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
23 Tweets on the Kentucky Clerk Jailed Over Gay Marriage Licenses
On Thursday, a Kentucky county clerk at the center of a national controversy was sent to jail. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that U.S. District Judge David Bunning found Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in contempt of court and sent her to jail for defying his order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. BREAKING: Judge…Kate Scanlon -
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Maryland Police Officer’s Act of Kindness Goes Viral
Thanks to social media, one chivalrous act in Maryland has touched far more people than originally intended. Last Wednesday, Police Corporal Che Atkinson was notified that a woman and her small child were sitting outside the Hyattsville City Police Department in Prince George’s County. According to WUSA9, Atkinson–who has served as a police officer for…Leah Jessen -
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Protests at Missouri School Over Transgender Student Using Girls’ Bathroom
Protests erupted at a Missouri high school on Monday after a transgender student requested permission to use the girls’ restroom. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Lila Perry, a transgender senior at Hillsboro High School, asked for permission from the school to use bathrooms and locker rooms designated for female students. “I wasn’t hurting anyone….Kate Scanlon -
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Thousands Take to New York Streets to Protest Iran Deal
Thousands of protesters poured into Manhattan Tuesday evening to demand, outside Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s New York office, that Congress vote against the Iran nuclear agreement. “Change your vote!” chants reverberated through the crowd after former Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said he was “shocked” and “disappointed” that Gillibrand decided to back the accord last month. “Since the…Natalie Johnson -
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: States, Not Federal Government, Traditionally Regulate Marriage
AUSTIN, Texas—Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says the federal government has no business regulating the issue of marriage. “In the United States Constitution and the amendments there are more than 7,500 words,” Abbott explains to The Daily Signal. “Not a single one of them mentions the word marriage or gives the federal government authority to regulate…David Brody -
- Opinion
Kentucky Clerk Not Issuing Gay Marriage Licenses Causes Uproar. North Carolina Shows Better Way.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling redefining marriage throughout the country, there’s an open question as to what happens to people who believe marriage is the union of husband and wife. Yesterday the Supreme Court declined to review a lower court’s ruling requiring the county clerk of Rowan County, Ky., to issue marriage…Ryan T. Anderson -
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North Dakota Legalizes Weaponized Drones. Is That a Good Idea?
North Dakota just legalized police drones to be outfitted with tasers, pepper spray, and other “non-lethal” weaponry. As the drone debate continues over right to airspace versus right to privacy, the North Dakota bill is the first that moves the devices from a surveillance and reconnaissance tool into a flying weapon, lethal or not. Privacy…Riley Walters -
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A Year After Obama Visits, California Farmer Struggles to Keep His Farm, Fighting Drought, Regulations
Joe Del Bosque has been a farmer for most of his life. He believes that regulations are one reason why he may be losing his farm, his American dream. His farm, which President Barack Obama visited in 2014, has also been severely affected by California’s drought.Jamie Jackson -
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What the New York Times Didn’t Tell You About the Planned Parenthood Video Analysis
The company commissioned by Planned Parenthood to analyze a series of undercover videos played a key role in 2012 to undermine Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. Planned Parenthood hired Washington, D.C.-based Fusion GPS to examine videos released by the Center for Medical Progress over the past two months that have raised questions about the sale of fetal body parts. Fusion GPS’s…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
What We Can Learn From California’s Failed Green Jobs Plan
In the eyes of the Obama administration, California is the gold standard for state energy policy. The feds lavishly laud the Golden State’s aggressive green energy mandates and stringent energy efficiency requirements. But few states have jumped on California’s green energy bandwagon—and with good reason. Exhibit A: The green jobs initiative passed in 2012. Turns…Nicolas Loris -
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Kansas Cut Planned Parenthood’s Funding. Then the Obama Administration Retaliated.
More people are paying attention to Planned Parenthood’s government funding following a series of undercover videos. But the fight over public funding for the abortion giant has been brewing for quite some time and is likely to get more rancorous. Case in point: Kansas. The state legislature and governor successfully moved to divert $300,000 in public funds…Nicholas Fondacaro -
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‘Planned Parenthood Is Flailing’: Bobby Jindal Fights Back After Louisiana Sued for Terminating Medicaid Contract
Planned Parenthood announced it will sue Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal for terminating its Medicaid contract with the state. “Planned Parenthood is flailing,” said Mike Reed, Jindal’s communications director, in a statement to The Daily Signal. “This lawsuit is without merit and the state will aggressively defend our right to cancel the contract.” The lawsuit is…Kate Scanlon -
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ACLU Files Lawsuit to Block School Choice for Nevada Children
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has just filed a lawsuit intended to block students from participating in Nevada’s groundbreaking near-universal education savings account (ESA) option. The ESA option was signed into law this spring by Gov. Brian Sandoval, R-Nev., and began accepting applications a few weeks ago. More than 2,200 parents have already applied…Lindsey Burke -
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Ohio Conservative Builds a Farm Team of Future Leaders
VALLEY VIEW, Ohio—It's the morning after the first Republican presidential debate and Adam Josefczyk is full of energy. Following a late night in Cleveland, the 26-year-old is not wasting any time as he seeks to build a stronger conservative movement in the Buckeye State. Frustrated by the political establishment and career politicians devoid of principles,…Robert B. Bluey -
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Alaska Legislature to Sue Governor Over Unilateral Medicaid Expansion
The Alaska Legislature will sue Gov. Bill Walker in an effort to prevent him from unilaterally expanding Medicaid in the state. Christie Herrera, a senior fellow at The Foundation for Government Accountability, told The Daily Signal in an interview that the lawsuit is about “separation of powers.” “Who holds the power of the purse?” Herrera…Kate Scanlon -
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Home in North Carolina, Mark Meadows Reflects on Move to Oust John Boehner With ‘No Regrets’
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA—The man who made the move to overthrow House Speaker John Boehner is back home now, shaking the hands of war veterans. He grips the hands for so long, it’s like he is holding on for dear life. As much as he is there for them, to reassure the veterans that their benefits…Josh Siegel -
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Michigan Could Keep Its Iran Sanctions Regardless of Washington’s Actions
As Congress spends its August recess deliberating the Iran deal, Michigan has introduced two resolutions this week urging U.S. legislators to oppose the accord. The state House is also moving to preserve its sanctions against Tehran regardless of the agreement’s fate. “Certainly, there are several members of Congress both in the House and the Senate…Natalie Johnson -
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Maine Sign Language Interpreter Has to Pay Nearly $1K in Fees Each Year to Legally Work
Arricka Nowland is no stranger to fees. Fees to renew her certification as an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter in the state of Maine, fees to renew her national certification with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), fees to take required continuing education courses–she’s seen and paid them all. It’s all a part…Madaline Donnelly -
- Opinion
Drunk Driving Is Down in California (Thanks to Uber)
There were only two drunk driving arrests last New Year’s Eve in San Francisco, the lowest it’s been since 2009, according to crime statistics from the San Francisco Police Department given to the Ferenstein Wire. This recent data comes on the heels of a new study revealing that the introduction of Uber’s low-cost service, UberX,…Greg Ferenstein -
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Red-Light Cameras Hit Road Bump in Missouri Court Ruling
Red-light cameras across Missouri were ordered to a stop this week after the state Supreme Court nullified multiple local laws authorizing the programs. The Missouri Supreme Court declared, in one of multiple rulings Tuesday, red-light camera ordinances in Kansas City and St. Peters were invalid because they treated violations as parking tickets and did not…Natalie Johnson