In the aftermath of New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s (D) arrest last month on federal corruption charges, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has vowed not to sign a state budget this year unless it includes a slate of ethics reforms. His list...
California Gov. Jerry Brown is known to be a bit grumpy this time of year, predominantly over the avalanche of bills lawmakers send his way for consideration. Even so the gov wasted little time this year signing some measures, including a bill last week...
Crime & Punishment in CA A federal judge order CALIFORNIA corrections officials to end an early prison-release program because it is open only to women. U.S. District Court Judge Morrison C. England said the law is unconstitutional (SAN JOSE MERCURY...
Online travel website Expedia has run up one hell of a hotel tab, according to Hawaii and scores of cities and counties across the nation. Dozens of lawsuits filed by the state and local governments allege Expedia has shortchanged them by more than $800...
ND Approves HB 1186 The NORTH DAKOTA Senate unanimously approves HB 1186, which bars the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. The measure, which also makes it a crime for minors to buy, possess or use e-cigarettes or any alternate nicotine products, moves...
The Pokémon Go craze is about to make us all crazy. Stories abound of people hurting themselves, of players annoying the bejeebers out of everyone around them and other such nonsense. But a trio of lawmakers on Capitol Hill drew a line in the sand...
Potpourri In New Jersey A NEW JERSEY appellate court upholds the legal use of enclosed foothold animal traps. The court rejected a claim made by animal rights groups that the devices, generally used by some Garden State residents to trap opossums and...
Love conquers all, or say I’ve been told. But in this age of hyper-partisanship, does it really? As Cal Matters reports , the answer is a resounding “sometimes.” Some perusing of California voter registration records reveals that 29...
Every state has laws governing personal conduct in the voting booth, some of which ban the taking of photographs or the revealing of a marked ballot, according to Ethan Wilson, a policy associate at the National Conference of State Legislatures’...
Immigration In Hawaii A federal judge in HAWAII temporarily bans an executive order issued by President Donald Trump that would have banned travel into the U.S. by people from six Muslim-majority nations. The Aloha State was one of several that had...
It may come as no surprise to anyone who’s observed the political discourse in this country during the last two presidential administrations, but the gap between Democrats and Republicans is widening, according to a new study from the Pew Research...
Atlantic City Recovery Plan Rejected by State The state of NEW JERSEY has rejected Atlantic City’s recovery plan, setting up a possible takeover of that city by the state. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Charles Richman...
ALASKA Gov. Bill Walker (I) signs HB 126 , a bill that updates the Alaska National Guard’s Code of Military Justice for the first time in over five decades. The new Code sets regulations for holding soldiers accountable for misconduct in situations...
The LOUISIANA Senate approves HB 72, which would allow Pelican State residents with concealed carry permits to carry guns into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. The bill moves to Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) for review (ADVOCATE [BATON ROUGE]).
FEDERAL SPENDING BILL PROVIDES TEMPORARY CHIP RELIEF TO STATES: The bill signed by President Trump this month that put off a federal government shutdown until Dec. 22 also allows the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to distribute any available...
Several bills before the Florida Legislature would significantly limit the power of local governments in the state. They include HB 17 , which would require cities to obtain legislative approval before adopting new regulations impacting businesses; SB...
It was bound to happen. Last week GOP voters in Nevada’s Nye County nominated self-proclaimed and unapologetic pimp Dennis Hof to represent them in the Silver State Assembly. Hof is known to most folks as the owner of a string of brothels in Nye...
Calling impending health insurance price hikes “a very serious problem,” Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) said reforming the six-year-old healthcare system must be a priority for state and federal lawmakers in 2017. Dayton’s comments in...
Immigration In TX The U.S. Supreme Court deadlocks on a challenge to President Barack Obama’s executive order allowing children of unauthorized immigrants to avoid deportation and to live and work legally in the United States. The no-decision...
Energy In NJ The NEW JERSEY Senate approves SB 1707 , which would require Garden State utility companies to source at least 80 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by the year 2050. It moves to the House (CLEANTECHNICA.COM). ...
States are increasingly wading into the issue of immigration, according to a new study by The National Conference of State Legislatures. The study, released this week, found state-based laws related to immigration increased by 26 percent in 2015...
Environment In California A federal judge tentatively rejects a plan by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to open more than 1,500 square miles of lands in central CALIFORNIA to oil drilling and fracking. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald said...
Using Veterans Day ceremonies as a backdrop, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced last week that the Old Dominion has become the first state to meet the federal definition of effectively ending homelessness among military veterans. Under that guideline...
Health & Science In NJ NEW JERSEY Gov. Chris Christie (R) signs AB 4587, legislation that allows parents or educators to administer edible medical marijuana products to sick and disabled children on school grounds without fear of arrest [JURIST...
MA Governor Signs Budget Acting MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Karyn Polito (R) signs budget legislation that includes a provision banning the sale or possession of the so-called “bump stock,” an attachment that allows semiautomatic rifles to fire...