State Politics
Following Supreme Court decision, Alabama hospital pauses IVF treatments
Following a decision by the Alabama Supreme Court a few days ago, the University of Alabama at Birmingham health system said they would pause part of their IVF program.
The hospital will continue to support women in the process of retrieving eggs from their ovaries. However they will not be able to proceed with the next steps, fertilization with sperm and implantation into the uterus.
The following is a statement from the hospital’s spokeswoman, Savannah Koplon: “We are saddened that this will impact our patients’ attempt to have a baby through IVF, but we must evaluate the potential that our patients and our physicians could be prosecuted criminally or face punitive damages for following the standard of care for IVF treatments.”
This move follows a Supreme Court decision on two wrongful death cases. The court ruled that, under an 1872 state law and the anti-abortion language in the Alabama constitution, frozen embryos are considered children. They specifically said that unborn children would still be considered children “without exception based on developmental stage, [or] physical location.”
The ruling itself did not actively seek to block IVF treatments. However many have raised concerns about how the same language and law could be used to prosecute those involved in the procedure. Since not all embryos are used during the process of IVF, it raises legal questions about how hospitals must store and use them.
Critics of the decision have said that it will decrease access to family-building resources for Alabama residents. They have also warned of the possibility of this spreading to other states, as similar language can be found in other states laws and constitutions.
In a surprise move by the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee, Oklahoma City has been named the host of two events for the Olympic Games. Come Olympic season, OKC will be hosting the Olympic Canoe Slalom and Softball events, as Los Angeles does not have the necessary facilities locally.
LA28 stressed that the Oklahoma facilities were “built to international competition standards,” and that this move allowed the City of Los Angeles to save money on venues they would not continue to use after the Olympics.
Softball has a long tradition in Oklahoma City, which has hosted the Women’s College World Series every year except 1990. They already have these world class facilities in place, as well as an in-built and enthusiastic audience for the sport.
Oklahoma City also recently completed construction on Riversport Rapids, a world class canoeing and kayaking facility, in 2016. They currently offer consumer rafting experiences as well as training facilities for athletes. In preparation for the Olympics, they will also use it to host the Canoe Slalom World Championships in 2026.
While the plan is still awaiting approval from Los Angeles, LA28 has received approval from all relevant international bodies for the move. However it is unlikely that LA will deny the request considering the cost benefits laid out under the plan.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday that the infamous Rikers Island prison is “ready” to receive Former President Donald Trump. Trump is currently facing potential temporary incarceration following repeated violations of his gag order.
The judge overseeing Trump’s hush money trial, Judge Juan Merchan, made it clear on Monday that if the Former President continued to violate his gag order, he could be placed in jail. He called Trump’s repeated violations a “direct attack on the rule of law.”
Putting the Former President in jail could prove difficult for the New York City Department of Connection. Due to the high security required for his incarceration, the options could be very limited.
Despite Rikers Island’s poor reputation, city officials could be of the mind that they are best equipped to handle a prisoner of Donald Trump’s stature. Eric Adams told the media that “they’re professionals, they’ll be ready.”
Off the coast of Boca Raton, Florida, two teenagers were caught throwing heaps of trash into the ocean from their boat. The teenagers were partying on their speeding boat with their friends when they committed the offense. Wavy Boats, a social media account, first uploaded the viral video on April 30.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) led the investigation, which the Coast Guard and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were also involved in. The FWC wanted to send a message that the state of Florida “doesn’t tolerate this” and wants to “protect [their] environment.”
According to a South Florida newspaper, after turning themselves in on Friday, the two teenagers (unnamed) face “felony third-degree charges of causing pollution so as to harm or injure human health or welfare, animal, plant, aquatic life or property, which amounts to $50,000 in fines or up to five years in prison.”
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