The ancient tale of Damon and Pythias – two young Greeks whose friendship was so strong they were willing to die for each other – is likely apocryphal, but such devotion definitely exists. Case in point comes from the state of Washington,...
Business In MA The MASSACHUSETTS Senate approves SB 2033, legislation that would expand the scope of workplace disfigurement injuries covered under workers' compensation policies to include injuries anywhere on a person's body. The measure...
Faced with an ongoing epidemic of opioid overdose deaths, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) and state Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine issued what is essentially a statewide prescription that allows pharmacies to dispense the anti-overdose drug naloxone...
Voter ID laws have become a fixture in the states. Thirty-two have Voter ID laws in place, with 11 of those laws of the “strict” variety, requiring voters without proper identification to cast a provisional ballot. A twelfth strict law is...
The U.S. House has seen only disarray in recent weeks with the ouster of speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) at the hands of his party’s far-right Freedom Caucus. But last Wednesday the chamber passed a two-year budget that would increase discretionary...
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes either through legislative action or ballot measure. Voters in four of those states -- Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington -- have also approved...
California Assemblymember Ian Calderon got married last month, which is a great thing. And like many young couples – Calderon is the second youngest member of the California Legislature – they want to start their lives by buying a home together...
This Tuesday, Ohio voters will go to the polls to decide whether to legalize recreational and medicinal marijuana use. But even if the Buckeye State becomes the 24 th (along with the District of Columbia) to legalize some form of marijuana, it will not...
The WISCONSIN Senate unanimously approves AB 8, which would make “upskirting” — the act of secretly taking a photo of someone’s genitals, buttocks or breasts — a stand-alone felony. It moves to Gov. Scott Walker (R) for consideration...
Citing voters’ rejection of a similar proposal in 2012, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said he opposes HB 1991, so-called “death with dignity” legislation under consideration by lawmakers. That proposal would let terminally ill...
On a 63-33 vote last week, the Wisconsin Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the office of state treasurer in 2019. Virtually all of the treasurer’s duties have been slowly eliminated over the years, and even the state’s...
With retail sales of music CDs, DVD movies and computer software plummeting, state sales tax revenues have taken a hit. But at least a couple of states are looking to recapture that lost revenue stream by taxing consumers’ new source for such media...
It’s been almost 50 years since a California governor has lived in the Golden State Governor’s Mansion, but that is about to change. As the Sacramento Bee reports, Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife Anne Gust Brown are planning to move into the...
The MICHIGAN Senate gives final approval to SB 103, which requires school districts and charter schools to base at least 25 percent of a teacher’s evaluation on assessment and student growth data, half of what would have been required under current...
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a package of eight bills last month aimed at combatting gender discrimination in the Empire State. Five of those were specific to the workplace. They include AB 6075, which prohibits employers from threatening workers...
Utah Sen. Wayne Harper (R) is apparently fed up with tax deadbeats in his state. Last month he persuaded the state Legislature’s Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee to unanimously approve his bill providing for automated searches for the bank...
The NEW JERSEY Senate approves SCR 180, which would override a proposed new rule by the state Department of Environmental Protection that is viewed by critics as impairing the Garden State’s water quality and increasing flooding. The resolution...
Hogan Expands Lead Testing MARYLAND Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced the Old Line State will now test 1- and 2-year-olds statewide for lead poisoning. The testing previously was performed only on children living in “at risk” ZIP codes or...
Ohio Governor and aspiring GOP presidential nominee John Kasich said last week it is no more Mr. Nice Guy for him. Kasich was referring to his presidential campaign and how he plans to go on the offensive against some of his fellow candidates. But Kasich...
The MICHIGAN House approves HB 4843, which would exempt minors from criminal prosecution if they call 911 to get help for a prescription drug-related overdose or health emergency. The state already exempts residents from criminal action for seeking help...
Severance tax exemption cost LA over $1B LOUISIANA’s severance tax exemption on horizontal oil and gas drilling cost the state over $1.1 billion in revenue between fiscal years 2010 and 2014, according to a report by the state’s legislative...
NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signs HB 318, a bill that bans Tar Heel State cities from adopting sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants. The measure also bars local governments from accepting IDs from foreign governments and requires them...
NC legislators call for session limits Three Democratic NORTH CAROLINA lawmakers, Rep. Charles Graham, Rep. Garland Pierce, and Sen. Jane Smith, are urging session limits, saying there’s no need for the state’s legislative sessions to run...
MICHIGAN Gov. Rick Snyder (R) signs a package of bills intended to help Wolverine State residents who use service animals. The package includes SB 298, which makes it a crime to refuse entry to a person using a service animal or to assault a service animal;...
The MICHIGAN Senate approves SB 239, which would bar local governments from imposing breed-specific dog bans. The measure is now in the House (MLIVE.COM). -- Compiled by RICH EHISEN