For the first time in 18 months, The court will also take up a dispute over public funding for religious education, despite the fact that one of its members, Justice Brett Kavanaugh recently tested positive for Covid-19.

Among key issues, the court announced in May that it would consider a challenge to a Mississippi law that would ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Since then, Texas has passed an even stricter measure, banning abortions after about six weeks.

Likewise, judges must decide on a NY gun control measure that opponents say breaches the Second Amendment right to carry guns outside home.

The Joe Biden administration supported the NY government and urged the court to allow legislatures to impose reasonable limits on firearms to protect public safety amid high rates of violence in the country.

In addition, the Supreme Court will examine the limits imposed on the financing of religious schools, a case of the state of Maine that will evaluate whether it excludes such centers from aid programs for families residing in communities without public educational institutions.

Another issue that promises to attract attention is the decision about government’s privileges over state secrets.

Magistrates will have to define the scope of this prerogative based on two cases that rake up the controversial torture program the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) created to interrogate terrorism suspects after 9/11/ attacks.

pgh/Pll/ga / avr