Blue 812 News Issue 27 - June 29
“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.” — John F. Kennedy
NATIONAL NUTCASERY
trudging towards July 4th
Late last night, Susan Collins put away her concerns yet again and voted in favor of letting the OBBB move forward, along with all other Republicans except Rand Paul and Thom Tillis, who also coincidentally announced that he is not running for re-election. Senate Democrats requested a full reading of the nearly 1,000-page bill on the floor of the Senate to buy some time. Once that is done, Republicans and Democrats each get 10 hours to debate the bill, but Republicans aren’t expected to use their full allotment. Once debate is done, the Senate will begin an unlimited series of amendment votes, known as a vote-a-rama. The process could stretch well into Sunday night or, more likely, sometime on Monday. All of this rush is because Trump wants to squiggle his Sharpie on it on the 4th. The Senate has made significant changes to tax structure and credits, the debt ceiling, SNAP, SALT and Medicaid. Public lands sales have been completely stripped from the bill, but Trump tax cuts for the wealthy, changes to student loans, new immigration fees and border security budget increases are left mostly intact from the House version.
In short, this is crunch time. Here are a few actions from Rogan’s List to squeeze in while we still can:
Call Sen. Young and Sen. Banks one more time to let them know we want them to vote no on passing this MAGA murder budget. We can find scripts at 5Calls or here.
For Republican senators, specifically add we want them to oppose Ron Johnson’s proposed amendment further attacking the Medicaid expansion. We can use the following:
“I am furious that Republicans are adding even more Medicaid cuts to this budget. You are already going to cost 16 million people their health insurance, and you want to hurt even more of us to pay for billionaire tax cuts? Along with voting no on final passage, you need to vote no on Senator Johnson’s amendment rolling back federal cost-sharing for new Medicaid enrollees under the ACA. Enough!”
Let’s contact Rep. Messmer and let him know the Senate version of the murder budget is even worse than what the House passed, and he cannot rubber stamp it.
eyes on SCOTUS
It’s finally over. We have reached the end of decision season. Let’s just get into it.
Buckle up, because the Supreme Court handed the anti-choice movement a massive legal gift wrapped in judicial indifference. In Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, the Court ruled 6–3 that low-income patients can’t sue when states boot Planned Parenthood from Medicaid. No matter how essential the care or how thin the excuse, you’re just supposed to take it and find another provider. Good luck with that in rural America. I hope that the budget bill won’t have any effect on local hospitals…
Back to the case: The backstory begins with South Carolina wanting to kick Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid, claiming that even non-abortion services somehow violated their anti-choice vibes. A Medicaid patient sued, pointing to the federal law that says patients can choose “any qualified provider”. You’d think that means, well, any qualified provider. But the Court responded with a shrug emoji and said that doesn’t mean you can actually enforce it in court. Apparently, it's more of a friendly suggestion than a right.
States now basically have a blank check to defund Planned Parenthood from their Medicaid programs, even for non-abortion care like cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing. It's ideological purging masquerading as budget management, and the Court’s just fine with it. More on this decision from Strict Scrutiny.
Other decisions from Thursday:
Gutierrez v. Saenz 6-3 decision: the Court ruled that Jamaican national Pierre Riley missed his deadline to challenge his deportation, even though the government hadn’t finished deciding whether to deport him yet. An immigration judge agreed Riley may face torture if returned to Jamaica and granted him protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The Board of Immigration Appeals reversed that, and Riley appealed three days later. The Court said he should’ve appealed the original removal order from a year earlier, even though the CAT decision hadn’t happened yet. Because apparently, time travel is now part of immigration law.
Hewitt v. United States 5-4 decision: SCOTUS said that people whose sentences were vacated and resentenced after 2018 can benefit from the First Step Act’s reduced mandatory minimums. Before the Act, first-time offenders with multiple gun charges got “stacked” 25-year sentences (nothing says justice like sentencing someone to die in prison for a robbery spree). The Fifth Circuit said, “Too bad, you were sentenced before the law changed, even if that sentence was thrown out.” The Supreme Court reversed that.
Riley v. Bondi, 5-4 decision: Ruben Gutierrez, a Texas death row inmate, was ruled to have standing to sue for access to DNA evidence that might prove he didn’t commit a murder. Gutierrez admits to being part of a robbery but says he never entered the home where the victim was killed. He’s been trying to test DNA from the crime scene for 15 years. Texas said, “Even if the DNA clears you, you’d still be guilty under our ‘law of parties’ theory,” but now the Court said, “That’s not how due process works.”
On Friday, the mouth of Hell opened to spew forth the remaining decisions:
Trump v. CASA 6-3 decision: The Court ruled federal district judges can’t issue nationwide injunctions, even when the stakes are, say, constitutional rights. This clears the runway for Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented or temporary immigrants to move forward, at least in the 28 states that didn’t sue. The Court didn’t rule on whether the order is constitutional (spoiler: it’s not), but they did tell lower courts to stop acting like they can protect everyone. Apparently, equal protection is now a ZIP code–based perk. “The other shoe has dropped on presidential immunity,” Sotomayor said from the bench, a line that does not seem to appear in her written dissent. Strict Scrutiny also has an episode on this decision. The Democracy Defenders Fund has filed a class action lawsuit to protect birthright citizenship for everyone in America.
Kennedy v. Braidwood Management 6-3 decision: SCOTUS rejected a challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s preventive care mandate, which requires insurers to cover things like HIV prevention and cholesterol meds. Christian employers argued that the board that sets these rules wasn’t Senate-confirmed and therefore unconstitutional. The Court said, “Nice try, but no,” so for now, your PrEP and statins are safe
Mahmoud v. Taylor 6-3 decision: The justices sided with Maryland parents who want to pull their kids from public school lessons that include LGBTQ-inclusive storybooks. The Court didn’t issue a final ruling but strongly hinted that the parents’ religious objections will win in the end. So now, public education is a choose-your-own-adventure—unless your adventure includes queer characters, in which case, opt out at will.
Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton 6-3 decision: Texas’ law requiring age verification for porn sites? Upheld. The Court said it doesn’t violate the First Amendment, even though critics warned it’s a privacy nightmare and a censorship gateway. So now, before you click “Enter,” you might need to upload your driver’s license. Because nothing says “freedom” like biometric surveillance for consenting adults. Note: Indiana has a similar law! This ruling is expected to pave the way for Indiana’s to be enforced, since the two are “functionally identical” according to a federal appeals court
FCC v. Consumers’ Research 6-3 decision: the Roberts court upheld the fee on phone bills that funds internet and phone access in rural areas, schools, and libraries. It’s a win for digital equity, and a loss for the anti-regulation crowd who think broadband is a luxury, not a necessity.
In a surprise move, the justices announced they’re pushing the Louisiana redistricting case to next term, meaning they won’t decide yet whether the state’s new congressional map with a second majority-Black district is constitutional. So, democracy is on hold until further notice.
STATEWIDE SHENANIGANS
reaping what was sown
July 1st is the start date for many new laws that were passed in the last legislative session. Gov. Braun was a busy boy, with about 200 of the approximately 1200 originally-filed bills making it past the finish line. It helps when both chambers have a supermajority. Of course, some have already been challenged in the courts:
budget & taxes:
schools (more details at Indiana Capitol Chronicle):
Improving math scores through annual screenings
limiting sex education, but including “age-appropriate instruction concerning the importance of consent”
increasing teacher pay, raising the minimum teacher salary to $45,000
new licensure pathways for middle school & STEM teachers
master’s degree requirement removed for superintendents
transportation:
state officials banned from buying luxury cars (just a couple months too late!)
public health & safety
nonprofit hospitals to begin information-sharing with the state about funding and costs
judges will be able to expunge red-flag violations from criminal records
freedom & democracy
dumb shit
transgender women are banned from participating in college sports (there are fewer than 10 transgender athletes nationwide).
lab-grown meat 2-year ban goes into effect, and must be labeled "this is an imitation meat product."
The General Assembly also met last week to decide the topics for its summer study committees. Despite the Democrats’ request that the full list of requested topics be released, we only know what they picked to study, not what was rejected. We’ll never know what could have been.
Interim committees, chaired by the Senate this year, will meet during the summer and fall months in preparation for the 2026 session of the General Assembly. Topics include postpartum health, K-12 school funding, AI, and medical debt. See the full list and descriptions at The Statehousefile.
LOCAL FOCUS
big changes for vcsc facilities
The Vigo County School Board on Monday voted unanimously to take the next steps on a sweeping facility consolidation/reorganization plan that would include two high schools, four middle schools, and 10 elementary schools.
Terre Haute North and South High Schools would be consolidated into one new high school (est. 2029-2030 at the earliest), while West Vigo High School would remain as a modernized, renovated smaller high school. Davis Park, Hoosier Prairie, Ouabache, and Rio Grande elementary schools would close. The current North and South High Schools would each be repurposed into a middle school, grades 6-8; and Sugar Creek Consolidated would also be repurposed into a middle school, grades 5-8, with Fayette Elementary serving grades K-4. Woodrow Wilson would remain grades 6 through 8.
At the elementary school level, Benjamin Franklin, DeVaney, Fuqua, Lost Creek, Riley, and Terre Town will all remain K-5, while Honey Creek Middle School would be repurposed into a K-5 elementary, along with Otter Creek and Sarah Scott.
Farrington Grove Elementary would be repurposed into an alternative school. Dixie Bee Elementary would be repurposed into a career-technical education center, and Sugar Grove will become an early learning center, joining the existing Deming Early Learning Center.
Implementing the plan will probably take several years to complete, as one change needs to happen before the next, Superintendent Himsel said. The goal is that when fully implemented, “Every school that will continue to be used will have been renovated and will have been modernized.”
In developing the plan, the board has had to factor in declining enrollment, fewer anticipated property tax dollars, and state funding that is not keeping up with inflation.
Himsel said the district and board wanted to increase opportunities for students, reduce the impact on teacher candidate shortages, and increase the ability of the district to live within its means. The main priorities included maintaining current class size averages and creating more consistency throughout the district, along with maintaining current courses of study and extracurricular/co-curricular opportunities, and student learning activities, and increasing them whenever possible.
As the process moves forward, the district will continue to seek community input as it develops more detailed plans, Himsel said. More at WTHI
GOOD TROUBLE
The public currently has a chance to weigh in on a proposed rule by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to ban people from changing the gender marker on their driver's license.
The proposed rule cites a recent Indiana Court of Appeals case that said "gender" on a BMV credential means "sex" and, more specifically, the binary options male and female. That aligns with an executive order issued by the governor in March that directs state agencies to "enforce the biological binary of man and woman,” something advocates say dangerously dehumanizes transgender Hoosiers.
The public can comment on the rule via mail or email by July 18. The email address is BMVLegal@bmv.in.gov. The mailing address is:
LSA Document #25-321 Credential Documentation Requirements
Kevin Kolbus
Indiana Government Center North
100 North Senate Avenue, Room N404
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Hoosiers can also attend an in-person hearing at the Indiana Government Center in Indianapolis on July 22. Under the current rulemaking timeline, the rule would take effect in October. More info at WFYI.
BONUS TROUBLE FOR MISCHIEF-MAKERS: INDIANA DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT is seeking public comment on current environmental regulations. This is to implement Braun’s executive order this spring to weaken regulations. More from WBIW.
one for the lolz: since his birthday parade was a bust, Trump is having “A New Era of American Greatness: America250's Kick-Off Celebration featuring remarks by President Donald J. Trump” on Thursday in Des Moines. It would be terrible for people to go to this site and register for two tickets, especially if they knew they were not going to even be in Iowa on Tuesday. Hey, unrelated, but did you know Google Voice numbers can receive text messages?
RESOURCE CENTER
As a member of the Organizing Indiana coalition, MADVoters is proud to present their 2025 Summer of Solidarity Conversation Guide. This free resource will guide you in having productive conversations with your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and community members across the political spectrum.
Politics can seem so overwhelming and beyond our control, but simply talking to our community is something each of us can do to help support Freedom, Democracy, and Truth. Check out the guide here, and learn more at Organizing Indiana. HoosLeft also had a recent episode about the Summer of Solidarity.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Nasty Women - Vigo County calendar | Indivisible Wabash Valley calendar
Monday, June 30th at 5pm: Come join Indivisible Wabash Valley for a Civic Education Workshop at the Vigo County Public Library. You'll learn how to spot misinformation and find out what news sources are non-biased; about voting rights, voter registration, and upcoming laws that could make voter registration harder; about running for a position in politics to make change, and how to reach out to your representatives so they'll listen. Come and bring a friend! Refreshments will be provided!
Tuesday, July 1st at 5pm: Indiana Nasty Women - Vigo County meeting at the Vigo County Public Library in meeting room B.
Tuesday, July 1st at 6pm: Mile with the Mayor at Maple Ave Nature Park. A 1-mile walk with the mayor in a city park.
** Indivisible Wabash Valley will not be hosting a July 4th rally. If you're looking for an event, check out this one by Indivisible Central Indiana Indiana 50501**
Tuesday, July 8th at 3pm: Mingle with the Mayor at Grand Traverse Pie Company. At this informal and relaxed gathering, various topics will be covered each month with opportunities to ask questions and voice concerns. Free pie and coffee will be served courtesy of Clinton Gardens.
SAVE THE DATE: John Lewis Day of Action Thursday, July 17th possibly Fairbanks Park. Look for more information soon from Indivisible Wabash Valley
END ON A HIGH NOTE
Indianapolis U.S. Rep. André Carson cosponsored the latest articles of impeachment against Trump, after initially voting to table the measure.
Zohran Mamdani won the NYC mayoral primary! Jerry Nadler has endorsed Mamdani, and so has Elizabeth Warren!
A court in Costa Rica ordered the government to release about 200 people, including 80 children, who were flown to a detention center there from the U.S. by the Trump administration in February.
After a nearly seven-week pause, World Central Kitchen resumed its operations in Gaza, serving 10,000 meals on its first day from its first food shipment in 12 weeks.
Kenneth Chesebro, the alleged architect behind the fake electors scheme to keep Donald Trump in the White House following his 2020 election loss, has been disbarred in New York.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation allowing refreshments to be provided to voters as they wait in line to exercise their civic duty. Crazy there had to be a law to say people can give each other water.
Trump's time in the White House runs out in:
