Florida voter bill, Biden in Louisiana, National Nurses Day: 5 things to know Thursday

Florida governor to sign controversial voter bill

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected Thursday to sign into law the controversial election reform legislation SB 90 — one in a series of nationwide measures opponents say are aimed at suppressing voting. Some of the legislation’s more contentious features are limits on drop boxes for hand-delivered voting, restrictions on third-party voter registration efforts and requirements that voters sign up for vote-by-mail in more frequent intervals. One voter advocacy group has vowed to lodge a legal challenge. “We have multiple grounds to challenge this, especially attacks on vote-by-mail,” said Jorge Vasquez, an attorney for the Advancement Project civil rights organization. However Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project, a conservative group,  said the bill is a sensible, preventive measure. The signing ceremony at a West Palm Beach area hotel is scheduled to be hosted by the pro-Donald Trump fan organization Club 45. 

  • Florida governor invalidates COVID-19 restrictions statewide:DeSantis says there’s no need ‘to be policing people at this point’
  • Ban Trump? Not so fast, Florida says:DeSantis will soon sign a law to stop Facebook and Twitter from censoring politicians
  • More from the Florida legislature:Bill banning transgender female athletes from women’s sports teams passes

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended local COVID-19 emergency orders across Florida on Monday.

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Biden to tout jobs plan during visit to Louisiana

President Joe Biden will visit Louisiana Thursday to tout the American Jobs Plan. Biden will deliver remarks in Lake Charles and then tour the Carrollton Water Plant in New Orleans later in the afternoon, according to president’s official public schedule. Biden unveiled the massive $2 trillion plan March 31, which includes rebuilding the nation’s aging infrastructure and boosting access to caregivers and their pay in a massive undertaking that would be the centerpiece of his economic agenda. On Wednesday, Biden touted another government program, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, while ordering tacos and enchiladas during a Cinco de Mayo visit to Taqueria Las Gemelas, a Mexican restaurant in Washington. The new $28.6 billion program offers grants to eateries slammed by the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Judge strikes down federal moratorium on evictions: The Biden administration says it will appeal
  • From the Editorial Board (April 19): Biden builds solid infrastructure proposal, but hard questions remain on American Jobs Plan
  • Opposing View from Sen. John Thune (April 19):President Biden doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel on infrastructure

Highlighting his administration’s $28.6 billion program to help eateries that lost business because of the coronavirus pandemic, President Joe Biden insists his Restaurant Revitalization Fund "is about a seat at the table," for restaurants. (May 5)

AP Domestic

Charges could be announced in San Francisco stabbings

Two Asian women, ages 63 and 84, were stabbed without warning in downtown San Francisco on Tuesday. A man was arrested after the crime, and the District Attorney said charges could be announced Thursday. While police didn’t immediately say whether the victims — who remained hospitalized Wednesday — were targeted for their race, the incidents add to the growing number of recent attacks against people of Asian descent.  

  • Asian women attacked in New York City;one hit with hammer, police say
  • Anti-Asian hashtags increasedafter Trump’s COVID-19 tweet, according to a study

Hate crimes are on the rise against communities of color. In 2019, they reached their highest level in more than a decade. Here’s why.

USA TODAY

The show will go on: Broadway tickets back on sale

The lights will go back on Broadway, as tickets will go on sale starting Thursday. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that shows will resume Sept. 14.  Broadway was forced to shutter more than a year ago because of the coronavirus pandemic. The move comes after New York lifted capacity restrictions on arts venues and restaurants, but there still may be some limit on attendance to ensure social distancing. Nonetheless, tickets for the shows this fall will be sold at 100% capacity, according to Cuomo, and any seating limits will be addressed in the coming months. The Broadway League said preparations are underway, and that specific plays and their reopenings will be announced in the coming weeks.

  • NY lifting COVID occupancy limitsMay 19.What to know
  • Tourists are back in New York Cityas COVID-19 restrictions ease

The neon lights are bright again on Broadway. After over a year, Broadway's famed St. James theatre had it first performance since the beginning of the pandemic on Saturday. (April 3)

AP Domestic

It’s National Nurses Day! Thank a nurse 

Kicking off with National Nurses Day Thursday, National Nurses Week goes through May 12, when health care pioneer Florence Nightingale was born. Nurses are some of the most trusted professionals: In a 2020 Gallup poll, they earned a record 89% very high/high score for their honesty and ethics, which was four percentage points greater than in 2019. Dunkin’ and Chipotle are just two of many businesses that are giving a little extra love to nurses with freebies and discounts. 

  • How to welcome COVID nurses home from their war
  • Tokyo Games need 500 nurses;nurses say needs are elsewhere

The NICU at NewYork-Presbyterian pulled out all the stops to help Teon Kennedy propose to his partner, Martine Drouillard.

USA TODAY

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