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US states take control of abortion debate with funding focus

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Though the Insight Women’s Center sits at the epicenter of a reinvigorated battle in the nation’s culture wars, the only hint of its faith-based mission to dissuade people from getting abortions is the jazzy, piano rendition of “Jesus Loves Me” playing in a waiting room.

The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature is considering allocating millions of dollars in state funds to similar anti-abortion centers that persuade people to bring their pregnancies to term by offering free pregnancy tests and sonograms, as well as counseling and parenting classes taught by volunteers. They’re also considering offering millions more in income tax credits for donors supporting what they call “crisis pregnancy centers.”

When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year and gave control of abortion policy to the states, it led to bans and restrictions in some states, and executive orders and laws protecting access in others. Those debates continue, but perhaps less noticed is how this change refueled the renewed battle over taxpayer money.

Supporters say the effort shows abortion opponents are addressing families’ social and financial needs. But critics say the amount of new funding proposed for organizations like Insight — either in direct funding or tax credits for their donors — fall far short of what’s necessary to improve people’s access to health care and address ongoing poverty.

“You funnel money through a short-term solution that makes it appear as though you are doing something,” said Alesha Doan, a University of Kansas associate professor who has studied and written books about abortion politics.

Increasingly, liberal cities and states are funding access to abortion, including telemedicine, which has seen a notable rise with more than half of U.S. abortions now done with pills rather than surgery. Meanwhile, states with GOP legislatures and governors are looking to put more taxpayer money into organizations that talk people out of ending their pregnancies.

Legislative committees held hearings Thursday on proposals for a 70% income tax credit to donors who support anti-abortion centers, with a cap of $10 million in total credits. A Senate committee might vote this week.

It’s similar to a longstanding Missouri law that provides income tax credits to donors supporting anti-abortion centers. Arizona has such a law, and Mississippi’s Republican House speaker is trying to expand a cap on tax credits to $10 million from the $3.5 million authorized last year.

Arkansas and Oklahoma are considering adding similar tax credits, according to the National Right to Life Committee.

In Missouri, donors to anti-abortion centers have received $15 million in total state tax credits over the past five years, and one state analysis estimates the centers served about 43,000 people last year.

Abortion opponents have operated centers like Insight for decades, and the practice of conservative-led states offering financial aid to them predates Dobbs — the decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade.

On the abortion-rights side, Oregon lawmakers last year created a $15 million abortion-access fund, with the first $1 million going to a nonprofit that covers the costs of patients’ travel and procedures. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington have also allocated or are considering offering public funding for abortions or related services.

In New Mexico last year, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pledged $10 million in state funds to the construction of a new abortion clinic.

Morgan Hopkins, president of the abortion-rights advocacy group All(asterisk) Above All praised the funding. “Budgets are a reflection of our values,” she said.

Kansas already provides grants to programs that provide prenatal care, and encourage people to carry their pregnancies to term. But it spends less than $339,000 in a state budget of $24 billion on the program — and made only two grants totaling less than $74,000 to anti-abortion centers.

Now, some abortion opponents talk about emulating Missouri’s more than $8 million annual funding, plus the income tax credits.

Abortion rights supporters are frustrated that the push for such support is coming so soon after an Aug. 2 statewide vote that decisively rejected a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have allowed legislators to greatly restrict or ban abortion.

“I have general concerns that we’re not respecting what was the very clear will of voters,” said state Sen. Ethan Corson, a Kansas City-area Democrat who serves on the Senate tax committee.

Abortion rights advocates say the centers lure patients away from abortion clinics with free services, give them inaccurate medical information and counseling from people who are not trained therapists. Some see funding them as a political gesture designed to make abortion bans look less harsh.

Abortion opponents argue that centers like Insight offer patients a wide range of prenatal and post-birth classes, in addition to other help. They also argue that boosting funding for free services after the August vote is a promise not to abandon parents and families.

In Lawrence, where the nearest abortion clinic is a 40-minute drive away, 28-year-old Korbe Bohac is still visiting the Insight center nearly 8 months after her son Winston was born. She told legislators the classes and counseling make her a better, more confident parent — and helped preserve her mental health. She called it “a safety net.”

The Insight center, which is only a few miles from the University of Kansas, has two sonogram nurses, and a doctor and radiologist sometimes volunteer their time. But services depend mostly on about 50 volunteers. The $340,000 annual budget is mostly supplied by private donations, but the organization received a community development grant in 2014 to launch parent education programs.

Center staff said that although they do not refer clients to abortion providers, they discuss abortion as an option. They said some patients who met with them went on to have abortions, though this is not possible to verify given patients’ privacy protocols.

Insight has two separate waiting rooms — one for its educational programs and one for medical services. Executive director Bridgit Smith said one reason is that it keeps pregnant patients from being influenced by seeing babies and toddlers.

Smith said she believes the proposed tax credit would increase donations, helping Insight start a maternity home for people without shelter.

“We’re trying to build strong individuals and strong families. And isn’t that what we all want?” Smith said. “Even for the woman that doesn’t choose to parent, we still want her to be strong and healthy after the decision.”

Business

Getty Images files for Chapter 11. What comes next for Florida photographers and videographers?

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Getty expects licensing and contributor payments to continue as it seeks court approval for a restructuring. The case comes as AI puts pressure on generic stock imagery and verified coverage remains valuable to newsrooms.

Florida National News | Nov. 9, 2026

Getty Images is asking a federal bankruptcy court to approve a restructuring that would cut its debt and take the company private while it continues licensing photographs and video. For Florida photographers and videographers who sell work through Getty, the immediate question is whether royalties and assignment payments keep arriving on schedule. The longer-term question is which images and footage buyers will still pay to license as generative artificial intelligence makes some stock visuals easier to produce.

Getty Images Holdings Inc. and six subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 protection Oct. 21 in Delaware. The company entered the case with support from major financial stakeholders and says it expects to continue serving customers and paying contributors in the ordinary course. The court is scheduled to hear several initial motions Nov. 17 and consider confirmation of the restructuring plan Dec. 15. Getty Images Chapter 11 filing and financing disclosure · Bankruptcy docket and Nov. 17 hearing notice · BankruptcyData on the Dec. 15 confirmation hearing

What drove Getty into bankruptcy?

The proposed plan includes up to $533 million in equity commitments from Getty family and Koch Equity Development affiliates. That amount includes financing and conversion of some existing debt into equity. The plan would cancel existing shares and put the reorganized company under the ownership of those investors. Getty Images restructuring agreement

Getty reported $2.1 billion in debt at the end of June. Its second-quarter results also showed $110.9 million in payments related to a warrant litigation judgment and interest, as well as higher interest costs tied in part to financing for the proposed Shutterstock acquisition. Getty abandoned that deal in July after Britain’s competition regulator conditioned clearance on the sale of Shutterstock’s editorial business. Getty Images second-quarter results · U.K. Competition and Markets Authority on the abandoned merger

Getty’s results show why the bankruptcy matters differently across the industry. Second-quarter creative revenue fell 2.6% from a year earlier to $127.4 million, while editorial revenue rose 9.2% to $96.5 million. The company did not quantify how much of the creative decline was attributable to AI. Getty Images second-quarter results

What Florida contributors should watch

Getty says it expects to maintain normal operations through the restructuring. For freelancers, the next royalty statement and deposit will give them a more direct view of whether the process is affecting their income. A contributor who licenses archive photos, a freelance crew that invoices for assignments and a production company that supplies footage may each have different payment terms. Getty Images restructuring announcement

Contributors can reconcile deposits against statements and keep copies of agreements, invoices and notices. An overdue balance or a notice naming a specific contract warrants a closer look at the applicable court documents and deadlines. After the case, the terms that could affect earnings include royalty rates, exclusivity, subscription payouts and how a distributor packages photos and video.

A hand holds a smartphone in front of a blue and purple network of glowing image thumbnails

An AI-generated illustration for Florida National News’ coverage of Getty Images’ Chapter 11 restructuring and competition from generative AI.

Which Florida assignments are most exposed to AI?

Generic office scenes, beach-themed backgrounds and short lifestyle clips face more direct competition from generative tools. A buyer who needs a mood or setting can generate several options without scheduling a shoot. A buyer who needs footage of a specific launch from Florida’s Space Coast, storm damage in a particular neighborhood or a decisive play at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game still needs a verifiable record of that event.

Florida’s news, sports and entertainment calendar gives local crews opportunities to supply that record. A videographer covering a major convention in Orlando might have an interview or clean footage that a national outlet missed. A photographer covering a local election might have the only usable image of a concession speech. For archive sales, accurate dates, locations, names and captions help buyers find the material and establish what it shows. Event credentials, assignment agreements and existing licenses can limit which uses a contributor can offer.

Getty is also selling generative AI tools. The company says its image generator is trained on licensed creative content and proprietary data and that licenses carry indemnification under the applicable agreement. That gives Getty a way to sell generated visuals to commercial buyers while continuing to license photographs and footage of real events. Getty Images generative AI terms and training FAQ

Where AP and Reuters fit

The Associated Press and Reuters overlap most directly with Getty in editorial coverage. Both can serve publishers that want additional sources of news photographs and video. Reuters Connect also offers live video and individual picture licensing. AP says its standards prohibit the use of generative AI to create, alter or enhance news photography. Associated Press AI standards · Reuters Connect licensing

AP and Reuters could gain business if publishers add a second supplier or Getty changes its prices, packages or service. Getty’s plan also leaves open a different outcome. If the company emerges with less debt and can invest more in editorial coverage, the two agencies could face a stronger competitor.

What comes next

The December hearing will determine whether Getty can move forward with the proposed plan, subject to the court’s ruling and remaining conditions. Getty has said it expects to complete the restructuring by year-end. For Florida contributors, the near-term measures are whether payments arrive, assignments continue and licensing terms change. The longer-term test is whether distributors and newsrooms will pay enough for distinctive, verified Florida coverage to sustain the people who produce it. Getty Images restructuring announcement · BankruptcyData on the Dec. 15 confirmation hearing

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Sports

LIV Golf to begin winding down operations Nov. 9 after five years, $5 billion spent

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LIV Golf sign in a landscaped setting in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News

NEW YORK CITY, NY (FNN SPORTS) – LIV Golf plans to begin winding down operations Monday, Nov. 9, following five years and more than $5 billion in spending.

Attorney Matthew Williams outlined the league’s plans during a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, in New Jersey. The process includes selling its remaining assets.

“We believe the wind down path is the best path,” Williams told the court.

LIV Golf confirmed the decision after a proposed restructuring deal fell through. The league said it will continue considering alternatives during the shutdown process.

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Florida

DeSantis’ Political Star Rises as Florida GOP Holds Statewide Offices Amid National Defeats

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Republicans retain Florida’s statewide leadership despite Democratic gains in the Legislature, giving the outgoing governor a platform in the debate over the GOP’s future.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Gov. Ron DeSantis pointed to Florida’s Republican victories Wednesday as evidence that his governing approach helped withstand a national Democratic surge, highlighting the state as a remaining Republican stronghold after major defeats elsewhere.

Speaking a day after the election, DeSantis described the national Republican losses as approaching an “extinction-level event.” He contrasted those setbacks with Florida, where Republicans retained the governor’s office, all three Cabinet offices and the U.S. Senate seat on the ballot. abcnews.com

The results give DeSantis a platform to promote his record as Republicans assess their future. However, narrower statewide margins and Democratic legislative gains complicate any claim of an unqualified Republican mandate.

Florida Holds Statewide Republican Leadership

Republican Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly for governor, while U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody defeated Democratic challenger Angie Nixon. Republicans also won the races for attorney general, chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner.

The sweep left Florida Democrats without a statewide victory despite a more favorable national environment for their party. floridaphoenix.com

DeSantis, who was not on the ballot, argued that Florida Republicans benefited from the record established during his administration. His assessment places the state’s performance at the center of a broader question: What can Republicans learn from the places where they retained power?

DeSantis’ Political Star Gains Visibility

DeSantis’ remarks offered a defense of his governing approach as Republicans confronted the election’s consequences.

He credited Florida’s resilience to policy achievements and voter trust, while emphasizing that his immediate focus remained completing his term. wusf.org

Florida’s results strengthen his opportunity to participate in the national leadership debate. They do not, by themselves, establish that Republican voters have chosen him to lead the party or that he will launch another presidential campaign.

The distinction matters: Electoral success in Florida provides a political argument, while a national campaign would require support extending well beyond the state.

Texas Defeats Increase Florida’s Importance

DeSantis singled out Texas as a particularly consequential Republican setback. Once a dependable foundation of GOP strength, Texas delivered Democratic victories in the governor’s race, a U.S. Senate contest and other statewide offices.

He warned that those losses could weaken Republicans nationally for years. www.orlandoweekly.com

Against that backdrop, Florida’s Republican sweep gives its leaders greater prominence. The state’s emerging role as a Republican “Southern Star” is an interpretation of that contrast, rather than a designation DeSantis used.

For the outgoing governor, Florida offers evidence of political durability during a difficult election. For the national party, it offers a case to examine alongside the states where Republican support collapsed.

DeSantis Credits Amendment 3 With Turnout

DeSantis also credited voter-approved Amendment 3, the property tax measure, with attracting voters who subsequently supported Republican candidates.

He said implementation would require further legislative action and discussed protecting homeowners’ savings from being offset by other local charges. cbs12.com

His explanation remains an assessment of the election. Determining how much the amendment affected turnout and individual races would require additional analysis.

Democratic Legislative Gains Temper GOP Celebration

Florida’s statewide sweep did not prevent Republican losses elsewhere on the ballot.

Democrats gained seats in the Legislature and ended the Republican supermajority in the state House. Their leaders argued that the close statewide contests demonstrated Florida remained competitive and warranted greater national investment. floridaphoenix.com

Republicans therefore emerged with continued governing authority but less room for complacency. Retaining statewide offices and losing legislative ground are both part of the election’s outcome.

2018 Offers Democrats a Benchmark

Florida Democrats’ 2018 results provide a historical comparison between narrowly losing a statewide contest and winning governing authority.

Republican Ron DeSantis won the governor’s race with 4,076,186 votes, or 49.6%, while Democrat Andrew Gillum received 4,043,723 votes, or 49.2%. DeSantis prevailed by 32,463 votes, approximately 0.4 percentage points. results.elections.myflorida.com

In the agriculture commissioner’s race, Democrat Nikki Fried won 4,032,954 votes, or 50.04%, defeating Republican Matt Caldwell, who received 4,026,201 votes, or 49.96%. Fried’s winning margin was 6,753 votes, approximately 0.08 percentage points. uselectionatlas.org

2018 statewide raceCandidatePartyVotesPercentage
GovernorRon DeSantis — winnerRepublican4,076,18649.6%
GovernorAndrew GillumDemocratic4,043,72349.2%
Agriculture commissionerNikki Fried — winnerDemocratic4,032,95450.04%
Agriculture commissionerMatt CaldwellRepublican4,026,20149.96%

Table lists the two leading candidates in each race. Governor’s percentages include votes cast for other candidates. results.elections.myflorida.com

Those results give substance to the discussion about investment and competitiveness. Campaign funding can support organization and outreach, but these election totals alone do not establish how much national spending influenced either outcome.

Gillum nearly captured the governor’s office; Fried secured a statewide Cabinet seat. That difference remains central to evaluating political progress: Smaller losing margins can indicate opportunity, while victories determine who exercises authority.

A Stronger Platform, With Challenges Ahead

Florida’s results give DeSantis a stronger position from which to argue that his approach deserves attention within the Republican Party.

Yet the election also supplied a warning for his party at home. Republicans preserved statewide leadership while Democrats demonstrated greater strength in legislative contests.

As Donalds prepares to succeed him, DeSantis leaves with Florida’s Republican governing structure intact. Whether that record becomes the foundation for a larger national role will depend on how Republican voters and leaders respond to the party’s defeats.

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