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NEWS ABOUT: state legislature

Populism Swings Left as Oregon Votes to Tax the Rich

Voters hit corporations, to, in state referendum

(Newser) - Don't be too quick to extrapolate from the Massachusetts election that the country's populist surge swings to the right: Oregon voters yesterday approved tax hikes for corporations and the rich. The referendum, which reversed more than two decades of Oregon voters shooting down tax increases, came as the cash-strapped state... More »

States Roll Out Bans on Texting While Driving

23 states mull laws against practice already banned in 19

(Newser) - Alarmed by the dangers of driving while text messaging, legislatures in 23 states are considering outlawing the practice, which 19 states already ban. Lawmakers “often get involved because there's a high-profile accident that had to do with texting,” an expert tells USA Today . “Also, because everybody has... More »

NJ Legislature OKs Medical Marijuana

Bill heads to outgoing Gov. Corzine, who's promised to sign

(AP) - The state legislature today approved a bill that would make New Jersey the 14th state to allow chronically ill patients access to marijuana for medical reasons. Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine supports the legislation and could sign it before leaving office next week, making it law. The bill allows patients with... More »

NY State of Mind Almost as Bad as Calif.'s

Both states' revenues, budgets, legislatures create cause for alarm

(Newser) - Don’t look now, New Yorkers, but your state government is sinking to California-like depths of lousiness. New York’s 2010 budgetary fitness ranks below that of 33 other states in Pew’s latest ranking, trailing the likes of Louisiana, Alaska, and South Carolina. And that’s unlikely to improve,... More »

Kennedy Successor May Come Soon

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

(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 »

Calif. Gay Rights Group Delays Push for Marriage

(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 little... More »

Alaska's Legislature Overrides Palin Stimulus Veto

Legislature barely hits rare 75% consensus

(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 »

Calif. Senator to Sue Schwarzenegger Over Budget Cuts

(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 »

Sneak Attack on Electoral College Gains Ground

(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 »

Top 5 States of Confusion

(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 of IOUs
... More »

Spitzer: I Love New York Senate Mayhem

(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 »

Calif. Voters Torpedo Budget Crisis Measures

Defeat leaves Governator facing massive service cuts

(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 »

Maine Gov Signs Gay Marriage Bill

State the fifth to OK nuptials as Baldacci signs measure quickly

(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 »

Paterson Introduces Gay-Marriage Bill

It's a civil rights issue: NY gov

(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 »

Vermont May Legalize Sexting—Between Teens

Bill moving through legislature to legalize sexually explicit teen communications

(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 »

Defying Pols, Maryland Students to Screen Porno

(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 legislators threatened... More »

Sebelius Made Little Progress on Health in Partisan Kan.

Kansas guv could get another shot as health secretary

(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 »

Blago's Impeachment Is a Go, Even Without Tapes

Panel says it has sufficient evidence

(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 »

Calif. Dems Urge State Court to Dump Gay Marriage Ban

Supporters call move a 'hail mary'

(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 »

Mass. Puts Rent-a-Dog Firms in Doghouse

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

(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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