* Idaho…

A federal judge denied Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s request to reconsider the order barring the state from prosecuting emergency room physicians for providing abortion care to stabilize a patient.

U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill made his initial decision to block part of Idaho’s ban on abortions in August, just before the ban went into effect, following a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against the state.

Idaho’s ban on abortion applies to all stages of pregnancy and makes exceptions only for documented cases of rape and incest or to save the pregnant person’s life.

The Justice Department argued that the ban conflicts with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which requires hospitals that accept Medicare to provide stabilizing medical care for all those who come to the hospital with an emergency. Winmill ruled that the two laws were in conflict and the federal law superseded the state law.

* Indiana…

For generations, the Kinsey Institute has shined a light on diverse aspects of sex and sexuality, in pursuit of answers that bring us closer to understanding fundamental questions of human existence. In a time of divisive politics and disinformation, it is more imperative than ever to preserve and defend the right of such academic institutions to illuminate the unfolding frontiers of science — even, and especially, research that might challenge us as it advances our understanding of ourselves.

Thus it is tremendously disappointing that Indiana lawmakers voted late last month to approve a budget that specifically blocks Indiana University from using state funding to support the Kinsey Institute, and that last week Gov. Eric Holcomb signed it into state law. This is an unprecedented action that takes aim at the very foundation of academic freedom.

The Kinsey Institute, where I serve as the executive director and a senior scientist, is the leading sex research institute in the world. We publish dozens of scientific and academic articles each year, across multiple disciplines. Our faculty are internationally renowned biologists, psychologists, anthropologists, health scientists and demographers. We house the world’s largest library and research collection of sexuality-related materials, and scholars from across the globe visit us to study these materials and to train in our research theories and methods. […]

As Kinsey wrote in 1956: “It is incomprehensible that we should know so little about such an important subject as sex, unless you realize the multiplicity of forces which have operated to dissuade the scientist, to intimidate the scientist, and to force him to cease research in these areas.”

* Kentucky…

A Powell County woman is being faced with an impossible decision: give birth to a child who will likely be born stillborn or travel hours away across state lines for an abortion. […]

“I see my baby that has no brain, that has no life and it hurts,” Maberry said. […]

She tells us she has to leave the state to seek abortion care because, at this point in her pregnancy, terminating isn’t an option in the State of Kentucky. […]

“We’ve been called hypocrites. We’ve been told that they hope we have to carry this baby to term and be made to,” Maberry said. “Those people that say that; they don’t know our story, they don’t know our pain and I hope to God, they never have to.”

* Florida…

Construction workers say many employees have not showed up to work because they fear deportation.

Critics say Florida Senate Bill 1718 is to blame.

If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, businesses could face a $10,000 fine for every undocumented employee and the state could revoke their business license.

Because of this, many construction workers who spoke to CBS News Miami say they are fearful of the future.

“Many workers are leaving, thinking they’re going to be deported, so they’re going to other states,” says Jose, an employee. “Everyone is really uneasy…we just want to work to help our families.”

* More from Florida…

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida signed a series of bills Monday that bans Chinese citizens from buying land in the state. […]

One bill restricts Chinese nationals from buying land in Florida unless they are also American citizens or permanent residents.

Chinese citizens with non-tourist visas, meanwhile, would be limited to buying fewer than two acres of land that is at least five miles away from any military institutions, the Tampa Bay television news outlet WTVT reported.

* Even more from the Sunshine State…

Florida has rejected dozens of social studies textbooks and worked with publishers to edit dozens more, the state’s education department announced on Tuesday, in the latest effort under Gov. Ron DeSantis to scrub textbooks of contested topics, especially surrounding contemporary issues of race and social justice.

State officials originally rejected 82 out of 101 submitted textbooks because of what they considered “inaccurate material, errors and other information that was not aligned with Florida law,” the Department of Education said in a news release.

But as part of an extensive effort to revise the materials, Florida worked with publishers to make changes, ultimately approving 66 of the 101 textbooks. Still, 35 were rejected even after that process. […]

The revisions outlined by the state included:

- An elementary school textbook no longer includes “home support” guidance on how to talk about the national anthem, which had included advice that parents could “use this as an opportunity to talk about why some citizens are choosing to ‘Take a Knee’ to protest police brutality and racism.’” Florida officials said that content was not age-appropriate.

- A text on different types of economies was edited to take out a description of socialism as keeping things “nice and even” and potentially promoting greater equality. The description was flagged as inaccurate, and mention of the term “socialism” was removed entirely.

- A middle school textbook no longer includes a passage on the Black Lives Matter movement, the murder of George Floyd and its impact on society. The removed passage described protests, noting that “many Americans sympathized with the Black Lives Matter movement,” while other people were critical of looting and violence and viewed the movement as anti-police. The state said the passage contained “unsolicited topics.”

* Missouri…

A school board member in central Missouri resigned Tuesday, blaming a slate of bills introduced by state lawmakers that would negatively affect her transgender daughter.

Katherine Sasser, who served for two years on the Columbia School Board, said at a school board meeting Monday that her family will also move before the start of the next school year because the state “is no longer a safe place” for them, according to KOMU-TV, a local NBC affiliate. […]

While holding back tears at the board meeting, Sasser called on other school board members to “use our agency and privilege, wherever we find it, to stand in on behalf of those who continue to be attacked and minoritized,” KOMU-TV reported.

“Especially in these challenging times, believe people when they say who they are and what they need,” she said. “Lean in to community and care with one another. Choose compassionate action. Take care of yourselves and take care of each other.”

* Those bills now go to the desk of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson…

In the waning days of their legislative session, Missouri lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban transition care for transgender youth.

The legislation, which had stalled for weeks in the Republican-controlled General Assembly because of disagreement over whether to include exceptions, is the latest in a national push by conservatives to limit access to medical care for transgender children, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries.

The Missouri bill allows young people already receiving hormone treatments and puberty blockers to continue doing so, and the portion of the bill restricting hormone treatment and puberty blockers would expire in 2027. The measure would also ban transition surgeries for adult prisoners.

Missouri lawmakers also passed on Wednesday a bill that would ban transgender women and girls from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identity.