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Birmingham sues 3M, DuPont, other manufacturers over PFAS in firefighter gear (WBRC)
The City of Birmingham has filed a federal lawsuit against 3M, DuPont-related companies, and more than a dozen other manufacturers alleging they sold firefighter turnout gear containing PFAS chemicals and hiding what they knew about the risks for decades. Birmingham’s lawsuit follows a suit filed about two weeks ago by 28 entities in a dozen states making similar claims.
TikTok to Pay Alabama $100 Million to Settle Social Media Addiction Claims (New York Times)
TikTok agreed on Friday to pay Alabama a minimum of $100 million and make safety changes to its app, the latest in a string of high-profile company settlements over child social media addiction claims. Alabama officials announced that TikTok had agreed to place a two-hour daily limit for underage users and restrict unlimited scrolling and overnight access, as well as the use of beauty filters and other features that social media experts have said are harmful to teenagers’ mental health. The obligations largely echo platform changes that Meta agreed to last month in a landmark $17.1 billion settlement with 47 states, including Alabama.
Tuberville, Britt relaunch attacks on transgender Americans (Alabama Reflector)
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor as a Republican in the November election, this week called for the arrests of doctors providing gender-affirming care and to “bring back mental institutions” for transgender individuals. Also this week, U.S. Sen. Katie Britt participated in a hearing on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
Donald Trump to hold rally in Mobile amid Alabama GOP turnout concerns (Alabama Reflector)
President Donald Trump plans to hold a campaign rally in Mobile on Friday amid concerns among Alabama Republicans about turnout. Alabama Republicans have in recent weeks expressed concerns about potential apathy among GOP voters with the general election coming up in November.
Activists protested this week, saying they were outraged that the shooting death of Otis Lee Phillips by a Birmingham police officer has been ruled justified and said the family and community deserve more answers. The prosecutor said last week that it was clear Phillips was armed, had fired shots and was endangering the lives of citizens. Phillips was the fifth person fatally shot by Birmingham police in less than 12 months. Four of those cases have been ruled justifiable and another has not been ruled on.
