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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: state legislature

state legislature stories: 24 news summaries

1 - 20 of 24 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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Kennedy Successor May Come Soon

Massachusetts Dems say they've got the
votes in both houses

Sep 16, 09 4:06 PM CDT
(Newser) - It's possible that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick will be able to name a senator to fill Ted Kennedy's seat sometime next week, the Boston Globe reports. Proponents of the plan say they've now got enough votes, barely, in both state chambers to pull it off. The situation is diciest in... More »

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Congress • Senate • Massachusetts • health care reform • state legislature • Deval Patrick • Edward Kennedy • Richard Tisei • Therese Murray

(Newser) - One of California's biggest and most influential gay rights groups says it will delay a ballot push to overcome the state's ban on same-sex marriage until 2012, the Los Angeles Times reports. Equality California, which led the failed effort to defeat Prop 8 in November, says there is too... More »

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gay rights • California • gay marriage • state legislature • California Supreme Court • Proposition 8 • voter referendum • Election 2012 • Jay-ZTV

Alaska's Legislature Overrides Palin Stimulus Veto

Legislature barely hits rare 75% consensus

Aug 11, 09 7:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - Alaska’s legislature voted yesterday to override Sarah Palin’s veto of $28 million in stimulus cash to defray energy costs, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Such an override requires the support of 75% of votes; the measure passed by a hair. “Instead of being the last state in... More »

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Alaska • veto • mutiny • state legislature • veto override • economic stimulus package • Sarah Palin • energy costs • financial crisis

(Newser) - The leader of California's Senate says he'll take Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to court for using line-item vetoes to slash another $500 million from the budget deal he was sent last week, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Democrat Darrell Steinberg accuses Schwarzenegger of overstepping his authority by making the cuts. "... More »

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California • California legislature • Arnold Schwarzenegger • lawsuit • budget cuts • state legislature • governor • state budgets • Darrell Steinberg

OPINION

Sneak Attack on Electoral College Gains Ground


Jul 17, 09 1:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - Opponents of the Electoral College are making progress on an end run around the institution with the goal of setting up a system that would decide the presidential election solely on the popular vote, Tara Ross writes for the Weekly Standard. “Formally eliminating the Electoral College through a constitutional... More »

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electoral college • US Constitution • state legislature • governor • presidential election • National Popular Vote

OPINION

 Top 5 States of Confusion 


Jul 3, 09 12:14 PM CDT
(Newser) - It’s not easy being an elected official in a time of crisis, but a select few governors are having a particularly tough time. And some of them are even trying to get reelected. Politico looks at the 5 worst-off states:
  • California: No surprise here. The state's issuing
... More »

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California • Arizona • Jon Corzine • New Jersey • New York • Arnold Schwarzenegger • Michigan • recession • unemployment • Jennifer Granholm • state legislature • budget deficit • David Paterson • Jan Brewer

OPINION

Spitzer: I Love New York  Senate Mayhem


Jun 11, 09 9:25 AM CDT
(Newser) - Madness has descended on Albany, NY. When two Democrats switched sides at the last minute, the Democrats literally locked the Republicans out of the state senate, followed by name calling, court action, and threats to hold a session in an empty field. And that’s actually an improvement, writes Eliot... More »

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New York • corruption • Eliot Spitzer • state legislature • New York state • New York State Senate • Pedro Espada Jr. • Hiram Monserrate

Calif. Voters Torpedo Budget Crisis Measures

Defeat leaves Governator facing massive service cuts

May 20, 09 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Californian voters soundly rejected five ballot measures that would keep the hard-hit state economically solvent until the end of the year, on a turnout of little more than 10%. The vote against extended tax increases and capped spending is a sharp rebuke to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislators who... More »

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California • Arnold Schwarzenegger • budget • vote • state legislature • budget deficit • propositions • California economy

UPDATED

 Maine Gov Signs 
 Gay Marriage Bill 

State the fifth to OK nuptials as Baldacci signs measure quickly

May 6, 09 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Just hours after the Maine Legislature gave final approval to gay marriage today, Gov. John Baldacci signed the bill into law, the Kennebec Journal reports. When it takes effect 90 days after the legislative session ends in June, Maine will become the fifth state to allow same-sex nuptials. “This... More »

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gay marriage • marriage • veto • Maine • state legislature • governor

 Paterson Introduces 
 Gay-Marriage Bill 

It's a civil rights issue: NY gov

Apr 16, 09 11:43 AM CDT
(Newser) - Inspired by Vermont’s legalization of gay marriage, New York Gov. David Paterson has introduced legislation to bring “equality to everyone” in his state, too. It’s the second time he has touted the same-sex marriage bill, the Post reports. Paterson today urged the legislature to move it forward—... More »

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gay rights • gay marriage • New York • state legislature • David Paterson


 Vermont  May Legalize 
 Sexting—Between Teens 


Bill moving through legislature to legalize sexually explicit teen communications

Apr 14, 09 10:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - Vermont’s state government is in an awkward position. Current law has the state prosecuting teens who send sexually explicit pictures of themselves to each other—sexting—as sex offenders. The state Senate has passed a bill to exempt an exchange of images between people between 13 and 18 years... More »

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cell phones • Vermont • text message • child pornography • state legislature • teen sex • sexting

(Newser) - University of Maryland students plan to take in some porn tonight after a heated battle with school officials and state lawmakers, the Baltimore Sun reports. The school slated a screening of Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge—which recently showed at a University of California campus—last week, until... More »

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University of Maryland • pornography • ACLU • college • Baltimore • professor • state legislature • porn star

ANALYSIS

Sebelius Made Little Progress on Health in Partisan Kan.

Kansas guv could get another shot as health secretary

Mar 2, 09 8:21 AM CST
(Newser) - As governor of Kansas, President Obama’s new pick for health secretary has plenty of experience working with Republicans—but little success pushing her health plans through the GOP-controlled legislature, the New York Times reports. If she is confirmed, she’ll have another chance to expand coverage in what could... More »

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health care • Department of Health • Kansas • health care reform • health secretary • Kathleen Sebelius • state legislature • Obama administration • President Obama • Republicans

Blago's Impeachment Is a Go, Even Without Tapes

Panel says it has sufficient evidence

Jan 6, 09 10:38 AM CST
(AP) - Members of Rod Blagojevich's impeachment panel say they will move forward despite the possibility that they might not get to hear federal wiretaps of the governor's conversations with aides and others. "These tapes are relevant evidence, we'd like to have them," said a lawyer for the impeachment panel,... More »

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corruption • impeachment • Illinois • state legislature • Rod Blagojevich • political scandal • federal wiretap • Pat Quinn

Calif. Dems Urge State Court to Dump Gay Marriage Ban

Supporters call move a 'hail mary'

Nov 11, 08 10:04 AM CST
(Newser) - Democratic legislators in California have filed a brief calling on the state Supreme Court to reject a ballot proposition that would ban gay marriage in the state, the Los Angeles Times reports. The measure, Proposition 8, passed by some 500,000 votes. The lawmakers argue that such sweeping change would... More »

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gay rights • California • gay marriage • constitution • state legislature • California Supreme Court • Proposition 8

 Mass. Puts Rent-a-Dog
 Firms in Doghouse

Recent laws, bans making pay-as-you-play pets unavailable

Jul 30, 08 12:48 PM CDT
(Newser) - Massachusetts lawmakers have put the kibosh on a lucrative pet rental business, which caters to busy urbanites who want to spend time with dogs without the full-time commitment. The state senate passed a bill yesterday prohibiting the renting or leasing of dogs and cats; like previous bans in Boston and... More »

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pets • animal rights • state legislature • dog

 Governator Signs
 Calif. Trans Fat Ban

Nation's first state-wide restrictions hits restaurants in 2010, baked goods in '11

Jul 25, 08 4:22 PM CDT
(Newser) - California became the first state to ban trans fats from restaurant and bakery cooking today, the Los Angeles Times reports. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill passed last week by the legislature, saying it would help Californians’ health. Some restaurateurs, such as Wolfgang Puck—who had already phased the oils... More »

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California • Arnold Schwarzenegger • restaurant • ban • trans fats • state legislature • trans fat • Wolfgang Puck

OPINION

Obama's Antiwar Stance:
That Was Then, This Is Now

2002 state vote not enough to hang a campaign on

Jul 25, 08 2:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - There's no reason to assume that Barack Obama would have voted against the war if he’d been in the Senate in 2002, James Kirchick writes for Politico. As a state senator, Obama was aligned with his liberal constituency in opposing the Iraq invasion; as a thoroughly briefed US senator... More »

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Iraq • Barack Obama • John McCain • troop surge • war authorization • state legislature

NJ Assemblyman Under Investigation for Child Porn

Neil Cohen allegedly stored images on office computer

Jul 25, 08 12:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - New Jersey Assemblyman Neil Cohen faces allegations of storing child pornography on his office computer, the Star-Ledger reports. Two of his fellow Democratic lawmakers turned him into authorites after being alerted by a staffer. Cohen, 57, has served 17 years in the Assembly, currently as deputy speaker, and has sponsored... More »

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New Jersey • pedophile • child abuse • child pornography • state legislature • Neil Cohen • state assembly

 New York State
 to Recognize
 Gay Marriages 

Out-of-state same-sex unions win equal treatment

May 29, 08 5:56 AM CDT
(Newser) - New York's governor has directed all state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries, the New York Times reports. Terms like "spouse," "husband," and "wife" will now legally apply to same-sex partners in state regulations concerning everything from income tax filings... More »

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gay marriage • New York • state legislature • marriage rights • David Paterson • New York state

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