NJ Governor Signs AB 493 NEW JERSEY Gov. Chris Christie (R) signs AB 493 , which bans chewing tobacco at Garden State K-12 schools. Students that violate the ban could lose parking and sports participation privileges, while adults face fines up to...
NJ GOvernor Vetoes SB3317 NEW JERSEY Gov. Chris Christie (R) pocket vetoes SB 3317 , which would have compelled the state to join the U.S. CA, WA, and NY Climate Alliance Climate Alliance, a coalition of states led by CALIFORNIA , WASHINGTON...
Health In IL An ILLINOIS court orders Prairie State officials to add intractable pain as a qualifying condition for medicinal marijuana use. Cook County Judge Raymond Mitchell wrote in his decision that “the record shows that individuals with...
Immigration in WA The WASHINGTON State Department of Licensing announces it will no longer release personal information to federal immigration authorities without a court order unless required by law. The change is one of several the agency will make...
NJ Governor Signs SB 3554 NEW JERSEY Gov. Chris Christie (R) signs SB 3554 , legislation that requires all workers hired to supervise people with developmental disabilities to undergo state and federal criminal background checks (NJ.COM).
NJ Governor Signs SB 3370 NEW JERSEY Gov. Chris Christie (R) signs SB 3370 , which criminalizes the act of operating a drone aircraft while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Violators face jail time and fines up to $1,000 (NJ.COM)
This time last year, Forbes declared that 2017 would be defined by technology across industries. This proved to be a very accurate projection, and the nonprofit sector was no exception. In twelve months, nonprofits have positioned technology to be central...
Petrobras recently agreed to pay $2.95 billion to settle a class action brought by investors in the United States. We look at the rise of class actions and what companies should do to limit the risk of bribery and corruption. A major settlement ...
It’s no secret that social media has pushed the PR industry to evolve. For many professionals, what started as a career built on sharing positive news with stakeholders and building relationships with editors and reporters has turned into managing...
Few elected officials seem to revel in being obnoxious quite like Maine Gov. Paul LePage. During his two terms in office LePage has yet to meet a policy proposal, public vote or maybe even the time of day he can’t get downright testy over. And lest...
In the wake of a new threat of a federal crackdown on the marijuana industry, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) urged federal prosecutors last week to focus their attention instead on dealing with the state’s ongoing opioid abuse crisis. ...
After a couple of court rulings and a rare, random drawing, control of the Virginia House - firmly in Republican hands before the Nov. 7 election but up in the air afterward - appears to have finally been decided in Republicans’ favor. A recount...
This month U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions made it easier for federal prosecutors to crack down on marijuana businesses in states that have legalized the drug. Marijuana was already illegal under federal law, but James Cole, U.S. attorney general...
In response to the $10,000 cap on the federal deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) included in the federal tax overhaul, lawmakers in high-tax states like California are considering allowing taxpayers to make charitable contributions to state funds...
Blue states might have lost the battle to defeat the Republican-controlled Congress’s massive tax code overhaul in December, but some Democrat-leaning states are not yet ready to concede the war. Led by California and New York, states are weighing...
On the one hand, honoring African-American soldiers who fought in the Civil War sounds like a great idea to South Carolina Reps. Bill Chumley and Mike Burns, who recently pre-filed legislation to do just that. But on the other hand, creating a monument...
ID Federal Appeals Court Rules A federal appeals court rules that a 2014 IDAHO law barring the secret filming of activities at farms, dairies and slaughterhouses is unconstitutional. The 9 TH U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law suffered from...
AZ Federal Judge Blocks A federal judge permanently blocks a 2010 ARIZONA law that prohibited Grand Canyon State schools from offering courses in ethnic studies. U.S. District Court Judge A. Wallace Tashima ruled that the ban was “not for a legitimate...
NJ Governor Signs AB 261 NEW JERSEY Gov. Chris Christie (R) signs AB 261 , which bars the installation and sale of wheel weights containing lead or mercury and prohibits the sale of new motor vehicles equipped with wheel weights containing lead or...
US Attorney General Declares U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) declares that the Trump administration will now allow federal prosecutors to prosecute marijuana businesses in states where weed has been legalized for either medical or recreational...
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) has declared the Keystone State’s ongoing opioid abuse crisis to be a statewide health emergency. Pennsylvania’s drug overdose rate is twice the national average. Wolf’s declaration allows state officials...
CA Federal Judge Blocks Trump A federal judge in CALIFORNIA issues a temporary injunction blocking President Donald Trump’s declaration to end the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Judge William Alsup of the Federal District...
VT House and Senate Approve HB 511 The VERMONT House and Senate give final approval to HB 511 , which allows people 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and to grow up to two plants to maturity. It moves now to Gov. Phil Scott (R), who...
Last month Alabama officials certified Democrat Doug Jones as the winner of the state’s Dec. 12 U.S. Senate election over Republican Roy Moore, a former chief justice for the state’s Supreme Court. Moore, a conservative firebrand who was removed...
Last year was an extremely costly one for the United States when it comes to major weather and climate disaster events. Nationwide, there were 16 such events with losses over $1 billion, including the devastating Western wildfires and Hurricanes Harvey...