News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
U.S. Supreme Court upholds Tennessee prohibition on gender affirming care for minors
by Sam Stockard, Tennessee Lookout, Arkansas Advocate
June 18, 2025
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s law prohibiting gender affirming care for minors, saying children who seek the treatment don’t qualify as a protected class.
In United States v. Skrmetti, the high court issued a 6-3 ruling Wednesday overturning a lower court’s finding that the restrictions violate the constitutional rights of children seeking puberty blockers and hormones to treat gender dysphoria. The U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the district court’s decision and sent it to the high court.
The court’s three liberal justices dissented, writing that the court had abandoned transgender children and their families to “political whims.”
Tennessee lawmakers passed the legislation in 2023, leading to a lawsuit argued before the Supreme Court last December. The federal government, under the Biden administration, took up the case for the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and three transgender teens, their families and a Memphis doctor who challenged the law, but the U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump dropped its opposition.
In its ruling, the court said that the plaintiffs argued that Senate Bill 1 “warrants heightened scrutiny because it relies on sex-based classifications.” But the court found that neither of the classifications considered, those based on age and medical use, are determined on sex.
“Rather, SB1 prohibits healthcare providers from administering puberty blockers or hormones to minors for certain medical uses, regardless of a minor’s sex,” the ruling states.
The ruling says the application of the law “does not turn on sex,” either, because it doesn’t prohibit certain medical treatments for minors of one sex while allowing it for minors of the opposite sex.
The House Republican Caucus issued a statement saying, “This is a proud day for the Volunteer State and for all who believe in protecting the innocence and well-being of America’s children.”
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who sponsored the bill, said he is grateful the court ruled that states hold the authority to protect children from “irreversible medical procedures.”
“The simple message the Supreme Court has sent the world is ‘enough is enough,’” Johnson said in a statement.
The Tennessee Equality Project, an LGBTQ advocacy group, expressed dismay at the decision: “We are profoundly disappointed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to side with the Tennessee legislature’s anti-transgender ideology and further erode the rights of transgender children and their families and doctors. We are grateful to the plaintiffs, families, and the ACLU for fighting on behalf of more than 1.3 million transgender adults and 300,000 youth across the nation.”
The group said gender-affirming care saves lives and is supported by medical groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association.
The court also rejected plaintiffs’ argument that the law enforces “a government preference that people conform to expectations about their sex.”
The court found that laws that classify people on the basis of sex require closer scrutiny if they involve “impermissible stereotypes.” But if the law’s classifications aren’t covertly or overtly based on sex, heightened review by the court isn’t required unless the law is motivated by “invidious discriminatory purpose.”
“And regardless, the statutory findings on which SB1 is premised do not themselves evince sex-based stereotyping,” the ruling says.
In response to the outcome, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said Tennessee voters’ common sense won over “judicial activism” on a law spurred by an increase in treatment for transgender children.
“I commend the Tennessee legislature and Governor Lee for their courage in passing this legislation and supporting our litigation despite withering opposition from the Biden administration, LGBT special interest groups, social justice activists, the American Medical Association, the American Bar Association, and even Hollywood,” Skrmetti said.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the ruling just moments after it came out after being asked about it during a press conference.
“This Supreme Court seems to have forgotten that one of their jobs is to protect individual rights and protect individuals from being discriminated against,” Schumer said. “It’s an awful decision.”
Democrats, he said, are “going to explore every solution,” though he didn’t elaborate.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the opinion: “This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field. The voices in these debates raise sincere concerns; the implications for all are profound. The Equal Protection Clause does not resolve these disagreements. Nor does it afford us license to decide them as we see best. Our role is not ‘to judge the wisdom, fairness, or logic’ of the law before us, but only to ensure that it does not violate the equal protection guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment. Having concluded it does not, we leave questions regarding its policy to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process.”
The ACLU said in a statement the decision is based on the record and context of the Tennessee case and doesn’t extend to other cases involving transgender status and discrimination.
Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project, called the ruling “devastating,” but despite the setback said transgender people still have healthcare options.
“The court left undisturbed Supreme Court and lower court precedent that other examples of discrimination against transgender people are unlawful,” Strangio said in a statement.
This story was updated at 4:25 p.m. on June 18, 2025 with information pertaining to Arkansas’ SAFE Act of 2021.
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
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Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post U.S. Supreme Court upholds Tennessee prohibition on gender affirming care for minors appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The content presents a factual recount of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Tennessee’s law restricting gender-affirming care for minors, incorporating perspectives from multiple political and social actors. It notably includes critical viewpoints from LGBTQ advocacy groups, Democrats, and medical organizations, emphasizing the perceived harms of the ruling and framing it as a setback for transgender rights. While it also fairly reports statements from Republican lawmakers and supporters defending the law on grounds of protecting children and states’ rights, the tone and selection of expert and advocacy voices lean toward a defense of transgender healthcare and rights, which are typically associated with center-left viewpoints. The article maintains a generally balanced structure but the compassionate framing toward transgender individuals and critique of conservative-backed policies suggests a center-left orientation.
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
‘This is what we all work for’: Longest term foster child in Arkansas adopted
by Ainsley Platt, Arkansas Advocate
August 25, 2025
Even the judge was smiling by the end of Cozy Dietrich’s adoption hearing.
Cozy had been in foster care longer than any other person in Arkansas’ foster system — until Monday morning, when Anna and Tim Dietrich of Little Rock adopted the nonverbal 19-year-old. He took his new family’s last name.
An atmosphere of joy dominated the small Pulaski County Circuit Court hearing room where his adoption was finalized. When Circuit Judge Tjuana Byrd Manning brought the hearing to a close, the celebration started. The lights dimmed, and court staff — Manning included — pulled out flashing, multi-colored lights as Justin Timberlake’s “Don’t Stop the Feeling” played over the courtroom’s speakers and the standing-room-only audience clapped and cheered.
For many, the celebration was warranted. Cozy entered foster care in October 2010, and has been available for adoption since October 2011, according to a Department of Human Services spokesperson. In all, Cozy spent nearly 15 years in Arkansas’ foster system.
Anna Dietrich said she and her husband had always been open to adopting, but had been waiting for the right person. Anna Dietrich has long worked within the state’s foster system as a logistics coordinator for Project Zero, an Arkansas nonprofit dedicated to placing every child in a loving, permanent home.
Cozy’s disabilities meant having a family “with understanding, patience, and love would be instrumental in supporting” him, according to his Project Zero Heart Gallery page. The Heart Gallery has profiles of adoptable children in Arkansas to help match them with adoptive families.
“To say yes to one was to say no to others,” Anna Dietrich said. “The Lord was going to have to make it clear who was ours. He’s just made it abundantly clear.”
Cozy is their first child.
The Dietrichs were clearly thrilled about the adoption. Anna could be seen beaming at her new son as he ate peanut butter crackers and communicated via hand signals with a companion in the front row of the small gallery before the adoption hearing started.
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Newly-confirmed Department of Human Services Secretary Janet Mann also attended and choked up after the hearing when congratulating the Dietrich family.
“This is what we all work for,” she said. “This is the inspirational example of how every child deserves a family.”
Not every foster child goes up for adoption. According to Tiffany Wright, the director of DHS’ Division of Child and Family Services, the vast majority that enter the foster system return to their families, but roughly 200 are currently waiting for adoptive families.
In fiscal year 2023, the most recent year with available data, over 36,000 children nationwide remained in foster care despite being available for adoption, according to the National Council for Adoption. Of the more than 184,000 children who exited the nation’s foster care systems that year, 27% were adopted.
“Youth who enter care often endure trauma or have medical conditions that make finding a family hard, but we will never give up. We work to identify an appropriate family that can provide for a child in the long term. That’s what happened in today’s case,” Wright said.
Cozy’s adoption was also significant due to who his adoptive parents were.
“Anna has championed and featured children in the Heart Gallery, and works hard to find adoptive families for them,” Wright said. “There are countless children living happy lives with adoptive families across our state because of the work of Anna and Project Zero.”
Adopting a child isn’t as straightforward as filling out a form, Wright said. It’s a long process that involves home inspections, information sharing with interested families and transitional visits. Even when a suitable family is identified, adoptees also have to have lived with them for a certain period of time before the adoption can be finalized.
“You have to be in an adoptive home for six months, that’s typically the trigger that you can finalize the adoption,” Wright said.
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Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post ‘This is what we all work for’: Longest term foster child in Arkansas adopted appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This content presents a straightforward, human-interest story focused on the adoption of a foster child and the efforts of individuals and organizations involved in the foster care system. It avoids partisan language or political framing, emphasizing compassion, community support, and the functioning of social services. The tone is positive and factual, appealing broadly without aligning with a particular political ideology.
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
Health insurance will cost more for millions of Americans — especially rural residents
by Shalina Chatlani, Stateline, Arkansas Advocate
August 22, 2025
A combination of Trump administration policies will make health care coverage more expensive for people who purchase plans from health insurance marketplaces — and rural residents will be hit the hardest, according to a new analysis.
Researchers from the Century Foundation say Trump administration policies — especially its refusal to ask Congress to extend Biden-era tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year — will boost out-of-pocket premiums by 93% in the 32 states that allow the federal government to operate their Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces. New rules and tariffs will have a smaller impact.
Rural county residents in those states will see an increase of 107%, while residents of urban counties will pay 89% more, according to the analysis by the Century Foundation, a left-leaning research nonprofit.
Insurers participating in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces are proposing a median premium increase of 18% for 2026 — the biggest jump since 2018 and 11 points more than the growth from 2024 to this year. That bump would come on top of the increase resulting from the expiration of the tax credits and the other policy changes.
About 2.8 million people who are enrolled in marketplace plans in the 32 states live in rural counties, including 776,000 adults between the ages of 55 to 64 and more than 223,000 children, according to the Century Foundation.
“Rural residents tend to be older. They may be more likely to have chronic illness at the same time,” said Jeanne Lambrew, director of health care reform at the foundation. “It costs more, both because they have somewhat greater needs and less access to health care.”
The researchers calculated that average annual premiums for rural residents will increase by $760 — 28% more than the expected average increase for urban residents. States where rural enrollees are expected to see the highest cost increases are Wyoming ($1,943), Alaska ($1,835), and Illinois ($1,700).
Many of the states with a large number of rural residents have chosen not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, meaning many people who earn between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty level, between $15,650 and $21,597 for an individual, get their coverage from an insurance marketplace, Lambrew said.
Of the seven states where 10% or more of rural residents are enrolled in marketplace plans (Alabama, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming), only two — Nebraska and North Carolina — have expanded Medicaid.
State officials in Pennsylvania recently advised residents who use the marketplace that they should closely examine the plans that are available.
“This year, even more than previous years, Pennsylvanians should consider shopping around to find the best plans to meet their individual needs, at a price that makes sense for their current financial situation,” Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys said in a statement released at the beginning of this month.
Lambrew said the increases will force many people to forgo insurance altogether.
“It’s harmful for those individuals in terms of their own health and life expectancy. It’s harmful for our providers, because they’re now dealing with people who are sicker and in the wrong settings, and it’s kind of expensive for our society,” Lambrew said.
“We know health insurance matters, so having these large potential increases on uninsured Americans is distressing.”
Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.
Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post Health insurance will cost more for millions of Americans — especially rural residents appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The content presents a critical view of Trump administration policies and highlights the negative impact on healthcare affordability, particularly for rural residents. It references analysis from the Century Foundation, a left-leaning think tank, and emphasizes concerns about the expiration of Biden-era tax credits and Medicaid expansion. While it focuses on policy effects without overt partisan language, the framing and sources suggest a center-left perspective that supports expanded healthcare access and government intervention to mitigate premium increases.
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed
New I-55 bridge between Arkansas, Tennessee named after region’s three ‘Kings’
by Sonny Albarado, Arkansas Advocate
August 21, 2025
A long-planned new Interstate 55 bridge connecting Arkansas and Tennessee will be known as Kings’ Crossing, officials from the two states announced this week.
The new name “honors three transformative figures known as ‘Kings’” — civil rights martyr Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., bluesman B.B. King and rock’n’roll star Elvis Presley, according to a press release from the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The project had been named “America’s River Crossing,” according to previous news releases. The Arkansas Highway Commission and Tennessee General Assembly officially adopted the new moniker.
The bridge will replace the existing 75-year-old Memphis-Arkansas Bridge that carries I-55 traffic between West Memphis and Memphis. The new bridge is being funded by $400 million from the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program and $200 million each from Arkansas and Tennessee, making it the single largest transportation investment in both states, according to the press release.
The narrow existing bridge will be replaced with a larger structure designed to meet modern seismic codes, as it sits on the New Madrid fault line, officials said.
“It’s only fitting to name this vital crossing after three historic figures from this region,” said ARDOT Director Jared Wiley. “It truly is the result of a regional effort that will benefit industry across this national corridor and the thousands of individuals who depend on this connection each day.”
Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Will Reid said Kings’ Crossing is a “symbol of our collective history, heritage, and the enduring spirit of unity that defines this region. Naming this bridge in honor of these gentlemen pays tribute to their extraordinary legacies — individuals who transcended barriers, fostered cultural exchange, and used their talents to build bridges between people.”
The Federal Highway Administration has approved a draft environmental assessment for the project, and public hearings will be held in November, according to TDOT’s website.
Design is underway, and right-of-way coordination should begin later this year, according to ARDOT’s press release. Construction is estimated to start in fiscal year 2026.
For more information about the proposed project, visit TDOT’s website.
Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.
The post New I-55 bridge between Arkansas, Tennessee named after region’s three ‘Kings’ appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The content presents a straightforward news report about the naming and construction of a new Interstate 55 bridge, highlighting bipartisan cooperation and honoring widely respected historical and cultural figures. It focuses on infrastructure development and regional collaboration without promoting a particular political ideology or agenda, reflecting a neutral and balanced perspective.
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