State, Federal Lawmakers Consider Forgiving Farmers’ Student Debt: Only about 6 percent of American farmers are under the age of 35, while more than 62 percent are over 55, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 Census of Agriculture...
According to Alaska Sen. President Kevin Meyer (R), he and his fellow lawmakers know “we need to do something and we need to do something major” about the state budget. The global collapse of oil prices has left the state with a multibillion...
NE Legislature Passes LB960 - Infrastructure Bank Bill NEBRASKA lawmakers approved a bill ( LB 960 ) allowing the state to use $400 million over the next 17 years from the gas tax increase approved by the Legislature last year and $50 million from...
Wyoming, the Equality State, was the first U.S. territory to grant women the right to vote and the first state to elect a female governor. But only 13 percent of its current state lawmakers are women, the lowest rate of any state in the country, according...
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Jon Husted (R), alleging he is violating the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 by removing from the voter rolls tens of thousands of voters who haven’t...
SC Weighs Policing Capitol Demonstration Permits A SOUTH CAROLINA Senate panel has approved a bill ( SB 944 ) that would create a permitting process for demonstrations on Capitol grounds that would allow law enforcement officials to deny a permit if...
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) issued an executive order last week intended to mitigate growing national backlash to legislation he signed last month that critics contend discriminates against the LGBT community. The bill came in response to...
Edwards Issues LGBT Order LOUISIANA Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) issued Executive Order No. JBE 2016-11 , which protects LGBT state employees and contractors from being fired, discriminated against or harassed based on their gender identity or sexual...
CA AB 908 Signed by Gov CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs AB 908 , which will expand the Golden State’s paid family leave wage replacement levels from 55 percent of income to either 60 percent or 70 percent depending on the worker’s...
HB 1947 Approved in PA The PENNSYLVANIA House approves HB 1947 , which would eliminate criminal statutes of limitation on child sex crimes and extend the window for victims of child sexual abuse to take civil actions to age 50. It moves to the Senate...
SB 2438 Signed in MS MISSISSIPPI Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signs SB 2438 , which requires all school superintendents to be appointed rather than elected (WREG.COM [MEMPHIS]).
HB 4173 Signed in MA MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signs HB 4173 , which lifts the cap on private solar power projects eligible for net metering credits from 4 percent to 7 percent of peak electrical usage, and from 5 percent to 8 percent on...
Environment in HI - SB 2647 The HAWAII House endorses SB 2647 , which would ban almost all sales of products made from endangered animals such as elephants, whales, walruses and sharks. The measure, which makes exceptions for sales of products that...
PA Legislature Approves SB 3 The PENNSYLVANIA Senate and House each approve SB 3 , which would legalize medical marijuana use in the Keystone State. It moves to Gov. Tom Wolf (D), who has said he will sign it into law (FOX43.COM [PHILADELPHIA]). ...
NE Legislature Approves LB 947 The NEBRASKA Legislature approves LB 947 , a bill that would allow so-called “dreamers” – immigrants who entered the country illegally but were granted lawful status by the federal government –...
SB 1556 Approved in TN The TENNESSEE Senate gives final approval to SB 1556 , which would allow therapists to reject patients based on the counselors’ own religious beliefs. The measure moves to Gov. Bill Haslam (R) for consideration (JURIST...
SB 468 Approved in LA The LOUISIANA Senate approves SB 468 , which would require all exotic dancers in the Pelican State to be at least 21. The bill moves to the House (TIMES-PICAYUNE [NEW ORLEANS]). SB 5949 Signed in NY NEW YORK Gov. Andrew...
It’s old news that in his early years California Gov. Jerry Brown was always looking for another job, most notably at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. What is less clear to the masses but something those of us who cover him regularly know well is that...
By all accounts, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is a nice guy and certainly among the most moderate members of his state’s GOP. But that didn’t stop him from recently feeling the wrath of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce...
Rejoice, Minnesotans are one step closer to a whole new wave of serious burn injuries and unplanned fires. Whaaaaa? Yes, as Minnesota Public Radio reports , the Gopher State House passed legislation last week to legalize firecrackers, bottle rockets and...
Remember when Michael Corleone said, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in,” in The Godfather Part III? Executives at FIFA and UEFA can probably relate to his frustration after the recent Panama Papers leak put the spotlight...
Americans were shocked and saddened by the news of recording artist Prince’s death at the age of 57 on Thursday. The legendary singer-songwriter’s death hit airwaves and news outlets faster than you can say, “Diamonds and Pearls.”...
Tomorrow marks the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death in 1616. While not a cause for celebration, this anniversary has served as the inspiration for the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to...
What market-driven influences are likely to shape the energy industry in 2016? We did some research using Nexis® to see what we could learn. Political developments always hold the potential to impact the energy sector—and election years tend...
Sometime in the next week – maybe by the time you are reading this – California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) will weigh in on legislation to raise his state’s legal smoking age from 18 to 21. If he signs it, the Golden State would become only...