Washington Post
By Laura Vozzella and Gregory S. Schneider
February 14, 2023 at 6:24 p.m. EST

RICHMOND — The administration of Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) helped defeat a bill this week to put menstrual data stored on period-tracking apps beyond the reach of law enforcement, blocking what supporters pitched as a basic privacy measure.

Millions of women use mobile apps to track their cycles, a practice that has occasionally raised data-security worries because the apps are not bound by HIPAA, the federal health privacy law. New concerns arose after the Supreme Court gave states the right to ban abortion in June, with some abortion rights groups warning that the information could be used to prosecute women or doctors who violate a state’s restrictions on the procedure.

S.B. 852, proposed by Sen. Barbara A. Favola (D-Arlington), would have prohibited search warrants from being issued for menstrual data stored on computers or other electronic devices. The measure sailed out of the Democratic-led Senate last week on a 31-9 vote, with every Democrat and half of the chamber’s 18 Republicans in support.

But a Republican-led House subcommittee voted along party lines Monday to “table” the bill — essentially killing it — after Maggie Cleary, Youngkin’s deputy secretary of public safety and homeland security, detailed the administration’s concerns that the measure could restrict subpoena powers.

(paywall)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/02/14/youngkin-menstrual-data-abortion-virginia/

Your hearts made my day!

Source: NBC News

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey state Sen. Samuel Thompson said Monday he’s leaving the Republican Party and plans to seek reelection this year as a Democrat.

Thompson, 87, said in a phone interview that he decided to leave the GOP after party leaders questioned his fitness for office because of his age.

“The betrayal by so many of my friends — that was too much for me,” he said. “I am not leaving my party. My party leadership has left me.”

Thompson’s departure would expand the Democrats’ edge in the state Senate from 24 to 25 seats in the 40-member chamber.



Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/new-jersey-state-senator-says-leaving-gop-join-democrats-rcna70525

NBC News
Feb. 13, 2023, 10:25 PM EST
By The Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey state Sen. Samuel Thompson said Monday he’s leaving the Republican Party and plans to seek reelection this year as a Democrat.

Thompson, 87, said in a phone interview that he decided to leave the GOP after party leaders questioned his fitness for office because of his age.

“The betrayal by so many of my friends — that was too much for me,” he said. “I am not leaving my party. My party leadership has left me.”

Thompson’s departure would expand the Democrats’ edge in the state Senate from 24 to 25 seats in the 40-member chamber.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/new-jersey-state-senator-says-leaving-gop-join-democrats-rcna70525

I'd have thanked you sooner but was rushing to finish a project.

D.C.'s stuffed groundhog Potomac Phil is calling for an early spring and six more months of political gridlock.

https://news.yahoo.com/dc-groundhog-potomac-phil-calls-135955203.html


New York City’s Staten Island Chuck made his prediction for an early spring during an event Thursday at the Staten Island Zoo.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/nation-world/punxsutawney-phil-groundhog-day-2023/507-3ad962b0-e663-43d4-8d25-9681c4af51ed

Birds are returning from the South. Seeds are quickening in the Earth. The green tips of daffodil leaves emerge.

More about Imbolc:

https://democraticunderground.com/12192909

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/30/us/lakeland-florida

Multiple people were shot Monday afternoon in Lakeland, Florida, according to a statement released by the City of Lakeland.

“At this time we believe there are nine victims, two with critical injuries and seven with non-life-threatening injuries,” the statement said.

According to the statement, officers were called to a location near Iowa Avenue North and Plum Street at approximately 3:43 p.m.

Read more: CNN