TheRepublic.com - State legislature News

House approves Maine hospital debt repayment

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:56:49 -0400

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Maine House has approved a bill that would pay off Maine's $484 million debt to the state's hospitals, agreeing to go along with a Democrat-backed amendment calling for the state to accept federal money to expand Medicaid to roughly 70,000 people.

Bill requires labels for genetically modified food

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:56:05 -0400

HARTFORD, Connecticut - Connecticut lawmakers are pushing ahead with bipartisan legislation requiring the labeling of food containing genetically modified ingredients.

Ohio Dems choose Columbus rep as House leader

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:54:08 -0400

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Democrats in the Ohio House have picked a Columbus representative to be their new leader.

Mass. US Senate race focuses 9/11 resolutions, ads

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:52:50 -0400

BOSTON - In their contest for Massachusetts' open U.S. Senate seat, Republican Gabriel Gomez and Democrat Edward Markey continued to clash Tuesday over votes Markey cast against two resolutions honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Dan Miller wins 42nd District Pa. House seat

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:43:06 -0400

PITTSBURGH - Democrat Dan Miller has won election to Pennsylvania's 42nd District seat, replacing former Rep. Matt Smith who was elected to state Senate.

Heineman vetoes $200K in golf tournament funding

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:38:20 -0400

LINCOLN, Nebraska - Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman used a line-item veto Tuesday to strike $200,000 from a budget bill that was approved to promote the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament in Omaha.

Drug testing for unemployment passes Texas House

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:35:29 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - A bill that would allow the state to drug screen unemployment applicants passed the Texas House late Tuesday.

Senate Oks bill setting up appeals court

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:24:11 -0400

CARSON CITY, Nevada - Nevada lawmakers want to have the pieces in place should voters approve an intermediate appellate court.

Attempt to recall state Rep. McLachlan falls short

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:21:46 -0400

DURANGO, Colorado - Voters hoping to recall Rep. Mike McLachlan of Durango haven't collected enough signatures.

Inslee signs undercover license law

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:21:22 -0400

OLYMPIA, Washington - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed into law a measure giving legislative approval to a state program that has already issued hundreds of fake driver's licenses and license plates to law enforcement and government agencies.

Dem tax plan pulled; Senate debate degenerates

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:17:27 -0400

CARSON CITY, Nevada - A debate over education funding turned bitter on the Nevada Senate floor when Democrats accused Republicans of not wanting to compromise on taxes and the GOP minority leader chastised the majority for failed leadership.

Legislation targets new Planned Parenthood clinic

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:17:19 -0400

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Lawmakers are looking for ways to create roadblocks for Planned Parenthood's construction of a new facility in New Orleans that would provide abortions in addition to other health care services for women.

Butkovitz an early winner as ballots are tallied

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:08:22 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Philadelphia City Controller Alan Butkovitz was an early winner as ballots from the Pennsylvania primary election are being tallied.

Ark. treasurer resigns amid charges she took cash

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:02:40 -0400

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - Arkansas' state treasurer resigned Tuesday after being accused of accepting at least $36,000 cash in exchange for steering business to an investment broker, bowing to bipartisan calls to step down or face removal from office.

Error kills new district for struggling schools

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:00:20 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - A technicality on the House floor has killed a bill that would have created special districts operated by turnaround experts to improve struggling schools.

Kan. lawmakers give final approval to gun bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:44:30 -0400

TOPEKA, Kansas - Kansas legislators gave final approval Tuesday to restrictions on using state funds to promote or oppose gun-control policies, despite criticism that the new law would violate public officials' free speech rights.

House moves to again delay pivotal budget vote

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:41:23 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas House has voted to again delay voting on a must-pass component of a Texas budget deal, raising more indications of unease with the Senate.

Governor signs oil tax, budget bills, vetoes $2.5M

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:40:17 -0400

JUNEAU, Alaska - Gov. Sean Parnell on Tuesday signed into law an overhaul of Alaska's oil tax structure, hailing it as part of an historic legislative package aimed at moving the state forward.

GOP seeks win in Central Valley state Senate race

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:33:24 -0400

SACRAMENTO, California - Republicans are trying to win what has been a Democratic state Senate seat in a special election Tuesday, a coup that would eat into the supermajority that Democrats won just six months ago.

Senate defers gun bill ban on federal oversight

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:32:53 -0400

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Senators postponed a vote Tuesday on a controversial bill that would prohibit enforcement in Louisiana of any federal bans on assault weapons, after opponents called the measure unconstitutional.

Panel passes Wis. food stamp work requirement

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:10:32 -0400

MADISON, Wisconsin - The Legislature's budget committee on Tuesday approved Gov. Scott Walker's proposal requiring that able-bodied adults on Wisconsin's food stamps program to spend at least 20 hours a week working or getting trained for a job.

Lawmaker cancels Vegas fundraiser after report

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:08:17 -0400

SACRAMENTO, California - A California state senator has canceled a Las Vegas fundraiser after a newspaper reported that the host of the party could benefit from pending legislation.

Wind energy tax measure headed to final Neb. vote

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:03:28 -0400

LINCOLN, Nebraska - A bill designed to attract large wind-energy farms to Nebraska is headed to a final vote in the Legislature.

Lawmaker resurrects radioactive waste bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:59:45 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - A Republican lawmaker resurrected a radioactive waste bill on Tuesday that once signed into law would allow a West Texas storage site to accept more hazardous materials from out of state.

Gov. Snyder, GOP lawmakers agree to budget targets

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:59:20 -0400

LANSING, Michigan - Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and leaders of the GOP majority in the Legislature reached a budget agreement Tuesday for next fiscal year that doesn't include an expansion of government health insurance for low income-adults and puts Michigan's unexpected surplus toward funding roads and K-12 education.