North Dakota’s recent enactment of Senate Bill 2354, effective August 1, mandates a “bell to bell” prohibition on student cellphone and electronic device use in public schools. While Governor Kelly Armstrong supports the law for its potential benefits to student focus and mental health, members of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Student Cabinet have raised concerns about its practical implications. Students question the ban’s impact on accessing digital textbooks, managing schedules, and participating in classes that utilize personal devices. They also express apprehension about the state’s overarching control, suggesting that teachers and local school boards should have more discretion in policy implementation. The legislation does allow schools to develop specific policies for non-instructional times and requires districts to collect data on the ban’s effects, indicating that adjustments may be considered in future legislative sessions
On May 14, 2025, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Spirit Lake Nation lack standing to challenge North Dakota’s 2021 legislative redistricting plan, overturning a 2023 district court decision that found the plan unlawfully diluted Native American voting power. The appellate court determined that private individuals and groups cannot enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act through Section 1983, a civil rights statute, effectively limiting such enforcement to the U.S. Attorney General. This decision impacts voters in seven states within the 8th Circuit—North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Arkansas—by removing a key avenue for challenging racially discriminatory voting practices. Civil rights advocates, including the Campaign Legal Center, criticized the ruling as a significant setback to voting rights protections. A dissenting opinion by Chief Judge Steven Colloton argued that the decision undermines decades of legal precedent affirming private enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. The plaintiffs are considering further appeals, potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court.
On May 14, 2025, House Republicans advanced a significant tax package aimed at extending and expanding elements of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Key provisions include a temporary exemption from federal taxes on tipped income through 2028, an increase in the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,500 per child during the same period, and a permanent extension of lowered individual tax brackets and the doubled standard deduction. The bill also maintains the corporate tax rate at 21% and enhances deductions for pass-through business income and research and development expenses. Critics argue that the legislation disproportionately benefits higher-income individuals and could add approximately $5.3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade if temporary measures are made permanent. The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.
The White House is reportedly drafting a series of executive orders aimed at overhauling the U.S. nuclear regulatory framework to accelerate the expansion of nuclear energy. Key proposals include restructuring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), transferring certain authorities to the Department of Energy (DOE), and streamlining licensing processes for new reactor designs. The initiative seeks to quadruple nuclear power capacity by 2040, with plans to deploy pilot reactors on federal lands and military installations. Critics express concern over potential compromises to safety standards and the erosion of the NRC’s independence. The administration has not confirmed when or if these executive orders will be enacted.
