Latest State legislature News
Maine might tighten standards for traffic stops
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine might ban traffic stops that are intended as a way to investigate unrelated criminal activity. Such traffic stops are sometimes called “pretextual” stops. A proposal by Democratic Rep. Victoria Morales of South Portland would end the...
Juneteenth Nevada lawmaker, sponsor see justice in holiday
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The nation celebrated Juneteenth on Saturday, memorializing the end of slavery in the United States. In Nevada, the date has been observed for a decade. “We should know the true history of America,” said former Nevada Assemblyman Harvey Munford, now...
UNLV changes signs to designate gender neutral bathrooms
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jamie Sprague-Ballou’s heart raced in fear every time she walked into a public restroom when she was transitioning from male to female. In the women’s restroom, she risked being humiliated by security. In the men’s restroom, she risked violence. ...
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...
Amid reform movement, some GOP states give police more power
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — After a year of protests over police brutality, some Republican-controlled states have ignored or blocked police-reform proposals, moving instead in the other direction by granting greater powers to officers, making it harder to discipline them and expanding their...
Effect of school lockdown drills on students under scrutiny
DENVER (AP) — The Lockdown Drill Generation. That’s what 17-year-old Ellie Perlmutter said she’s part of. No, it has nothing to do with the pandemic. It’s the generation of students that have had to participate in active shooter drills at school. ...
Michigan House approves bills to broaden organ donation
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — People with a disability or a positive HIV test could not be discriminated against during the organ transplant process under legislation the Michigan House passed this past week. Though the federal Americans with Disabilities Act bans...
Kemp to decide if Juneteenth becomes Georgia holiday in 2022
ATLANTA (AP) — It was too late this year for Georgia state workers to get the new Juneteenth holiday off, even though some federal agencies scheduled to close on Friday to observe the day in advance of the actual June 19 date on Saturday. But Republican Gov. Brian Kemp...
Voting debate roils Washington but leaves many voters cold
PLANO, Texas (AP) — Brenda Martinez, a 19-year-old community college student, thinks the government should help immigrant students more. Donald Huffman is worried about turning 50 next week with no work available because the federal government is delaying the pipelines he usually helps...
