OVERNIGHT REGULATION: Key rulings ahead as Supreme Court nears term’s end

Welcome to OVERNIGHT REGULATION, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond.  It’s Thursday evening here in Washington and it’s been an eventful day. Police arrested a suspect in the Charleston, S.C. shooting, which left nine people dead, following a 14-hour manhunt; the Senate passed a $612 billion defense policy bill; and actress Jessica Alba made an appearance on Capitol Hill to push for chemical safety reform. Tim’s still smiling. But here’s the big story:

{mosads}It was an eventful day at the Supreme Court. Among the six decisions handed down, the justices ruled that a child’s statements to a teacher about abuse in the home are admissible in court and upheld Texas’s right to bar a specialty license plate displaying the Confederate flag.

But the court’s work isn’t done and many major decisions lay ahead as the justices near the end of another term.

Here are five major cases with rulings on the way:

King v. Burwell – The justices are looking at ObamaCare’s subsidies in a case that could threaten the president’s signature law. At issue is whether the IRS can legally extend tax credits to people obtaining healthcare coverage through exchanges established by the federal government rather than those run by states. The decision could impact as many as 37 states. The Obama administration has said it’s impossible to carry out the healthcare law without the subsidies.

Obergefell v. Hodges – When the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld state bans on gay marriage in Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan and Kentucky in November, the Supreme Court decided to address the circuit split on same-sex marriage.

In what’s expected to be a historic ruling, the justices could make gay marriage legal in all 50 states or force states to recognize same sex-marriage licenses from other states under the 14th Amendment.

Michigan v. EPA – The power of the Environmental Protection Agency is being tested in this case, which centers of the agency’s first-ever limits on mercury, arsenic and acid gases emitted by power plants.

The justices will decide whether the Environmental Protection Agency properly took into account costs when issuing the rule.

Glossip v. Gross  – Oklahoma inmates challenged the state’s lethal injection protocol following a botched execution last year. In this case,

the Supreme Court will decide the constitutionality of the state’s use of a three-drug lethal injection “cocktail.” Critics say the practice is cruel and unusual punishment, noting that first drug has no pain relieving properties. If the court rules against Oklahoma, the decision could affect other states that use similar forms of lethal injection.

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project Inc. – The justices are weighing whether lawsuits under the Fair Housing Act can be based on claims of “disparate impact.” The legal approach considers a practice discriminatory if it has a disproportionately  “adverse impact” on any group based on race, national origin, color, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.

Housing advocates say barring such claims under the act could make fighting discrimination in housing — and possibly other civil rights cases — far more challenging.

 

ON TAP FOR FRIDAY

American Postal Workers will hold a public briefing on why they believe federal regulators should block Office Depot from merging with Staples at the Renaissance Hotel in Boca Raton, Fla.

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 233 new regulations, proposed rules, notices, and other administrative actions in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register.

Here’s what to watch for:

–The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will delay new rules that would protect bees from exposure to toxic pesticides. 

The EPA proposed pesticide restrictions last month but is extending the comment period through July 29 to give the public more time to consider the changes.

“These label restrictions would prohibit applications of pesticide products, which are acutely toxic to bees, during bloom when bees are known to be present under contract,” the agency wrote. http://bit.ly/1Rdm5Ty

–The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will issue new safety requirements for trucks carrying hazardous materials.

These trucks will be required to use the safety measurement system for the review process.

The changes go into effect in 60 days. http://bit.ly/1IRCStc

–The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will extend health coverage to Vietnam war-era pilots who were exposed to the toxic chemical known as Agent Orange as they sprayed it from their planes.

Pilots and other Air Force members who flew in these planes and later develop symptoms that indicate they were also exposed will be eligible for VA benefits, the agency says.

The rule goes into effect immediately. http://bit.ly/1FpvwbN

–The EPA will partially exempt farmers from a pesticide regulation.

The EPA restricts the use of a pesticide known as thiram, but the agency announced Thursday it will allow small amounts of the pesticide to be used on avocados.

The exemption goes into effect immediately. http://bit.ly/1J6nfBh

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW

Church and state: The Supreme Court sided with a church Thursday in a case over religious freedom. http://bit.ly/1N6oQ8D

Airlines: A Senate Democrat is concerned the airline industry may be “anti-competitive” after a series of recent mergers. http://bit.ly/1G8uhiP

Teachers: The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that statements children make to their teachers about household abuse should be admissible in court. http://bit.ly/1fkQunf

Climate: President Obama is backing Pope Francis’s climate change push. http://bit.ly/1Tyzz00

Jessica Alba: The Fantastic Four star visited Capitol Hill on Thursday to lobby lawmakers for stronger chemical protections. http://bit.ly/1IRAAdB

Robocalls: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is cracking down on robocalls and spam text messages. http://bit.ly/1LlMZa6

Environment: Senate Republicans are targeting a number of controversial regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency in a government spending bill. http://bit.ly/1ImSthG

 

BY THE NUMBERS

10: The dollar-bill denomination that’s getting a face lift.

1976: The last time the nation’s chemical laws were updated.

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“That’s the first time I ever read a label and cared about the ingredients, when I was pregnant with my first daughter, and it inspired me to create a company… Those of us who have children are aware, and we’re the ones who have to safeguard our kids,” actress Jessica Alba told The Hill on the need for tougher chemical-safety laws.

 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and@wheelerlydia.

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