Latest State legislature News

Hawaii lawmakers stall funding for 10-story school building

Jul. 7, 2020 9:22 AM EDT

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers stalled funding for a 10-story public elementary school, preventing a groundbreaking this year for the state’s first vertical public school. Members of the Legislature recently opted not to approve $20 million for the Pohukaina Elementary School and an associated...

FILE - In this July 11, 2019, file photo, Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, D-Inglewood, calls on lawmakers to approve a wildfire measure she co-authored, with Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, and Assemblyman Chad Mayes, R-Yucca Valley, before the Assembly in Sacramento, Calif. A coronavirus outbreak in the California Legislature has indefinitely delayed the state Assembly's return to work from a scheduled summer recess. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon's office confirmed five people who work in the Assembly have tested positive for the coronavirus. They include Burke, who is believed to have contracted the virus while on the Assembly floor last month. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

California Capitol closing after Assembly member gets virus

Jul. 7, 2020 1:02 AM EDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A coronavirus outbreak is closing California’s Capitol and forcing the Assembly to put off its return to work as infection and hospitalization rates soar across the state. Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, a Democrat from Inglewood, tweeted Monday that she was exposed to COVID-19...

Firms tied to legislative leader, Senate candidate got loans

Jul. 6, 2020 11:46 PM EDT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A company owned by a Michigan legislative leader and one run by a U.S. Senate candidate each received between $1 million and $2 million from a federal rescue program that was created to preserve jobs during the coronavirus pandemic. Jackson-based Orbitform, which was founded by...

Students wearing face masks to protect against the new coronavirus have their documents checked by security officers before the first day of China's national college entrance examinations, known as the gaokao, in Beijing, Tuesday, July 7, 2020. China's college entrance exams began in Beijing on Tuesday after being delayed by a month due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The Latest: Air New Zealand puts hold on new flight bookings

Jul. 6, 2020 11:02 PM EDT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s national carrier has put a temporary hold on new bookings for flights into the country while the government tries to find enough quarantined hotel rooms for people returning home. Air New Zealand says the hold will last for three weeks and it is also trying...

FILE - This file image made from May 25, 2020 video provided by Christian Cooper, shows Amy Cooper with her dog talking to Christian Cooper in Central Park in New York. Amy Cooper, walking her dog who called the police during a videotaped dispute with Christian Cooper, a Black man, was charged Monday, July 6, 2020, with filing a false report. (Christian Cooper via AP, File)

White woman charged after racist Central Park confrontation

Jul. 6, 2020 10:01 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — A white woman who called the police during a videotaped dispute with a Black man over her walking her dog without a leash in Central Park was charged Monday with filing a false police report. In May, Amy Cooper drew widespread condemnation and was fired from her job after frantically...

Utah Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox greets supporters arriving at an election night event in Mount Pleasant on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Cox has won the Republican nomination in the Utah governor's race Monday, July 6, 2020, giving him a heavy advantage in the conservative state's general election. The competitive four-way contest was conducted entirely by mail during the coronavirus pandemic, which also shaped the campaign. (Trent Nelson /The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)

Cox bests ex-ambassador Huntsman in Utah governor race

Jul. 6, 2020 9:07 PM EDT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Spencer Cox won the Republican nomination for Utah governor on Monday, as the lieutenant governor successfully staved off a comeback attempt by former U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. Cox’s primary win gives him a heavy advantage in the conservative state’s general...

FILE - In this July 11, 2019, file photo, Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, D-Inglewood, calls on lawmakers to approve a wildfire measure she co-authored, with Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, and Assemblyman Chad Mayes, R-Yucca Valley, before the Assembly in Sacramento, Calif. A coronavirus outbreak in the California Legislature has indefinitely delayed the state Assembly's return to work from a scheduled summer recess. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon's office confirmed five people who work in the Assembly have tested positive for the coronavirus. They include Burke, who is believed to have contracted the virus while on the Assembly floor last month. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

California Assembly delays session after virus outbreak

Jul. 6, 2020 9:05 PM EDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A coronavirus outbreak in the California Legislature has indefinitely delayed the state Assembly’s return to work from a scheduled summer recess, highlighting the rapid spread of the virus in a state that has imposed new restrictions on bars and restaurants following a...

Cooper vetoes bill with death investigation records change

Jul. 6, 2020 8:39 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a broad health measure late Monday because it contains a provision that addresses the confidentiality of death investigation records. Opposition to the item has served as a rallying cry for demonstrators for racial justice outside the Executive Mansion for days. ...

FILE - In this May 21, 2020, file photo, state Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, wears a full face shield while on the floor of the Illinois Senate during session at the State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. Oberweis is the GOP nominee for a Chicago-area congressional seat and the chairman of Oberweis Dairy. The dairy received a Paycheck Protection Program loan of between $5 million and $10 million, according to data released by the Treasury Department. Oberweis, who also owns an investment firm, has loaned his congressional campaign against Democrat Rep. Lauren Underwood more than $1.1 million since last year. (Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP, Pool, File)

GOP congressional hopeful's dairy got virus relief loan

Jul. 6, 2020 7:53 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) — A dairy owned by Illinois Republican congressional candidate Jim Oberweis received a loan worth $5 million to $10 million from the federal rescue package aimed at helping small businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released Monday. Oberweis Dairy, the North...

FILE - In this May 14, 2020, file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2020-2021 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom and some of the state's legislative leaders were among the millions to score federal loans aimed to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic A Northern California-based winery and hospitality company, PlumpJack, founded by Newsom received a loan worth $150,000 to $350,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program, a national rescue package aimed to help small businesses during the pandemic, according to records released on Monday, July 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool)

Companies tied to California officials get US virus loans

Jul. 6, 2020 7:46 PM EDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif (AP) — Businesses tied to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and two of the state’s legislative leaders were among those that received federal loans aimed at keeping small businesses afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, records released Monday showed. A...

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