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...
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...
Kansas Approves SB 56 The KANSAS Senate approves SB 56, which would allow Sunflower State teachers to be charged with a felony for including “harmful material” in their curriculum. It moves to the House (TOPEKA CAPITAL-JOURNAL). Arkansas...
Georgia Approves SB 139 The GEORGIA Senate approves SB 139, a bill that would bar Peach State cities from banning single-use plastic bags at grocery and other retail stores. The measure moves to the House (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION). Washington...
Utah Approves HB 94 The UTAH House gives final approval to HB 94, a so-called “right-to-try” bill that allows terminally ill patients to use experimental drugs and devices that have yet to receive full approval from federal regulators....
Nebraska Same-Sex Marriage Ban Struck Down A federal judge strikes down a NEBRASKA law barring same-sex marriage. Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon’s order was scheduled to take effect on March 9, but it was stayed after state Attorney...
New Mexico Committee Kills HB 410, 411, 412 The NEW MEXICO House Committee on Agriculture, Water and Wildlife kills a trio of bills (HBs 410, 411 and 412) that together would have prohibited the slaughter of horses for human consumption, granted horses...
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...
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...
(03/06/2015 - 03/27/2015) 03/10/2015 Maine Special Election House District 93 03/24/2015 Pennsylvania Special Election House District 170
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
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...
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...
If 18 is old enough to vote, join the army or go to prison, then it’s old enough to govern a state. That may sound like the theme of a Disney movie but it’s actually the gist of a bill making the rounds in Nebraska. As the Omaha World Herald...
Most of us have heard the goofy song “Hang On Sloopy,” from The McCoys, an Ohio-based band who turned it into their lone hit way back in 1965. The song, which had been released a year earlier by a band called the Vibrations under the title...
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...
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...
Buoyed by hefty legislative majorities, Republicans in several states are pushing hard for right-to-work laws and other anti-union legislation. Democrats and their labor allies are pushing back, both in the legislatures and the courts. The GOP marked...
Sixteen states have introduced bills this year dealing with prohibitions against labor contracts requiring workers to pay union dues or other fees as a condition of employment, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures’ labor union...
Under Maine Gov. Paul LePage’s (R) proposed budget, nonprofits in the state would lose their exemption from local property taxes. LePage’s plan is to lower the state income tax from 7.95 percent to 5.75 percent and raise the sales tax from...
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...
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...
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...
A bill spiritedly debated before the Texas Senate’s Business and Commerce Committee last week would prohibit cities from passing laws forcing landlords to accept federal housing vouchers. Opponents of the bill, SB 267, which was spurred by a local...
Last Monday the Missouri Supreme Court announced it would be taking the “extraordinary action” of reassigning all municipal court cases in Ferguson to the circuit court. The high court said in a press release it was undertaking that action...