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
California Might Replace Gas Sales Tax With Mileage Tax
Your fuel efficient car might be great for the environment, but if you live in California, it might not help you save money much longer. California lawmakers have introduced a plan to replace a sales tax on gasoline with a tax on motorists based on mileage. Under the new plan, drivers would have to log…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
This Federal Government Land Grab Would Permanently Lock Up Millions of Alaska Acres With Energy Potential
What do Yosemite and Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have in common? Not a whole lot, but that isn’t stopping the Obama Administration from linking the two in a massive land grab attempt to prohibit American energy development. The Obama administration is calling on Congress to designate more than 12 million acres in Alaska as…Nicolas Loris -
- News
11 Things Said by GOP White House Hopefuls at the Iowa Freedom Summit
Some of the likeliest Republican candidates for president tried out their messages in front of a mostly friendly crowd at today’s Iowa Freedom Summit. The speakers offered plenty of rhetorical red meat to an audience dominated by conservatives, but also set out to emphasize some policy positions at the gathering in Des Moines sponsored by…Ken McIntyre -
- News
Democrat State Senator: Gun Background Checks Unnecessary in Vermont
An influential Democratic state senator says he’s unlikely to support a bill requiring background checks on gun purchases because he believes the checks are unnecessary and unconstitutional in Vermont. “I need to be convinced that Vermont needs a background check. I doubt it’s necessary,” state Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, told Vermont Watchdog. The statement echoes comments…Bruce Parker -
- News
How Nikki Haley Plans to Make South Carolina More Competitive
The governor of South Carolina has proposed lowering the state’s income tax rate from 7 percent to 5 percent, accompanied by a 10 cent hike in the state’s gas tax. In her annual State of the State address on Wednesday, Gov. Nikki Haley, R-S.C., said the state’s income tax puts it at a competitive “disadvantage.” “In order…Kate Scanlon -
- News
Q&A With Jim DeMint: Iowa Summit a Chance to ‘Shape Debate’ for 2016
A year before Iowa voters decide who they like most for president, a lineup of likely conservative candidates will present themselves in Des Moines to activists from across the state and media from around the country. Organizers bill the sold-out Iowa Freedom Summit as devoted to “how we can get America back on track by…Ken McIntyre -
- News
Washington State Might Hike Legal Smoking Age to 21
Washington state may become the first state to make the legal smoking age the same as the legal drinking age: 21. State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, is behind the new proposal, according to Fox News. In a statement, Ferguson said, “The harmful consequences of tobacco are clear. Smoking kills 8,300 Washingtonians every year,…Ben Smith -
- News
Florida Lawmaker: Obama’s Cuba Deal ‘Great’ for Castro Regime, ‘Bad’ for US
Rep. IIeana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., today criticized what she called President Obama’s “wrong-headed” move to normalize relations with Cuba. As landmark talks for the United States and Cuba to restore diplomatic ties wrapped up today in Havana, Ros-Lehtinen, who is Cuban-American, warned the Obama administration to proceed cautiously. “It’s a bad deal for the United States…Josh Siegel -
- News
What You Need to Know About Joni Ernst, the Iowa Senator Giving the Republican Response to the State of the Union
Joni Ernst, a freshman senator from Iowa who took office just two weeks ago, will have the task of responding to President Obama’s State of the Union tonight. Truly honored to announce that I will be delivering the #GOPAddress to the country following the President's #SOTU. Tune in Tuesday, 1/20. — Joni Ernst (@joniernst) January…Ben Smith -
- News
Ohio Oil Production Sputters, Complicating John Kasich’s Agenda
Ohio’s oil production since 2012 has been far short of state officials’ projections. That’s according to a new report from Opportunity Ohio. Low production plus sharply lower prices could complicate Gov. John Kasich’s plans to pay for a statewide income tax cut by hiking energy taxes, said Matt Mayer, president of the free-market think tank Opportunity Ohio….Jason Hart -
- News
California Has 15 Years to Hit a 50% Renewable Energy Goal. Will It Happen?
California Gov. Jerry Brown has set an ambitious new energy goal: getting the most populous state in the nation to derive 50 percent of its electric power from renewable sources in the space of 15 years. But can it be accomplished? And can it be done without sending electricity bills through the roof? Depends on…Rob Nikolewski -
- News
Hawaii’s Obamacare Exchange Projected to Be Financially Viable in 2022
HONOLULU—The state’s Obamacare exchange, Hawaii Health Connector, is the most costly in the nation, and a new report from the Hawaii Commerce and Consumer Affairs Department shows it won’t be fiscally sustainable until 2022. That’s based on an enrollment of 70,000 to 80,000, said its director, Jeff Kissel.Hawaii Health Connector had about 1,000 people enrolled at this…Malia Zimmerman -
- News
Florida Governor Looks to Poach Jobs From Pennsylvania
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is planning a trip to Philadelphia in February, and he’s hoping to lure some Pennsylvania businesses back south with him. His pitch so far has focused on differences in the states’ existing business tax climates, as well as policies and business mandates from Pennsylvania Gov.-elect Tom Wolf that Scott said would…Andrew Staub -
- Opinion
Washington Needs to Stop Being Clueless About the Internet, Cybersecurity
On Monday, U.S. Central Command lost control of its Twitter and YouTube accounts. It serves as yet another reminder of irresponsible social networking practices by federal agencies. The Internet is used for everything from downloading Taylor Swift to waging war, yet Washington seems hopelessly inept at finding its way in the cyber world. The Central…James Carafano -
- News
Obamacare Limiting Insurance Options in California
When Dennie Wright went to sign up for Affordable Care Act insurance last year, it wasn’t a hard decision. His insurance agent told him he had only one insurer—Anthem Blue Cross—that he could buy from on the exchange, Covered California. Wright lives in a modest house overlooking a pasture in Indian Valley. It’s a tiny alpine…Pauline Bartolone -
- News
Republican’s Plan to Fix No Child Left Behind Fails to ‘Limit Washington Overreach’
Local education needs are being ignored in a proposed rewrite of the federal No Child Left Behind law, an education policy expert says. Association of American Educators member Tracie Happel, a second-grade teacher at Northside Elementary in La Crosse, Wis., which has a high number of students from disadvantaged families, says students from low-income families…Bre Payton -
- News
Illinois Abortion Clinics Inspected an Average of Once Every 9 Years
Abortion is legal but not safe in Illinois, says a pro-life group’s new report. The Illinois Right to Life Committee’s study determined that abortion clinics statewide are inspected on average once every nine years. Forty percent of licensed clinics went between 14 and 17 years without inspections, according to the report. And only one of the federally…Evan Gahr -
- News
Obamacare Health Insurance Startup Collapses in Iowa
It was a heck of a Christmas for David Fairchild and his wife, Clara Peterson. They found out they were about to lose their new health insurance. “Clara was listening to the news on Iowa Public Radio and that’s how we found out,” Fairchild says. They went to their health plan’s website that night. “No…Clay Masters -
- News
Map Reveals Where Americans Moved in 2014 (Hint: It Wasn’t Ohio)
More families moved out of Ohio than moved into the state last year, according to reports from three of the nation’s largest moving companies. While each company’s records show only a small subset of all relocations across state lines, their annual reports offer a glimpse at interstate migration before the release of the U.S. Census…Jason Hart -
- News
IKEA Wants Millions in Tax Incentives for Tennessee Store
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An unelected board of 11 people in this city soon will decide whether to grant $9.5 million in tax incentives to the IKEA corporation. Company officials want to open their first store in Tennessee and are asking city and county officials for that much government assistance through its first 11 years of operation. The…Chris Butler