High court to hear arguments in Va. redistricting case
Recent Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear arguments in the case over Virginia's congressional map.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that arguments before the high court have been set for March 21.
The court has agreed to take up an appeal by Republicans in Virginia's congressional delegation. They're asking the court to reverse a decision by a three-judge panel that said lawmakers in 2012 illegally packed too many black voters into the 3rd Congressional District.
The new map could help Democrats win the 4th Congressional District, represented by Republican Rep. Randy Forbes
Republicans have also asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put a new congressional map for Virginia on hold and allow the 2016 elections to proceed under the old boundaries.
Related listings
-
Texas renews bid for court-imposed refugee restrictions
Recent Cases 01/25/2016Texas is doubling down on its push for court-imposed restrictions on the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state. In a court filing in Dallas on Tuesday before U.S. District Judge David Godbey, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cited a recent fe...
-
High court raises doubts over Puerto Rico sovereignty
Recent Cases 01/14/2016The Supreme Court on Wednesday raised doubts about whether Puerto Rico should be treated as a sovereign state with powers that go beyond its status as a territory of the United States. The justices considered the question during arguments in a...
-
Florida asks court to deny inmate's execution-delay request
Recent Cases 01/13/2016Florida has asked the state's high court to reject a condemned inmate's request to delay his execution based on the U.S. Supreme Court's finding that Florida's procedure for imposing the death penalty is illegal. In a brief filed Thursday, Florida At...
Texas Adopts Statewide Texting-While-Driving Ban
Effective September 1, 2017, Texas will become the 47th state to pass a statewide ban on texting while driving. Governor Abbott’s signing of House Bill 62 is an effort to unify Texas under a uniform ban and remedy the “patchwork quilt of regulations that dictate driving practices in Texas.”
The bill specifically prohibits drivers from reading, writing, or sending an electronic message on a device unless the vehicle is stopped. That includes texting and emailing. It does not, however, prohibit dialing a number to call someone, talking on the phone using a hands-free device, or using the phone’s GPS system.
Violations would be punishable by a fine ranging from $25 to $99, to be set by each municipality. Although penalties could rise to as much as $200 for repeat offenders.
Studies have found that a driver’s reaction time is half as much when a driver is distracted by sending or reading a text message. According to state officials, in 2015 more than 105,000 traffic accidents in Texas involved distracted driving, leading to at least 476 fatalities.