Author: Wilson Diaz

On April 17, the Washington State legislature passed the “My Health My Data Act” (“MHMDA”), which Governor Jay Inslee is expected to sign into law. If passed, the MHMDA’s new rules would take effect on March 31, 2024. In short, the MHMDA reflects a dramatic expansion of protections for consumer health data, including consumer health data not traditionally protected by the federal HIPAA statute. The passage of the MHMDA is part of a growing trend by some regulators and states moving to protect certain consumer health data, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization which…

The definitive architectural style on Capitol Hill is neoclassical, inspired by the use of ancient Greek and Roman designs of great public buildings. These styles are recognized by the use of tall columns, symmetrical shapes, triangular pediments and domed roofs. Neoclassical architecture style encompasses the styles of Federal and Greek Revival architecture which were a major influence during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was during this period that many of the foundational buildings of the United States government were constructed. Perhaps the single greatest example of these architectural styles is the United States Capitol Building, for which construction…

A big levy for the West Ada School District, library board seats, and Cascade fire and hospital funding are some of the issues up for a vote. proposed levy to raise funds for school construction and maintenance in Idaho’s largest school district, the West Ada School District, is just one of the local issues up for a vote in the upcoming May 16 election. More information about what’s on the ballot in southwest and south-central Idaho is posted for each county below, and can be accessed by clicking one of the chapter links at the top of this story. What…

In a landmark decision, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled Friday that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional under the Alaska Constitution’s equal protection doctrine. The decision follows a contentious recent reapportionment cycle: The Alaska Redistricting Board was twice found by the state’s highest court of having unconstitutionally gerrymandered the state’s political maps by attempting to give solidly Republican Eagle River more political representation with two Senate seats. Following a court order, the board approved an interim map last year for November’s general election that kept Eagle River intact in one Senate district. The court ruled Friday that the redistricting board would have 90 days to appear before…

Russia and China are “concerned” about NATO’s growing presence in Asia, the presidents of the two countries said in a joint statement signed Tuesday after talks in the Kremlin between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. “The (both) parties are very concerned about the growing strengthening of ties between NATO and the countries of the Asia-Pacific region on military and security issues,” said MM. Putin and Xi Jinping, accusing the Atlantic Alliance of “undermining peace and regional stability”. Moscow and Beijing “are against the formation of exclusive closed blocs in the Asia-Pacific region”, they underlined, denouncing “the negative influence of the strategy…

US federal investigators will not charge Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz for sex-trafficking crimes, US media report. His lawyers also released a statement that said the case had been dropped. The two-year investigation tried to determine whether the congressman had crossed state or international borders to have sex with underage girls. Mr Gaetz, a loyal ally of former President Donald Trump, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. “We have just spoken with the Department of Justice and have been informed that they have concluded their investigation… [into] allegations related to sex trafficking and obstruction of justice and they have determined not to…

South Korean law prohibits the export of weapons to countries in active conflict. With this, Seoul found it difficult to deliver weapons directly to Kyiv. South Korea is quiet favorite of gun buyers around the world. And this was achieved during the country’s decades of efforts to protect itself from North Korea. The threat that never goes away forces Seoul to build a domestic arms industry. And in the end, this sector achieves economies of scale obtained from large export sales. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), there has been a drastic increase in South Korea’s ranking…