Following a lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro and New Jersey AG Gurbir Grewal, a federal judge in Pennsylvania issued a nationwide injunction on Monday blocking a Trump administration revised rule allowing employers to refuse to provide no-cost contraceptive coverage to women employees by citing religious or moral objections; the rule was scheduled to take effect that same day.  Pennsylvania AG Shapiro called the nationwide injunction “a victory for the health and economic independence of women in Pennsylvania and across America. Women need contraception for their health because contraception is medicine, pure and simple.”

Just 24 hours earlier, a federal judge in California granted a request from 14 Democratic AGs led by California AG Xavier Becerra to block the rule in their states. For more on the court wins on contraception coverage, check out this New York Times coverage linked here.

SAVE THE CENSUS: New York AG Tish James, leading a coalition of 19 Democratic AGs, six Mayors, and the bipartisan U.S Conference of Mayors won a federal court ruling blocking the Trump administration and the Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross from demanding citizenship information in the 2020 Census. “Today’s ruling is a win for New Yorkers and Americans across the country who believe in a fair and accurate count of the residents of our nation,” said AG James. For more on the efforts to keep the discriminatory citizenship question off the 202 Census, check out this story linked here from NPR’s All Things Considered.

STATE OF THE STATE AGS:

• PRIORITIES! Rhode Island AG Peter Neronha laid out his priorities for the upcoming legislative session including stricter enforcement on environmental rules, improvements in access to public records, and changes in how drug possession cases are handled. For more on AG Neronha’s 2019 plans, check out the Providence Journal article linked here.
• JUSTICE FOR FLINT: This week, Michigan AG Dana Nessel announced Fadwa A. Hammoud, Michigan’s new solicitor general, will take the lead on the criminal cases related to the Flint Water crisis.  AG Nessel issued a statement announcing, “it’s time for resolution and justice for the people of Flint.” Learn more from the MLIVE coverage linked here.
• (POD)CASTING CALL: Catch up with The National Law Review hosts of the Consumer Finance Monitor podcast on newly elected Colorado AG Phil Weiser and his plans to be an advocate for the people by fighting against predatory student loans, car loans, mortgages, and high cost-short term payday loans. Listen to full cast linked here.

MOMENT OF THE WEEK: MEET ILLINOIS AG KWAME RAOUL

Illinois AG Kwame Raoul was sworn in Monday as the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois. In his speech, AG Raoul promised to address violence and drugs that plague the state and make progress on criminal justice reform.