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
Alabama Bill Would Keep Abortion Clinics Far Away From Public Schools
The Alabama House of Representatives has passed legislation that would prevent new abortion facilities from opening near schools. If signed into law, House Bill 527 would prohibit the Alabama Department of Public Health from renewing or granting a license to an abortion facility within 2,000 feet of a public school. The legislation was modeled after…Kate Scanlon -
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Chris Christie Vows to Scrap Common Core in New Jersey
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he will pull the state out of Common Core education standards—increasingly unpopular among parents and teachers alike—in favor of “higher, New Jersey-based standards” to be developed by the end of the year. He has asked the state’s top education official to convene parents, teachers and educators to drive development of…Ken McIntyre -
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Billionaire Environmentalist Pushes New Oil Tax in California
In an effort to combat high gasoline prices in California, billionaire environmentalist activist Tom Steyer is pushing for a state ballot measure to pass an oil severance tax. Steyer, founder of NextGen Climate, announced support for the potential ballot measure earlier this month at the California Democratic Party convention. “I want to understand why Californians…Alex Anderson -
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Conservatives ‘Uncomfortable’ With It, So Nebraska Abolishes the Death Penalty
The Nebraska Legislature has voted to end the death penalty in the state, overriding the governor’s veto. Lawmakers voted 30-19 to abolish capital punishment in Nebraska on Wednesday. Only 30 votes were required to override the veto. The Daily Signal previously reported that Nebraska lawmakers approved legislation that would end capital punishment in the state…Kate Scanlon -
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Maryland Governor Vetoes Forfeiture Reform
Last Friday, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan vetoed State Senate Bill 528, a civil asset forfeiture reform measure that had been passed nearly unanimously by the State Senate. S.B. 528 would have closed the “equitable sharing” loophole that perversely incentivizes Maryland’s law enforcement agencies to circumvent state forfeiture laws for financial gain. Property owners caught up…Jason Snead -
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West Virginia Joins Five Other States in Bailing on Interior Department Mine Regulation Agreement
After watching federal officials with the U.S. Department of the Interior unilaterally rewrite regulatory rules without state input in what was supposed to be a joint venture, West Virginia has joined with five other states to withdraw from a cooperative agreement they say the Interior Department has violated. In 2010, the Interior Department’s Office of…Kevin Mooney -
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After Secret Service Seized $115,000, North Carolina Man Continues Fight for ‘Justice’
On the morning of Sept. 25, 2014, Tom Bednar was sitting in the bedroom of the Raleigh, N.C., home he shared with his wife, Marla, and two sons when Marla entered the room crying. She had just looked at the bank account for their three-decade old business, Marla Enterprises, to find it empty. Now, Capital…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
What Will Drive Illinois to Ask Washington for a Bailout
Earlier this month the Illinois Supreme Court overturned a state law that would help fix the state’s notorious pension crisis. What a tragedy for the state’s taxpayers. The justices basically ruled that the pension arrangements are iron-clad, although these pensions are on a course to bankrupt the state and imperil public services that Illinois families depend…Stephen Moore -
- Opinion
Will of the People Makes a Comeback on Abortion Issue in Tennessee
Two bills have been signed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, a Republican, that could not have passed before voters approved an amendment to the state constitution in last November’s elections. One of the bills requires a 48-hour waiting period between counseling and an abortion, and another puts in place new regulations for abortion clinics as Tennessee…Kerry Hunt -
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Heritage Action to Host Presidential Candidate Forum in South Carolina
Heritage Action for America announced today that it will host a forum for presidential candidates in the early primary state of South Carolina this September. According to Heritage Action, during the forum, candidates who are seeking the Republican nomination will partake in a “wide-ranging” policy discussion and outline their platforms. The candidates participating in the…Kate Scanlon -
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Why Conservatives in Nebraska Want to End the Death Penalty
Nebraska’s legislature has approved legislation that would abolish the death penalty in the state. Lawmakers approved the legislation in a 32-to-15 vote despite the governor’s threat to veto it. Many of the legislature’s senators cited their conservative principles as reason to oppose the death penalty. They called capital punishment bureaucratic and fiscally irresponsible. They also…Kate Scanlon -
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Texas Bill Would Change Process for Minors to Obtain a Court-Ordered Abortion
Legislation that would tighten regulations on how minors go about receiving court-ordered abortions cleared the Texas House of Representatives last week. House Bill 3994, introduced by state Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, amends Texas’ family code to clarify the circumstances in which a minor may obtain permission from a court to receive an abortion without notifying…Kate Scanlon -
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Wisconsin Bill Would Limit Types of Food That Could Be Purchased With Food Stamps
Wisconsin’s State Assembly approved legislation last week that puts in place new rules about what recipients of food stamps may purchase with the benefits. Assembly Bill 177 would limit the types of food that could be purchased with Wisconsin’s food stamp program, FoodShare. In addition to banning the purchase of foods such as lobster with the publicly-funded…Kate Scanlon -
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What Do Millennials Want From Washington? A Panel Examines
Washington, D.C.—“There’s a moment coming where we realize it’s on us, that there’s no one coming to save us, that this is not, ‘the adults are coming to fix things,’” said Rock the Vote President Ashley Spillane, alluding to a not-so-distant 2016 election. “I think that that’s coming … and hopefully we will see a…Madaline Donnelly -
- Opinion
The Dirty Secret of How Washington ‘Balances’ the Budget
For the first time in more than five years, Congress has passed a budget plan. The plan would balance the budget by 2024—but only if Congress were to enact additional enabling legislation that would actually accomplish the savings included in their budget. That’s a huge “if.” This is one of Washington’s dirty secrets. Members of…Romina Boccia -
- Opinion
Cartoon: Washington’s Transportation Spending
Heritage's Michael Sargent wrote about the Highway Transit Fund earlier this week: Transportation funding could hit a dead-end at the end of the month. On May 31, the Highway Trust Fund’s authorization to pay for the nation’s highway and mass transit projects will expire. Even worse, the fund is running a $13 billion cash flow…Glenn Foden -
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Delaware Group Pulls Out of US Chamber Over Claim That Export-Import Bank Helps ‘Small’ Businesses
The founder of a chamber of commerce for small businesses is pushing back against claims from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that the Export-Import Bank helps small businesses—one of the main points supporters of the government agency make. In an interview with The Daily Signal, Bob Older, founder and chief executive of the Delaware Small…Melissa Quinn -
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Federal Government to Return $107,702 Seized From North Carolina Convenience Store Owner
After months of sleepless nights since having more than $107,700 seized by the Internal Revenue Service, L&M Convenience Mart owner Lyndon McLellan learned yesterday the government decided to dismiss the case that lost him his money. “It’s a relief to know that you’re getting something back that’s yours to start with,” McLellan told The Daily…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
Washington Is Mismanaging Your Gas Tax Dollars. Here’s Why States Should Have Control.
Transportation funding could hit a dead-end at the end of the month. On May 31, the Highway Trust Fund’s authorization to pay for the nation’s highway and mass transit projects will expire. Even worse, the fund is running a $13 billion cash flow deficit this year and is expected to exhaust all its money sometime…Michael Sargent -
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The IRS Seized $107,000 From This North Carolina Man’s Bank Account
For most of his life, Lyndon McLellan has been in the business of country stores—the types of stores where the employees know customers’ names by heart and workers remain loyal for years and years. His parents owned a general store and grill, and McLellan began helping out there at the ripe old age of 9….Melissa Quinn