The justices refused to narrow a lower-court order that has prohibited the law from being enforced statewide.
Florida had asked the court to allow its anti-drag show law to be enforced everywhere except at the Hamburger Mary's restaurant in Orlando, which challenged the law's constitutionality.
Three justices, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, said they would have granted the state's request.
Last month, a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s order stopping the law from being enforced. The district court found that the law likely restricted free speech and couldn't be enforced anywhere in the state.
Hamburger Mary’s regularly hosts drag shows, including family-friendly performances on Sundays that children are invited to attend. The restaurant’s owner said the law was overly broad, was written vaguely and violated First Amendment rights by chilling speech.
The new law championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, punished venues for allowing children into what it called “adult live performances.” Though it did not mention drag shows specifically, the sponsor of the legislation said it was aimed at those performances.
Venues that violated the law faced fines and the possibility that their liquor licenses to be suspended or revoked. Individuals could be charged with a misdemeanor crime.
As we move into the colder months in the U.S., health experts are warning of a more active flu season than last year, sounding the alarm on what many are calling a 'twindemic.' Dr. Syra Madad, infectious disease epidemiologist, joined Cheddar's 'Search for the Cure' to discuss the intersection of the flu season with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Schools across the country could expect to see billions of dollars towards providing a more accessible Universal Pre-K program. Steven Barnett, Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, joined Cheddar News to discuss more.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals court temporarily held up President Biden's vaccine mandate for workplaces with more than 100 employees as the various lawsuits challenging it are combined. Marjorie Mesidor, a partner at the law firm Phillips & Associates, PLLC, joined Cheddar to break down the arguments in play. "They [the Biden Administration] say we have the authority to do this under the broad powers that are given under OSHA," she said. "What the Republic side then is saying, no, this is overbroad."
The UN climate summit wrapped up over the weekend after days of negotiations over the summit's final agreement. The agreement pushes countries to reassess their climate goals by the end of next year, do more for countries facing the worst effects of climate change, and also calls for a "phase down" of coal and other fossil fuel subsidies. The White House praised the agreement, but underscored the feelings of many world leaders by saying it isn't enough.
Deborah Brosnan, climate expert and president of Deborah Brosnan and Associates, joined Cheddar's News Wrap to discuss.
President Biden is under some pressure from members of his own party over rising gas prices. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for the president to utilize oil reserves to lower gas prices ahead of the holiday season, as gas prices are currently at a seven-year high. Energy Workforce & Technology Council CEO Leslie Beyer joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The men's brand Harry's is teaming up with Stop Soldier Suicide and Headstrong to help provide mental health support with a $500,000 financial commitment. The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan triggered a range of mental health responses from veterans and active service members, as well as displaced refugees who are now acclimating to a new way of life. Maggie Hureau, Harry's head of social impact, joined Cheddar News to talk about the partnership and why Harry's chose to get involved in mental health care.
Inflation has risen to its highest level in 31 years, sending consumer prices on everything from groceries to gas to rent surging. For many businesses, that's good news as inflation typically means better profit margins. According to data from FactSet, nearly two out of three of the biggest U.S. publicly traded companies have reported fatter profit margins so far this year compared to the same stretch of 2019, before the pandemic. Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist for Oxford Economics, breaks down how the top businesses are reaping the benefits of inflation, and when consumers can expect inflation to ease.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is facing a lawsuit from Ohio's attorney general Dave Yost, who said the company misled the public about safety on the platform.
Cases of covid-19 are climbing in the Upper Midwest, Southwest, and parts of the Northeast. The seven-day national average is sitting at roughly 82,000 new cases which is an 11 percent jump from the week before. Dr. Amesh Adalja, Infectious Disease, Specialist, Sr. Scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss this recent uptick ahead of the holiday season.
