Train crews CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs SB 730, a bill that requires a train or light engine used in connection with the movement of freight to have at least two operators at all times. Violators face fines up to $1,000 for a first violation...
It’s now the thick of primary season, aka prime endorsement gathering time. Which is kind of like mating season in the animal world, just with even crazier behavior. Case in point this week comes from the California Lieutenant Governor’s race...
California Signs SB 31 CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs SB 31 , which bars state and local governments from releasing personal information to the federal government for the creation of any religious list, registry or database, or from using state...
Back in January Iowa’s Department of Revenue announced that taxpayers’ refund checks would be delayed by several weeks this year because of efforts to prevent identity theft and fraud. But that may not have been the only reason for the holdup...
TN Federal Court Rules A federal court rules that TENNESSEE may no longer revoke a person’s driver’s license over their inability to pay a traffic ticket. U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger’s ruling included a preliminary injunction...
WI Senate Approves AB 547 The WISCONSIN Senate approves AB 547 , which would limit regulations designed to avoid or minimize construction on wetlands. It moves to Gov. Scott Walker (R), who is expected to sign it into law (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL...
With over 50,000 high-paying jobs, billions of dollars in direct investment and millions in associated economic activity at stake, cities across the country are vying to be the future home of Amazon’s second headquarters in North America. And with...
The survey has been done and unless you live in Washington, your state just doesn’t measure up. That’s the word anyway from U .S. News and World Report , which recently released its assessment of the best and worst states to live in. Based...
In May the Board of Supervisors for the City and County of San Francisco approved an ordinance banning the use of facial recognition technology by all city departments. It’s the only major U.S. city to have taken such action against the emerging...
Pregnant women, children, the elderly and the disabled have long made up the bulk of Medicaid beneficiaries. But as a result of the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, younger and more able-bodied adults have been enrolling in the program...
This is our final issue of the year, so let me pass along best wishes for a very merry holiday season to all of you from all of us here at the State Net Capitol Journal. We'll be back in mid-January to do our best to keep you all up to speed on legislative...
Kentucky House Majority Leader Jonathan Shell (R) was ousted from his seat by a high school math teacher and first-time political candidate in a Republican primary election in that state on May 22. Republican voters have not been kind to incumbents in...
MA Senate Approves Budget Amendment The MASSACHUSETTS Senate approves a budget amendment that would bar police from asking about people’s immigration status unless required by law; end contracts that deputize state and local law enforcement as...
California is on pace to take in $1.9 billion in revenue from medical and recreational marijuana sales in 2018, according to a recent projection from the cannabis industry analytics firm New Frontier Data. While that sum is substantial, it’s only...
Government officials all over the world are feverishly working to figure out ways to mitigate the worst impacts of global climate change. In the meantime, we poor peons have to learn to deal with a rapidly warming globe. But if you think you have it bad...
New Initiative pledging to incorporate electric vehicles Led by LOS ANGELES Mayor Eric Garcetti, Representatives from 19 cities and counties sign a new initiative pledging to incorporate electric vehicles into their municipal fleets. Under the new...
OK House Approves HB 2591 The OKLAHOMA House approves HB 2591 , which would strip Medicaid eligibility from providers of “services relating to pregnancy or termination of pregnancy” who do not report evidence of the rape of a minor. It...
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...
Recently termed-out Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has apparently never warmed up to new Gov. Doug Ducey, a fellow Republican but not the guy she initially backed in the GOP primary last year. (That would be Mesa mayor Scott Smith, who lost out to Ducey in that...
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...
PA Governor Signs HB 1346 PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signs HB 1346 , which among several things bars local governments from regulating drone aircraft (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET).
In the 2016 presidential election, over two-thirds of Florida voters cast their ballots early or by mail rather than at their local polling place on Election Day. That fact has election officials in the state thinking about switching from traditional...
The ongoing war between California and President Trump heated up significantly last week, as the administration moved to challenge two of the Golden State’s cornerstone environmental laws. The first came on Monday when Environmental Protection...
California lost another old school GOP stalwart last week, as longtime Assemblymember and Senator Sam Aanestad died at 71 after a lengthy illness. An oral surgeon by trade, much of his time in office was focused on health care issues. This was on prominent...
CO City Council Endorses The DENVER City Council unanimously endorses new rules that, among several things, require so-called “slot homes” – town homes that face sideways, allowing developers to fit more units on the property –...