West Virginia Approves HB 3093 The WEST VIRGINIA House gives final approval to HB 3093 , which would allow communities to form ”internet co-ops” that would work together with a service provider to become their community’s own provider...
Texas Approves HB 281 The TEXAS House approves HB 281 , which would create a statewide database for DNA evidence from sexual assault. It moves to the Senate (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN). Iowa Approves SB 444 The IOWA Senate gives final approval...
Indiana Approves SB 423 The INDIANA Senate gives final approval to SB 423 , so-called “sanctuary city” legislation that would mandate that Hoosier State public and private colleges comply with the enforcement of federal immigration laws...
Florida Approves SB 10 The FLORIDA Senate approves SB 10 , which authorizes the use of state and federal funds to build a deep-water reservoir to store and clean water before it is released into the Everglades and to avoid toxic discharges into the...
Maryland Signs HB 631 MARYLAND Gov. Larry Hogan (R) signs HB 631 , which allows Old Line State officials to force drug manufacturers whose products are incorporated in state-run health programs to explain and justify dramatic price increases. The measure...
North Dakota Signs HB 1427 NORTH DAKOTA Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signs HB 1427 , which requests a legislative study of various aspects of refugee resettlement in North Dakota, including the effect refugees have on wages or working conditions, law enforcement...
Texas Approves SB 522 The TEXAS Senate approves SB 522 , which would allow county clerks to recuse themselves from signing marriage licenses for same-sex couples because of religious objections. It moves now to the House (TEXAS TRIBUNE).
Iowa Approves SF 499 The IOWA Senate approves SF 499 , which would bar the use of video cameras in bathrooms and locker rooms in state and local government buildings. It moves to the House (DES MOINES REGISTER). -- Compiled by RICH EHISEN
Lending credence to the adage that the third time’s the charm, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) wrapped up his third and by far most successful legislative session last week. After two years of struggles with the Democrat-controlled General Assembly...
With the sudden resignation of Robert Bentley last Monday, Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey (R) became Alabama’s second female governor last week. After resisting calls for him to quit for more than a year over accusations he had misused public funds to...
MA Gov. Baker Most Popular; NJ’s Christie Not So Much A new poll by Morning Consult shows MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) remains the most popular chief executive in the country, with 75 percent of Bay State residents approving of the job...
Kansas’ Republican Secretary of State Ron Estes defeated Democratic Wichita civil rights attorney James Thompson in a special election last Tuesday to fill the Fourth Congressional District seat vacated by Republican Mike Pompeo, who was appointed...
California lawmakers passed legislation this month ( SB 1 ) that will provide $52 billion in transportation funding over the next decade primarily by raising taxes on both gasoline and diesel fuel. Because of the tax provisions, a supermajority vote was...
JUDGE RULES TX VOTER ID LAW INTENTIONALY DISCRIMINATORY U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of TEXAS Nelva Gonzales Ramos ruled that the state’s Republican controlled Legislature deliberately discriminated against minority voters when...
Middle-class families across New York state received a generous gift from lawmakers this month. Included in the $153 billion state budget they passed last Sunday is a first-of-its-kind in the nation program, called the Excelsior Scholarship , proposed...
In February New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) unveiled a plan to use revenue from the state’s lottery to bail out its woefully underfunded public pension system. And last week he told reporters he’s been meeting with union leaders to discuss...
As part of a plan to address their state’s $2.8 billion budget deficit, members of the Alaska House voted 21-19 in favor of a bill ( HB 111 ) last week that would increase oil production taxes and reduce the state subsidy for new oil drilling. ...
NH HOUSE FAILS TO PASS BUDGET NEW HAMPSHIRE’s Republican-controlled House failed to pass the budget proposed by the chamber’s Finance Committee for the first time since the 1960s, due to limited Democratic support and a “large faction”...
States have been offering tax credits and other financial incentives for the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles since the 1990s. But at least seven states have recently repealed or exhausted the funding of their programs, or allowed the programs...
Thirteen states, led by California, are engaged in what promises to be a protracted conflict with the Trump administration over stricter emission and fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks. Following up on his campaign promises, President...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has decided to extend its FCPA Pilot Program, designed to encourage companies to self-report evidence of bribery and corruption, until it feels able to judge the program’s effectiveness. Pilot Program encourages...
In such a fast paced world, it is important to continuously develop a skill set that helps you remain career-relevant, especially in the PR world. Recently, we hosted a webinar with three PR experts: Lauren Doyle, Vice President of Wordsworth Communication...
Texas Rep. Victoria Neave got to experience a bit of Lone Star State tradition last week. As she introduced a piece of legislation, Rep. Jim Murphy interrupted, saying “I’m having trouble finding the representative” and asking if the...
If you are already sick of all things Trump – and based on the president’s historically dismal approval ratings , many folks are – then you might want to skip to the next story. As the New York Post’s Page Six reports , Donald...
Back in Trump’s favorite country it is now illegal to distribute a popular Internet image of Russian President Vladimir Putin in what has become widely known as the “gay clown” meme. As CNN reports , doing so could get you 15 days in...