The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the legality of local laws against camping on public property in the case of a southwest Oregon city’s vagrancy policy. The court will hear arguments on whether enforcing these ordinances against homeless people violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments. In New York, the trial of Donald Trump for allegedly covering up a hush money payment to a porn star is underway, highlighting the challenges of insulating jurors from social media influence. Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting Wisconsin to announce new rules aimed at improving access to long-term care and enhancing the quality of caregiving jobs. President Joe Biden is celebrating Earth Day by unveiling $7 billion in grants for residential solar projects that will benefit low-income households. TikTok has expressed concerns about a House of Representatives bill that would ban the app in the U.S. if its Chinese owner does not sell its stake within a year. Other news includes Columbia University canceling in-person classes due to pro-Palestinian protests, the insurer for Trump’s $175 million bond facing scrutiny, and the selection of 12 jurors for Trump’s hush money trial.
Results for: Homelessness
The Supreme Court will decide whether three anti-homelessness laws in Grants Pass, Oregon, violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The laws prohibit sleeping on streets, sidewalks, and other public areas and impose fines that lead to jail time for nonpayment, trapping unhoused individuals in a cycle of debt and incarceration.