A federal court rules that a CALIFORNIA law banning the force-feeding of ducks and geese in order to artificially enlarge their livers, or the sale of products made from that process, is unconstitutional. Force-feeding the fowl is a key part of making...
Colorado taxpayers could receive $200 million in tax refunds this year and $187 million next, thanks to the state's constitutional cap on tax revenue growth, known as the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, or TABOR. But those refunds would come even though...
Wind power companies have invested more than $532 million in MAINE over the last eight years and are providing 1,560 jobs a year, mostly in construction, according to a report commissioned by wind-power advocacy group Wind For Maine. The report also said...
California's High-Speed Rail Authority officially began construction last week on the first stretch of the state's planned $68-billion bullet train project. The groundbreaking at the future site of a station in downtown Fresno comes seven years...
Ceremonies last week in the Missouri Senate kicking off the 2015 session were disrupted by protestors in the upper gallery chanting "no justice, no peace" and "black lives matter," rallying cries from the protests in Ferguson following...
Minnesota lawmakers may opt to complete all the work planned for the 2015-16 legislative session this year and take next year off, when renovations will shut down much of the Capitol. Senate Minority Leader David Hann (R) said the Legislature used to...
Clear leaders emerged in TEXAS' three special legislative elections last Tuesday, but none of the candidates appeared to have received the 50-percent voter support needed to win outright. So all three of the races — in House District 17, House...
A federal judge sentenced former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) to two years in prison for his conviction on a long list of corruption charges last fall. The sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer was significantly less severe...
With buzz building that Indiana Gov. Mike Spence (R) is considering a run at the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, a new bill was submitted in the Hoosier State last week that would let him simultaneously seek both the presidency and re-election as governor...
Less than an hour after being sworn in, ARIZONA Gov. Doug Ducey (R) issued Executive Order 1 2015, which bars all state agencies from issuing new regulations on businesses without approval from his office. The order also requires those agencies to review...
Upcoming Stories Here are some of the topics you will see covered in upcoming issues of the State Net Capitol Journal: - Common Core - State worker exodus - Legalizing pot
The PENNSYLVANIA Department of Corrections announces it will no longer place inmates with serious mental illnesses in solitary confinement. Those prisoners will now be placed in special treatment units instead. The agreement settles a lawsuit brought...
The University of VIRGINIA imposes several new rules on fraternities and sororities, including a ban on kegs of beer and pre-mixed alcohol drinks at all social functions. Other mandates include a requirement that at least three members of the organization...
KENTUCKY Gov. Steve Beshear (D) announces the state will furnish three urban Bluegrass State hospitals with a total of 2,000 naloxone kits to send home with heroin overdose patients. Naloxone, which has proven to be very effective in stopping and reversing...
In The Hopper At any given time, State Net tracks tens of thousands of bills in all 50 states, US Congress, and the District of Columbia. Here's a snapshot of what's in the legislative works: Number of 2015 Prefiles last week: 1,178 Number of...
It's normal for pols to dislike dealing with the media, but most accept it as part of the job and just try to be professional about it. And then there is Frederick County, Maryland Council member Kirby Delauter. As the Frederick News-Post reports...
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie makes no bones about his love for two things: Bruce Springsteen and the Dallas Cowboys. While the former has given Christie the cold shoulder, he and Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones are having a full-on bromance. This was...
None of which apparently bothers Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who took a poke at Christie via Twitter by posting a picture of a Green Bay Packers fan wearing a "cheesehead" — an orange thing shaped like a triangular wedge of cheddar —...
Former major league pitcher Curt Schilling was never shy about running a fastball in high and tight, nor has he ever been hesitant to run his yap until people practically cover their ears and beg for mercy. His latest round of self-serving bloviation...
In Case You Missed It States have generally bounced back from the Great Recession, but slower growth and big time fiscal obligations have become the new normal. In case you missed it, the story can be found on our Web site at http://www.statenet.com...
Credits 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...
As the nation's capital resumes its customary political gridlock, both political parties are turning to the states to advance national agendas. In the process of doing so, however, they are finding that they are far from united within their own ranks...
The Week in Session States in Regular Session: AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, US, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY States in Informal Session: States in Skeleton...
Prim arily as a result of the November elections, Republicans now control both the governor's office and legislature in 23 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The GOP also holds the governor's office in Nebraska...
Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights — requiring lawmakers to obtain voter approval to raise taxes and to issue refunds to taxpayers when revenues grow faster than inflation and population growth — has survived repeated challenges...