RELIGION HEADLINES

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(SRN NEWS) – A lawsuit has been filed against an Arkansas county judge who fired a librarian after she opposed efforts to keep pornographic books out of the hands of children.  The American Civil Liberties Union is contesting the 2023 firing of former Saline (suh-LEEN) County Library Director Patty Hector.  Parents all across the country have become aware of the books that their children are being exposed to in school and at public libraries, prompting many to call for reform.  A growing number of state legislatures are passing laws that bar pornographic materials in places where kids can see them. 

Maryland’s Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of a 2023 law that ends the state’s statute of limitations for child sexual abuse lawsuits.  The legislation was adopted after a report that exposed widespread wrongdoing within the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore. The report, which is nearly 500 pages, included details about more than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the archdiocese abusing over 600 children.  The archdiocese quickly filed for bankruptcy to protect its assets ahead of an anticipated deluge of litigation. 

New York’s Democratic governor Kathy Hochul has signed a bill to shield the identities of doctors who prescribe abortion medications, days after a physician in the state was charged with prescribing to a pregnant minor in Louisiana. The new law, which took effect after it was signed Monday, allows doctors to request for their names to be left off abortion pill bottles and instead list the name of their health care practices.  Last week Louisiana indicted Dr. Margaret Carpenter and her company for allegedly prescribing abortion pills online to an underage girl. 

New York Attorney General Letitia James is telling hospitals that they would be violating state law if they stop offering sex-change operations to children in response to an executive order from President Trump. James told health care facilities in a letter Monday that refusing to provide the treatments would violate New York’s anti-discrimination laws.  Mr. Trump has ordered federal agencies to take steps to make sure that hospitals receiving federal research and education grants “end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”