Social Issues

North Dakota governor OKs law to ignore transgender pronouns
Doug Burgum has signed a series of bills this year rolling back the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens in North Dakota. The ACLU says they're unlawful, discriminatory and could endanger young people who can't be safe at home.
Minnesota Senate passes paid family and medical leave program
The plan would set up a payroll tax for workers and employers, and employees could then get partial pay replacement if they got sick or had to care for a loved one.
U.N. Panel hears Minnesotans' stories of systemic racism in policing and prisons
Two experts from the United Nations Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the context of Law Enforcement (EMLER) were at the Twin Cities Urban League Headquarters in North Minneapolis as part of a fact-gathering tour across the country.
Frustration grows over wait on OxyContin maker's settlement
A federal court is still considering whether it's lawful to give members of the Sackler family who own Purdue Pharma protection from civil lawsuits in exchange for their contribution to the settlement: the company itself and up to $6 billion in cash.
U of M graduate student workers win vote to unionize
More than 2,400 eligible workers voted in favor of unionization while only 70 voted no in an election this month, according to the union.
Walz signs bills to ban conversion therapy, protect abortion and gender-affirming care
With the governor’s action, Minnesota will become a refuge for people seeking gender affirming care and abortions as other states move to restrict such care. Walz also enacted a law that bans conversion therapy.