New York Judge Fired For Opposing Trump’s Order On Gender Identity
Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz, who worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, was let go a month after opposing an executive order decreeing male and female as two “immutable” sexes. Other states making news: Tennessee, California, North Carolina, Oregon, and Missouri.
AP:
A Judge Resisted Trump’s Order On Gender Identity. The EEOC Just Fired Her
The federal agency charged with protecting workers’ civil rights has terminated a New York administrative judge who opposed White House directives, including President Donald Trump’s executive order decreeing male and female as two “immutable” sexes. In February, Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz, who worked in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s New York office, called Trump’s order “unethical” and criticized Acting Chair Andrea Lucas — Trump’s pick to lead the agency — for complying with it by pausing work on legal cases involving discrimination claims from transgender workers. (Savage, 6/25)
The 19th:
Supreme Court's Gender-Affirming Care Ruling Opens Door For New Legal Strategy
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to uphold a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth dealt a painful blow to families of trans kids — but the fight is not over. LGBTQ+ rights attorneys say that even as the Trump administration makes it harder for trans Americans to live without fear of discrimination, there are still openings — some left by the court ruling itself — to fight gender-affirming care bans and other anti-trans laws. (Rummler, 6/25)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Stanford Medicine Halts Gender-Affirming Surgeries For Youths
Stanford Medicine has stopped providing gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19 years old — becoming the second major health care provider in California to scale back transgender care for youths amid efforts by the Trump administration to restrict access to the specialized care. (Ho, 6/24)
More health news from California —
Bloomberg:
California Reaches Budget Deal Boosting Hollywood, Cutting Free Health Care
California Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers struck a budget agreement that provides $750 million in tax credits for Hollywood while scaling back free health care for undocumented immigrants. The $321 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1, marks Newsom’s third consecutive year facing a deficit, forcing trade-offs between the progressive policies he has championed and pro-business priorities. The agreement avoids higher levies on corporations and includes tax incentives for the film industry as well as cuts to some social programs. (Kamisher and Oxford, 6/25)
Bloomberg:
Drug-Overdose Deaths Fall By Record 22% In Los Angeles County
Drug-related overdose deaths and poisonings dropped by a record 22% in Los Angeles County last year, driven by a decline in fatalities tied to fentanyl — the synthetic opioid that has fueled a national crisis. Deaths specifically tied to fentanyl tumbled 37%, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Wednesday. Fentanyl deaths totaled 1,263 last year in the nation’s most populous county, the lowest since 2020 but still almost three times the 2019 tally. (Fleischmann, 6/25)
San Francisco Chronicle:
This 117-Year-Old San Francisco Neighborhood Pharmacy Is Closing
It seemed like a belated reunion was unfolding Wednesday at 4494 Mission St. Outside, the old men and women visiting were greeted by the familiar red neon words in cursive as they entered the dimly-lit drug store many of them had frequented for decades. It wasn’t long before laughter rang through the building while the sounds of clinking bottles and package rustling aired in the backdrop. In less than a month, against many of the community’s wishes, the Central Drug Store will permanently shutter. (Wu, 6/25)
From North Carolina, Oregon, and Missouri —
CIDRAP:
North Carolina, Oregon Confirm First Measles Cases
North Carolina has reported its first measles case of the year. The child was visiting Forsyth and Guilford counties from a country where measles outbreaks have recently been reported, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Oregon has also confirmed its first measles case of the year, in an unvaccinated adult from Multnomah County who recently returned from international travel. (Soucheray, 6/25)
North Carolina Health News:
NC House's “Mini Budget” Has No Healthy Opportunities Money
The North Carolina House of Representatives passed its own “mini” budget on June 25, a day after the Senate approved a stopgap spending proposal that would keep state operations running until deadlocked lawmakers can agree on a full budget. It’s looking more likely that state lawmakers will leave Raleigh without approving a state budget before the new fiscal year starts on July 1. Now, leadership may be at an impasse over competing “mini” budget provisions as well. (Vitaglione, 6/26)
St. Louis Public Radio:
St. Ann Woman Died In The Heat After Ameren Shut Off Her Power
Police and family found a woman dead in a hot apartment Monday evening in St. Ann. St. Ann Police Maj. Blake Carrigan said Shauna Thomas’ apartment did not have air conditioning running when officers arrived. “We found that it was very hot in the apartment,” Carrigan said. Ameren Missouri had shut off the 55-year-old’s electricity for nonpayment on June 11, Carrigan said the utility told police. (Grumke, 6/25)
