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Virginia Approves SB 1091 The VIRGINIA Assembly and Senate approve SB 1091 , which would abolish an Old Dominion law that mandates a person automatically lose their driver’s license for six months for a minor marijuana conviction. The measure moves to Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) for consideration...

Kentucky Approves HB 58 The KENTUCKY House approves HB 58 , which would allow homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities at the school in their respective district. It moves to the Senate (FLOYD COUNTY TIMES). Arkansas Gov Signs HB 1426 ARKANSAS Gov. Asa Hutchinson...

Business In Arizona The ARIZONA Supreme Court unanimously upholds a voter-approved law that raises the Grand Canyon State minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020. The court rejected a claim by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce that the law was unconstitutional (ARIZONA REPUBLIC [PHOENIX]). Arkansas...

Nevada Senate Approves SB 370 The NEVADA Senate gives unanimous approval to SB 370 , which makes it illegal to transport hunters, their gear or animals from an airport or heliport unless the facility was established by a government agency and is accessible by a public road. It moves to the House ...

Montana Senate Approves SB 329 The MONTANA Senate approves SB 329 , which would prohibit abortions on potentially viable fetuses and subject doctors to criminal charges if they failed to take steps to try and save the life of the child. It moves to the House (GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE, LEXISNEXIS STATE...

Business In Indiana The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rules that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects gay and lesbian employees from workplace discrimination, the first time a federal appellate court has come to that conclusion. The ruling from the ILLINOIS -based court came in the case of an INDIANA...

Social Policy In Arkansas The U.S. Supreme Court rules that same-sex couples in ARKANSAS are entitled to have both their names listed on their child's birth certificate. The ruling overturns a Razorback State law that blocked both parents’ names from being listed on the documentation (ARKANSAS...

Social Policy In South Carolina The SOUTH CAROLINA Supreme Court rules that people in same-sex marriages are covered under the state’s domestic violence laws. The law does not pertain, however, to unmarried same-sex couples (CHARLESTON POST & COURIER). Social Policy In Arkansas A federal...

HEALTH & SCIENCE IN RI The city of Providence, RHODE ISLAND announces a plan to make the city’s 12 fire stations places where residents can go to be connected to substance abuse treatment and counseling. The plan is modeled after a similar program in Manchester, NEW HAMPSHIRE . The plan...

CA City Council Approves The LOS ANGELES City Council approves a motion to ask Golden State lawmakers to change the way the state defines “grave disability” in order to give officials more power to forcibly treat mentally ill homeless people (LOS ANGELES TIMES). AK City Council Approves...

AR Governor Signs HB 1010a ARKANSAS Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) signs HB 1010a , a measure that requires pharmacy benefit managers to be licensed by the state. The measure exempts insurance plans that are self-funded by employers (ARKANSAS ONLINE). OR Governor Signs HB 4005 OREGON Gov. Kate Brown...

Going On In AR A federal judge issues a temporary restraining order that prevents ARKANSAS from enforcing a section of a 2015 law requiring abortion providers to contract with a second doctor who has hospital admitting privileges. The order issued by U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker expires on July...

AR Health Officials Announce Health officials in ARKANSAS announce they stripped 4,353 Medicaid recipients of their health coverage for failing to meet state-mandated work requirements. The Razorback State has removed a total of 8,462 people from Medicaid rolls since September over the work mandate...

AK Supreme Court Rules Local Gender Ordinance The ARKANSAS Supreme Court rules that the city of FAYETTEVILLE can’t enforce an ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The court said it has already ruled that the measure violates a state law aimed at preventing...

AR House Approves HB 1176 The ARKANSAS House approves HB 1176 , which would set minimum standards for breast milk sharing programs and encourage nonprofits to launch depositories and banks for human breast milk. It moves to the Senate (ARKANSAS GAZETTE-TIMES [LITTLE ROCK]). UT Senate Approves SB...

WV House Tables Bill The WEST VIRGINIA House tables a bill that would have, among other things, created the state’s first charter schools and legalized education savings accounts for parents to pay for private school. The proposal prompted teachers to immediately vow to implement another statewide...

GA House Approves HB 213 The GEORGIA House approves HB 213 , which would allow Peach State farmers to cultivate hemp for use in Cannabidiol, or CBD, oils and other products. It moves to the Senate (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION). WA House Approves HB 1065 The WASHINGTON House approves HB 1065...

IA Supreme Court Upholds The IOWA Supreme Court upholds a lower court’s ruling that the Hawkeye State cannot deny Medicaid coverage for sex reassignment surgery. The court ruled that doing so would violate the state’s 2007 Civil Rights Act, which added gender identity to the state’s...

AR Governor Signs HB 1439 ARKANSAS Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) signs HB 1439 , which outlaws abortion 18 weeks into a woman’s pregnancy except in medical emergencies and in cases of rape or incest. Opponents have indicated they will sue to block the law from taking effect (ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE...

AR House Approves HB 1626 The ARKANSAS House approves HB 1626 , which would require schools to offer classes on the Bible if enough students request such courses. It moves to the Senate (ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE [LITTLE ROCK]).

NJ Governor Signs SB 121 NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil Murphy (S) signs SB 121 , which bars the use of nondisclosure agreements in employment contracts and settlement agreements if those cases involve discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment or assault. The law went into immediate effect (LEXISNEXIS...

NE Governor Signs LB 399 NEBRASKA Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) signs LB 399 , which provides Cornhusker State schools with three different options for students to learn civics: participating in and reporting on a local government meeting, taking the test given to those seeking to become U.S. citizens, or...

AR House Gives Final Approval to SB 411 The ARKANSAS House gives final approval to SB 411 , a bill that would bar Razorback State cities from becoming so-called “sanctuary cities,” which bar law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The bill moves to Gov. Asa...

US Supreme Court Declines The U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear a challenge to a NEW JERSEY law that bans the use of so-called “conversion therapy,” which seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation, on minors (NJ.COM). NJ Governor Signs AB 1504 NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil Murphy...

Federal Judge Blocks Three Arkansas Abortion Laws Saying they provide women with “no discernible medical benefit,” a federal judge temporarily blocks three ARKANSAS abortion laws from going into effect. The state is expected to appeal the ruling (ASSOCIATED PRESS). New York Governor...