The GEORGIA Senate rejects SB 6, a proposal to ban giving driver’s licenses to unauthorized immigrants granted deferred action status by the federal government (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET, WABE.ORG [ATLANTA]).
AR Approves SB 600 The ARKANSAS House approves SB 600, which would create a two-year pilot program to drug test welfare recipients. It returns to the Senate (ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE [LITTLE ROCK]). MT Rejects HB 477 The MONTANA Senate Judiciary...
The ALABAMA House rejects HB 85, legislation that would have required animal shelters to collect monthly reports on the number of animals they euthanize (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET, ANNISTON STAR). -- Compiled by RICH EHISEN
California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) joined all four legislative leaders last Thursday in announcing a $1 billion drought relief package aimed at helping communities hit hardest by the Golden State’s fourth straight year of severe drought. The two-bill...
Last week Oregon became the first state in the nation to adopt automatic voter registration when Gov. Kate Brown (D) added her signature to a bill providing for the provisional registration of unregistered Oregonians to vote when they obtain or renew...
State and local governments are currently banned from taxing access to the Internet by the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, enacted in 1998 and extended several times since. But with the present 9-month extension set to expire on Oct. 1 and little certainty...
In 2014 eight state legislatures considered -- and four enacted -- measures allowing patients to legally obtain experimental drugs that haven’t yet received FDA approval, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Voters in a fifth...
When Ron Woodroof learned he was HIV positive and had only months to live, he became very angry. He also refused to stop searching for medications that might help cure him or at least extend his life. After extensive research he found them, but there...
In case you missed it Republican-dominated legislatures all over the country are pushing bills aimed at limiting union power amidst fierce opposition from Democrats. In case you missed it, the story can be found on our Web site at http://bit...
Many a politician over the years has been caught up in the relentless pursuit of power. But for Virginia Del. Robert Krupicka Jr., there is an even more tantalizing pursuit: donuts. Yep, as the Washington Post reports, Krupicka has announced he will not...
Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I) introduced a bill last week to expand and overhaul the Last Frontier’s Medicaid program. Under the proposal, the state health department would seek out a federal waiver that would allow it to expand services provided...
Some have little patience for public retirees who return to paid work in the public sector when they’re already drawing a pension. “I think people who are collecting a big pension and a big salary, I just find that offensive,”...
Tennessee Approves SB 374 The TENNESSEE Senate approves SB 374, which would ban the sale of powdered or crystalline alcohol drinks, products only recently approved by the federal government. The measure is now in the House (NEWSCHANNEL9.COM [CHATTANOOGA...
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...
(03/20/2015 - 04/10/2015) 03/24/2015 Pennsylvania Special Election House District 170 03/28/2015 Louisiana Special Runoff House District 66 03/31/2015 Massachusetts Special Election House Districts 1st Suffolk and 11th...
The week in session States in Regular Session: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PR, RI, SC, TN, TX, US...
Last year Nebraska enacted a partial income tax break and Iowa approved a full exemption on military pensions. And with military retirements expected to surge with the contraction of the nation’s armed forces after two wars, lawmakers in 19 states...
In The Hopper Number of 2015 Prefiles last week: 424 Number of Intros last week: 8,820 Number of Enacted/Adopted last week: 1,391 Number of 2015 Prefiles to date: 17,968 Number of 2015 Intros to date: 93,989 Number...
We animal lovers would generally do just about anything to make our pets’ lives better, particularly as they age and fall prey to debilitating or painful illnesses. If one Nevada lawmaker gets his way, that will soon include being able to offer...
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) signed legislation last week (SB 2364) that requires Garden State police agencies seeking to obtain surplus military hardware to first obtain the permission of local government. But Christie rejected a companion bill...
The ALABAMA House approves HB 18, legislation that would authorize the use of the electric chair to carry out executions should lethal injection drugs not be available. It moves to the Senate (MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER).
Alaska’s economic dependence on the oil industry enabled it to fare better than most states during the recession. But with both global oil prices and in-state production way down, the state’s reliance on oil taxes and royalties for about 90...
Georgia Approves HB 131 The GEORGIA House approves HB 131, a bill that would add threats made on computers or other electronics to the Peach State’s bullying law. It moves to the Senate (BND.COM, LEXISNEXIS STATE NET). Alabama Endorses SB...
When electronic voting, or e-voting, started being widely adopted about a decade ago, there was a lot of discussion about the security of the technology. Heading into the 2016 presidential election, security is still an issue. The Huffington Post...
Under President Obama’s proposed budget, a longstanding source of funding would not be available for a new arena in Milwaukee for the Bucks, a new stadium in St. Louis for the Rams or a new sports complex in Oakland for its baseball, basketball...