U.S. Briefs: Planned Parenthood’s Louisiana exit

Planned Parenthood is ceasing operations in Louisiana at the end of September as lawmakers fight to cut federal funding to the abortion provider. The organization’s Gulf Coast branch on Aug. 6 confirmed it would close its facilities in New Orleans and Baton Rouge after operating in the state for more than four decades. State law protects all unborn babies except in cases where the mother’s life or health may be in danger, or when the baby is not expected to survive. While Planned Parenthood does not perform abortions in Louisiana, it does still offer birth control, sexually transmitted disease testing, and transgender medical interventions. The organization’s Gulf Coast branch also said it would close two of its six Houston facilities. Planned Parenthood in July said nearly two-thirds of its facilities were at risk of closure after federal lawmakers passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that stripped Medicaid funding from any nonprofit organization offering abortions. Although a judge halted the legislation, the Trump administration has appealed. So far, at least 21 Planned Parenthood facilities across California, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota have already closed or will do so this year. —Lauren Canterberry

Illinois

Patients seeking mental health advice in the Prairie State will need to refer to a licensed, human therapist, not an AI chatbot. On Aug. 1, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, limiting how artificial intelligence systems can be used for thera­peutic purposes. Under the law, professional clinicians may use AI tools to support administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and reminders, billing clients, and drafting general communications. But AI cannot interact with clients on the therapist’s behalf or offer “treatment plans without the review and approval by a licensed professional.” Violators may face fines of up to $10,000. In the first six months of 2025, more than a dozen states enacted laws governing how AI systems can be used in healthcare. —Bekah McCallum

Rhode Island

A federal judge on Aug. 1 upheld a state firearm law giving the state attorney general discretion to issue open-carry permits based upon “a proper showing of need.” Rhode Island requires local officials to issue concealed-carry permits to individual applicants who meet requirements outlined in law. But plaintiffs argued the state’s policy of issuing open-carry permits on a discretionary basis violates residents’ constitutional rights. U.S. District Judge William Smith disagreed. Unrestricted permits that allow open carrying of firearms “are a privilege and there is no constitutionally protected liberty interest in obtaining one,” Smith wrote in his ruling. The plaintiffs’ attorney has vowed to appeal, arguing Smith’s ruling clashed with a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision. —Addie Offereins

Associated Press / Photo by Richard Vogel

Utah

A federal judge on Aug. 4 ruled in favor of a Utah group that uses psychedelic mushrooms in its religious ceremonies. U.S. District Judge Jill Parrish said that religious psilocybin use is protected by Utah’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act, legislation intended to protect individuals’ religious rights. In November 2024, Provo police searched and detained Bridger Lee Jensen, founder of the religious group Singularism. County prosecutors later filed criminal charges against Jensen for possession of psilocybin and other drug-­related claims. Jensen then sued the city of Provo and Utah County, claiming violations of his constitutional rights. Utah County and Provo maintain that Singularism is motivated by a desire to sell drugs, not to practice and promote religious faith. Psilocybin, a compound found in “magic mushrooms,” is illegal under Utah law. According to its website, Singularism is a contemporary religion that provides a “sacred space where science and spirituality unite.” Adherents use psilocybin to “facilitate deep spiritual connections and foster inner transformation.” Parrish’s orders enable Singularism to continue those practices as courts study the case further. —Kim Henderson

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Bizuayehu Tesfaye / Las Vegas Review-Journal / Getty Images

Nevada

A coalition of four environmental groups has asked the federal government to reconsider its decision to allow mining near a national wildlife area on the Nevada-California border. Bureau of Land Management officials on July 11 approved St. Cloud Mining’s request to drill 43 exploratory holes to find deposits of clinoptilolite, a mineral used to purify water and absorb gases. The mining would occur close to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and in an area designated as a critical habitat because of its natural resources and scenic landscape. The BLM cited President Donald Trump’s March executive order to expedite approvals for domestic mineral production if proposed projects wouldn’t significantly impact the environment. But the coalition claims the government failed to properly assess the potential consequences for wildlife, air quality, and water resources. An Australian company recently scrapped its proposed lithium mine near Ash Meadows after a two-year campaign by local and environmental groups. —Todd Vician

Wyoming

Subscribers in small towns across the state breathed a sigh of relief Aug. 12 when three longtime publishers agreed to purchase eight community newspapers that closed unexpectedly six days earlier. More than two dozen publications in Wyoming, Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, and South Dakota had been shuttered when Illinois-based News Media Corp. announced it was immediately ending operations. News Media Corp.’s CEO agreed to sell the Wyoming newspapers after trying unsuccessfully for months to find a buyer for all of the corporation’s outlets with mounting expenses and revenue losses. “Our foremost priority has been to ensure that these counties are not left without a credible, enduring source of local journalism,” Robb Hicks, one of the new owners, wrote on Facebook. The sale also means publishing required legal notices will continue in these communities. The 30 employees let go across Wyoming and Nebraska who worked without pay for a week will be rehired, Hicks added. More than 3,200 print newspapers have closed in the last two decades, according to the Medill report. —T.V.