Legislation & Lobbying

3253 ABA Journal Legislation & Lobbying articles.

ABA vows to fight challenges to free and fair elections

The ABA House of Delegates on Monday approved two late-filed resolutions that address efforts to restrict voting after the 2020 presidential election.

Feb 14, 2022 7:28 PM CST

10 guidelines to aid tenants and landlords in eviction crisis are adopted by the ABA House

The House of Delegates approved a measure adopting the ABA 10 Guidelines for Residential Eviction Laws at the ABA Midyear Meeting on Monday.

Feb 14, 2022 4:10 PM CST

Congress passes bill banning forced arbitration of harassment and sexual assault claims

A bill that bans forced arbitration of disputes involving sexual assault and harassment is on its way to President Joe Biden after the U.S. Senate approved the measure by voice vote Thursday.

Feb 10, 2022 3:00 PM CST

Troubled Waters

As interest in outdoor recreation has surged, more people are clashing with property owners over the right to be on the waterways. The conflict over the uses of—and even the definitions of—public and private space is a legal conundrum bedeviling locales across the country.

Feb 1, 2022 4:00 AM CST

Inmate’s life sentence spurs him to push for felony murder reform

Of course, there are inmates who pose a danger to society. There are plenty of others, like me, who made bad choices or had addiction issues and can be rehabilitated and released to become productive members of society.

Feb 1, 2022 2:30 AM CST

Global Impact: The ABA’s advocacy has influence on the international stage

The ABA’s efforts to improve laws and regulations and defend the rule of law are not limited to the United States; the ABA’s voice is also heard around the world. Opening jurisdictions to U.S. law firms, strengthening the rule of law, and improving the quality of laws through education, law reform and advocacy are important components of the ABA’s global work.

Feb 1, 2022 12:30 AM CST

Significant advocacy successes for the ABA were achieved in the first session of 117th Congress

Despite a tumultuous 2021, Congress passed another monumental coronavirus relief package and a historic bipartisan infrastructure bill that was years in the making. Other significant actions also advanced on issues advocated by the ABA.

Jan 27, 2022 2:30 PM CST

Immigration court system needs independence from the DOJ, ABA representative says at congressional hearing

A former chair of the ABA Commission on Immigration testified before Congress Thursday to advocate for the creation of an independent immigration court system. Immigration courts are currently located within the Department of Justice and under the control of the attorney general.

Jan 21, 2022 9:48 AM CST

Will SCOTUS block vaccine mandates? Decision could come quickly

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday heard challenges to the Biden administration’s nationwide vaccine mandates for employees of large businesses and health care facilities that receive federal funds.

Jan 7, 2022 3:43 PM CST

Bankruptcy court had no authority to shield Sackler family in Purdue Pharma bankruptcy, judge rules

A bankruptcy judge had no statutory authority to shield the Sackler family—which owns debtor Purdue Pharma—from civil lawsuits related to the drugmaker’s marketing of the opioid OxyContin, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

Dec 17, 2021 10:40 AM CST

Ban on bump stocks prevails when 6th Circuit splits on government interpretation

A federal government regulation that bans bump stocks—which are used to accelerate gunfire on semi-automatic weapons—is back in force as a result of a split decision Friday by an en banc federal appeals court.

Dec 6, 2021 12:45 PM CST

ABA calls on lawyers to join push to tackle the student debt crisis

Graduating from law school and starting a legal career should be an exciting and hopeful time. But for far too many, student debt causes apprehension and struggle.

Dec 1, 2021 2:50 AM CST

Is the right to assemble and demonstrate under threat?

Legislators who are now seeking to restrict protesters say the measures are necessary to establish law and order; provide security; protect businesses; ensure the free flow of highways; and distinguish between peaceful protesters and rioters. But free speech experts warn that the legislative trend against protesting is harmful to fundamental First Amendment freedoms.

Dec 1, 2021 1:50 AM CST

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is a case study of ABA advocacy

The ABA started advocating for the creation of PSLF in 2002, and our steadfast support continues today. The program provides a financial tool to support government and nonprofit service providers who help ensure the delivery of vital services to the public, regardless of how rural or underresourced a community is. It is also a recruitment and retention tool that helps reduce student loan debt obligations for eligible professions, including public service lawyers.

Dec 1, 2021 12:20 AM CST

America’s fights over medical treatment choices didn’t start with COVID-19 and ivermectin

Like the legal profession, the practice of medicine in the United States is highly regulated. But it hasn't always been, and the idea that a person has the right to try the medical therapies of their choice has a much longer history. In Choose Your Medicine: Freedom of Therapeutic Choice in America, law professor Lewis A. Grossman introduces readers to a fractious history with some unexpected combatants—and comrades.

Nov 24, 2021 8:48 AM CST

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