state constitution

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court removed a rent control ballot measure from consideration, citing that its exemption for religious institutions improperly involved religious matters under the state constitution. The initiative, pushed by tenant advocacy groups, would have required all cities and towns to impose rent limits tied to inflation or 5%, but faced opposition from real estate industry groups.

Hamtramck Mayor Adam Alharbi sued the city council over the termination of City Manager Abdel Al-Adlani, claiming the vote to fire him was invalid due to procedural violations. The council voted 4 to 2 to remove Al-Adlani, who was hired in February, citing issues with agenda compliance and legal procedures.

Ex-Gov. David Paterson criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul and fellow Democrats for a proposal to change the state constitution, which he claims is a power grab to allow them to redraw congressional maps and reduce the number of Republican-held seats.

Virginia voters approved a mid-decade redistricting plan that could enable Democrats to win four additional House seats in the November midterms. The temporary amendment to the state constitution allows Democrats to draw congressional lines favoring their party in 10 of Virginia's 11 House districts.

A Pennsylvania court ruled that the state’s constitution guarantees a right to abortion and struck down a decades-old law prohibiting Medicaid funds from covering abortion costs. The decision, a victory for abortion rights groups like Planned Parenthood, was issued by a divided seven-judge appellate panel.