Posted July 08, 2010 at 9:11am The American Humanist Association expressed disappointment today that the Washington State Board of Pharmacy backed down on a rule requiring pharmacists to fill all doctors’ prescriptions, including the controversial Plan B emergency contraceptive. The rule was the subject of a court case, Stormans Inc. v. Selecky, that was about to go to trial on remand, and the Appignani Humanist Legal Center, legal arm of the American Humanist Association,
had argued in a 2008 “friend of the court” brief that the rule did not improperly impinge upon the religious freedom rights of pharmacists who may have
objections to emergency contraception. However, the Board of Pharmacy has negotiated a pre-trial compromise in which they pledged to adopt an amended rule that would permit pharmacies and pharmacists to issue facilitated referrals when they object to filling a prescription for
any reason.

Posted June 28, 2010 at 10:58am The American Humanist Association expressed enthusiastic approval today of the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the 9th Circuit Court’s decision allowing the California Hastings College of the Law to deny recognition to a Christian-only student group.

Posted June 25, 2010 at 1:29pm The American Humanist Association sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee today urging the committee to question Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan about her views on religious freedom and separation of church and state. Kagan's confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin on Monday.

Posted June 24, 2010 at 12:37pm The American Humanist Association (AHA) voiced disappointment today in a US District Court verdict allowing a council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to occupy a building owned by the city of Philadelphia rent-free, despite the city’s attempt to end the lease because of the BSA’s discriminatory policies. The verdict was handed down after the scouting council sued the city for attempting to end the lease due to BSA’s discriminatory practices.

Posted June 09, 2010 at 12:51pm Earlier today, Michael Newdow filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit requesting a panel rehearing or for rehearing en banc in the case of Newdow v. Roberts. The case challenges the oath administrator's addition of the phrase "so help me God" to the constitutionally prescribed presidential oath and the inclusion of sectarian prayers in the invocation and benediction of the 2009 inauguration of President Obama and the 2013 and 2017 ceremonies.

Posted June 03, 2010 at 9:37am On the evening of Sunday, June 6, scientist and educator Bill Nye will be named the American Humanist Association's 2010 Humanist of the Year at the 69th Annual AHA Conference. Nye will be one of many luminaries awarded at the conference, which will be held in San Jose, California, June 3 through 6.

Posted June 03, 2010 at 9:17am UPDATE: "ISNOGOD" License Plate Approved After Appeal.

Posted June 03, 2010 at 9:16am The American Humanist Association (AHA) spoke out today against the newly-approved social studies and U.S. history curricula in Texas and urged other states to reject textbooks written for the new curricula, as California has proposed. In a series of 9-5 votes, the Texas State Board of Education decided on Friday to alter the textbook standards in a way that undermines the separation of church and state and would infuse a more conservative tone into Texas classrooms overall.

Posted May 11, 2010 at 8:32am The Second Chance Prom--with lead sponsorships from the American Humanist Association (AHA) and Green Day--was held in downtown Tupelo, Mississippi on Saturday night and was a great success, according to leaders from the AHA. The Second Chance Prom welcomed LGBT youth and friends, as well as student Constance McMillen and her classmates from Itawamba Agricultural High School. The school had canceled its own prom rather than allow Constance to attend with her girlfriend.

Posted May 07, 2010 at 12:21pm The American Humanist Association expressed disappointment today that the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed dismissal of a case challenging the infusion of religion into presidential inaugural ceremonies. A three-judge panel of the court unanimously held that the challenge to the 2009 presidential inaugural was moot because Newdow and the other plaintiffs did not appeal the District Court's denial of a preliminary injunction and that the court did not have the power to redress the claims for future inaugural ceremonies because it did not know who the defendants would be.