Featured Story
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, a Republican, rejected legislation that would have banned most gun-free zones in the state and allowed concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms into many public spaces. In his veto letter, Gordon echoed arguments made by opponents of preemption laws, stating that the bill “erodes historic local control norms by giving sole authority to the Legislature to micromanage a constitutionally protected right.” [WyoFile]
Chicago Bureau
Victims of violent crime in Illinois might be eligible for reimbursement from the state to help cover some costs. Recent changes to the Illinois Crime Victim Compensation Program have made it easier for applicants to be approved for assistance, and to receive their money more quickly — but many people still don’t know about the program, or find the application process daunting.
In her latest piece, The Trace’s Rita Oceguera breaks down the state funding program and shares tips on eligibility and access.
What to Know Today
Queer and trans people are routinely targets of violence and hate crimes, and they’re disproportionately represented in suicide deaths. Two recent cases of violence against trans people illustrate that harsh reality. [NPR]
Dakota Adams, the eldest son of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, is running as a Democrat in the race for a state legislative seat in a deep-red corner of Montana. Adams — who says he opposes gun control laws but that “American gun culture needs to be rehabilitated” — built his campaign on a belief that people sympathetic to extremist groups might see things differently. [Associated Press]
For more than a century, Mississippi has imposed a lifetime ban on voting for people convicted of certain offenses, ranging from homicide to forgery to possession of a stolen weapon. Now, a bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to restore voting rights for thousands of state citizens who were not convicted of major crimes. [The Marshall Project]
The city of Oakland, California, has a new police chief: Floyd Mitchell, the retired former police chief of Lubbock, Texas. In addition to addressing high levels of violent crime, Mitchell will have to contend with the department’s decades-long history of scandals and controversies. [The Oaklandside/San Francisco Chronicle]
Data Point
21 years — the amount of time that the police department in Oakland, California, has been under federal oversight. [San Francisco Chronicle]
