Archive for the ‘State Legislature News’ Category
WI: Senate to vote on anti-union bill
Last Updated on Thursday, 17 February 2011 02:39 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 17 February 2011 02:38
From Yahoo!:
Protesters clogged the hallways of the Wisconsin state Capitol on Thursday as the Senate prepared to pass a momentous bill that would strip government workers, including school teachers, of nearly all collective bargaining rights.
The nation’s most aggressive anti-union proposal has been speeding through the Legislature since Republican Gov. Scott Walker introduced it a week ago. After clearing a major legislative hurdle Wednesday night, it was headed to votes in the Senate and Assembly.
Hundreds of protesters massed outside the Senate chamber on the second floor of the Capitol early Thursday, hours before the planned vote. Republican leaders said it has the votes to pass in both the Senate and Assembly.
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NC: GOP’s Response to Governor’s State of the State address
Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 02:14 Written by rslcpol Tuesday, 15 February 2011 02:14
From newsobserver.com:
During the Republican response to the governor’s State of the State address, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger said the new GOP majorities at the legislature will make cut taxes and make government smaller.
“The state of our economy is grim,” Berger said. “And North Carolina faces serious challenges. These demand our undivided attention – and Senate and House Republicans already have taken steps to get our state back on track.
“But instead of maintaining the status quo, and continuing the failed policies that got us in this mess, we’re working to usher in a new era of government responsibility and accountability.
“For far too long, decision-making in these halls has been driven by the belief that government has all the answers.
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New California Primary System getting its first test
Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:47 Written by rslcpol Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:47
A couple of Senate special elections will give the new open primary system its first test.
From the Tribune:
California’s new top-two open primary system is getting its first test in special elections in two Southern California state Senate districts Tuesday, ushering in changes that proponents hope will eventually lead to a less partisan Legislature.
Voters are choosing successors for Democratic Sen. Jenny Oropeza, who died in office last year of complications from a blood clot, and former Sen. George Runner, a Republican who was elected to the state Board of Equalization in November.
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TN GOP Wants focus on Job Creation and Education
Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:42 Written by rslcpol Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:42
From The Tennessean:
Tennessee Republicans are limiting the number of immigration bills they will take up this year, saying they want to focus on a few key aspects of the issue and keep the topic from overshadowing job creation and education.
GOP lawmakers are planning to focus this legislative session on one to three measures designed to combat illegal immigration by requiring more checks on citizenship status by employers, police and government entitlement administrators.
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AZ: Lawmakers to Approve Tax Cuts for Businesses
Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:35 Written by rslcpol Tuesday, 15 February 2011 01:35
The deal between the Governor and Republicans in Arizona would:
A deal announced Monday between Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leaders would:
— Cut the corporate income tax rate from just below 6 percent to 4.9 percent, giving Arizona the fifth lowest rate in the nation;
— Allow some multi-state corporations to pay no corporate income taxes at all;
— Alter how businesses are assessed for property tax purposes, potentially reducing their liability by 10 percent;
— Create new state tax credits for firms that create jobs, which pay at least the median wage for the county where located, up to $3,000 per job for three years;
— Permit companies to write off new equipment purchases faster, reducing their state income taxes;
— Increase the amount of equipment that businesses can exempt from being assessed for property tax purposes;
— Create a new $25 million a year “deal closing” fund to help convince firms to move to the state.
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TX: AG and State Senator Take on “Sexting” with Legislation
Last Updated on Friday, 11 February 2011 02:07 Written by rslcpol Friday, 11 February 2011 02:07
From yourlakehoustonnews.com:
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Monday joined State Sen. Kirk Watson, who announced the filing of Senate Bill 407, legislation that will help curb the dangerous practice of sexting.
If enacted, SB 407 would classify a sexting offense as a Class C misdemeanor for first-time violators less than 18 years old. Judges would be authorized to sentence minors convicted of sexting – and one of the minor’s parents – to participate in an education program about sexting’s long-term harmful consequences. The new law would also allow teens to apply to the court to have the sexting offense expunged from their records.
“Studies show that teenage students are increasingly taking, sending and receiving explicit pictures of themselves on their mobile telephones,” Attorney General Abbott said. “This dangerous trend is harmful to young Texans. We are joining with Sen. Kirk Watson to address the growing problem of sexting and educate – not criminalize – young Texans who make the unwise decision to participate in it.”
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Arizona Countersues Federal Government
Last Updated on Friday, 11 February 2011 01:55 Written by rslcpol Friday, 11 February 2011 01:55
From The Herald:
Going on the offensive, the state on Thursday sued the federal government, charging it has failed to meet its legal responsibility to secure the border.
The move comes in the form of a counterclaim to the original lawsuit filed last year by the Obama administration challenging enactment of SB 1070.
Attorneys from the Department of Justice charged the Arizona law, designed largely to give state and local police more power to detain and arrest illegal immigrants, was illegally infringing on the exclusive right of the federal government to control immigration. And a federal judge agreed, at least in part, by barring the state from enforcing key sections.
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NM: GOP Newcomers Want Ethics Reform Bills
Last Updated on Friday, 11 February 2011 01:16 Written by rslcpol Friday, 11 February 2011 01:16
From CibolaBeacon.com:
Rep. David Doyle, R-Albuquerque, who introduced House Bill 383, which would create the public corruption unit, said in a written statement, “Not only would this unit enforce our corruption laws, but it should serve as a deterrent against any elected official who toys with the idea of abusing their power.”
Scott Darnell, a spokesman for Martinez, confirmed in an e-mail that Martinez is backing all five bills.
But while the corruption issue apparently was a winning card for Martinez’s campaign, getting ethics bills through the Legislature won’t be an easy task.
House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Nambe, referred Gentry’s HB 378 to three different committees – usually considered a kiss of death for a bill. That bill would impose mandatory jail sentences for those convicted of a “felony corruption offense” and would expose state workers convicted of corruption to the possibility of losing their pension benefits.
Meanwhile, state Attorney General Gary King told reporters he doesn’t support Doyle’s bill to establish a corruption division within the Department of Public Safety.
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AL: Republican Says State Government can be Leaner
Last Updated on Thursday, 10 February 2011 02:59 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 10 February 2011 02:59
From BrewtonStandard.com:
Legislators learned this week that the state will need to make significant budget cuts this year to avoid deficit spending.
State Finance Director David Perry and Legislative Fiscal Office Executive Director Joyce Bigbee also told lawmakers that finances will be tight for the next fiscal year.
House Speaker Mike Hubbard said the Legislature would need to make “difficult choices” in the upcoming regular session.
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CT: Republicans Put Cuts on Table
Last Updated on Thursday, 10 February 2011 02:49 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 10 February 2011 02:49
From EastonCourier.com:
Connecticut House and Senate Republicans last week unveiled the Republican legislative agenda for the upcoming session. It includes reorganizing and downsizing state government, cutting the state workforce by 5%, freezing state employee salaries, and other spending cuts that Republicans say will save taxpayers billions of dollars over the next two years.
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