Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed an election bill into law yesterday morning.

• The signing ceremony attracted some controversy when DeSantis gave exclusive access to Fox News and barred other media outlets from covering the event. They were allowed in after the governor signed the bill and made remarks live on Fox and Friends.

📝 What’s in the bill?
From Gov. DeSantis’ press release: “Senate Bill 90 strengthens existing voter ID laws, bans ballot harvesting, prohibits unsolicited mass mailing of ballots, increases election transparency, and prohibits private money from administering elections.”

• Voter ID Laws: Additional identification information is now needed when changing any voter registration information or requesting a ballot.
• Ballot Harvesting: The law restricts when ballot drop boxes can be used, and limits electoral ‘Good Samaritans’ - referred to as “ballot harvesters” - to collecting ballots from no more than two unrelated people.
• Mail-in Ballots: Voters who want an absentee ballot now have to apply for one every voting cycle.
• Election Transparency: Each political party and candidate is now guaranteed access to observe signature matching reviews by the canvassing board. Each county is also now required to report hourly live voter turnout data and vote-by-mail data.
• Private Money: The no-influence zone around polling places was extended to 150 feet (from 100 feet).

Civil rights groups filed two separate federal lawsuits minutes after the legislation was signed into law, arguing it has a disproportionate impact on voters who are elderly, disabled, students, or members of communities of color.

⏭️ What’s Next?
The Texas House of Representatives approved similar legislation yesterday that Republicans argue will increase election security and Democrats contend will restrict voting access, particularly for minority communities.

• The Texas bill and Florida law follow a Georgia election bill signed into law in March.
• The Georgia bill is currently the subject of six federal lawsuits alleging violations of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

🇬🇧🇫🇷 The UK & France: Standoff on the High Seas

Image: BBC

The UK dispatched two Royal Navy vessels to the island of Jersey yesterday in response to a flotilla of about 60 French fishing boats gathered there to protest new post-Brexit restrictions.

Background: Jersey is a self-governing British crown territory that relies on the UK for defense and international affairs.

• At issue are new terms imposed by the government of Jersey requiring licenses be given only to fishermen that can prove they had previously fished in the island waters.
• The European Commission is claiming the terms are a breach of the post-Brexit trade and cooperation agreement signed last year, since the UK failed to give sufficient warning.

More: France also sent two patrol vessels to monitor the situation, saying they were on a non-military public service mission to ensure safety.

From France: France24

From the UK: The Guardian

Living in the news 24/7 can cause major stress and anxiety. So, as you can imagine, our team is always chasing zen – meditation, yoga, rock climbing, whatever.

For Kyle, our managing editor, it’s painting. But not just any type of painting – Kyle's obsessed with alcohol-ink painting.

• An almost direct quote: “The moment I spilled ink, I was so mesmerized - it was like teetering on a line between control and total surrender.”
• Our response: 1) “What in the world did you get yourself into?” and 2) “Where can we try it, too?”
• Kyle’s answer: 1) “😏 ” and 2) “Julie Pelaez Studios.”

So we took their “Intro to Alcohol Inks” e-Course. Here's what we discovered:

• Alcohol-ink refers to vibrant, alcohol-based inks most often used in fluid, intuitive painting. They can be used on any heat-resistant smooth surface – glass, metal, ceramic, etc. 
• You don’t need any experience to get started. The 40+ minute course walked us through materials, techniques, troubleshooting common problems, how to create an easy and safe set-up at home – and even gave us project ideas. If you want live feedback (as we did), Julie herself hosts monthly Q&A Zoom sessions at no extra cost.

The ultimate conclusion: Painting with alcohol inks is bada** and is, in fact, as zen as Kyle describes.

Explore the “Intro to Alcohol Inks” e-Course and find your zen.* 

*Bonus: Get 15% off with the code DONUT15 at checkout.

“She was hiding in the back of the crate with her head fac[ing] the other way. She wouldn’t make eye contact, she was huddled as small as she could. The next day, she was still at the back of her crate…”

Images: @thedodo

Fostering pets is no easy feat, but oftentimes the selfless act can save animals’ lives.

When foster-mom Tamara got a new puppy named Parker, the small dog was so terrified she wouldn’t even look at her.

• “I didn’t do much with her at that point. I just spent time beside the crate.”

When Parker finally came to the edge of her crate to eat, Tamara and her family were thrilled. They continued to celebrate “all of those little milestones” as the pup slowly began to open up.

Now, Parker is the star of her new furever home, wagging her tail, giving hugs, and playing with her puppy siblings – all thanks to a little patience and a lot of love.

Watch her remarkable transformation.

🐶🗣️ If Dogs Could Talk…

Image: @whataboutbunny

With more than 6 million followers on TikTok, Bunny the dog has gone viral thanks to her ability to “talk” to her owner, Alexis Devine.

• To help Bunny speak, Alexis set up a system of buttons on her floor, each one loaded with a prerecorded word, such as “Mom”, “Dad”, “Play” and “Scritches” (Bunny’s word for head scratches….adorable, we know).
• With just a few presses of her paw on the buttons, Bunny is able to string together the prerecorded words to send coherent audio messages to her owner, such as “more scritches now.”

Elsewhere… In January, South Korean startup Petpuls Lab commercially launched a dog collar with voice recognition that allows pet owners to detect their canine’s emotions with up to 90% accuracy.

The Big Picture: While full-fledged conversations with our canines might still be a little far-fetched, we certainly are on track to get some responses to the question “Who’s a good boy?” from our Fidos – far exceeding a simple woof or bark.

Dig deeper.

Which YouTube video has the most views of all time?

A) “Despacito”
B) “Shape of You”
C) “Uptown Funk”
D) “Baby Shark Dance”

(keep scrolling for the answer)

Merch and other exclusive perks are at your fingertips. Simply:

1. Copy your unique referral link below.
2. Post said link on social media, drop it in your group chat, give it out instead of your number at the bar (but pls no creeps).
3. Watch the rewards roll in.

No link found!

D) “Baby Shark Dance”

Clocking in with nearly 8.5 billion views, “Baby Shark Dance” from the YouTube channel Pinkfong! Kids' Songs & Stories is the platform’s most-watched video of all time.