TheRepublic.com - Special interest groups News

Kenya's mental hospital drugs, confines patients

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:31:42 -0400

NAIROBI, Kenya - Patients at Kenya's only psychiatric hospital are often confined and immobilized using drugs that put them in a comatose-like state, factors that may have led to the recent escape of 40 male patients, an advocacy group said Friday.

House backs variable rate student loans

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:58:20 -0400

WASHINGTON - Dismissing a veto threat from President Barack Obama, lawmakers in the House passed legislation that links student loan rates to the ups and downs of the financial markets in a vote largely along party lines.

Advocacy group, Newtown families criticize Ayotte

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:24:28 -0400

CONCORD, New Hampshire - Two men who lost relatives in last year's shooting at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school urged New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte on Thursday to change her position on a gun control measure that would expand background checks.

Airlines losses narrowed in 1Q to $552 million

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:46:30 -0400

NEW YORK - U.S. airlines charged more in fares and fees and reduced debt as they improved their financial performance in the first quarter.

Two-thirds of eligible Texans received food stamps

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:10:26 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas - An advocacy group says only two-thirds of Texans who may be eligible for food stamp assistance received the benefits in 2011.

Proposal allows groups to manage wild horses

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:38:42 -0400

CARSON CITY, Nevada - Horse advocates and state officials urged members of a Nevada Senate committee Tuesday to adopt an amendment that would allow the state to enter agreements with advocacy groups to manage wild horses in the state.

Advocacy groups push for help for NC jobless

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:26:23 -0400

RALEIGH, North Carolina - Advocacy groups for the poor joined a state AFL-CIO official Monday in asking North Carolina lawmakers seeking help for unemployed workers and easing the impact of a new measure that makes substantial cuts to jobless benefits.

Group seeks help in protecting horses in Placitas

Sun, 12 May 2013 15:05:26 -0400

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - A group that advocates for the protection of free-roaming horses in Placitas has asked federal officials to help the group confront public safety concerns about animals straying on the roads.

Kansas group sues AG over tobacco money report

Fri, 10 May 2013 20:15:58 -0400

TOPEKA, Kansas - A children's advocacy group went to court Friday in hopes of forcing Kansas' attorney general to disclose information about how much the state can expect in tobacco settlement funds as lawmakers consider how to spend those dollars.

States seek to fix gun background check backlog

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:53:24 -0400

HARTFORD, Connecticut - Connecticut officials are setting aside millions of dollars to address backlogs in background checks that have soared into the thousands since the December school shooting in the state, which is one of several struggling with bottlenecks as people rush to buy guns ahead of new restrictions.

Without secrecy, donations stop for NY Cuomo group

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:28:23 -0400

ALBANY, New York - Donations for a lobbying group that promotes Gov. Andrew Cuomo's policies dropped from $17 million to zero after the state ethics board began requiring that donors be named, a 2012 federal tax filing provided Friday to The Associated Press shows.

Nations agree to new chemical ban, export controls

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:51:09 -0400

GENEVA - A summit on chemicals and hazardous wastes ended Friday with an agreement to globally phase out a widely used flame retardant and to accept stricter requirements for disclosing information about exports of four other chemicals.

Conn. group cuts ties with company over arms ban

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:25:23 -0400

NEWTOWN, Connecticut - A national gun rights lobbying group has severed ties with its trade show producer, citing the company's decision to ban assault weapon sales at an unrelated event.

Oil industry: BLM prevents job creation in Calif.

Thu, 09 May 2013 21:35:42 -0400

SAN FRANCISCO - Leading oil industry groups said Thursday federal land managers are blocking new energy development and job creation by postponing all oil and gas lease auctions on prime public lands in California until October.

Interest groups reveal shared money, election role

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:09:01 -0400

SACRAMENTO, California - More than six months after the November election, two major California political interest groups are revealing the joint role they played in ousting two incumbent Democrats from the state Assembly.

Lawmakers, critics debate legislative transparency

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:21:09 -0400

HONOLULU - Hawaii leaders say one of the highlights of the 2013 legislative session was greater transparency in the lawmaking process.

Group cites 100,000 NY campaign finance violations

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:32:03 -0400

ALBANY, New York - Gassing up twice a week in New Jersey? Hiring Turdo the magician? Buying smoked meats for Christmas presents?

Mich. ex-chief justice writes book about court

Fri, 03 May 2013 04:13:24 -0400

GLEN ARBOR, Michigan - The Michigan Supreme Court is corrupted by "dark money," secrecy and ideology.

Wis. bill would require groups to reveal donors

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:56:04 -0400

MADISON, Wisconsin - Two state senators have re-introduced a bill that would require special interest groups who put out campaign issue ads to report their donors and spending.

Report shows persistence of TV violence

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:45:40 -0400

NEW YORK - Violence, gore and gunplay were staples on prime-time television even in the most sensitive period directly following the Newtown school shooting.

Montana company faces fines in fatal bear mauling

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:54:17 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - The death of a Montana animal trainer mauled by a pair of 500-pound captive brown bears could have been prevented if standard safety practices had been followed, federal authorities said Tuesday, as state officials revealed that the private menagerie where the death occurred has seen numerous animal escapes.

Advocacy groups, AT&T fight over Conn. legislation

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:03:37 -0400

HARTFORD, Connecticut - Advocacy groups and a dominant telecommunications company are fighting over Connecticut legislation that would relax regulations to reflect major shifts from landlines to cellphones and cable phone service.