legislature

8 Stories

One State Hits Milestone on LGBTQ Representation

10% of California's legislature identifies as such, a first for the nation

(Newser) - While LGBTQ candidates and their supporters celebrated several milestone victories around the nation in this year's midterms, California quietly reached its own: At least 10% of its state lawmakers identify publicly as LGBTQ, believed to be a first for any US legislature. The California legislators are all Democrats, per...

Giuliani Met for 10 Hours With Ariz. Lawmakers. Now, a Shutdown

State House and Senate closed for the week after Trump lawyer tests positive for COVID-19

(Newser) - Whether Rudy Giuliani brought down the house during his testimony last week on alleged election fraud is debatable—but he did succeed in shutting down the House, and the Senate, in Arizona after he tested positive Sunday for COVID-19. The Arizona Republic reports the state legislature is closing shop for...

Wisconsin Makes Move to Weaken Incoming Governor, AG

Legislature is controlled by Republicans; incoming governor and AG are Democrats

(Newser) - The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature has approved a sweeping package of bills weakening the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general, the AP reports. The state Assembly approved the lame-duck legislation Wednesday morning. The Wisconsin Senate did the same less than three hours earlier after lawmakers worked through most of the night....

State Politics: Hotbed of Sleaze, Booze, Scandal

ABC investigation finds no shortage of sleaze at state level

(Newser) - You hear a lot more about the sleaze in Congress and governors' mansions than the sleaze at the state legislator level, but that's not because of a lack of low-down behavior, an ABC News investigation finds. Five grad students sent to cover a national convention of state legislators in Louisville,...

Bolivian President Wins Point, Ends Hunger Strike

(Newser) - Bolivian President Evo Morales ended his hunger strike today after the country’s legislature agreed to pass a law further enfranchising his native constituency, Bloomberg reports. The bill passed after Morales reduced his demand for new indigenous voting districts from 14 to seven. “The Bolivian people will never forget...

Senate Homecoming Won't Be Glorious

Power will not fall in losing candidate's lap

(Newser) - If Hillary Clinton does indeed lose the Democratic nomination, her Senate homecoming won’t be a glorious one, the New York Times reports. Clinton is still a junior senator, ranking 36th out of 49 Democrats, and would need to leapfrog a lot of people to become a committee chair—much...

Vt. Town Sheds Inhibitions, Puts Them Back On

Fine instated after repeated nude incidents

(Newser) - Whether shopping, bicycling, hula-hooping, or demonstrating for PETA, people in Brattleboro, Vt., have witnessed a rash of nakedness, the Wall Street Journal reports. Public nudity is generally legal in Vermont, but a spontaneous act of nakedness by three 20-year-olds two summers ago sparked a trend that made many residents uncomfortable...

Pacino, Ono Push for Dead Celeb Bill

NY law would bar unauthorized bobble heads for 70 years

(Newser) - Actor Al Pacino and Yoko Ono are lobbying the New York legislature to make it a misdemeanor to merchandise unauthorized images of dead celebrities for up to 70 years after their death. The use of sound recordings, or faces and names on anything from T-shirts to bobble heads would require...

8 Stories