State News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr on Monday ordered federal prosecutors across the U.S. to identify coronavirus-related restrictions from state and local governments “that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.” The memo to... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Monday tossed one of its most closely-watched cases of the term, claiming a subsequent easing of the restrictions being challenged -- a ban on transporting guns -- effectively left them with nothing to decide.... Read More

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The U.S. Census Bureau needs more time to wrap up the once-a-decade count because of the coronavirus, opening the possibility of delays in drawing new legislative districts that could help determine what political party is... Read More

LONDON (AP) — Nations and U.S. states have begun easing coronavirus lockdowns, each pursuing their own approach but all with a common goal: restarting their economies without triggering another surge of infections. Restrictions are being lifted piecemeal with no clear... Read More

WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives approved a new coronavirus relief package on Thursday, replenishing funds for small business loans, hospitals, and to expand virus testing. The bill, signed by President Trump Friday afternoon, adds $310 billion to the Paycheck... Read More

WASHINGTON - A bill introduced by two Democratic congressmen Thursday would make businesses in the previously flourishing cannabis industry eligible to apply for COVID-19 relief programs run through the Small Business Administration. In the wake of the shuttering of many... Read More

WASHINGTON - Just over 4.4 million more Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to tame it continue to batter the U.S. economy. The Labor Department said Thursday that 4,427,000 Americans applied for benefits... Read More

A Milwaukee, Wisconsin health official said Tuesday that the city had identified at least seven people who appear to have contracted the coronavirus while participating in the state's controversial April 7 primary election. Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik said in... Read More

WASHINGTON - Montana homeowners can sue Atlantic Richfield Co. under state law to get additional cleanup of arsenic left over from years of copper smelting, however, writing for the majority on a divided court, Chief Justice John Roberts said before... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration must reinstate nutrition standards for school meals that the Agriculture Department eliminated in 2018, a federal court in Maryland ruled this week. The plaintiffs were the Center for Science in the Public Interest as well... Read More

WASHINGTON - Congress made little progress on immigration reform last year, but state legislatures are keeping the ball rolling. Nearly every U.S. state passed legislation related to immigration in 2019, according to a report by the National Council on State... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — New White House guidelines outline a phased approach to restoring normal commerce and services, but only for places with strong testing and seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases. President Donald Trump unveiled his administration's plans to ease... Read More

WASHINGTON - Ahead of an expected White House announcement on the easing of restrictions meant to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, governors across the nation are preparing for a "new normal" that will be quite different from the... Read More

AUSTIN, Texas — A state judge said Wednesday afternoon that all voters in Texas afraid to contract COVID-19 through in-person voting should be allowed to vote by mail during the pandemic. State District Judge Tim Sulak of the 353rd District... Read More

The governors of California, Oregon and Washington announced Monday that they've come to an agreement on a shared vision for reopening their economies and controlling COVID-19 in the future. In a joint statement, Govs. Gavin Newsom, Kate Brown and Jay... Read More

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed a series of bills this past weekend that dramatically expand voting rights in the state, by eliminating its voter ID requirement, increasing access to early voting and making Election Day a state holiday. “Voting is... Read More

Ocean City, Maryland, can continue to enforce its ban on topless women at its popular beach, a federal judge ruled last week. There’s a fundamental difference between topless women and topless men that is supported by case law and tradition,... Read More

WASHINGTON -- Legislation approved by Congress recently to distribute emergency coronavirus funding nationwide is renewing calls for District of Columbia statehood. Each state will receive at least $1.25 billion from the emergency fund lawmakers approved two weeks ago. The District... Read More

Coronavirus is testing election systems like never before. Voting has traditionally been a private, yet social affair, with citizens turning out to public polling places to make their voices heard and show the receipt of their civic duty with the... Read More

WASHINGTON - The results of Wisconsin's chaotic April 7 primary will be released Monday evening, immediately after local boards of election across the state finish counting the record 1.3 million absentee ballots cast. Despite widespread fears caused by the coronavirus... Read More

WASHINGTON - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer urged the National Governors Association Friday to direct its members to collect demographic data on racial disparities and the coronavirus outbreak. Hoyer's request, directed to Govs. Larry Hogan, of Maryland, and Andrew Cuomo,... Read More

Wisconsin’s presidential preference and other primaries will proceed as scheduled Tuesday after the state Supreme Court blocked Gov. Tony Evers’ last-minute attempt to delay in-person voting by executive order. The state’s highest court, voting 4-2, agreed with Republican legislators who... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has directed federal courts across the nation to conduct a search for surplus medical supplies after two Florida courts discovered such stockpiles and donated them to local hospitals. Employees in the... Read More

A federal judge on Thursday refused to push back the date of Wisconsin's April 7 presidential primary despite concerns about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. U.S. District Judge William Conley's ruling came after listening to arguments Wednesday over whether the primary... Read More

WASHINGTON - A pair of veterans service organizations are calling on Congress and the National Governors Association to re-examine the nation's current medical credentialing system to allow veterans with medical experience to join in the fight against COVID-19. Both the... Read More

New York is postponing its April 28 presidential primary until June 23, a late date that places it at risk of forfeiting some of its delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee. The reason for the delay, which was... Read More

Less than a week after Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo approved a board of elections request to move the state's presidential primary from April 28 to June 2, a plan to have a mostly mail-in election in the wake of... Read More

WASHINGTON - As of this week, eight states - Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Rhode Island - and one territory - Puerto Rico - have postponed their presidential primary elections due to the coronavirus outbreak. Additionally, three... Read More

WASHINGTON -- All K-12 schools in Virginia will remain closed "at least" for the remainder of the current academic year, and all restaurants must end dine-in service, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday. Northam announced the new measures as the number... Read More

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — First, Oklahoma lawmakers excluded the public from the Capitol because of coronavirus concerns. Then with the public gone, lawmakers made an emergency change to the state's open-meetings law to let all governmental entities meet via... Read More