TheRepublic.com - Legislature News

No bipartisan goodwill for Conn. budget talks

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:52:56 -0400

HARTFORD, Connecticut - Connecticut legislators drew national attention for bridging the political divide last month to reach a bipartisan agreement on one of the thorniest issues before them: gun control.

Illinois cracks down on social media 'flash mobs'

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:51:12 -0400

CHICAGO - Illinois now has tougher penalties for those who use social media to organize violent "flash mobs" like those that have occurred on Chicago's Michigan Avenue and in other tourist areas.

Mo. infrastructure proposals fail at state Capitol

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:41:14 -0400

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri - Numerous Missouri lawmakers wanted to seek voter approval to boost funding for Missouri's transportation system and pay for improvements at colleges and state facilities. Neither measure made it that far.

Nixon, GOP clash over Medicaid, driver's licenses

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:36:30 -0400

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri - Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon began his second term with ambitions to expand Medicaid coverage, cap campaign contributions and lengthen the school year. But those priorities ran into a wall of opposition from the largest Republican legislative majority since the Civil War.

Despite controversies, Obama agenda marches on

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:10:44 -0400

WASHINGTON - Despite Democratic fears, predictions of the demise of President Barack Obama's agenda appear exaggerated after a week of cascading controversies, political triage by the administration and party leaders in Congress and lack of evidence to date of wrongdoing close to the Oval Office.

With time short, Minn. lawmakers meet over weekend

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:53:15 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - Minnesota's House and Senate are in session, with long weekend shifts likely as the clock counts down on the regular session.

IRS probe ignored most influential groups

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:44:42 -0400

WASHINGTON - There's an irony in the Internal Revenue Service's crackdown on conservative groups.

Afghan lawmakers block law on women's rights

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:36:46 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan - Conservative religious lawmakers in Afghanistan blocked legislation on Saturday aimed at strengthening provisions for women's freedoms, arguing that parts of it violate Islamic principles and encourage disobedience.

Parking fees at California state beaches heat up

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:14:40 -0400

LOS ANGELES - Sunbathers flocking to Southern California beaches are used to feeding the meter or paying a parking attendant. Not so along the less developed north coast where it's customary to ditch cars on the shoulder of Highway 1 to surf, swim or picnic.

Neb. lawmakers to review school breakfast programs

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:11:10 -0400

LINCOLN, Nebraska - Lawmakers are planning to review why few Nebraska students who receive free and reduced-price lunches also participate in the government-backed breakfast program.

Maine State House tension grows over budget

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:04:30 -0400

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine Gov. Paul LePage says the Department of Health and Human Services will run out of money to pay Medicaid providers in three weeks, and he's blaming the Democratic-led Legislature for inaction on his budget proposal. Democrats, meanwhile, are accusing the administration of financial mismanagement.

Wrestling rules changed to keep sport in Olympics

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:34:29 -0400

MOSCOW - Wrestling's governing body hopes rule changes designed to make matches more exciting and easier to understand will get the sport back in the Olympics.

Vt. AG urges Congress to combat elder fraud

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:46:13 -0400

MONTPELIER, Vermont - Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell wants Congress to do more to combat what he calls "elder fraud."

Mich. customers oppose fees to refuse power meters

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:02:21 -0400

LANSING, Michigan - A small but outspoken group of residential customers vows to continue battling Michigan's largest utility company over the freedom to opt out of having "smart" meters installed outside their homes.

FILA approves new rules to keep wrestling in games

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:32:03 -0400

MOSCOW - Wrestling's governing body has approved new rule and constitutional changes aimed at modernizing the sport and keeping it in the Olympics after 2016.

Former Texas congressman to speak at SD Ag Summit

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:29:08 -0400

PIERRE, South Dakota - Former U.S. Rep. Charlie Stenholm of Texas will be the keynote speaker next month at South Dakota's annual Governor's Ag Development Summit.

Michigan lawmaker backs anti-cyber-bullying bill

Sat, 18 May 2013 04:05:04 -0400

LANSING, Michigan - A Democratic Michigan lawmaker is backing an effort aimed at preventing cyber-bullying in schools.

Internal wrangling marks Dems' Senate campaigns

Sat, 18 May 2013 03:53:12 -0400

ATLANTA - Republicans aren't the only ones roiled by internal jostling and recruiting hiccups ahead of next year's midterm elections.

Minnesota House defeats construction projects bill

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:53:17 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - A state Capitol facelift, college campus building projects and regional civic center upgrades got thrown in limbo Friday when the Minnesota House failed to muster enough votes for an $800 million construction bill.

Minn. House backs nursing home pay hike

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:40:03 -0400

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - The Minnesota House has voted to give nursing home workers in the state a 5-percent pay increase.

'Moral character' gone from Ill. Senate gun carry

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:10:15 -0400

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - An Illinois senator seeking restrictions on how people may carry concealed guns softened the bill's rules Friday but decided against a floor vote before later disparaging unnamed "extremists" he described as using "intimidation" to oppose the measure.

Texas budget deal struck, but will Perry approve?

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:41:52 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - A deal on a Texas budget is finally done. Now the Legislature must withstand one final and furious week without sinking a compromise that restores nearly $4 billion to public schools and puts more water in the pipeline amid a historic drought.

Venturi, US Open champion and CBS analyst, dies

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:16:07 -0400

Ken Venturi, who overcame dehydration to win the 1964 U.S. Open and spent 35 years in the booth for CBS Sports, died Friday afternoon. He was 82.

Judge grants injunction in Ark. abortion ban case

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:23:25 -0400

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - An Arkansas law banning most abortions 12 weeks into a woman's pregnancy won't take effect while a legal challenge is pending, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Mo. lawmakers give mixed results on business aid

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:58:28 -0400

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri - Missouri lawmakers revamped four of the state's main business incentives on the final day of their legislative session, but failed Friday to pass a broader measure that would have scaled back costly tax credits for developers.