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Moore-Miller Administration Secures $168 million in Federal Funding to Advance Health Care in Rural Maryland Communities
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Wes Moore, D-Maryland, issued the following news release:
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Moore-Miller Administration Secures $168 million in Federal Funding to Advance Health Care in Rural Maryland Communities
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The Maryland Department of Health this week received $168 million in federal funding for the first year of the five-year Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen and modernize health care in rural areas across the state. The funding, which is renewable over five years, will serve to enhance the Moore-Miller Administration's ongoing effort to bolster health care
... Show Full Article
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Wes Moore, D-Maryland, issued the following news release:
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Moore-Miller Administration Secures $168 million in Federal Funding to Advance Health Care in Rural Maryland Communities
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The Maryland Department of Health this week received $168 million in federal funding for the first year of the five-year Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen and modernize health care in rural areas across the state. The funding, which is renewable over five years, will serve to enhance the Moore-Miller Administration's ongoing effort to bolster health careaccess and affordability in Maryland's rural communities.
"Our focus on transformational investments aligns directly with our administration's goals to strengthen our health care system and improve the health of all Marylandersno matter where they live in the state," said Gov. Moore. "Our record on investment in the health and well being of rural Maryland is a testament to our promise to leave no one behind."
Almost one third of Maryland residents live in rural areas. Rural communities often face health care challenges, including a lack of healthcare providers and difficulty accessing care due to transportation and technology barriers. Rural hospitals and rural health care providersmany of whom are also the economic backbone of the communities they servehave unique needs in order to provide and sustain high-quality services that also meet the needs of rural residents.
The Moore-Miller Administration has demonstrated significant commitment to improving healthcare access for Maryland's rural communities. In the last two years, several efforts have strengthened community health for rural Marylanders, including breaking ground on the UM Shore Regional Medical Center, opening the Edward Q. Wilgus Community Clinic, and $2 million in facility investment for the Meritus Health School of Osteopathic Medicine.
The Moore-Miller Administration also launched Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers, also known as RAMPa $1.6 million grant programto expand and strengthen Maryland's certified peer recovery specialist workforce. The program is in addition to the more than $37 million in behavioral health investments for FY 2025 and FY 2026 across the Mid-Shore to build a more robust continuum of behavioral health care.
The Maryland Department of Health is also partnering to build local resources and expand health care access, to enhance training, recruitment, and retention of future and practicing health care providers. With the Rural Health Transformation Program funding, Maryland will build on ongoing efforts to enhance the health workforce pipeline by scaling up current training and retention programs for clinical providers and allied health professionals as well as apprenticeship programs. The funding will also support Maryland's effort to support sustainable access, innovative care models and technology advances to improve health outcomes in rural communities.
Approved funds will also be used to create post-harvest infrastructure for Maryland's small farms, to increase the availability of more healthy, fresh food in local markets and grocers, especially in areas where need is greatest. Coupled with infrastructure investment, nutrition education and enhanced regional planning and coordination will also help increase demand for healthy food. The program is designed to help bolster Maryland's agricultural economy and increase accessibility to more healthy food, so more Marylanders can lower their risk of chronic disease.
"We heard robust and critical input from rural residents throughout this process and are thrilled to have secured support to help meet the needs and priorities of our communities," said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. "This funding will provide critical support to strengthen the local health care workforce, bolster current programs and implement evidence-based strategies that will have lasting impacts on the health and wellbeing of rural Maryland families."
The Department of Health worked extensively with Maryland's rural community members and organizations to inform the award submission earlier this fall. Through an open request for information, 17 public listening sessions, as well as numerous meetings and additional engagements, the state heard feedback and input from stakeholders representing wide interests across the state. The final proposal, submitted in November, reflected significant feedback from rural Marylanders and state partners.
Upon receiving the federal funds in 2026, the Maryland Department of Health will closely partner with other state agencies and rural stakeholders to shape, implement and evaluate program strategies.
Maryland is currently in discussion with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding approved programs and budget details. Updates including additional opportunities for funding, will be shared health.maryland.gov.
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Original text here: https://governor.maryland.gov/news/press/pages/Moore-Miller-Administration-Secures-$168-million-in-Federal-Funding-to-Advance-Health-Care-in-Rural-Maryland-Communities.aspx
ICYMI: Governor Kelly Highlights 2025 Successes, Looks Ahead to 2026
TOPEKA, Kansas, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Laura Kelly, D-Kansas, issued the following news release:
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ICYMI: Governor Kelly Highlights 2025 Successes, Looks Ahead to 2026
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Kansas Governor's legislative priorities in 2026 center on budget, water and children
12.25.25 | Kansas Reflector
* Kelly, scheduled to deliver the State of the State address on Jan. 13, said developing a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would be her primary quest.
* "No. 1 is always the budget," she said in an interview with Kansas Reflector. "That the Legislature pass a balanced, reasonable, sane budget that
... Show Full Article
TOPEKA, Kansas, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Laura Kelly, D-Kansas, issued the following news release:
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ICYMI: Governor Kelly Highlights 2025 Successes, Looks Ahead to 2026
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Kansas Governor's legislative priorities in 2026 center on budget, water and children
12.25.25 | Kansas Reflector
* Kelly, scheduled to deliver the State of the State address on Jan. 13, said developing a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would be her primary quest.
* "No. 1 is always the budget," she said in an interview with Kansas Reflector. "That the Legislature pass a balanced, reasonable, sane budget thatfunds the important responsibilities of state government."
* Kelly said another objective was to sustain the push for economic development. The state's commitment to financially support relocation of the Kansas City Chiefs to a stadium in Wyandotte County and a headquarters in Johnson County was a "game-changer for our state," she said.
* In the 2026 session, Kelly said she also would focus on finalizing a long-term plan for preserving and enhancing the state's water resources.
* "We are on the cusp of coming up with that strategic plan that I'd like to see in place before I'm out of office," Kelly said. "As I've said before, I don't expect to solve the water problem by the time I leave, but I would like in place a structure and a funding source that will ensure that we can address water."
* In addition, the governor said she was committed to standing up the new state Office of Early Childhood by July 1. The goals would be consolidation of programs housed in a cluster of state agencies and the upgrading of services beneficial to children.
'Seamless opening' of office a top priority in Laura Kelly's last year
12.29.25 | Topeka Capital-Journal
* Kelly, who is entering her final year as governor, told The Capital-Journal in a Dec. 17 interview that one of her top priorities for her last year "is to ensure a seamless opening of the Office of Early Childhood."
* "We have been putting all the puzzle pieces in place," she said. "I think we will be ready on July 1, but I won't stop focusing on that to ensure that we are."
* "That office is what will ensure that my original campaign goal in 2018 of having the most comprehensive, robust early childhood education system in the country can become a reality," Kelly said.
* Creation of a new state agency was a top priority of Kelly's second term. She campaigned for reelection on a promise to consolidate programs into a newly established cabinet-level agency. Her first official act of her second term was signing an executive order while holding her granddaughter on her lap to set up a task force to study the issue. The task force solicited input with meetings around the state.
Water planning among Gov. Laura Kelly's priorities ahead of 2026 legislative session
12.17.25 | WIBW
* Governor Laura Kelly outlined some of her priorities for the 2026 legislative session in an interview with 13 NEWS Wednesday. The outgoing Democrat said she wants to have the Office of Early Childhood up and running by July and finalize a strategic approach to the state's water resources before leaving office.
* Kelly said continuing to develop a long-term plan for the state's water resources remains a priority, building the legislative task force established in the 2025 session.
* "I don't expect I'm going to solve the issues around water before I'm out of office, but I am hoping in concert with the legislature, and particularly with the task force that they set up last year that by the time I'm walking out this door that there will be in place a very solid strategic plan to deal with water, and that plan will include a dedicated funding source," Kelly said.
* Kelly said the state's approach to transportation infrastructure is comparable to her vision for water planning.
* "What I hope it would be very much is what we do for our roads and bridges," she said. "We think long-term with roads and bridges and we also have a dedicated funding source for that. You have to have that for those kinds of projects that are going to be constructed over a longer period," Kelly said. "So that's what I'm hoping when all is said and done, that we have in place here in Kansas the ways and the means to implement a water plan that will ensure quality and quantity for generations."
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Original text here: https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/880/56
Governor Reeves Grants Executive Clemency For Second Time Since Taking Office
JACKSON, Mississippi, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Tate Reeves, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release:
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Governor Reeves Grants Executive Clemency For Second Time Since Taking Office
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JACKSON, Miss. - Governor Tate Reeves today signed Executive Order 1591 which grants executive clemency to Maurice Taylor, who was illegally sentenced to 20 years in prison, with five years suspended. This is the second time Governor Reeves has granted executive clemency since taking office.
In February 2015, Maurice Taylor accepted a plea bargain and pled guilty to conspiracy to sell a Schedule III substance.
... Show Full Article
JACKSON, Mississippi, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Tate Reeves, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release:
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Governor Reeves Grants Executive Clemency For Second Time Since Taking Office
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JACKSON, Miss. - Governor Tate Reeves today signed Executive Order 1591 which grants executive clemency to Maurice Taylor, who was illegally sentenced to 20 years in prison, with five years suspended. This is the second time Governor Reeves has granted executive clemency since taking office.
In February 2015, Maurice Taylor accepted a plea bargain and pled guilty to conspiracy to sell a Schedule III substance.The state of Mississippi recommended a twenty-year sentence, with five years suspended, which was accepted by the trial judge. At the time of sentencing, the maximum lawful sentence that could be imposed on Mr. Taylor pursuant to Miss. Code SS 97-1-1 for the charge of conspiracy to sell a Schedule III controlled substance was five years.
"Today, for the second time as governor, I have exercised my Constitutional authority to grant executive clemency by commuting an illegal sentence imposed on Maurice Taylor, the brother of Marcus Taylor, who was granted clemency earlier this month," said Governor Tate Reeves. "A couple of weeks ago, my office was contacted for the first time by Maurice Taylor's post-conviction counsel and provided a copy of Mr. Taylor's indictment, plea petition, sentencing order, transcript of the sentencing hearing and other documents from the Circuit Court file.
"These documents confirm that, like his brother, Maurice Taylor received a sentence more than three times longer than allowed under Mississippi law. Specifically, Maurice Taylor was sentenced in 2015 to a term of 20 years, with five years suspended, for the offense of conspiracy to sell a Schedule III controlled substance, a crime that at the time carried a maximum sentence of five years.
"Thus, the sentence imposed on Maurice Taylor plainly is illegal. Mr. Taylor has now served more than 11 years of his sentence (with credit for pretrial detention), and further service of this sentence in excess of the five-year statutory maximum constitutes a mischarge of justice.
"Accordingly, I have signed Executive Order 1591 which commutes Maurice Taylor's sentence to time served and instructs the Mississippi Department of Corrections to release him. When justice is denied to even one Mississippian, it is denied to us all."
Executive Order 1591 directs the Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections to release Mr. Taylor within five days.
A copy of Executive Order 1591 can be found here.
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Original text here: https://governorreeves.ms.gov/governor-reeves-grants-executive-clemency-for-second-time-since-taking-office/
Governor Kelly Announces $6.7M in Broadband Acceleration Grants for Kansas
TOPEKA, Kansas, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Laura Kelly, D-Kansas, issued the following news release:
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Governor Kelly Announces $6.7M in Broadband Acceleration Grants for Kansas
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Governor Laura Kelly today announced that $6.7 million has been awarded to five Internet Service Providers through the latest round of the Broadband Acceleration Grant program. These awards will be matched with an additional $6.7 million in private and local investment, resulting in $13.4 million to expand high-speed internet access across eight rural Kansas counties.
Together, these projects will deliver reliable service
... Show Full Article
TOPEKA, Kansas, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Laura Kelly, D-Kansas, issued the following news release:
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Governor Kelly Announces $6.7M in Broadband Acceleration Grants for Kansas
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Governor Laura Kelly today announced that $6.7 million has been awarded to five Internet Service Providers through the latest round of the Broadband Acceleration Grant program. These awards will be matched with an additional $6.7 million in private and local investment, resulting in $13.4 million to expand high-speed internet access across eight rural Kansas counties.
Together, these projects will deliver reliable serviceto approximately 1,068 households and businesses, many located in some of the state's most underserved and hardest-to-reach areas.
"As Kansas continues the pursuit to be a top 10 state for high-speed internet access, these investments provide critical opportunities regardless of zip code or economic status," Governor Laura Kelly said. "Broadband investment in Kansas continues to break down barriers for businesses, educational institutions, and health care providers elevating the entire state toward a more connected future."
Introduced in 2020, the Broadband Acceleration Grant is a 10-year, $85 million program designed to bring essential internet access to Kansas communities in every corner of the state.
Administered by the Kansas Office of Broadband Development and funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation's Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE), this latest round of grants brings the program's total investment for broadband infrastructure to nearly $70 million.
"This program embodies the forward-looking spirit of Kansans by investing in essential infrastructure and setting up future generations for success," Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. "With critical support from the Kansas Legislature and KDOT, we are creating opportunities for Kansans to open businesses, amplify job skills, work remotely, connect with loved ones, visit healthcare providers and more all from the comfort of their rural Kansas community. This is how Kansas retains its most valuable resource - talent."
Projects were selected following a thorough review process by an executive committee and a public comment period. Community feedback plays a key role in ensuring transparency and local input in each funding decision.
"Reliable connectivity supports how today's transportation system operates, from freight tracking to emergency response coordination," Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed said. "KDOT supports these investments because broadband is infrastructure Kansans depend on every day."
The Kansas Office of Broadband anticipates opening additional rounds of funding in January 2026.
Round five Broadband Acceleration Grant awardees:
* Butler Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., dba Velocity, Butler County -$268,850 to support 20 homes and businesses
* Butler Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., dba Velocity, Butler County -$74,813 to support 7 homes and businesses
* Butler Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., dba Velocity, Sedgwick County - $154,750 to support 15 homes and businesses
* ITC Broadband Operating, LLC, Lyon County - $1,053,701 to support 93 homes and businesses
* ITC Broadband Operating, LLC, Osage County - $1,167,891 to support 282 homes and businesses
* ITC Broadband Operating, LLC, Osage County - $509,887 to support 72 homes and businesses
* The Junction Internet, Cherokee County - $314,493 to support 119 homes and businesses
* Twin Valley Communications, Inc., Chautauqua County - $249,372 to support 175 homes and businesses
* 3JL Holdings, LLC, Anderson County - $1,494,288 to support 161 homes and businesses
* 3JL Holdings, LLC, Woodson County - $1,382,686 to support 124 homes and businesses
About the Kansas Office of Broadband Development:
Established in 2020 by Governor Laura Kelly through Executive Order, the Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) is committed to ensuring all Kansans have the opportunity to live, work, learn and compete in a digital economy. KOBD accomplishes this by administering state and federal funding to support critical broadband infrastructure and expand access to high-speed internet. These efforts help enhance workforce readiness, education, digital opportunities and economic development across the state.
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Original text here: https://www.governor.ks.gov/Home/Components/News/News/882/56
Governor Hochul Announces Tools to Improve Digital Wellness Among New Yorkers
ALBANY, New York, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-New York, issued the following news release:
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Governor Hochul Announces Tools to Improve Digital Wellness Among New Yorkers
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Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the availability of resources aimed at educating young people, caregivers and educators on how to safely navigate digital media content in a way that protects their mental health. Developed by the state Office of Mental Health, digital wellness resources are available on ' Be Well ' the ongoing campaign to improve mental wellness statewide and aimed at helping all New Yorkers
... Show Full Article
ALBANY, New York, Dec. 31 -- Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-New York, issued the following news release:
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Governor Hochul Announces Tools to Improve Digital Wellness Among New Yorkers
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Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the availability of resources aimed at educating young people, caregivers and educators on how to safely navigate digital media content in a way that protects their mental health. Developed by the state Office of Mental Health, digital wellness resources are available on ' Be Well ' the ongoing campaign to improve mental wellness statewide and aimed at helping all New Yorkersdevelop healthy habits with their digital devices.
"As New York's first mom Governor, I'm concerned about the mental health of our children and how their struggles with depression and anxiety relate to the digital media they consume at an alarming rate," Governor Hochul said. "With digital devices being popular gifts during the holidays these resources will help caregivers, teachers and young people themselves embrace healthier habits with their digital devices and to better understand the role digital media plays in their mental wellness along with the steps they can take to protect their mental health."
The digital wellness section of the 'Be Well' site includes information on how to maintain healthy habits with smart phones, tablets, and computers, and how using these devices can impact mental well-being. The content is organized into distinct audiences, including youth and young adults, parents and caregivers, educators, in addition to all New Yorkers.
The additional resources are aimed at helping New Yorkers develop healthier habits when using digital devices, which are popular gifts during the holiday season. Likewise, these tools can encourage families to practice healthier habits with digital media during a time when many young people are on break from primary schools and colleges.
New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, "Digital media is part of our everyday lives and when we use it in a way that feels balanced, it can help us stay connected, informed, and entertained. These resources are designed to help New Yorkers develop healthy habits with technology and avoid the behaviors that can leave them stressed, anxious, and depressed. This content continues Governor Hochul's ongoing commitment to protecting youth mental health and ensuring everyone has access to the mental health resources they can rely on to thrive."
The 'Be Well' site now includes general tips on safely navigating digital content, including social media, how to maintain privacy online, steps to counter cyber-bullying, and other educational resources. The new pages also connect with videos and other evidence-based content from trusted organizations.
The resources also connect other 'Be Well' content, which is part of a $1.9 million public awareness campaign aimed at helping New Yorkers improve their mental well-being. The site provides information about the negative impact that stress and traumatic events can have on both physical and mental health, while also offering simple and accessible ways to improve mental wellness.
Governor Hochul has made a nation-leading commitment to protect youth mental health and promote student success in the digital age. As part of the FY 2026 State Budget, she secured a landmark agreement to create a statewide standard for distraction-free schools and eliminate smartphone use in the classroom.
To combat the mental health risks of using harmful features of social media platforms that prolong use, Governor Hochul recently negotiated a chapter amendment and signed legislation that will require social media companies to display warning labels on their platforms when a young user initially uses the predatory feature and periodically thereafter, based on continued use. Users will not be able to bypass or click through the warnings.
This fall, all K-12 schools statewide enacted 'bell-to-bell' cellphone policies prohibiting the use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds. New York is now the largest state in the nation to require statewide, bell-to-bell restrictions on smartphones in K-12 schools.
In addition, Governor Hochul signed into law the Safe for Kids Act last year, requiring social media companies to restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. She also signed the New York Child Data Protection Act, prohibiting online sites and connected devices from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website.
Contact the Governor's Press Office
Contact us by phone:
Albany: (518) 474-8418
New York City: (212) 681-4640
Contact us by email:
Press.Office@exec.ny.gov
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Original text here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-tools-improve-digital-wellness-among-new-yorkers
California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board Releases 2024 Police Stop Data
SACRAMENTO, California, Dec. 31 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board Releases 2024 Police Stop Data
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2026 RIPA report will be published on January 31, 2026
OAKLAND The California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board today announced the publication of data on vehicle and pedestrian stops across California in 2024. The information collected under the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) includes data on peace officers' perceptions of the demographics of stopped individuals, such
... Show Full Article
SACRAMENTO, California, Dec. 31 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board Releases 2024 Police Stop Data
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2026 RIPA report will be published on January 31, 2026
OAKLAND The California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board today announced the publication of data on vehicle and pedestrian stops across California in 2024. The information collected under the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) includes data on peace officers' perceptions of the demographics of stopped individuals, suchas race or ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and disability. Members of the public can access the data on OpenJustice, a data-driven initiative that works to increase access to data and support the development of public policy.
On November 18, 2025, the Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board voted to move the publication of the accompanying report analyzing 2024 stop data to January 31, 2026. More information on the Board's findings and policy recommendations will be available then.
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/california-racial-and-identity-profiling-advisory-board-releases-2024-police
Attorney General Bonta Marks Major Litigation Victory as Trump Administration Backs Away from Its Efforts to Federalize and Deploy California National Guard
SACRAMENTO, California, Dec. 31 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Marks Major Litigation Victory as Trump Administration Backs Away from Its Efforts to Federalize and Deploy California National Guard
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Following Supreme Court decision, Trump Administration withdraws motion to stay, allows lower court order ending the extended federalization of the California National Guard to go fully into effect
OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today celebrated the Trump Administration's decision to withdraw its legal effort
... Show Full Article
SACRAMENTO, California, Dec. 31 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Marks Major Litigation Victory as Trump Administration Backs Away from Its Efforts to Federalize and Deploy California National Guard
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Following Supreme Court decision, Trump Administration withdraws motion to stay, allows lower court order ending the extended federalization of the California National Guard to go fully into effect
OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today celebrated the Trump Administration's decision to withdraw its legal effortto block an order by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ending the continued federalization and deployment of California National Guard troops in and around Los Angeles. The Trump Administration's capitulation comes on the heels of a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in a related case, Illinois v. Trump, rejecting its nearly limitless conception of presidential authority to federalize the National Guard and the activities those troops can engage in.
The deployment of California National Guard troops ended earlier this month after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit refused to pause the District Court's preliminary injunction order with respect to the deployment, but the troops remained federalized. With today's filing, the Trump Administration agrees to allow the District Court's order with regard to the federalization of these troops to go into effect, allowing for the return of command of these troops to Governor Newsom for the first time since they were initially federalized in early June.
"For six months, California National Guard troops have been used as political pawns by a President desperate to be king. From the political display in MacArthur Park to their unlawful participation in indiscriminate immigration raids, the militaristic deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles streets has left lasting scars in Angeleno communities. There is a reason our founders decided military and civilian affairs must be kept separate; a reason that our military is, by design, apolitical," said Attorney General Bonta. "Now, in the face of a stinging rebuke by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Trump Administration is backing away from its efforts to federalize and deploy California National Guard troops. I'm incredibly proud of my team who worked nights and weekends to defend the Constitution and bring about an end of the President's unlawful overreach of executive power. While our rule of law remains under threat, our democratic institutions are holding. My office is not backing down and we're ready for whatever fights lie ahead."
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-marks-major-litigation-victory-trump-administration-backs
