News & Commentary

Nebraskans for Responsible Lending announced this week that they will begin gathering signatures to reduce the amount that payday lenders may charge to a maximum annual interest rate of 36 percent. For loans with higher rates made in violation of this rate cap, the payday lenders would be banned from collecting principal, interest, or other charges.

Last Friday was a banner day for religious favoritism in the Trump administration.

Fifty years after the enactment of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), housing discrimination remains a national disgrace in the United States. Across the country, a growing tide of housing providers, perhaps emboldened by Trump’s anti-“other” rhetoric, discriminate against the very communities the FHA was designed to protect. In 2017 alone, there were nearly 29,000 reported complaints of housing discrimination across the country. Despite growing diversity in population, residential segregation persists at alarming rates hurting local schools, property values, and much more. Just this year, Black homeownership rates dropped to a record low of 40.6% which is the lowest level recorded by the Census Bureau since 1950.

“I’m sorry, I can’t explain that.”

There are currently  440,000 children in foster care across the country. And the Supreme Court has been asked to hear Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case that could profoundly impact all of them.

Congress on Wednesday will examine a little-known law that has made the internet the space for self-expression and connection that it is today. The law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA 230), is one of the most speech protective laws Congress has ever enacted and it is now under threat.

“Smart” traffic cameras that use artificial intelligence to try to spot people using cell phones while driving are being rolled out in Australia. The devices take a high-resolution photograph through the front windshield of each passing vehicle, and also capture its license plate. Each photograph is then analyzed by an AI algorithm. If the algorithm decides that the driver is touching a mobile phone, tablet, or another device, it then forwards the photograph to a human reviewer who confirms the violation and issues a citation to the car’s registered owner along with a hefty fine.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard argument on whether it is legal to fire people for being transgender or for being gay. I represent Aimee Stephens, the woman who lost her job as a funeral director for being transgender, and I was sitting at counsel table during the argument. You can read the argument transcript online. I’m optimistic about our chances. We need five votes, and it seemed to me that Justices Kagan,

Today, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in three cases in which the Trump administration is urging the court to rule that it’s legal to fire workers for being LGBTQ. For the LGBTQ civil rights movement, this is a big moment. These cases will affect more people than the Supreme Cou