Each week we will provide you with a rundown of top news stories and must-read articles.
Headlines
Healthcare repeal defeated for now
The Senate voted in the early morning hours to reject "skinny repeal" in the latest effort to overturn the ACA. Maine's Senators Collins and King joined Senate Democrats in opposing repeal.
Trump tweets ban on transgender service members
President Trump has sparked outrage since tweeting Wednesday morning that he will ban transgender people from serving in the military. Although military leaders say that a policy banning transgender people is not currently in effect, the ACLU is ready to fight to ensure every American has the right to serve their country.
Justice Dept. adds to the Trump administration's LGBTQ discrimination
Discrimination against the LGBTQ community was not limited to President Trump this week. The Justice Department got involved in a case in New York, filing a brief this week that claimed Title IX does not cover discrimination based on sexual orientation.
ACLU takes action against LePage's censoring
The ACLU of Maine demanded this week that Governor LePage stop censoring the comments and blocking people on his Facebook page.
Legislators propose bill criminalizing certain boycotts of Israel
A bill proposed by a bipartisan group of senators, threatens to criminalize some boycotts of the national of Israel. Middle East conflicts aside, this piece of legislation is a serious threat to free speech.
Over-the-counter Narcan reaches last hurdle
Mainers will soon be able to get the Narcan, the life-saving drug used to reverse opioid overdoses, over-the-counter. More than a year after the Maine legislature passed a bill in favor of over-the-counter Narcan, the Maine Pharmacy Board will meet next week to craft rules for instituting this policy. This has been a long process, but making Narcan more available is an important step in fighting the opioid epidemic in Maine.
STAFF PICKS: Here’s what ACLU of Maine staff are reading this week.
Immigration crackdown tearing families apart
Trump claims his administration's immigration crackdown is protecting Americans from criminal illegal immigrants. It's not. Instead, these policies are harming families across the country. Undocumented immigrants with no criminal history are being deported. This is tearing apart families and communities across America.
