Unlike some of his gubernatorial counterparts around the country, Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I) is a believer in climate change, saying it is having a devastating impact on numerous Last Frontier communities. But Walker says the cost of dealing with it...
Less than an hour after being sworn in, ARIZONA Gov. Doug Ducey (R) issued Executive Order 1 2015, which bars all state agencies from issuing new regulations on businesses without approval from his office. The order also requires those agencies to review...
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie makes no bones about his love for two things: Bruce Springsteen and the Dallas Cowboys. While the former has given Christie the cold shoulder, he and Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones are having a full-on bromance. This was...
The MISSOURI House gives final approval to HB 1307, which would increase the waiting period for obtaining an abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours. It goes to Gov. Jay Nixon (D) for review (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH). • The LOUISIANA Senate approves HB...
The WEST VIRGINIA Senate approves HB 2568, legislation that would ban abortions after a woman has reached the 20 th week of pregnancy. The measure moves to Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D), who vetoed a similar bill last year (WEST VIRGINIA METRO NEWS NETWORK...
IA Governor Signs SF 359 As expected, IOWA Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signs SF 359 , which would bar abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, often as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. The law’s supporters say their intention is to...
CA Federal Judge Strikes Down A federal judge in CALIFORNIA strikes down a ban on shipping coal through the Port of OAKLAND . U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said the City Council did not have enough evidence that the coal operations would pose...
Citing potential health and environmental risks, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has barred the controversial gas drilling practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Cuomo's decision has been years in the making. Former Gov. David Paterson (D)...
CA Governor Signs AB 1678 CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs AB 1678 , which requires journalists, researchers and political campaigns that collect voter data to inform state officials if that data has been stolen (CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S OFFICE...
CA and PA Bar Trump Administration Federal judges in CALIFORNIA and PENNSYLVANIA bar the Trump administration from implementing new rules that would let almost any employer deny female employees coverage for birth control by citing religious or moral...
We’ve heard the complaint that politics is going to the dogs, but in the UK earlier this month it was all true. That’s because, as Reuters reports , close to 1,000 dogs and their owners recently marched on parliament to call for a second vote...
WI GOV OPEN TO GAS TAX: WISCONSIN Gov. Scott Walker (R) said last week he was willing to raise the state’s gas tax to provide additional funding for transportation, as long as the tax increase was offset by other tax cuts. His statement came...
Every fall California Gov. Jerry Brown has to hunker down and sift through hundreds of bills that arrive on his desk at the end of the legislative session. Most are of great gravity to a nation state that likes to tell anyone who will listen it is the...
Speaking to a meeting of Bay State health officials, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) called on Congress to take steps to stabilize the individual health insurance market and act quickly to extend two recently expired programs that fund community...
Republican Greg Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist by a vote of 50 percent to 44 percent in a special election last month in Montana to claim the state’s sole congressional seat, formerly held by Ryan Zinke, whom President Donald Trump selected...
Death Penalty Measure Challenged in NE Death penalty opponents in NEBRASKA have filed a lawsuit to block a proposed ballot measure aimed at reinstating capital punishment in the state. The suit alleges the measure should be invalidated because Gov...
NEW HAMPSHIRE Gov. Maggie Hassan (D) vetoes SB 116, which would have done away with a Granite State law requiring anyone wishing to carry a concealed weapon to first obtain a permit (NEW HAMPSHIRE UNION LEADER). -- Compiled by RICH EHISEN
Statehouse security varies considerably across the country. Some state capitols have armed security guards, X-ray machines and metal detectors. Others offer open public access. But the shooting attack on the Canadian Parliament in October will likely...
Over 200 state legislators have attended Next Generation workshops, designed to cultivate collaboration across party lines in the development of public policy. The workshops were hosted by the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Institute for Civil Discourse...
Political campaigns have undoubtedly become more cynical and nasty in recent years. But not every close race has to end with court battles and protests. Case in point comes from Platte, South Dakota where a recent tie in the mayoral race was decided in...
As bad ideas go this would seem to have been an obvious one. As Reuters reports , the West African nation of Burkina Faso recently barred an annual beauty contest that judged women strictly on the size of their behinds. Government officials stepped in...
Politics has of late played an outsized role in whether or not a lot of folks have health insurance. But now it appears that our political affiliations could also determine the level of care we get from our doctor. As the Los Angeles Times reports, a...
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb is a big basketball fan, so much so he recently opted to have a full-sized court installed at the Hoosier State Governor’s Mansion. But the best laid plans of mice and governors sometimes come with a hitch. In this case...
CONGRESS TEMPORARILY AVOIDS GOVT SHUTDOWN: Congress approved a short-term spending agreement last week that President Trump has indicated he will sign, forestalling a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22. The stoppage had been set to begin on...
DC City Council Votes Citing concerns over soaring enforcement levels and disproportionate enforcement against African Americans, the WASHINGTON D.C. Council votes to decriminalize Metro fare evasion in the District (WASHINGTON POST). NY City Federal...