The Daily Populous

Wednesday September 29th, 2021 night edition

image for Alabama trying to use COVID relief funds for new prisons

Alabama trying to use COVID relief funds for new prisons.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey called a special session next week for lawmakers to vote on the construction plan as well as a sentencing and supervision bill.

Ivey said Alabama is risking a federal takeover of the prison system.

The proposal would tap up to $400 million from the state’s share of American Rescue Plan funds to help pay for the construction.

The Department of Justice last year sued Alabama , saying the state prisons for men are “riddled with prisoner-on-prisoner and guard-on-prisoner violence.”.

New prisons might help, she said, but there needs to be broader changes, otherwise it’s, “still going to be the same problems in the new buildings.”. »

Trump skipped anesthesia for a previously unreported procedure at Walter Reed to avoid giving Pence temporary power, according to new book

Authored by businessinsider.com
image for

Trump skipped anesthesia for a 2019 procedure to avoid giving Pence temporary power, a new book says.

President Donald Trump skipped anesthesia for a previously unreported 2019 colonoscopy at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center so he wouldn't have to temporarily relinquish his presidential powers, a new book says, according to The New York Times. »

Philippines Senate backs bill to raise sexual consent age from 12 to 16

Authored by reuters.com

MANILA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A bill to raise the minimum age of sexual consent in the Philippines from 12 to 16 has moved closer towards becoming law, after senators approved it its final reading.

The Philippines currently has the lowest minimum age of sexual consent in Southeast Asia, and one of the lowest in the world.

Under the bill, any adult, both men and women, engaging in sexual contact with anyone 16 years old or lower would be committing statutory rape. »

Los Angeles DA moves to dismiss nearly 60,000 marijuana convictions

Authored by nbcnews.com

LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors in Los Angeles will move to dismiss nearly 60,000 marijuana-related convictions about five years after California voters approved recreational cannabis, the district attorney's office said Monday.

Prosecutors and officials in other states have also moved to expunge or dismiss pot convictions after recreational marijuana became legal.

New York began automatically expunging criminal records of people with certain marijuana convictions after recreational marijuana was legalized this year. »

Activision Blizzard Settles With Federal Employment Agency For $18 Million (Updated)

Authored by kotaku.com

ET: Activision Blizzard just put out a press release indicating that it has reached an agreement to settle the just-revealed U.S.

Under the agreement ... Activision Blizzard has committed to create an $18 million fund to compensate and make amends to eligible claimants.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is now suing Call of Duty and World of Warcraft publisher Activision Blizzard. »