California Signs AB 1887 CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs AB 1887 , which bars state agencies from requiring employees to travel to states that have laws which allow discrimination based on sexual identity or gender. The measure is aimed at barring...
Much has been made of French President Emmanuel Macron being married to a woman who at one time was his high school teacher. But in a bit of gamesmanship that could only matter to President Donald Trump, Macron was not the first world leader to marry...
The Wall Street investment firm that has already agreed under settlements with U.S. government regulators to pay over $1.5 billion for its part in the subprime mortgage scandal that helped precipitate the Great Recession may soon be accused of pushing...
Recently termed-out Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has apparently never warmed up to new Gov. Doug Ducey, a fellow Republican but not the guy she initially backed in the GOP primary last year. (That would be Mesa mayor Scott Smith, who lost out to Ducey in that...
Going On in TX A federal court issues an injunction blocking TEXAS from telling abortion providers and medical facilities how to dispose of fetal remains from abortions and miscarriages. U.S. District Judge David Ezra said the law requiring burial...
CT Senate Approves HB 7200 The CONNECTICUT Senate approves HB 7200 , which would raise the Constitution State smoking age to 21. The measure moves to Gov. Ned Lamont (D), who has pledged to sign it into law (CONNECTICUT MIRROR [HARTFORD]). CT house...
TX Legislature Gives Approval to HB 2041 The TEXAS Legislature gives final approval to HB 2041 , which would require freestanding emergency rooms to clearly disclose the in-network health plans they accept and the fees patients may be charged. It moves...
Over the past 45 years, taxable sales as a proportion of consumer services have declined more in Utah than in nearly any other state, according to a new report from the Utah Foundation. The state actually had the same amount of per-capita sales tax revenue...
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency publishes new rules that allow international students earning degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields in the United States to be eligible to stay in America for three years...
CA Governor Vetoes AB 2070 CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) vetoes AB 2070 , which would have required incoming student orientations at Golden State colleges and universities to include information on intimate partner and dating violence (LOS ANGELES...
OR House Approves HB 3063 The OREGON House approves HB 3063 , which would remove vaccination requirements based on religious, philosophical or personal reasons. The bill would allow unvaccinated kids to attend public school until August 1, 2020, after...
Editor: Rich Ehisen Associate Editor: Korey Clark Contributing Editor: Mary Peck, David Giusti Editorial Advisor: Lou Cannon Correspondents: Richard Cox (CA), Lauren Davis (MA), Steve Karas (CA) and Ben Livingood (PA), Cathy Santsche (CA), Dena Blodgett...
At the start of this year, many observers believed states might be lining up to duplicate California’s tough new data privacy law, set to go into effect next year. That rush didn’t quite materialize, but that doesn’t mean lawmakers completely...
Federal Judge Blocks Grizzly Bear Plans A federal judge blocks plans by WYOMING and IDAHO to hold the first grizzly bear hunt in the lower 48 states in almost three decades. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen ruled grizzlies weren’t sufficiently...
Environment In California And New Mexico A federal judge orders the Trump administration to immediately enforce restrictions on the release of potent methane emissions at oil and gas drilling operations on public land. The rules, which went into effect...
CA Governor Vetoes SB 174 CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) vetoes SB 174 , which would have allowed unauthorized immigrants to serve on public boards and commissions (CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S OFFICE). CA Governor Vetoes SB 349 CALIFORNIA Gov...
CA Federal Judge Rejects Appeal A federal judge in CALIFORNIA rejects an appeal by the Trump administration to indefinitely detain immigrant children caught crossing the border illegally with their parents (LOS ANGELES TIMES).
WA House Gives Final Approval to HB 1638 The WASHINGTON House gives final approval to HB 1638 , which would remove a parents’ ability to seek a personal or philosophical exemption from their children being vaccinated for measles. The measure...
NY Assembly Endorses SB 501 The NEW YORK Assembly endorses SB 501 , a bill that would require toy manufacturers to tell state regulators when children’s products contain hazardous chemicals like cadmium, with toys containing materials like toxic...
After a string of recent Democratic special election upsets , including in deep red states, Republicans fended off a Democratic challenge in a congressional race in Arizona last month. Former state senator Debbie Lesko’s victory over emergency room...
As regular readers of this space know, we regularly poke fun at lawmakers who spend copious time working to name "official" state whatevers: rocks, plants, birds or foods. The latest came last week as the New York Senate spent 45 minutes debating...
The PENNSYLVANIA Senate approves SB 1180, a measure that would create a prescription drug monitoring program to prevent drug addicts or dealers from "doctor shopping" to get multiple orders of narcotics. It moves to the House (OBSERVER-REPORTER...
After much tinkering with amendments that lasted late into the night, South Carolina’s Republican-led Senate passed an infrastructure funding bill ( HB 3516 ) last month. “The Senate passed a bill tonight that will fix our roads, repair...
NY Governor Signs AB 2572 NEW YORK Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signs AB 2572 , legislation that bans offshore drilling in Empire State coastal waters. The measure bars the state from granting permits for drilling and exploration in offshore areas controlled...
San Francisco Board of Supervisors Approves The SAN FRANCISCO Board of Supervisors approves an ordinance that makes the City by the Bay the first in the nation to ban the use of facial recognition surveillance technology. The new law also requires...