Republicans juggle deficit, pandemic and schools in budget

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are working to assemble a budget plan that would use billions in federal pandemic relief and surplus state tax dollars to help prop up existing programs, boost aid to public schools and inject cash into sectors hard-hit by the...

Supreme Court dismisses challenge to Obama era health care law, preserving coverage for millions

Iowa governor signs tax cut, mental health care funding law

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa. Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday signed into law a tax bill that requires the state to take over funding of mental health services, removing them from local property taxes. The measure also phases out the state inheritance tax by 2025,...

Editorial Roundup: Pennsylvania

York Dispatch. June 14, 2021. Editorial: Awful ‘audit’ idea hatched by GOP in Pa. It seemed only a matter of time before Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania hopped on the “election audit” bandwagon. Turns out, they’ve...

GOP bill would prohibit requiring any vaccination in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — No employer, either public or private, could require employees to receive vaccinations under GOP legislation pending in the Ohio House. Also, workers could not be fired as a result of refusing. The measure before the Republican-controlled House...

Unlicensed Hawaii care home faces $828,000 fine

HONOLULU (AP) — Two Hawaii health department inspectors showed up at a home unannounced after a complaint and found it was operating an adult care facility without a license, leading to a fine of more than $800,000. The $828,000 fine against Island Promise Homes LLC...

N. Carolina ban on Down syndrome abortions goes to governor

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina senators approved a bill on Thursday to bar women from getting abortions on the basis of race, sex or a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. With the Senate's party-line vote, the prohibition Republicans are seeking now heads to...

Lawmakers look to extend waivers under disaster declaration

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Legislature appeared Wednesday to back off a wholesale end to the governor’s pandemic disaster emergency declaration, with lawmakers working to decide on which regulatory waivers to extend. The House on...

Anti-abortion groups challenge Louisville buffer zone law

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Anti-abortion groups are challenging a new Louisville law that creates a buffer zone to keep protesters from an area in front of a downtown abortion clinic. The new law passed by the Louisville Metro Council last month creates a 10-foot-wide...

Louisiana lawmakers support abortion pill 'reversal' bill

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana lawmakers gave final passage Tuesday to a proposal requiring doctors to suggest to women taking the abortion pill that the drug-induced effort to terminate a pregnancy could be stopped midway through the process, a scientifically questionable claim. ...