The MASSACHUSETTS House approves SB 2021, a bill that would repeal a Bay State law that automatically suspends the driver’s licenses of drug offenders whose crimes had nothing to do with operating a motor vehicle. The measure returns to the Senate...
Throughout December the SNCJ staff shared with you, the readers, what we believe will be some of the major issues to dominate statehouses in 2016. But as we ring in the New Year it is worth noting that thousands of new laws – the result of previous...
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) proposed raising the minimum wage for all State University of New York workers to $15 per hour by 2018. Cuomo’s proposal would include students who participate in work-study programs to help pay their tuition and other...
The last measure passed by the Michigan Legislature in December began as an uncontroversial 13-page bill that sailed through the Republican-controlled Senate on a unanimous and bi-partisan 38-0 vote. The bill proceeded to be totally revamped in the GOP...
Like most states, Hawaii has an enterprise zone program which grants businesses that set up operations in economically depressed areas sizeable tax breaks in return for creating jobs where they’re needed most. But a law passed by the state’s...
We often hear about the rigors of the campaign trail and how taxing it is for candidates to have to be so energetic all the time. After all, we hear, people run for office, they don’t walk! (Hardy harhar) But former California Senate pro Tem Darrell...
Health in MA The MASSACHUSETTS House gives initial approval to HB 3895, a bill that would allow Bay State doctors to delegate the administration of immunizations to certified and trained medical assistants, under the direct supervision of the provider...
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) issued an executive order last Wednesday launching a statewide public health initiative to reduce and prevent what he called the “scourge” of gun-related fatalities and injuries in the Evergreen State. Under...
Last summer, Eddie Tipton, a former security officer for the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which administers several multi-state games including Powerball and Mega Millions, was convicted of rigging a jackpot in Iowa in 2010. Now Tipton is facing...
GEORGIA Gov. Nathan Deal (R) rescinds the executive order he issued last November 13 barring state agencies from doing anything to process the acceptance of refugees escaping the civil war in Syria. Deal rescinded the order after Attorney General Sam...
Expensive Ballot Battle Coming to CA The California secretary of state’s office announced last month that a measure imposing price controls on state drug purchases has qualified for the state’s November 2016 ballot. The California Drug...
AK Senate Pres Calls for Consideration of Sales Tax: In response to the budget plan proposed last month by ALASKA Gov. Bill Walker (I), calling for new taxes, a reduction in Permanent Fund dividends, and $100 million in spending cuts to address the...
Social Policy in NY NEW YORK Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) issues Executive Order No. 151, which directs Empire State police and government and social-service agencies to identify those who appear to be homeless and, when temperatures are at freezing or below...
House Democrats in Maine say they will move forward this week with efforts to censure or even impeach Gov. Paul LePage (R) over allegations he has abused his power. Complaints against the governor include the recent finding of the Legislature’s...
President Barack Obama issues a series of executive orders that implement a series of new provisions regarding gun sales in America. The actions include requirements that gun sellers who operate on the Internet and at gun shows be licensed and that they...
Snyder Kills Straight Ticket Voting Saying “it’s time to choose people over politics,” MICHIGAN Gov. Rick Snyder (R) signed legislation last week (SB 13) that eliminates straight-ticket voting in the Wolverine State. In a signing...
The health and fitness industry loves January. As we ring in another new year, we are inspired to make resolutions—which often equate to new gym memberships, investments in wearable fitness trackers and self-improvement action plans. But it’s...
On January 7, 1789, the first U.S. presidential election took place. Presidential election cycles have changed in the 227 years since that auspicious occasion, so rather than marking the end of campaign season, January is when the rubber hits the road...
In the Business Dictionary, silo mentality is defined as “a mindset present when certain departments or sectors do not wish to share information with others in the same company.” Take this a step further and you have the actual silos themselves...
Monitoring media for hot topics and trends can provide inspiration for merchandising, marketing and content strategies. Take "Star Wars " for instance. The recent release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was met with unbridled zeal by fans worldwide...
Using Media Monitoring and Analysis to Predict Primary Performance The viral coverage of the Miss Universe slip-up may have pushed details of the debates out of your newsfeed, but we’ve been keeping an eye on the media buzz with our U.S. Presidential...
We are getting ready to ring in the new year, and that means you have a new budget for your marketing activities in 2016. Is your budget locked? For many CMOs and marketing leaders, the fourth quarter is typically when the annual budget exercise begins...
Last issue in this space we discussed , courtesy of the website Thrillist , some of the sillier laws inhabiting state code books. A few others we just love: In California it is illegal to eat the participants in a frog-jumping contest; In Illinois it...
The Seattle City Council adopts new rules that allow workers who drive for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft to form unions and collectively negotiate wages with the companies (For more, see “Seattle Becomes 1st City to Allow Ride-sharing...
Saying “It’s 2015, and it’s time to start getting results,” Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) earlier this month issued an executive order (EO 15-09) directing Show Me State government agencies under his control to root out gender-based...