Our Latest Updates – Archive

President Trump announced plans to have the FDA remove e-cigarette flavors such as mint and menthol from the market. Read more about the pros and cons of whether vaping is safe.

The federal government announced in 2019 that it would resume capital punishment for the first time since 2003. Explore the positions of nine 2020 presidential election candidates on the death penalty.

Learn about the presidential candidates’ views on important issues, compare them with a side-by-side chart, find your best match with a fun quiz, track their finances, and so much more on our 2020 Presidential Election website. The New York Times called our previous presidential election site “The most comprehensive tool for researching the candidate’s stance on issues.” Check back monthly for expanded issue coverage.

On Aug. 12, 2019, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill making the state’s medical marijuana program permanent, whereas before it had been set to expire in 2020. The new law added 11 qualifying conditions for which a person may apply to use medical marijuana.

The IRS says that churches, like many charitable organizations, are exempt from federal income tax. Read quotes from experts on the pros and cons of whether US churches should remain tax-exempt.

Read pro and con quotes in the age-old debate over whether golf is a sport.

On July 24, 2019, Oregon removed the 15-day waiting period between requests for PAS medication for people who are not expected to live for 15 more days.

On July 25, 2019, US Attorney General announced the federal government would execute five men, the first federal use of the death penalty since 2003. The federal government has executed three people since the death penalty was reinstated in 1988.

The 17 states that have not legalized medical marijuana have all passed laws allowing the use of cannabidiol (CBD) extract, usually in oil form and with limited amounts of THC.

Beginning in 2020, California will allow low-income undocumented immigrants between 19-and-25 years old to access healthcare through Medicaid.

Lawmakers clarified that the vote would not make gay marriage legal immediately, but could by late October if Northern Ireland had not yet formed a government.

People convicted of felonies in Colorado who have completed their prison sentences but are on parole can now vote.

On June 27, 2019, Florida’s governor signed a bill into law that requires that people convicted of felonies must pay restitution, court fees, and fine before the right to vote will be restored. The right to vote was restored to most people with prior felonies by statewide vote (Amendment 4) in Nov. 2018.

Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 1438, legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois. Recreational marijuana is now legal in 11 states and DC.

The US Supreme Court ruled on June 21, 2019 that an undocumented immigrant has to be aware of their immigration status in order to be convicted of “possessing firearms as an alien unlawfully in the United States.”