There’s an old joke that says the Lt. Governor’s only real job is to look in the paper every day to see if the governor is still alive. That’s an exaggeration to be sure, though it’s also fair to say the job isn’t exactly...
NOT EVERY VOTE WILL BE COUNTED IN PA THIS NOVEMBER Over 2,000 absentee ballots cast by PENNSYLVANIA voters in the November election likely won’t be counted, according to local election officials. The problem, they say, is that outdated election...
MAYORS PUSH MO GOV ON GUN REFORM Kansas City Mayor Sly James and St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson met with MISSOURI Gov. Mike Parson (R) last week to encourage him to support more local control over gun laws in the Show Me State. “I understand that...
Going On In CA A federal appeals court upholds a CALIFORNIA law that requires new models of semi-automatic handguns to stamp identifying information on bullet casings when fired. The 9 th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law was a reasonable...
The frenzied last days of the legislative session are over, and now California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) must act on nearly 1,000 bills by the end of September. While some of the more controversial measures died before getting to Brown, he still faces a number...
Fantasy Sports Bill Goes to MS Gov: The MISSISSIPPI Senate passed a bill approved by the House last month ( HB 967 ) that, if signed by Gov. Phil Bryant (R), would impose an 8-percent tax on the revenues of fantasy sports companies like Fan Duel and...
The GEORGIA Supreme Court rejects an appeal to allow unauthorized immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at Peach State colleges and universities. The court said state law grants the Georgia Board of Regents immunity from such suits. Plaintiffs said...
California Signs SB 1279 CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs SB 1279 , legislation that bars future state funding for any new project that would allow coal to be shipped or exported through the Golden State (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET).
Social CA CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signs AB 775, which requires Golden State crisis pregnancy centers to provide patients with information about affordable contraception, abortion and prenatal care (KCRA.COM [SACRAMENTO]).
The U.S. House has seen only disarray in recent weeks with the ouster of speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) at the hands of his party’s far-right Freedom Caucus. But last Wednesday the chamber passed a two-year budget that would increase discretionary...
New Jersey lawmakers are getting creative in their efforts to rescue struggling Atlantic City. A bill (SB 2721) approved by the Senate’s State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee last week would exempt “A-list...
For years, a small but vocal – very vocal – group of Californians has been pushing hard for the Golden State to legalize ferrets, a small member of the weasel family they contend make great pets. Alas, lawmakers in Sacramento rarely agree...
Pope Francis has become one of the most popular and occasionally controversial people in the world. With huge crowds expected wherever he goes, his much anticipated visit to the U.S. in late September – including an address to both houses of Congress...
The Supreme Court of the United States rejects a request to overturn a lower court’s ruling requiring a county clerk in KENTUCKY to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples or face fines or jail time. The SCOTUS upheld rulings by both a federal...
A bipartisan group of New York lawmakers, led by Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda (D), are pushing for legislation to allow voters to recall elected officials, something nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently do, according to the National Conference...
With the session winding down last month, Massachusetts lawmakers passed a bill extending authorization of the Bay State horse racing industry. But with the hour late and everyone exhausted, lawmakers neglected to send it to Gov. Charlie Baker, inadvertently...
WA Governor Signs SB 5116 WASHINGTON Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signs SB 5116 , a bill that establishes a mandate for Evergreen State utilities to eliminate coal as an energy source by the end of 2025, with the ultimate goal of providing carbon-free electricity...
CALIFORNIA lawmakers give final approval to AB 15b, a measure that would allow doctors to prescribe terminally ill patients medications that person can use to end their own life. The measure moves to Gov. Jerry Brown (D) for consideration (LEXISNEXIS...
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) announced last week that he will seek tighter restrictions on so-called independent expenditure committees. Specifically, the governor wants criteria to be set for determining whether a candidate is improperly coordinating...
UT Approves HB 3003 The UTAH House and Senate approve HB 3003 , which makes it a misdemeanor for someone to use a drone aircraft to interfere with a firefighting effort. Violators would face jail time and fines. The bill, which would also allow police...
LA BOOST TAX BREAK FOR WORKING POOR: LOUISIANA lawmakers approved legislation expanding a tax break for the state’s working poor, after members of the state’s Legislative Black Caucus withheld support for a renewal of the state tax until...
Days before hosting a global summit on climate change in San Francisco, California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed SB 100, a measure that requires the Golden State to obtain 100 percent of its retail electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045. Brown...
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is the Democratic nominee in the race to succeed California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) and has campaigned in favor of having California pay for the health care of all, reiterated this past week that should include undocumented...
Business in CA: CALIFORNIA officials announce they will postpone implementing SB 822 , a bill that would impose the strictest net neutrality law in the nation . Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) opted to delay the original start date of Jan. 1 2019...
Social Policy in PA: PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signs SB 554 , a bill that shields minors from prosecution for crimes their abusers forced them to commit, enhances law enforcement training and establishes a new fund for victim services. The law...