems to be overstepping the boundaries as the possible requirement for high school sports if the student in question seems "suspicious" about what gender they were assigned at birth: "The health care provider may verify the student's biological sex as part of a routine sports physical examination by relying only on one or more of the following: 1. The student's reproductive anatomy; 2. The student's genetic makeup; or 3. The student's normal endogenously produced testosterone levels." (Lines 59 to 66 of the Bill) The fact that a minor, a child may need an examination of their genitals or an invasive test of their endocrine functions or their karyotype (chromosomal makeup) is a horrible thought as it would cause many other sects of people who aren't even transgender, to begin with, to be harmed by this bill. People who are either Intersex (about a 2 in 100 occurrences) or have high testosterone (which cannot be controlled by anyone naturally) could be barred from sports out of fear for the imbalance of sports would just overall cause school sports to be more stress and trouble for students and faculty alike. Plus that is not even to mention the moderate amount of Intersex people who don't even know they are intersex due to phenotypical biological sex not always equating to the genotypical karyotypes people possess and the high amount of genital mutilation of Intersex children at birth, it would cause much more than what people would want from this sort of bill and cause a lot more harm than good.

2021-04-01

Transgender Day of Visibility

Today on #TransDayOfVisibility, we are in solidarity with all trans and nonbinary folks, whether they choose to be visible or not. Visibility does not equal protection and safety, and it does not guarantee basic rights. Currently there are at least 44 anti-trans bills being introduced by lawmakers in the US, a record number that primarily targets children and prohibits them from accessing medical care and limits their ability to participate in school sports. With visibility comes the need to be even louder. No one is free until we are all free, and with the disproportional rate our Black, Brown, and Indigenous trans siblings experience violence, both physically and judicially, we must commit to ending the systems that allow the systemic barriers and hatred to endure. For more resources, actionable steps and donations, follow: @raquel_willis @chasestrangio @glits_inc @mpjinstitute @transjusticefp @intransitive.ar @tko_alabama @mattxiv @jmaseiii #transdayofvisibility #tdov2021

2021-03-16

Bill's Against Trans Children

Verified Reposted from @chasestrangio PLEASE TAKE ACTION TODAY. 1. Watch this video of a father begging his government not to silence his trans daughter’s spirit. 2. Share this video and raise all the alarms to #ProtectTransKids. 3. Help contact South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and tell her to veto HB1217 a bill that bars trans kids from sports and forces all kids to turn over private medical information to the state. Gov. Noem could sign the bill at any moment. Call! 605-773-3212. E-mail: governornoem@state.sd.us. 4. Help share info about Alabama bill SB10/HB1 which makes it a FELONY to provide gender affirming care to trans people under 19. The House is voting TODAY. Call Alabama Reps and tell them to Vote NO on SB10. I am not exaggerating when I say trans kids’ lives are on the line. Act now!!

2020-10-27

No Covid Relief Bill Until After the Election?

In a letter to house Democrats, Speaker Nancy Pelosi cites Mitch McConnell and the White House for its failure to pass another Covid relief bill. Personally, I do not know if America will ever see another bill regardless of who wins the election. In Pelosi's letter she said, "For a long time now, Congressional Democrats have laid out a strategic plan to crush the virus. The White House and Mitch McConnell have resisted, and on Sunday, Mark Meadows told us why saying 'We’re not going to control the pandemic... From 'hoax' to hundreds of thousands dead, the White House has failed miserably — not by accident, but by decision, now we know why they resisted science at the expense of lives, livelihoods and the life of our democracy. Again, it was a decision to do so."

2020-10-09

Speaker Pelosi Announces 25th Amendment Commission

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces she will introduce a bill to create a 25th amendment commission. The 25th amendment details the presidential line of succession were the president to become unable to execute the powers of the president. This announcement comes as a result of the uncertainty around President Trump's current physical condition following his contraction of the COVID-19.

2020-08-24

You Have to Pay for the Body

In California if your loved one dies from Covid-19 you have to pay to have their remains sent to you as this Tweet explains.

2020-04-02

Cultural Insights: Interviews in the Creative Sector #14 … Emily Gartner, ArtThreads Studio

In response to COVID-19, the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science launched the mini-series, "Cultural Insights: Interviews in the Creative Sector," to highlight colleagues and professionals working in the same or similar field of museum professionals.

2020-06-26

HOUSE TO VOTE ON POLICE REFORM BILL

Members of the House meet on Police Reform Bill. Viewers can see social distancing and and near empty chamber.

2020-05-06

New Bill in Congress Aims to Expand Broadband Access for Tribes During Pandemic

“A new bill announced today by the co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus would give tribes emergency authority of broadband spectrum over their lands, in an effort to greatly increase internet access for tribal nations grappling with COVID-19 pandemic response. ‘Broadband has been an issue…in Indian Country, for a very long time,’ Haaland said in an interview with The NM Political Report. ‘The pandemic has pulled back the blanket and the sun is illuminating these disparities.’ She added that internet access should be viewed as a basic necessity, like home electricity.” #IndigenousStories

2020-04-22

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