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NCSL Updates
How to Harness the CHIPS Program to Revitalize Tech in Your State
Join NCSL June 28 at 3 p.m. ET for a briefing with officials from the Commerce Department program office administering the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors Act. Officials will give an overview of the CHIPS programs and answer questions about how states and territories can participate and help support applications. Register now
Register for NCSL Policy Week
As a member of NCSL, you are invited to participate in NCSL’s annual Policy Week, June 20-26. This will be an opportunity for all legislators and legislative staff to learn about NCSL Standing Committee policy processes and to discuss existing policy directives and resolutions scheduled for consideration at the Legislative Summit, Aug. 14-16, in Indianapolis. Register here.
Administration Updates
President Vetoes Legislation Blocking Student Debt Relief Plan
The vetoed bill sought to overturn the Biden administration’s one-time student loan forgiveness plan and end the student loan pause. Congress is unlikely to override the veto. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the one-time student loan forgiveness plan within the month. The recent debt ceiling deal stipulated the student loan pause will end on Aug. 30. Read more.
DHS’s New Human Trafficking Awareness Toolkit for Tribal Gaming and Hospitality Industry
On June 6, the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign released a new human trafficking awareness toolkit specifically for tribal gaming and hospitality professionals. The toolkit’s purpose is to empower Indigenous communities to protect human trafficking survivors by increasing awareness of human trafficking and providing tips on detection and reporting for gaming and hospitality employees. The department collaborated with the National Indian Gaming Commission, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Treasury to develop the guide. It is the first interagency partnership on a toolkit for the tribal gaming and hospitality community.
Supreme Court Updates
Ruling Allows Companies to Sue Unions for Strike Destruction
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that companies could sue unions for damage to company property that occurred in connection to a labor action. The case, Glacier Northwest Inc. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174, centers on a 2017 strike initiated by the union, where 16 cement truck drivers who were already out on the job with wet cement in their trucks returned the trucks to the company’s garage with cement still churning inside and joined the strike. Glacier was able to remove the cement, avoiding damage to the trucks, but the cement had dried, making it unsellable. Glacier sued the Teamsters, arguing the union was responsible for the cost of the cement. The court ruled in favor of Glacier, stating that, though the National Labor Relations Act protects the right to protest, it does not preempt a state-level tort claim for damaged property during a strike if the strikers fail to take reasonable precautions to protect their employer’s property from foreseeable danger due to a sudden work stoppage. This interpretation of the National Labor Relations Act could have large implications on the right to strike, as unions now may have to cover the costs associated with strikes. The ruling comes during an era of increased union interest, as the National Labor Relations Board saw a 53% increase in union representation petitions in FY 2022 over FY 2021.