Today, activists in Little Rock host a "drive-through" interfaith prayer breakfast on Martin Luther King Junior Day, to honor the legacy of the civil-rights leader and show support for voting-rights legislation. The Caravan of Love in Action starts at 8 am at Martin Luther King Elementary in Little Rock, handing out breakfast bags to visitors before proceeding to the Governor s Mansion, where organizers will offer voter information. Caravan organizer Deborah Springer Suttlar said the event is about reminding Arkansans what s at stake if Congress fails to pass key voting-rights protections. .
The cost of legal help can be out of reach for many Arizonans, creating "legal deserts" in rural areas and marginalized communities. But a new type of advocate being trained in Arizona could open the legal system to thousands of people. The state has licensed its first group of Legal Paraprofessionals or "LPs." They re qualified to represent clients in matters such as parental rights, contracts, evictions, and low-level criminal matters. .
A petition from the group "Secure MI Vote" is aiming to circumvent Michigan s regular legislative channels and pass laws restricting many residents ability to vote. Lawmakers passed changes to the state s voter ID laws this year, but faced vetoes from the governor for requiring absentee ballot requests to include photo ID, and removing the option for voters to sign an affidavit attesting they are who they say they are. Christina Schlitt, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Michigan, said if the petition can get the equivalent of 8% of the turnout for the most recent gubernatorial election, the Legislature may be able to do it on its own. .
A lawsuit claims the New York City Medical Examiner s Office violated the advance directive of a transgender Muslim man who specified what to do with his remains upon his death. Shawn Frederick died in November 2018, giving his partner Nakemia Stanley the legal right to make decisions about Frederick s burial. After Frederick died, the suit claims that agreement was ignored; the body was released to his biological family, who didn t accept Frederick s gender identity or faith. .