Nearly all inmates have been transferred out of a troubled women’s prison set to be shut down in California. And U.S. senators on Wednesday were demanding an accounting of the rapid closure plan for the facility where sexual abuse by guards was rampant. Prison officials say as of Tuesday only “a small group” of women were still being held at FCI Dublin. The majority of its 605 inmates having been sent to other facilities. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are expressing concern over claims of a chaotic transfer process during which they say inmates didn’t receive proper medical care and were subjected to harassment.

Several relatives of patients who died while awaiting a new liver say they want to know if their loved ones were wrongfully denied a transplant by a Houston doctor accused of manipulating a hospital waitlist. Officials at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center have said they are investigating after finding that a doctor had made “inappropriate changes” in the national database for people awaiting liver transplants. Earlier this month, the hospital halted its liver and kidney programs. The relatives spoke at a news conference Wednesday. The news conference was held by attorneys who have filed for temporary restraining order to prevent Dr. Steve Bynon from deleting or destroying evidence. Bynon did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Tennessee’s Republican-dominant House has spiked legislation that would have banned local governments from paying to study or dispense money for reparations for slavery. The move marked a rare defeat on a GOP-backed proposal initially introduced nearly one year ago. But as scrutiny over the bill increased, nearly 30 Republicans joined House Democrats on Wednesday in tabling the bill. This included Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton. State lawmakers began seriously considering banning the consideration of reparations only after the state’s most populated county, which encompasses Memphis, announced it would spend $5 million to study the feasibility of reparations for the descendants of slaves and find “actionable items.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers have announced legislation Wednesday aimed at helping Arizonans access abortions after the Arizona Supreme Court allowed a near total-ban to move forward. The bill would allow Arizona doctors to temporarily provide abortion care to Arizona patients who travel to California. Newsom says lawmakers will move swiftly to pass the California bill. Newsom has defended abortion access outside of California, which has endeared him to the Democratic Party's core constituencies. He has become a top surrogate of President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

A judge has declined to dismiss hundreds of lawsuits filed against rap star Travis Scott over his role in the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival in which 10 people were killed in a crowd surge. State District Judge Kristen Hawkins issued a one-page order made public Wednesday denying Scott’s request to be dropped from the case. An attorney for the family of one of the 10 people killed says Scott’s actions before and during the concert showed a “conscious disregard for safety.” Scott’s attorneys had argued that he was responsible for creative aspects and not safety planning related to the concert on Nov. 5, 2021. The first trial related to the lawsuits is set for May 6.

President Joe Biden has granted clemency to 16 people who were convicted of non-violent drug crimes. Biden used his clemency powers under the Constitution to issue pardons to 11 men and women. The Democratic president shortened the sentences of five others. Biden says he acted because April is Second Chance Month and many of these people received disproportionately longer sentences than they would have under current law and practice. He says those receiving pardons have shown a commitment to improving their lives and doing good in their communities. He adds that those whose sentences were shortened have shown they are worthy of forgiveness.