In The States

ATLANTA (AP) — President Joe Biden called Georgia's new voting law an "atrocity." A leading Black bishop called for a national boycott of companies headquartered in the state. But when Stacey Abrams, the state's well-known voting rights advocate, is asked... Read More

Thirty-five states are at extreme or high risk of partisan gerrymandering, according to an in-depth report by the nonpartisan RepresentUs organization. The Gerrymandering Threat Index rates all 50 states, and its authors argue their findings underscore the urgent need to... Read More

RICHMOND -- The Commonwealth of Virginia is expanding eligibility to get a COVID-19 vaccine to anyone 16 or older, beginning Sunday. The expansion of eligibility comes as Virginia reaches a new milestone in its vaccination program— approximately half of all... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Treasury Department has released updated guidance on its pre-award requirements for state and local governments to receive direct coronavirus relief payments under the American Rescue Plan Act. It particular the guidance outlines the “immediate” steps municipalities need... Read More

WASHINGTON - A bill that would make the District of Columbia the 51st state made it out of the House Oversight and Reforms Committee on Wednesday, and will come up for a vote in the full House next week. Last... Read More

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. economy is continuing its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic but not fast enough for tourism officials who testified before a Senate subcommittee Tuesday. They said their industry was the hardest hit during the pandemic shutdown and... Read More

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland's General Assembly on Saturday enacted the nation’s most sweeping police reform legislation to make officers more accountable to the public. The new rules place more restrictions on use of force and no-knock warrants. Other provisions require... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden White House is amplifying the push for its $2.3 trillion infrastructure package with the release of state-by-state breakdowns that show the dire shape of roads, bridges, the power grid and housing affordability.The figures in the... Read More

In a sign that the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is continuing, the Washington D.C. area’s largest hotel -- the Gaylord National Resort at National Harbor -- will reopen July 1. Hotel owner Ryman Hospitality Properties lost more than a... Read More

The CDC has issued a report finding that small, yellow-tinged songbirds from the finch family were linked to 19 infections of salmonella across the U.S.   Rachel Curtis-Robles, a public health educator and outreach officer for the California Department of... Read More

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Republicans are moving to pass their own set of limits on voting as legislation restricting early voting access awaits a House committee assignment.  The Texas bill, one of 361 bills pending nationwide with restrictive provisions, passed... Read More

An executive order on Tuesday from Texas' governor that prohibits state agencies from using tax money for vaccine passports is kicking up a dispute over the breadth of public health laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlines and other private companies... Read More

WASHINGTON - Nearly 200 companies have come out against Republican voting legislation critics say is simply a blatant attempt to disenfranchise millions of Black and minority voters. The chief executives of Dow, Levi’s Survey Monkey, PayPal and Uber were among... Read More

Major League Baseball said Friday it would move its annual All-Star Game out of Georgia, citing the state government’s recent decision to put in place more restrictive measures on who is able to vote in coming elections. “Major League Baseball... Read More

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Friday instituting a forensic science task force as an advisory body within the Michigan Department of State Police.  The task force’s role will be to provide recommendations to improve... Read More

RALEIGH, N.C. - Democrats are used to long odds in the Republican controlled legislature, and perhaps that explains why 26 of them have decided to advance a plan to put control of the state’s upcoming redistricting effort in the hands... Read More

WASHINGTON -- The backlash continued Thursday against Georgia’s new elections law while Congress moved ahead with a bill that could eliminate much of states’ rights to determine the conditions for which residents vote, when they vote and where.  Civil rights... Read More

New York adults over the age of 21 can now possess and use marijuana — even in public — under a legalization bill  signed Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, though legal sales of recreational-use cannabis won't start for an estimated... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Federal Election Commission on Wednesday announced the filing schedules for upcoming special elections to fill the seats of former Reps. Debra Haaland and Marcia Fudge, both of whom have taken positions in the Biden administration. Prior to... Read More

ATLANTA (AP) — Critics of Georgia's new Republican-backed election law issued fresh calls Monday to boycott some of the state's largest businesses for not speaking out more forcefully against the law, a day after advocacy organizations filed a lawsuit in... Read More

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York is poised to join a growing number of states that have legalized marijuana after state lawmakers reached a deal to allow sales of the drug for recreational use.  The agreement reached Saturday would expand... Read More

A Georgia lawmaker was arrested and forcibly removed from the state Capitol Thursday night as Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a sweeping overhaul of state election laws, including adding new restrictions on voting by mail. Georgia State Rep. Park Cannon,... Read More

CHEYENNE, Wyo. –  The state of Wyoming sued the Biden administration Wednesday challenging what state lawmakers describe as a "de-facto moratorium on oil and gas leasing" on federal land. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Wyoming, asserts Interior... Read More

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Miami Beach Interim City Manager Raul J. Aguila declared a state of emergency Saturday lasting through April 12 as spring break crowds overwhelm the popular tourist destination. Officials have imposed strict curfews to curb the partygoers'... Read More

The Kansas Senate has confirmed two women to serve on the state's court of appeals, including the first woman of color to serve in that position. In doing so, the Senate took steps to assure itself neither woman would be... Read More

WASHINGTON - Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., is looking to get ahead of what could be a prolonged debate over infrastructure priorities and has proposed streamlining and expediting the permitting process to get projects moving faster. Davis is the prime sponsor... Read More

DENVER - A bill that would establish standards of care for every dog and cat housed in an animal shelter or rescue facility in the state passed a crucial test in the Colorado legislature this week. HB1160, known as the... Read More

WASHINGTON - Rep. Filemón Vela, D-Texas, announced Monday he will not seek reelection in 2022, becoming the second House Democrat to announce their retirement in what could be a difficult cycle for the majority party. Earlier this month, Rep. Ann... Read More

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Last week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a multitude of resources for Washington state citizens, including extension of the state’s eviction moratorium and a new phase for vaccine eligibility, as well as the resumption of long-term care visitations... Read More

SANTA FE, N.M.— The New Mexico House of Representatives has approved the Wildlife Conservation and Public Safety Act which would prohibit traps, snares and poisons on public lands. The vote was 35-34. The measure, Senate Bill 32, passed the New Mexico... Read More