Latest Legislation News
Australia accused of 'excessive and unnecessary' secrecy
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s suppression of information seen as pivotal to a free and open media is at the center of accusations that the country has become one of the world’s most secretive democracies. Last week, a former Australian spy was convicted...
Today in History
Today in History Today is Sunday, June 20, the 171st day of 2021. There are 194 days left in the year. This is Father’s Day. Summer begins at 11:32 p.m. EDT. Today’s Highlight in History: On June 20, 1967, boxer Muhammad...
LSU urges state to require COVID-19 vaccines at its schools
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU's governing board is urging the state Department of Health to add COVID-19 shots to a list of required vaccinations for college students once federal regulators give full approval to the shots. Friday's 9-2 vote came after the LSU Board of...
Las Vegas pushes land swap to balance growth, conservation
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Record-breaking heat and historic drought in the U.S. West are doing little to discourage cities from planning to welcome millions of new residents in the decades ahead. From Phoenix to Boise, officials are preparing for a future both with more...
New York law gives nurses a voice in hospital staffing plans
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation requiring general hospitals in the state to seek input from nurses and other staff in creating staffing plans that are to include specific guidelines on how many patients each nurse is assigned. The...
Suburban St. Louis police chief resigns over new gun law
O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A suburban St. Louis police chief has resigned over concerns about a new Missouri law that would ban police from enforcing federal gun rules. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Philip Dupuis, who had been the police chief of the city of...
Bill signed into law makes Juneteenth a Maine holiday, too
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine's law making Juneteenth a state holiday won't officially take place until next year. But people were still celebrating Saturday, especially with President Joe Biden signing a federal law. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said the bill she signed...
State to lease Ocracoke passenger ferry again this year
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has signed legislation that will continue the operation of a passenger-only ferry that takes people from Hatters Island to Ocracoke Island. The Raleigh News & Observer reported Friday that the move will give Outer...
New Louisiana law will boost payment to wrongfully convicted
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana is increasing the compensation available to people who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law Gretna Rep. Joe Marino's bill boosting the amount, which drew near-unanimous support from the House...
New protections for Louisiana cypress trees signed into law
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s iconic bald cypress trees will be protected on state-owned property, after Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a new law banning the trees' harvesting on more than 1 million acres (404,685 hectares) of state land. Rep. Neil Riser told The...
