CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs AB 1887, which bars state agencies from requiring employees to travel to states that have laws which allow discrimination based on sexual identity or gender. The measure is aimed at barring travel to NORTH CAROLINA, which adopted a measure this year (HB 2) that critics contend institutionalizes discrimination against LGBTQ people (SACRAMENTO BEE).
Gov. Brown also signs AB 1732, which requires all single occupancy CALIFORNIA bathrooms statewide to be gender-neutral (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET).
(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 Worcester
New Hampshire Special Primary
House Rockingham 32
Texas Special Election
House District 124
04/07/2015
Florida Special Election
House Districts 17 and 24
Senate District 6
Wisconsin Special Election
Senate District 20
CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs AB 562, which makes it a misdemeanor crime for anyone to interfere with, obstruct or impede a State Auditor’s investigation, with violators facing a fine of up to $5,000 (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET).
-- Compiled by RICH EHISEN
A federal judge rejects a challenge to CALIFORNIA’s so-called “sanctuary state” law that limits the ability of state and local law enforcement to help federal agents enforce immigration law. The ruling from U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez upheld both SB 54 and AB 103, another measure that allows state Attorney General’s office to inspect state detention facilities. Mendez, however, accepted the Trump administration’s request to block another law (AB 450) that would prevent the state from requiring private employers to deny federal immigration authorities access to nonpublic areas of a worksite or employee records without a warrant (SACRAMENTO BEE).
In a move framed as another step toward universal single-payer health care in the state, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) proposed expanding Medicaid coverage to low-income young adults aged 19 to 25, regardless of immigration status. Newsom made the proposal as part of his May budget revision.
Newsom’s proposal said it would cost nearly $260 million to extend coverage to that population. Although Medicaid is a joint state and federal program, the federal government would not pay any portion of coverage for unauthorized immigrants, leaving the state to pay the entire cost. To help meet that burden, Newsom’s new budget would reallocate $63 million in state funds away from 39 of the state’s 53 counties, arguing that with the young adults being covered by the state those counties would no longer need the funding to provide their health care.
But that possible reallocation raised significant concerns among local health officials, who say the governor’s plan would siphon off desperately needed dollars currently being used to provide core public health services to the broader populations of their counties. Health officials also argued that the amount of the reallocation is far greater than what they are spending on immigrant health care.
“The idea that these dollars would be offset is just not accurate,” Mary Ann Lee, managing director of the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, told Kaiser Health News.
Health officials in Sacramento County said the proposed cuts would force the closure of a new STD clinic at a time when instances of syphilis have increased by 300 percent over the last four years. Others said the cuts would actually force them to reduce health care services to their immigrant populations, the very group the governor is trying to help.
In his budget press conference last Thursday, Newsom said those concerns were overblown, adding that his team was already working with the counties to ensure they would not be adversely affected by the funding changes. (KAISER HEALTH NEWS, LEXISNEXIS STATE NET, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S OFFICE)
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 (CA) Graphic Design: Vanessa Perez Design
The MICHIGAN Senate approves SB 1, a measure that would, among several things, allow Wolverine State drivers to choose levels of medical coverage instead of automatically getting unlimited coverage, create an auto insurance fraud authority, and standardize hospital fees auto insurers pay for care by tying rates to the fee schedule for workers’ compensation. The measure moves to the House (MLIVE.COM).
MONTANA Gov. Steve Bullock (D) signs HB 725, which makes the Treasure State the first this year to legalize sports betting. Under the legislation, the state lottery will oversee the new wagering system. Bullock vetoed another sports wagering bill, SB 33, which would have allowed wagering to be managed by private companies (FLATHEAD BEACON).
Since 2017 over 55,000 people from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have come to the United States seeking asylum. That flood of new immigrants is stretching the resources of city and state governments - particularly those in California, Florida, Maryland, New York and Texas, where most of the asylum-seekers currently reside.
The pressure has become more intense since October, when the Trump administration ended the “Safe Release” program, which had provided temporary shelter and transportation for those seeking asylum.
San Diego County has spent $1.6 million to provide shelter and health screenings for asylum-seekers. And that spending has come despite the county having joined the Trump administration in a lawsuit opposing California’s sanctuary state law.
“We have a problem with the mishandling of the asylum-seekers legally coming into our county,” said San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.
One Maryland school district has also experienced a significant influx of immigrant students that has necessitated the expenditure of over $4 million in state and local funds to provide for their education.
The growing sense south of the border that President Trump might ultimately shut down immigration from Mexico may only spur more asylum-seekers in the short term.
“The word on the street in Central America seems to be that the border is closing, that the time to go is now,” said Bill Swersey, a spokesman for HIAS, a resettlement organization based in Maryland. (STATELINE)
In Idaho, Republicans control both legislative chambers and the governor’s office. But while they are all theoretically on the same side, intra-party fighting last month led to lawmakers adjourning without settling a very significant issue – the reauthorization of the state’s administrative rules, which under Gem State law must happen every year.
The result is that on July 1, the entire regulatory codebook expires. It also leaves Little, who made cutting regulations one of the pillars of his gubernatorial campaign, an almost clear field to do just that. It also means he is tasked with now reviewing 8,200 pages of rules that have daily impact on just about every state resident.
Those he chooses to keep will be implemented as emergency rules, subject to legislative approval when lawmakers return in January. While that would seem to be the opportunity to make massive and substantive changes, Little said he is taking a more cautious approach.
“I’m not looking at this as an opportunity to do mischief,” the governor said during a public appearance last month. “I do not want to exacerbate this thing. This was not our deal. We did not do this.”
Little, of course, will not be the one going over the rules with a fine-tooth comb. That task falls to Alex Adams, his budget chief. Adams has already identified some arcane rules that should probably go - a 1961 rule requiring that the State Department of Agriculture’s deputy state veterinarian “be attired in neat, clean and correct clothing when performing official work” has already been axed – but says the administration is working with state agencies to ensure they do not cut anything that should stay.
“We would not make any decision that is not supported by the agencies,” he said. (IDAHO NEWS, ASSOCIATED PRESS, NATIONAL REVIEW)
Last year was an extremely costly one for the United States when it comes to major weather and climate disaster events. Nationwide, there were 16 such events with losses over $1 billion, including the devastating Western wildfires and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
That total was above the annual average for the last five years of 11.6 events and tied the record set in 2011. The cumulative cost of last year’s events, however, $306 billion, shattered the previous record of $214.8 billion set in 2005.
The U.S. disasters were among 710 worldwide last year, for which insurers will pay out a record $135 billion, with about half of that amount going to those impacted by the U.S. events, according to Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer.
NOAA officials declined to say how much of last year’s disasters were due to climate change and pointed out that one major factor was the placement of more homes and businesses along coastlines and in locations susceptible to wildfire.
But Torsten Jeworrek, a Munich Re board member, said, “even though individual events cannot be directly traced to climate change, our experts expect such extreme weather to occur more often in the future.” (WASHINGTON POST, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ASSOCIATION)
(01/30/2015 - 02/20/2015)
02/03/2015
Georgia Runoff
House Districts 50 and 120
02/10/2015
Arkansas Runoff
Senate District 16
Florida Special Primary
House District 64
Iowa Special Election
House District 23
02/17/2015
House District 13
House Districts 13, 17 and 123
Senate District 26
For the past several years states have been pretty good about saving money for a rainy day. Most have restored their cash reserves to pre-Great Recession levels, and 13 have actually socked away twice as much money, a notable achievement considering the slow growth rate of the economic recovery.
John Hicks, executive director of the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), attributes the states’ savings progress to the tough lessons learned during the recession.
“We’re seeing an evolution of those [savings] practices,” said Hicks, “and I’d say the experience of the Great Recession was probably the best teacher.”
But tougher financial times may be ahead. According to analysis of budget data from NASBO by Governing, state rainy day fund balances are projected to be down slightly in 2017 compared to last year, with the median rate at 4.9 percent of annual expenditures versus 2016’s 5.1 percent. And with roughly half of states projecting budget shortfalls for 2017, budget reserves could dip even more. (GOVERNING)
At least four states - Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina and New Jersey - have introduced legislation this year dealing with motor vehicle subscription services, according to LexisNexis State Net’s legislative tracking system. Indiana and North Carolina have both enacted such measures. Bills dealing with the issue are still pending in Massachusetts, North Carolina and New Jersey.
The Supreme Court of the United States rules that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) did not exceed its authority by implementing a “demand response” rule that requires electric utilities to give customers fiscal incentives to reduce use during peak demand periods. The decision overturned a previous ruling by the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (FORBES).
In The Hopper
Number of 2015 Prefiles last week: 1,085
Number of Intros last week: 6,152
Number of Enacted/Adopted last week: 4,181
Number of 2015 Prefiles to date: 19,053
Number of 2015 Intros to date: 100,141
Number of 2015 Enacted/Adopted overall to date: 12,366
Number of bills currently in State Net Database: 128,229
--Compiled By DENA BLODGETT
(Measures current as of 03/31/2015)
Source: State Net database
GEORGIA Gov. Matt Kemp (R) signs HB 213, which makes it legal to grow hemp in the Peach State. Hemp is used to make a number of consumer products, including rope and CBD oil (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION).
IOWA Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signs SF 599, legislation that allows hemp growers to cultivate the crop on up to 40 acres of their farmland (DES MOINES REGISTER).
Also in IOWA, Gov. Reynolds signs SF 617, a bill that legalizes sports wagering in the Hawkeye State, to be regulated by the state Racing and Gaming Commission. Iowa joins INDIANA and MONTANA as states that have legalized sports wagering this year (IOWA GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, LEGAL SPORTS WAGERING).
OREGON Gov. Kate Brown (D) signs HB 3061, a bill that allows Beaver State municipalities to transfer property acquired from government entities to private corporations if used to provide broadband internet services to the citizens (KLAMATH FALLS NEWS).
WASHINGTON Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signs HB 1450, which imposes significant restrictions on the use of non-compete agreements in the Evergreen State. Under the new law, which goes into effect in January, employers must give employees and independent contractors advance notice of the use of a non-compete agreement and either pay the worker’s full compensation or release them from the agreement if their employment is terminated. Workers who contend they have wrongly been subjected to a non-compete requirement will also have the ability to file suit against their former employer (JD SUPRA).
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed measures last week that address human trafficking, the state’s enormous backlog of rape kits, and providing increased resources for survivors of sexual assault.
Abbott lauded the trafficking bills – HB 2613, which makes it a crime to operate a house used to facilitate crimes such as prostitution or human trafficking, and SB 20, which increases penalties for those who participate in online trafficking - saying they would help make “Texas a hostile place for human traffickers” and provide “protection to the victims of this heinous crime.”
Another measure, HB 8, will require the state to audit the number, location and status of all filed rape kits, and to test them within 90 days of receiving them. It also allocates over $50 million toward the hiring and training of more personnel to process those kits.
Officials admit they don’t know exactly how many kits remain untested, but Rep. Victoria Neave (D), one of the bill’s co-authors, said a recent state audit estimated the number is in the thousands.
“When we have somebody who is willing to come forward, go to a hospital and undergo this very personal, invasive exam to collect DNA evidence — to just have those kits sitting on a shelf untested for years, sometimes to the point where they are growing mold on them, is absolutely unacceptable,” Neave said. (TEXAS TRIBUNE, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT)
The KEY WEST City Commission unanimously approves an ordinance that would ban the sale of sunscreens containing ingredients that could be harmful to coral reefs. The ordinance must pass another vote on Feb 5 to become law (NBC NEWS).
The OKLAHOMA CITY Council approves an ordinance requiring home share services to be licensed and to ensure their properties have working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors (KFOR [OKLAHOMA CITY]).
NEW HAMPSHIRE Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signs SB 488, which allows doctors at the Manchester Veterans Affairs Medical Center to treat veterans at private hospitals. Although VA doctors will be able to treat veterans at private hospitals, vets will still be required to arrange visits through the VA (NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO).
SOUTH CAROLINA Gov. Nikki Haley (R) signs HB 3114, which makes it illegal for a woman to get an abortion once her pregnancy reaches 20 weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest. Women will be able to obtain an abortion after that time if the fetus has been diagnosed with an “anomaly” and will die, or the mother’s life is threatened. Doctors who disobey the new rules would face jail time (POST & COURIER [CHARLESTON]).
VERMONT Gov. Pete Shumlin (D) signs SB 132, which makes the Green Mountain State the fifth to bar therapists from employing so-called “gay conversion” therapy, which proponents claim can switch a person’s sexual orientation. Washington D.C. also bars the practice (VERMONT DIGGER [MONTPELIER]).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issues a rule banning 19 chemicals commonly used in anti-bacterial soaps. The FDA said the chemicals are unnecessary and in some cases even dangerous. Companies that make the soaps were given one year to remove the chemicals from the products or to remove the products from the market (NPR).
DELAWARE Gov. Jack Markell (D) signs HB 400, which allows terminally ill adults to access medical marijuana. The law also allows those under 18 access to medical weed if they are suffering from pain, anxiety or depression related to a terminal illness (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET).
Number of 2015 Prefiles last week: 616
Number of Intros last week: 9,466
Number of Enacted/Adopted last week: 732
Number of 2015 Prefiles to date: 15,077
Number of 2015 Intros to date: 59,145
Number of 2015 Enacted/Adopted overall to date: 3,259
Number of bills currently in State Net Database: 81,225
(Measures current as of 02/11/2015)
Things may be about to get awkward around the Quiroa home in Providence, Rhode Island. As the Associated Press reports, David Quiroa Sr. is running for a seat in the Ocean State Legislature. As is David Quiroa, Jr. Ah, like father, like son! Well, sort of. Both men are seeking the same seat currently held by Democrat Marvin Abney. The elder Quiroa is also a devout devotee of Donald Trump, someone the younger Quiroa could not be more opposed to. So when Junior heard that dad was going to run, he decided he had to counter. But lest you think this will become a familial civil war, know that the two men actually drove together to file their candidacy papers. Dad even says it would be good if his son wins. As for mom? Junior expects her to vote for his dad, but says “She could surprise us all and vote for Abney.”
The Supreme Court of the United States declines to take on a case seeking to challenge the University of CALIFORNIA system’s decision to allow unauthorized immigrants to pay in-state tuition and receive financial aid (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE).
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules that immigrants who are being held while seeking the right to remain in the United States, and who would pose no threat if released, are entitled to have bail set in an amount that considers how much they can afford to pay and whether they can be safely monitored without bail. The ruling, which would apply to CALIFORNIA and eight other western states, was challenged by both the Obama and Trump administrations (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE).