After years of debate, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) signed legislation that could allow 70,000 low income Beehive State residents to become eligible for Medicaid. But when or even if that ever happens remains very much in doubt. The measure Herbert...
Well, when it comes to winning the state lottery...everything. Which is why Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the New Hampshire Lottery, thought the marketing slogan “Luck yeah!” was a real winner. Alas, as reported by the New Hampshire...
If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it’s yours. If not, it never was. Or so said author Richard Bach, anyway. Now it appears Utah is ready to give his words some legal muscle. As NBC affiliate KHQ-TV reports , Gov. Gary Herbert...
As a native of South Lake Tahoe, California I know firsthand that it is one of the loveliest places in the world. But as the Sacramento Bee reports , the community is feeling under siege these days from an influx of two entirely different kinds of visitors...
The point of this column is to poke fun at the odd, pretentious or absurd things that happen in politics. But this week we will be straight for just a moment to honor the untimely passing of California Gov. Jerry Brown’s esteemed chief of staff...
As of March 22, at least 27 states had introduced bills this year prohibiting pharmaceutical benefit manager (PBM) or health insurer contracts that prevent pharmacists from informing customers about alternatives to medications they’ve been prescribed...
During his State of the Union speech in February, President Donald Trump declared his intention to address what he called “the injustice of high drug prices.” He repeated the promise last month in New Hampshire during a press conference on...
Whether you’re a data scientist or an insurance industry analyst, data is a critical part of your life. There are more and more data sources to choose from; simultaneously, organizations are demanding more from their data. It’s not enough...
WA City Council Votes The SEATTLE City Council votes to expand the areas within the Emerald City where developers can build housing without off-street parking and permit landlords to rent their parking spaces to people who don’t live in the building...
HI Senate Approves HB 2739 The HAWAII Senate gives final approval to HB 2739 , a bill that would allow Aloha State doctors to help terminally ill patients to end their own lives. It is now with Gov. David Ige (D), who has said he will sign it into...
IA Governor Signs SF 2349 IOWA Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signs SF 2349 , which allows health insurers Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield to partner with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to sell policies defined as not technically being health insurance...
LA House Endorses HB 78 The LOUISIANA House unanimously endorses HB 78 , which would ban hazing at Pelican State schools and universities. Individual violators would face felony charges, while schools, fraternities and other organizations could be...
VT Legislature Endorses SB 55 The VERMONT Legislature endorses SB 55 , legislation that would raise the minimum age to purchase a gun to 21, limit the capacity of gun magazines that retailers may sell, ban bump stocks – devices that allow semiautomatic...
HICKENLOOPER SIGNS CO BROADBAND TAX BILLS : Seeking to bolster broadband buildout in the Centennial State, COLORADO Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) signed SB 2 , which allocates $115 million in state funds toward extending high-speed broadband service to...
Rejecting a recently-approved pay hike as inadequate, almost 300,000 teachers in Oklahoma went out on strike last week seeking even greater raises and a significant increase in state education funding. The strike came less than a week after Gov. Mary...
Seeking to mitigate fast-rising prescription drug prices, Massachusetts health leaders have asked the Trump administration for permission to limit the number of drugs that will be covered in its Medicaid program, including “drugs with limited or...
FBI NABS AL LAWMAKER IN CORRUPTION STING : FBI agents arrested longtime ALABAMA Rep. Jack Williams, former state GOP Chairman Marty Connors and Trina Healthcare CEO Ford Gilbert last Monday on corruption charges. Gilbert is accused of devising a scheme...
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...
WALKER SIGNS OFF ON CLOSURE OF WI YOUTH PRISON : After years of accusations of ongoing abuse and neglect of its inhabitants, the lone WISCONSIN prison complex for teen offenders is now set to shut its doors for good. Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed bipartisan...
Officials in Maryland have agreed to pay $65,000 to settle a lawsuit over Gov. Larry Hogan (R) blocking hundreds of people from his official Facebook page. The settlement also includes attorney’s fees and an agreement to adhere to a new policy for...
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) announced a 10-step reform plan last week for the scandal-plagued State Police, with changes that will include completely eliminating the troop responsible for patrolling the 138-mile Massachusetts Turnpike from Boston...
One of the first things I learned as a young scribe was that cops and reporters never say no to coffee. Given that my brother was a cop for 30 years and I’ve been kicking around this gig for almost as long, I know this to be as true today as it...
Like it or not, fellow Baby Boomers, the young ‘uns are coming. As we noted here in February, a half dozen 16- and 17-year-olds are running for governor in Kansas . But heck, compared to 13-year-old Ethan Sonneborn, they’re already past their...
Since the passing of former First Dog and national celebrity Sutter Brown in 2016, current First Dog Colusa has been a tad lonely. But no more! California Gov. Jerry Brown reported last week that Colusa has a new buddy, a poodle and Border collie mix...
There are few things politicos like more than naming new buildings or bridges or other public works after a retired colleague who gave a healthy chunk of their working life to public service. But on occasion said pols get a little antsy and toss one of...