May 14, 2021

Hot Issues This Week: Washington's Farm Labor Overtime, Florida's Infrastructure Projects, De Blasio's Retirement Savings Plan and More

Business: WASHINGTON Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signs SB 5172 , a bill that will ensure farm laborers in the Evergreen State receive overtime pay. The law will be phased in, granting the additional pay for workers who put in more than 55 hours of work by 2022; 48 hours in 2023; and for anything over 40 hours by 2024 (ASSOCIATED PRESS). OKLAHOMA Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signs SB 706 , a bill that allows personal delivery devices...

May 07, 2021

Governors This Week: Gubernatorial Powers, Unemployment, Education and More

ID Lawmakers Still Working to Curb Gov Powers : Idaho House lawmakers endorsed three bills last week to curb Gov. Brad Little’s (R) emergency powers. The measures collectively would limit a governor’s ability during declared emergencies to alter laws, prevent gatherings and limit people from going to work. The trio also constitute watered down versions of similar measures Little previously vetoed. All three...

May 07, 2021

Hot Issues This Week: FL Data Privacy, WV Coal Supply, Single-Use Plastic Bags and More

Business: The FLORIDA Senate fails to reach concurrence on HB 969 , a comprehensive data privacy measure that would have allowed consumers to know what personal information companies have collected on them and to demand they delete it. The measure passed both chambers, but lawmakers could not reach an agreement on changes made in the Senate (CBS [MIAMI]). Education : ARIZONA Gov. Doug Ducey (R) signs SB 1453 , which...

May 07, 2021

Insurance Week: Florida Insurance Changes, Commercial Vehicle Accident Lawsuits and More

FL Legislature Approves Big Auto, Property Insurance Changes: On the final day of their regular 2021 session last month, Florida lawmakers passed two bills that would bring significant changes to the state’s auto and property insurance industries. SB 76 is aimed at shoring up the state’s homeowners insurance market, in which providers lost over $1.5 billion in 2020. Among other things, the bill would make...

May 07, 2021

Labor Week: Vaccine Mandate Debate, OSHA Safety Standards, Pregnancy Accommodation and More

EUA Status of COVID-19 Vaccines Unlikely to Hinder Employer Mandates: Although employers seem to be leaning toward encouraging their workers to get vaccinated for COVID-19 over requiring them to do so , the very real prospect of such mandates has sparked a flurry of debate on social media as well as a number of lawsuits. Much of the discussion and legal action has revolved around the question of whether or not it’s...

May 07, 2021

Healthcare Roundup: Pandemic Insurance Expenses, Healthcare Cost Transparency, Pfizer Vaccine and More

States Shifting Burden of Doctors’, Dentists’ Pandemic Expenses onto Insurers: A bill in committee in the California Senate ( SB 242 ) would require state-regulated private health insurance plans to reimburse doctors and dentists for “medically necessary” expenses related to the pandemic, including personal protective equipment and staff to screen patients for COVID-19 symptoms before their appointments...

April 14, 2021

The Power of Governors' Executive Orders

STATE NET ® THOUGHT LEADERSHIP SERIES The Royal Power of Gubernatorial Executive Orders State governors wield the power to set public policy without the involvement of the legislature through the use of executive orders. Those actions can come quickly and bring significant changes, particularly in times of emergency, as clearly demonstrated during the coronavirus pandemic. ...

December 04, 2020

Pandemic Remains the Biggest Issue for Lawmakers in 2021

With no end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 is already shaping up to look a lot like 2020. There is no part of our society that has not been impacted by COVID-19. Businesses across the nation have been shuttered or reduced to a fraction of their usual production since last March, resulting in millions of workers being put out of a job and sending state and local tax revenues into a deep freefall . And despite...

October 07, 2020

The Challenges of Monitoring Local Government Activity

STATE NET ® THOUGHT LEADERSHIP SERIES Why You Should Be Monitoring Local Government Actions—and Why It’s So Hard to Do If your organization is tracking state and federal legislation and regulations, you may think you have all your government affairs and compliance bases covered. But local ordinances are increasingly impacting the operations of American businesses. These local...

April 20, 2020

Why State Legislative Passage Rates Vary

STATE NET ® THOUGHT LEADERSHIP SERIES Why Some State Legislatures Pass More Bills Than Others—and Why It Matters Some state legislatures pass far more of the bills they introduce than others. The reasons for that disparity aren’t easy to discern, but understanding how those factors shape passage rate patterns can be critical for organizations seeking to comply with the laws...

April 01, 2020

Differences Among State Legislatures

STATE NET ® THOUGHT LEADERSHIP SERIES Formal and Informal Differences Among State Legislatures The nation’s 50 state legislatures differ in numerous ways, some of which are formally dictated, while others are unwritten behavioral norms and traditions. These formal and informal variations can pose significant challenges for government affairs professionals. State Net legislative analytics...