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Louisiana teachers' union concerned about educators' future; Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump immunity case; court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility; landmark NE agreement takes a proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks.

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Speaker Johnson accuses demonstrating students of getting support from Hamas. TikTok says it'll challenge the ban. And the Supreme Court dives into the gray area between abortion and pregnancy healthcare, and into former President Trump's broad immunity claims.

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

Paid Family-Leave Proposal for MN Gets Another Look

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Thursday, February 25, 2021   

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A bill advancing in the Minnesota House would establish a statewide paid family-leave program.

It's not the first time lawmakers have considered the idea, but backers say the timing is right to help households upended by the pandemic.

House File 1200 would create a statewide fund for employers and their staff to pay into, representing roughly $2 to $3 of weekly earnings.

The plan would then cover 12 weeks of partial wages for a worker dealing with a serious illness, or caring for a newborn or another loved one.

Jessica Peterson White, member of the Northfield City Council, said like many people, she's had to make difficult choices, juggling a young child and her job.

"Because of the pandemic, my maternity leave lasted a little more than a week," White stated. "And then, I was working harder than ever before to make sure my bookstore survived 2020."

Supporters said the fund would help working families deal with long-term effects of the crisis, and could help reduce staff turnover.

But Senate Republicans cited the costs for small-business owners, and noted many employers offer their own plans. The bill, also opposed by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, cleared a House committee this week.

May McCoy-Anderson, a former nurse from Maplewood, said paid family leave would have been a lifesaver more than a decade ago, when she had to stop working as a nurse to care for her parents.

"I had to fly every three months to North Carolina and still maintain my Minnesota home," McCoy-Anderson explained. "I had to quit my job and file for unemployment just to survive."

She was speaking on behalf of the interfaith group ISAIAH, which is part of a broad coalition publicly endorsing the bill.

While the House version is seeing some movement, it's unclear whether a companion bill in the Senate will get a hearing.


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