TheRepublic.com - Legislation News

Bill allows Newtown families to release records

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:43:18 -0400

HARTFORD, Connecticut - A bill crafted behind the scenes is requiring the written consent of family members of the Sandy Hook Elementary School victims before certain records concerning the massacre, such as photos and videotapes, are publicly released.

NC Senate spending plan given initial OK

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:42:13 -0400

RALEIGH, North Carolina - The North Carolina Senate gave initial approval Wednesday to a state budget proposal after a fierce partisan debate in which Democrats accused the plan's Republican authors of choosing tax reductions over restoring cuts to education, health and rural development.

RI House OKs extra tax for Woonsocket

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:41:07 -0400

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island - Residents in Woonsocket are a step closer to seeing their taxes go up.

Illinois Senate approves sex education bill

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:39:35 -0400

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - Illinois public schools that teach sex education will have to include information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases instead of a curriculum focused on abstinence, according to a plan that cleared the state Senate on Wednesday.

NH House rejects latest effort to allow gambling

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:36:33 -0400

CONCORD, New Hampshire - In line with decades of opposition to casinos, the House turned aside lobbying by the governor and arguments that New Hampshire should compete with Massachusetts for gambling dollars to vote down yet another casino bill Wednesday.

Vt gov signs law against false patent claims

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:29:00 -0400

MONTPELIER, Vermont - Gov. Peter Shumlin signed into law Wednesday what he said is the first-in-the-nation measure aimed at protecting Vermont companies from so-called patent trolling, the predatory or deceptive claims of patent infringement that can often lead to costly litigation or settlements.

RI Senate OKs minimum wage hike

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:27:09 -0400

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island - Rhode Island's minimum wage would go up 25 cents to $8 per hour next year under legislation approved Wednesday by the state Senate.

College tuition hike bill scrapped for session

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:19:36 -0400

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Attempts to raise tuition at Louisiana's public colleges appear dead for the session, despite concerns about repeated rounds of budget cuts to schools.

Universal background checks on guns clears Senate

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:08:02 -0400

CARSON CITY, Nevada - A bill mandating background checks almost every time a gun changes hands has cleared the Nevada Senate.

New Ill. House gun bill excludes parks, transit

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:07:21 -0400

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - Public transportation and municipal parks would be off limits to guns in a compromise proposal filed Wednesday that would regulate the carrying of concealed weapons in Illinois.

House takes up GOP bill to speed pipeline approval

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:03:18 -0400

WASHINGTON - House Republicans pushed a proposal Wednesday to bypass the president to speed approval of the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada to Texas. Democrats criticized the plan as a blatant attempt to allow a foreign company to avoid environmental review.

Senate rejects bid to let states run food stamps

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:59:53 -0400

WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday rejected a Republican bid to turn the federal food stamp program over to the states.

Va senators introduce offshore drilling bill

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:59:28 -0400

RICHMOND, Virginia - Virginia's U.S. senators have introduced a bill to allow offshore energy leases off the coast of Virginia.

Lawmakers OK training Texas teachers as marshals

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:54:15 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas schools could train teachers as armed marshals to exchange gunfire with potential attackers under a bill approved by state lawmakers and sent to Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday, while a key lawmaker said attempts to allow concealed handgun license holders to carry their weapons into college classrooms is likely dead.

Key House chairman slams Senate immigration bill

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:41:24 -0400

WASHINGTON - A key House committee chairman on Wednesday sharply criticized a wide-ranging immigration bill just passed by a Senate committee, underscoring the difficulties ahead as the politically volatile measure moves forward in a divided Congress.

Obama threatens veto of House student loan plan

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:37:25 -0400

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Wednesday threatened to veto legislation by House Republicans that would avert a doubling of student loan interest rates on July 1 but allow them to vary with the markets going forward.

House committee passes Iran sanctions legislation

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:27:18 -0400

WASHINGTON - A new push to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions by crippling the country's economy gathered momentum on Capitol Hill Wednesday with approval of legislation by the House Foreign Affairs Committee that would impose even tougher economic sanctions against Tehran.

Path unclear if LePage vetoes Maine hospital bill

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:24:07 -0400

AUGUSTA, Maine - Even though Gov. Paul LePage's office made it clear Wednesday he'll veto a bill to pay off a $484 million debt to Maine hospitals because of an amendment to expand Medicaid, Democrats professed hope the Republican governor will relent and considered passage a victory.

Mass. bill would try 17-year-olds as juveniles

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:12:48 -0400

BOSTON - Seventeen-year-olds would no longer automatically enter the adult court system in Massachusetts under a bill that won unanimous approval Wednesday in the House of Representatives.

House panel moves to curb military sexual assaults

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:12:09 -0400

WASHINGTON - Members of a House panel angry over the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the military took a key step toward tackling the problem by passing legislation Wednesday that would strip commanding officers of their longstanding authority to unilaterally change or dismiss court-martial convictions in rape and assault cases. Lawmakers believe the revision will lead to a cultural shift and encourage victims to step forward.

Crackdown coming for Internet cafes in Ohio

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:05:25 -0400

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Storefront sweepstakes parlors appear on their way out in Ohio, after state lawmakers delivered a one-two punch Wednesday effectively banning the businesses statewide and blocking new startups until the ban takes hold.

Lawsuit filed against state of Conn. over gun law

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:52:49 -0400

HARTFORD, Connecticut - A group of gun rights organizations, pistol permit holders and gun sellers are suing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and other state officials, arguing that Connecticut's new gun control law violates their constitutional rights.

Mo. unemployment bill prompted by federal rules

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:37:02 -0400

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri - Proposed changes for the unemployment compensation program awaiting action by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon are designed to avoid a several hundred million dollar price tag, and they could make it harder for workers to receive jobless benefits if they are released from their positions after having unapproved absences or violating company rules.

Board OKs petition form for abortion proposal

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:36:56 -0400

LANSING, Michigan - An anti-abortion group seeking to ban Michigan health insurance plans from covering abortions without a supplemental policy cleared an early hurdle Wednesday in its effort to take the proposal to voters, even without Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's approval.

Ill. General Assembly overrides 'Smart Grid' veto

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:14:42 -0400

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - The Illinois General Assembly has overridden Gov. Pat Quinn's veto of legislation that addresses so-called Smart Grid technology.