Despite plunging oil prices in recent months, the state of Texas will likely have an extra $9 billion to $12 billion to spend this year. Local governments in the state, on the other hand, are deep in debt. According to the Texas Bond Review Board...
On the off chance there was a competition to name the worst ballot measure of the year, we may already have the winner. As AFP reports, a California lawyer recently submitted a ballot measure proposal that would require LGBT residents to “be put...
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) defended a recent $225 million settlement made with Exxon Mobile to settle a 10-year legal fight with the oil company over environmental damages caused by its refineries in the Garden State. The state had sought $8.9...
MASSACHUSETTS Secretary of State William F. Galvin (D) warned last week that if the cuts to his office in Gov. Charlie Baker’s (R) proposed budget are approved the state will not be able to hold its 2016 presidential primary on March 1 as planned...
This session the Democrats who control Illinois’ General Assembly have proposed over a dozen tax hikes, on everything from sugary drinks and satellite television to corporations and the wealthy. The motivation for the slew of tax proposals is Illinois...
Texting out sexually explicit cell phone messages and photos is generally a bad idea. It is a truly bad idea if you are a public figure with a lot to lose if you get caught. As the Indianapolis Star reports, state Rep. Justin Moed got outed last week...
Minnesota Approves HB 2 The MINNESOTA House approves HB 2, a bill that would, among several things, minimize the use of a teacher’s seniority when school districts make layoff decisions. It moves to the Senate (DAILY NEWS [BRECKENRIDGE]). ...
The National Governors Association sent U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner (R- OHIO ) a letter last week urging him to support new legislation allowing states to collect sales tax on Internet purchases, the so-called Marketplace Fairness...
The MARYLAND Senate approves legislation that would bar Gov. Larry Hogan (R) from abolishing a commission on climate change created by former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) in 2007. It moves to the House (BALTIMORE SUN).
The administration of LOUISIANA Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) is saying its proposed tobacco tax increase wouldn’t necessarily be limited to cigarettes but could apply to a range of tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes...
Washington House Approves HB 5381 The WASHINGTON House approves HB 5381, which would allow Evergreen State police officers to alert mental health experts after reports of an attempted suicide or a suspected suicide attempt even if that incident does...
Colorado House Approves HB 1175 The COLORADO House approves HB 1175, which would bar mental health care providers from employing gay-conversion therapy on patients under age 18. It moves to the Senate (DENVER POST). U.S. Redefines Definition of...
Virginia Gov Signs HB 1499 Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signs HB 1499, which allows women to breastfeed their children in any public place in the Old Dominion. The measure takes effect on July 1 (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH). Mississippi Senate Approves...
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...
In case you missed it A recent measles outbreak in California that spread across at least 16 more states has sparked a furious debate over whether states should reconsider vaccine exemptions. In case you missed it, the story can be found on our...
Some folks think statehouses have gone to the dogs, but last week in California it was true. On Tuesday, Assemblymember Matt Dababneh held a press conference on the Capitol steps to promote legislation to require the University of California to offer...
Here are some of the topics you may see covered in upcoming issues of the State Net Capitol Journal: - Right to Try - Right to work - Legalizing pot
(03/06/2015 - 03/27/2015) 03/10/2015 Maine Special Election House District 93 03/24/2015 Pennsylvania Special Election House District 170
The week in session States in Regular Session: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, 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, SD, TN, TX, US...
In The Hopper Number of 2015 Prefiles last week: 861 Number of Intros last week: 11,113 Number of Enacted/Adopted last week: 1,641 Number of 2015 Prefiles to date: 17,237 Number of 2015 Intros to date: 80,169 Number...
Wisconsin Approves Right-to-Work (SB44) The WISCONSIN Senate approves SB 44, so-called right-to-work legislation that would prohibit workers from being required to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. The measure will now be...
Speaking of pressers on the California Capitol steps...there has been a noticeable dearth of such dog and pony shows this year. As the Los Angeles Times reports, theories as to why abound, from the stewardship of decidedly non-flashy Gov. Jerry Brown...
Citing rapidly growing per-patient costs, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) issued an executive order last month (15-08) to create a commission to examine and overhaul the state’s Medicaid program. “The brutal fact is we have a Medicaid...
Virginia Endorses HB 2125 and SB 1301 Lawmakers in VIRGINIA endorse a pair of drone regulation bills, HB 2125 and SB 1301, which each require law enforcement and regulatory agencies to get a warrant before using a drone. Both bills head to Gov. Terry...
Hawaii’s Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill last month that would require super PAC’s -- which are allowed to raise and spend unrestricted amounts of money on elections -- to disclose whether their contributors and recipients have...