State Politics & News
Coverage of state politics, elections, and conservative policy battles across all 50 states shaping America’s future.
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- News
Ohio Senate Approves Bill Defunding Planned Parenthood
In a 22-8 vote Wednesday afternoon, the Ohio Senate passed legislation defunding Planned Parenthood and other providers of abortions that are not medically necessary. The bill from the Ohio House, amended by the Senate in the morning, cuts an estimated $1.3 million from Planned Parenthood and directs the funds to approved health care providers that don’t perform…Kristiana Mork -
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West Virginia Turns to Prayer as Obama’s ‘Clean Power’ Looms
CHARLESTON, W.Va.—There’s little separation between church and the fossil fuel industry in West Virginia’s coal country. Still reeling from recent mine shutdowns, the state legislature has set aside Jan. 31 as a “day of prayer for coal miners.” “We need a higher power to change the hearts and minds of those who want to destroy…Philip Wegmann -
- Opinion
How Oklahoma Is Looking to Reform Police Seizures
Last week, State Senator Kyle Loveless, R-Oklahoma City, introduced the latest version of the Personal Asset Protection Act, a sweeping overhaul of Oklahoma’s civil asset forfeiture laws. Civil forfeiture is the legal tool that enables law enforcement authorities to seize cash and property, often on the mere suspicion that it was involved in, or the…Jason Snead -
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How Michigan and Ohio Made It Harder to Accidentally Break the Law
The Criminal Justice Committee was always an odd fit for Rep. Ed McBroom, a state lawmaker and dairy farmer representing a rural area of Michigan. During his last term on the committee, McBroom, a Republican, was schooled on a criminal justice topic he had never heard of before, but on this one, few could blame…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
How The Washington Post Got Virginia’s Voter ID Law Wrong
Virginia provides an excellent example of how the photo ID battle has been waged in state legislatures and reported (poorly) by the media. Opponents of voter ID laws began a campaign immediately upon the introduction of the photo ID bill in Virginia and were given a huge assist by The Washington Post, which on the eve…Don Palmer -
- Opinion
How Florida Created 1 Million Jobs in 5 Years
Gov. Rick Scott had a lot of good news to share with the Florida legislature at his State of the State address on Jan. 12. Considering what Florida’s economy looked like when Scott took office, this was surprising. In 2011, when Scott was sworn in, Florida’s economy was in terrible shape. With over 900,000 jobs…Timothy Doescher -
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How Unions Hope to Win a $15 Minimum Wage in California
Labor unions are pushing to raise California’s minimum wage to $15 an hour with two initiatives competing for voters’ approval. Two different unions are trying to get questions on the ballot for Californians to have a say on a $15 minimum wage. “One in four Californians is living in poverty because wages are too low to…Leah Jessen -
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Texas Grand Jury Indicts 2 Undercover Filmmakers Who Exposed Planned Parenthood
A grand jury in Houston indicted two undercover filmmakers who exposed Planned Parenthood’s alleged sale of aborted baby body parts in a series of videos last summer. The news came late Monday in an investigation requested by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick after the videos surfaced. BREAKING: Harris County grand jury clears Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast…Robert B. Bluey -
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Utah Plan Would Reduce How Much Land the Federal Government Controls
Lawmakers from Utah are backing a public lands bill they say will scale back roughly 660 million acres owned by the federal government to balance conservation with economic development in their state. The Utah Public Lands Initiative encompasses 18 million acres of federal land in Utah and includes provisions to expand Arches National Park, designate acreage…Natalie Johnson -
- Opinion
California Joins the Effort to Persecute, Suppress Scientific Dissent on Climate Change
California Attorney General Kamala Harris has joined New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in trying to prosecute ExxonMobil for supposedly lying to its shareholders and the public about climate change, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Times reported that Harris is investigating what ExxonMobil “knew about global warming and what the company told investors.”…Hans von Spakovsky -
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Wisconsin Farmers Seek End to Ban on Sales of Home-Baked Goods
Three Wisconsin farmers have filed a lawsuit against their state’s agriculture agency to overturn a ban on the sale of homemade baked goods. Erica Smith, a lawyer with the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm representing the farmers, told The Daily Signal that she sees the lawsuit as a way to “raise awareness in…Mariana Barillas -
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Kansas Governor to End State Planned Parenthood Funding
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback announced he intends to terminate state Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood. Kansas will be joining seven other states that have taken action to prevent the nation’s largest abortion provider from receiving taxpayer dollars. “Ensuring the health and safety of Kansans means protecting all Kansans at every stage of life,” Brownback, a…Mariana Barillas -
- News
Indiana Ponders Revoking Business Licenses From Employers Who Hire Illegal Immigrants
Indiana may crack down soon on employers who hire illegal immigrants, under a new bill that would prohibit those convicted of doing so from practicing business in the state. The legislation, announced in the Indiana General Assembly last week, would enable judges to revoke business licenses from employers who repeatedly and “knowingly” hire illegal immigrants. State Sen. Mike Delph,…Natalie Johnson -
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Meet the California Teacher Taking On the Unions
For teachers standing in the cold outside the Supreme Court on Monday, as well as thousands of educators across the country, California teacher Rebecca Friedrichs is mounting a battle that could change the power of public-sector unions. In the Supreme Court case Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association that went before the nine justices today, Friedrichs is…Melissa Quinn -
- News
California Teachers Gear Up to Take Fight Against Unions to Supreme Court
On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. Rebecca Friedrichs and nine other teachers are calling into question the agency fees that public-sector workers are required to pay to unions, which they say violate their First Amendment rights. If the Supreme Court rules in Friedrichs’ favor,…Melissa Quinn -
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Conservatives Hoping to Reduce Prison Terms Say Oregon Ranchers Are a Reason Why
Conservatives pushing for easing mandatory minimum prison sentences are using an unlikely selling point to their instinctively tough-on-crime colleagues: the story of Oregon ranchers whose terms of incarceration sparked the armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge. Federal law required ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond to be given five years in prison for starting fires…Josh Siegel -
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Conservatives Agree Standoff in Oregon Elevates Debate on Federal Land Ownership
As protesters continue to engage in a standoff against the government at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, conservatives agree the events have elevated the debate over federal land ownership. But lawmakers stop short of endorsing the actions of the protesters occupying a federal building located south of Burns, Ore. “It’s brought attention to a problem…Melissa Quinn -
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In New York, You Could Be Fined $250K for Failing to Use a Transgender Person’s ‘Preferred’ Pronoun
Raising the bar for other cities throughout the country, New York City announced “strong” and “bold” protections for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. The new legal guidance, issued Dec. 21 by the New York City Commission on Human Rights, came as part of an expansion of the city’s 2002 Human Rights Law, which protects against discrimination…Kelsey Bolar -
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Franklin Graham at Iowa Prayer Rally: ‘America Needs the Christian Vote’
DES MOINES, Iowa—Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed for what he called America's needs during a rally he led from the steps of the Iowa State Capitol. “Right now we need to get godly men and women to vote and to run for office,” Graham said. “Your vote counts. America needs the Christian vote.” Graham, the eldest…Leah Jessen -
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22 Tweets About the Occupiers of the Oregon Wildlife Refuge
As armed, anti-government protesters continued to occupy a remote wildlife refuge in Oregon, Twitter had no shortage of commentators assessing the situation. “If you’re occupying with guns, it’s terrorism,” one observer tweeted. “Unless you’re left-wing, then it’s ‘social justice,’” another offered. The group, called Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, said it was protesting to protect land rights and oppose the…Leah Jessen