NewsBreak Original

Chicago's pension crisis sparks student-driven solutions. In the face of one of the nation's most significant pension funding challenges, the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy has taken an innovative approach to address the issue. With Chicago's unfunded pension obligations surpassing $35 billion and annual payments consuming half of the city's main operating fund, the need for creative solutions has never been more apparent.

Advocacy group outlines dangers of case involving CFPB funding. Anadvocacy group representing consumer interests in the financial marketplace says an upcoming Supreme Court case could have implications for a range of regulatory actions that protect consumers.

Democratic legislators support Biden's Office of Gun Violence Prevention. A group of Tennessee lawmakers has been invited by President Biden to attend a White House event this week announcing the creation of a federal Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

The longstanding feud between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney has taken a surprising turn as a new law signed by DeSantis has garnered the attention of labor advocates. This latest development adds fuel to the already contentious relationship between the state and the entertainment giant. The clash initially emerged from disagreements over education and has now extended to include matters related to workers' rights and minimum wage. Here's a closer look at the recent events and their implications.

A once serene two-mile strip of road in Marin County, California, which was once home to Tony Bennett, Robin Williams, and George Lucas, has been taken over by a sizeable vagrant camp. The area now resembles a makeshift neighbourhood of "tweakers," comprised of individuals who don't pay rent and live in a collection of abandoned RVs and trailers parked by the side of the road. The street, Binford Road in Novato, has a $1.3 million median home price. Despite the camp's danger, local authorities continue to support it, leading to outrage from locals who blame them for the increased crime, litter, and unsanitary conditions.

Let's raise a glass to... wait, what age are we allowed to do that again?. That's the question on lawmakers' minds in Illinois, where some are pushing to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18.

FAIRFIELD, CT - The Fairfield Representative Town Meeting (RTM) is considering a proposal to grant more power to the police department in enforcing the town's noise ordinance. The proposal has sparked a lively debate among residents and lawmakers, with some advocating for stronger enforcement measures, while others express concern about the potential for abuse.

The Georgia House of Representatives has passed a controversial bill that would allow 17-year-olds to be prosecuted as adults in certain cases. The measure has been met with opposition from criminal justice reform advocates, who argue that it would disproportionately impact young people of color.

Consumer group releases list of Top 10 consumer complaints in 2021. The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has released its annual list of the Top 10 consumer complaints by industry. This year - for the sixth year in a row - auto sales and repairs topped the list of financial transactions that led to consumer complaints.

Federal regulator says companies to be held liable when consumer data is threatened, breached. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced this week it is taking action to ensure the safety of consumer data.

Tennessee Senators were among lawmakers opposing insulin price relief measure. Tennessee pastors affiliated with the Southern Christian Coalition condemned Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty for their votes against a measure that would have capped the monthly price of insulin at $35. The measure was a part of the Inflation Reduction Act and ultimately failed by three votes. While the overall bill passed, the insulin measure was not included in the final bill.

Legislation limits overdraft fees, takes steps to address exploitation of customers. The House Financial Services Committee today passed the Overdraft Protection Act (H.R. 4277) sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York.

Federal regulators punish bank for botching unemployment benefit payments. Bank of America is facing $225 million in fines from two federal regulators as a result of its freezing of accounts which resulted in delays in customers receiving unemployment benefits.

Southern Christian Coalition says doctrine represents "extreme" agenda. A group of Tennessee pastors affiliated with the Southern Christian Coalition held a press conference today during which they decried the influence of so-called "Christian Nationalism" on America's public policy landscape.

Federal regulator seeks to end junk fees, bait-and-switch advertising. The Federal Trade Commission announced a proposed rule that would ban junk fees and bait-and-switch advertising in the car buying marketplace.

Coalition of groups files court brief urging continuation of credit score ban. A coalition of consumer groups has filed a brief in Thurston County Superior Court urging the court to uphold a ban on using credit scores in insurance decisions. The temporary ban was issued by Washington's Commissioner of Insurance.

Knoxville event features speakers calling for an end to national group's influence in Tennessee public policy. State Representative Gloria Johnson of Knoxville joined a group of Tennessee pastors in calling out the national group Alliance Defending Freedom for their role in pushing anti-LGBTQ policies in the state. The lawmaker and pastors spoke out at a press conference today.

Report indicates consumers pay $12 billion a year in penalties, fees. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced this week that they are taking action designed to reduce the amount and number of penalties and fees consumers pay to credit card companies.