U.S. Supreme Court

During a conference call Tuesday, leading state Democrats said the only way abortion rights can be preserved in Florida is by electing Democrats. Abortion, they said, should be their focus going into November.

The 10-year-old case surrounds a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department after the agency accused Florida of unnecessarily institutionalizing children with disabilities in nursing homes.

Maine is one of three states that require vaccination of health care workers and allow exemptions only for medical reasons. Unnamed workers sued to try to require religious exemptions.

Abortion is currently legal in Florida up to 24 weeks of gestation. It is only allowed beyond that if the pregnancy threatens a woman's life and physical health.

Hospitals are grappling with what to do, since federal and state law are at odds, and both carry financial penalties for non-compliance.

After Florida and other states fought the plans, the high court stopped a vaccine requirement for employers with more than 100 employees while clearing the way for most health workers to get the shots.

The two cases are in a preliminary posture, but how the court rules will very likely signal how these issues are ultimately resolved.

The dispute centers on how much money Medicaid should be able to recoup from a legal settlement involving a girl who suffered catastrophic injuries when she was struck by a truck.

The Supreme Court last week left in place a Texas law that bars abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy. Now, pro-choice advocates say the ruling may bolster similar efforts in other states, including Florida.

The justices allowed the abortion providers' challenges to go ahead against Texas' licensing officials – but not against anyone else. The court also blocked the Justice Department's challenge.