Friday Politics Roundup | Attack on voting rights; NZ PM Jacinda Ardern; hating edu; anti-abortionists gather; Gov. Josh Shapiro; D&D Open Gaming License controversy; and, more

<p>The <a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/20/us/politics/voting-rights-laws-states.html'>battle over voting rights</a> has not let up. Republicans in several key states have kept up their agenda to restrict access to voting. </p> <p>New Zealand’s prime minister, <a href='https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/19/jacinda-ardern-resigns-as-prime-minister-of-new-zealand'>Jacinda Ardern</a>, announced that she’ll step down in a few weeks. </p> <p>A <a href='https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/08/19/the-growing-partisan-divide-in-views-of-higher-education-2/'>new Pew Research Center survey</a> found that only about half of Americans think that colleges and universities are “having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country these days. About 38% say they are having a negative effect. And, as I bet you are already thinking, yes, there is a big partisan divide on the issue. </p> <p><a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/19/us/desantis-florida-ap-african-american-studies.html'>Florida is banning a new Advanced Placement test on African American Studies</a> that was to be offered in its high schools. The Florida Department of Education said “the content of this course is inexplicitly contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value. That law is the new law passed last year and signed by Gov. DeSantis restricting discussions of racism in schools. </p> <p><a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/20/us/politics/abortion-republicans-roe-v-wade.html'>Anti-Abortion activists gather in DC</a> to demand a federal ban on abortion. </p> <p>Google announced layoffs of about 12,000 workers, which amounts to about 6% of its total, global workforce. </p> <p><a href='https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2023/01/pa-josh-shapiro-governor-inauguration-economy-gun-violence-opioid/'>Josh Shapiro</a> sworn in as Pennsylvania’s 48th governor. </p> <p>In one of his first acts in office, <a href='https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/story/news/state/2023/01/18/josh-shapiro-signs-first-execu