State Politics & News
Coverage of state politics, elections, and conservative policy battles across all 50 states shaping America’s future.
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- Opinion
Massachusetts Supreme Court Says It’s Perfectly Legitimate for Black Men to Flee Police
Has it really come to this? On the heels of dramatic disagreement between the two major party presidential candidates about how to react to ongoing tension between the police and the African-American community, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts has unanimously concluded that a black man fleeing from a police officer investigating criminal activity is…John G. Malcolm -
- Opinion
Washington at Its Worst: Senate Passes Nonexistent Bill
On Tuesday night, the Senate voted to proceed to the continuing resolution, a bill that will allegedly fund the government until Dec. 9. The only problem is that there isn’t actually a bill yet. There is no text. There is no agreement between Democrats and Republicans on what the bill will fund—Planned Parenthood, the Export-Import…Rachel Bovard -
- Opinion
New York Bombing May Be Another Terrorist Attack Inspired by al-Qaeda’s Anwar al-Awlaki
New York City and New Jersey dodged a bullet on Saturday. The terrorist bombings allegedly perpetrated by Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Afghanistan, could have been much worse. Several of the bombs that he reportedly planted failed to explode, giving investigators important leads that enabled Rahami’s quick arrest….James Phillips -
- News
High School Boy’s Case Against LGBT Policy Goes to Virginia Supreme Court
A male high school student in a Virginia suburb has told the state’s highest court that he became “distressed,” “nervous,” and “terrified” after the school board instituted a policy for transgender students. The student and his parents unsuccessfully sued the Fairfax County School Board, and last week the Virginia Supreme Court agreed to take up their appeal….Leah Jessen -
- News
California Could Let Felons Behind Bars Vote, Despite What the State Constitution Says
California Gov. Jerry Brown is considering whether to sign a bill that would allow tens of thousands of incarcerated felons to vote, while continuing to deny the vote to others. The Legislature sent a bill to Brown’s desk that would restore voting rights to an estimated 50,000 convicted felons who are behind bars in county jails, but not…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
The Great George Washington Bridge Scandal, Part II
The federal traffic-jam prosecution of two former officials in New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s administration begins this week. The officials reduced access for one week to the George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee, New Jersey, to New York as political payback against the mayor of Fort Lee for not supporting their boss in his re-election…Paul J. Larkin -
- Opinion
How Washington Has Hurt Native Americans
If the idea behind U.S. policy in the early 20th century was either to help Indians or to help white settlers, the easiest way of accomplishing this would’ve been to grant a simple title to the land to either group and let each do what they wanted. But, “had the land been given directly to…Naomi Schaefer Riley -
- Opinion
Planned Parenthood Wants to Use California Bill to Silence Opposition
At Planned Parenthood’s behest, the California Assembly has passed AB 1671 on to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. AB 1671 amends a state anti-eavesdropping law to add criminal penalties for disclosing the confidential communications of a health care provider. The bill is designed to silence “undercover journalists” who might have reason to suspect foul play within…David Rosenthal -
- Opinion
How Georgia Could Boost American Interests
My small country of Georgia lies at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. It also lies at the intersection of many of America’s most vital interests in this increasingly important region. Georgia is connected by geography to the Black Sea and to the West’s NATO allies that border it. Georgia shares another important border with…Tedo Japaridze -
- Opinion
The Most Dangerous Period in Washington Could Be About to Happen
The lame-duck session is the most dangerous period in the nation’s capital that you’ve never heard of. There are nearly two months in between Election Day in November and the swearing-in of the newly elected Congress in January. This period is known as the lame-duck session, because many of the voting members won’t be returning…Rachel Bovard -
- News
Oregon Bakers’ Legal Battle Continues, as Same-Sex Couple Speaks Out
Aaron and Melissa Klein, the Oregon bakers who refused to make a cake for the wedding of two women, filed new documents Thursday with the Oregon Court of Appeals in response to the same-sex couple’s arguments that the Kleins had no legal right to refuse them service. “We are hopeful that these judges will understand that…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
Votes of Thousands Who Haven’t Proven Citizenship Could ‘Swing’ Kansas Elections
With the presidential election two months away, a Kansas law requiring voters to show proof of citizenship remains in legal limbo. Late last month, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach asked a U.S. appeals court to reinstate a provision of a law requiring Kansans to prove their citizenship when registering to vote while obtaining driver's…Josh Siegel -
- News
Minnesota Students and Parents File Lawsuit Against Obama’s Bathroom Mandate
A group of students and parents from Minnesota filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the federal government and their school district for allowing a transgender student who was born male but identifies as female into the girls’ locker rooms, showers, and restrooms. The lawsuit is the latest in a series of challenges to the Obama administration’s…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
Connecticut Limits Free Speech Using Campaign Finance Rules
The clash over free speech and campaign finance has erupted in Connecticut, as two Republican state legislators have refused to settle a case with the State Elections Enforcement Commission. Connecticut is one of at least three states that have a “clean campaign” system, in which a candidate collects very small donations of $5 from a…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
How a New California Climate Law Will Strangle Manufacturing
California just hung up a big “Manufacturing Workers Need Not Apply” sign. It took the form of extended, stricter, and even less realistic carbon dioxide regulations. A new California bill extends legislation previously set to expire in 2020 and imposes dramatically deeper emissions cuts for 2030. Under the new measure, California must cut its carbon…David Kreutzer -
- Opinion
In Historic Move, Virginia Legislators File Contempt Motion Against McAuliffe Over Felon Voting
Virginia state legislators have filed a motion with the Virginia Supreme Court asking for an order requiring Gov. Terry McAuliffe to “show cause” why he should not be held in contempt for violating the court’s July 22 order that vacated McAuliffe’s executive orders restoring the voting rights of 206,000 felons. The court ruled that the…Hans von Spakovsky -
- News
How the $12 Million Illinois Medicaid Gave to Dead People Hurt This Family
Jake Chalkey has defied doctors’ expectations. Born with a brain malformation, Jake wasn’t supposed to live past 2 years old. He suffered from life-threatening seizures, which would be his downfall, doctors said, and it took years for medical professionals to formally diagnose the young boy with a condition they didn’t even have a name for….Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
California Legislature Adopts Bill That Would Make It Tougher for Government to Take Your Stuff
The California Senate unanimously approved a landmark civil asset forfeiture reform package last week. If signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, the bill would clamp down on one of the most pernicious practices in civil forfeiture: the bypassing of state law via the controversial federal equitable sharing program. It would also expand the range…Jason Snead -
- News
Facing High Labor Costs From Minimum Wage Hikes, Chicago Restaurant Closes
A Chicago restaurant abruptly closed this week, with ownership blaming the “rapidly changing labor market” and a 27 percent increase in base minimum wage costs over the last two years as culprits for the collapse. Cantina 1910, a farm-to-table Mexican restaurant located in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, opened in September 2015. Former Cantina 1910 employees said…Leah Jessen -
- Opinion
Judges Put Election Reforms in Wisconsin on Hold, Except for Voter ID
On Monday, a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused without comment to stay a Wisconsin district court opinion in One Wisconsin Institute v. Thomsen that threw out changes the state legislature had made in early voting rules as well as other changes such as the residency requirement for new voters….Hans von Spakovsky