Count California Congressional Rep. Duncan Hunter among those not fond of the House Office of Congressional Ethics. As noted by the San Diego Union-Tribune , that’s because the results of a recent audit of Hunter’s campaign expenditures ended...
The GOP-dominated Missouri Legislature last week overrode 13 of the 20 vetoes issued this session by Gov. Jay Nixon (D) The measures lawmakers overrode include SB 656 , which allows most adults to obtain a lifetime concealed carry weapons permit while...
Advocates planning to make their voices heard on legislation this year in Minnesota better plan to hold their rallies somewhere other than the statehouse. As the Associated Press reports , “The People’s House” is tightly covered in sheet...
Acting state Attorney General John Hoffman resigned this week to take a job at Rutgers University. The school announced Hoffman’s hiring on Thursday. Hoffman, 50, said he would step down in six weeks and would become the New Jersey flagship state...
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously voted last month to uphold the legislative district map drawn by an independent commission in Arizona in 2012. Republicans had challenged that map, alleging it placed more voters in GOP districts than in Democratic ones...
Like it or not, money-obsessed bloviator Donald Trump has dominated the news cycle of late with a string of racist and otherwise idiotic commentary meant as much to get media attention as to attract voters. Mission accomplished on that front, much to...
Ohio AG Mike DeWine announced last week that credit-card giant Chase has agreed to a $136 million settlement with the state and 46 other states over its debt-collection practices. The settlement comes in connection with an investigation that revealed...
As part of its effort to update the state’s motor vehicle code, a legislative commission in Rhode Island met with Cathy Zhou, general manager for Uber in that state, as well as Massachusetts, and asked her why the ride-sharing company collects state...
After a presidential primary last month marred by long lines at polling places and voter frustration, Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan (R), the state’s top election official, said she was backing legislation to shift the state from government...
KS Gov Proposes Budget: KANSAS Gov. Sam Brownback (R) has proposed a budget calling for tax increases, borrowing and the use of one-time sources - but not the repeal of the so-called LLC loophole exempting over 330,000 farmers and business owners from...
For the second time in as money months the U.S. Supreme Court faulted political boundaries drawn in 2011 by North Carolina’s Republican-controlled General Assembly. On May 22, the justices ruled that the state’s lawmakers packed black voters...
Arkansas Approves HB 1035 The ARKANSAS House approves HB 1035 , which would bar the use of food stamps to buy junk food. Under the measure, food stamp recipients would be allowed to purchase only foods contained on a list of approved items developed...
MO Enacts Right-to-Work Law MISSOURI Gov. Eric Greitens (R) signed legislation swiftly passed by the state’s Republican-controlled General Assembly making it the 28th right-to-work state. Supporters say the law, barring unions from making workers...
Public defenders everywhere know the job comes with burdens and challenges rarely seen by their private sector brethren. Number one on that list is the funding to pay for what they do. Nobody knows this better than Michael Barrett, director of the Missouri...
Georgia Approves SB 36 The GEORGIA Senate approves SB 36, a bill that would renew a Peach State law that bars the injection of chemically-treated waste, surface or ground water into an aquifer with the intent to withdraw it later. The bill moves to...
Wisconsin Approves Right-to-Work Bill (SB44) The GOP-led WISCONSIN Senate voted largely along party lines last month to approve a fast-tracked right-to-work bill (SB 44) that spurred about eight hours of debate. The bill comes four years after Gov...
OK Approves HB 1965 The OKLAHOMA Senate approves HB 1965, a bill that would bar Sooner State drivers from sending or reading cell phone text messages while driving. The bill returns to the House (KANSAS CITY STAR). CA Approves AB 147 The CALIFORNIA...
Business In Minnesota A federal judge rules that federal laws do not pre-empt MINNESOTA’s law that diesel sold at the pump contain at least 10 percent biofuel. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim rejected a suit from trucking, automotive and oil...
GA Approves Supplemental Budget GEORGIA’s General Assembly has approved a midyear, supplemental spending plan that includes about $27 million to give 20 percent raises to state law enforcement officers and $50 million for a new cybersecurity...
CUOMO GIVES NY COLLEGES MILLIONS FOR PRISON EDUCATION NEW YORK Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has awarded $7 million in grants to colleges around the Empire State to offer courses to prisoners. Cuomo initially proposed the grants in 2014, but backed off in...
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) led a bipartisan group of governors last week in urging Congress to work together to quickly reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for low income families before...
In 1998, a few years after Congress reformed the federal welfare system and created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, giving states billions of dollars each year to fight poverty, an average of 479,000 poor Texans were receiving...
New Jersey Approves AB 3091 The NEW JERSEY Senate approves AB 3091 , which would set the legal age for marriage at 18. The measure, which is intended to prevent forced arranged marriages, moves to Gov. Chris Christie (R) for consideration (NJ.COM)...
A task force appointed by Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) in June to review the state’s revenue forecasting process has recommended ending the practice of issuing monthly reports comparing revenue estimates with actual collections. The task force...
The Kentucky Senate’s State and Local Government Committee voted unanimously to advance a constitutional amendment(SB 299) that would grant the General Assembly the authority to restore voting rights to convicted felons, which only the governor...