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
Ohio Bill Would Roll Back DEI in State’s Public Colleges and Universities
Ohio college students should thank Jerry Cirino. The Republican state senator has written a bill designed to spare those students instruction in the type of sordid thinking that sees all of life in terms of group power dynamics, cancels opposing views, preaches color consciousness, and discourages merit. In other words, Cirino wants to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion, or…Mike Gonzalez -
- News
EXCLUSIVE: Maine School Board Asks Church What It Believes About Marriage, Abortion, Gender Before Denying Lease
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A Maine church that outgrew its meeting space applied with the local school board to lease space at a high school for worship services, but the school board appeared to apply a religious test to the church and negotiations fell through. Now, the church is suing. "Public institutions that seek to…Tyler O’Neil -
- Opinion
Texas Bill Prohibiting Sexually Explicit Content in Public Schools Heads to Governor’s Desk
A bipartisan bill banning sexually explicit content in public school libraries has passed the Texas Senate and is on its way to the governor’s desk. HB 900, dubbed The READER Act, specifies what “sexual content” is and prescribes actions by Texas public schools to ensure that children aren’t given access to pornographic, sexually explicit, or…Tony Kinnett -
- Opinion
How Blacks’ Experience in Idaho Differs From National Narrative
A remarkable study highlights a barely known exception to the generally accepted truism that black Americans’ poverty and unemployment rates are considerably higher than those of whites. Idaho is the only state in the nation where blacks earn more than whites, and their income also tops that of all other races and ethnic groups, according…Arthur Goldberg -
- News
Tennessee to Send 100 National Guard Troops to Southern Border
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is sending 100 National Guard troops to Texas to help secure the southern border. Lee made the announcement late Wednesday night, two days after he and eight other Republican governors met with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in Austin, Texas, to discuss how states can support Operation Lone Star and work together…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
Kentucky Democrat Who Lost Bid to Unseat McConnell Fined $10K for Ethics Violations
The Executive Branch Ethics Commission of Kentucky has finally completed its investigation of Democrat Alison Grimes, a former secretary of state who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Senate against Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2014. The commission, in a unanimous vote, has fined her $10,000 for abusing “her position and influence” to provide 18 Democratic candidates…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
Texas Set to Give Boot to Leftist DEI Offices at Public College Campuses
Texas may soon become the second state to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from public colleges. In early May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation to prevent colleges and universities there from using federal or state funds on DEI programs. Like on many other issues, Florida and DeSantis have demonstrated that just a few…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Nebraska Enacts Bill Protecting Minors From Gender Transitions, Unborn After 12 Weeks
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, signed a combination bill Monday protecting minors from gender transitions and protecting unborn babies after 12 weeks’ gestation. The measure provoked several extremely pro-trans Democratic senators to engage in an unprecedented filibuster of the entire legislative session and barrage the bill with unserious procedural motions designed to bog the process down. “Protecting our…Joshua Arnold -
- News
‘Your Life Is Not Valued’: NAACP President Doubles Down on Florida Travel Warning
NAACP President Derrick Johnson doubled down on the organization’s travel warning about Florida during a Monday CNN appearance. “Well, the governor has perfected the art of doing stunts to gain campaign contributions. Unfortunately, this will impact people’s lives,” Johnson told “CNN This Morning” co-host Sara Sidner, citing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, as a…Harold Hutchison -
- Opinion
Gun Control Advocates Claim Initial Victory in Illinois, but Here’s Why They’ll Likely Lose the War
The Supreme Court declined to intervene Wednesday in an important Second Amendment case challenging Illinois’ new restrictions on gun owners. But no, it’s not time to panic. The battle isn’t over. Not even close. Earlier this year, Illinois enacted a law prohibiting civilian sales or transfers of many types of commonly owned semiautomatic rifles, based…Amy Swearer -
- News
Pornographic Books Found in Texas School Libraries Result in Bipartisan Action to Remove Them
Warning: This report contains sexually graphic images from commonly available books in school libraries, which The Daily Signal has obscured in part. A bill that has passed the Texas House with bipartisan support could become the model for ensuring public school libraries don’t provide sexual content to children. HB 900, sponsored by four Republicans and…Tony Kinnett -
- News
Pro-Life Groups Challenge Trump’s Suggestion That Florida’s Heartbeat Ban Is ‘Too Harsh’
Pro-life groups are pushing back against former President Donald Trump’s claim that the movement against abortion finds Florida’s new pro-life legislation “too harsh.” “The pro-life movement demands a presidential candidate who will boldly advocate for the human rights of all people,” Noah Brandt, vice president of communications at Live Action, told The Daily Signal. “It…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- News
Every State Is a Border State: How the Migrant Crisis Impacts Wisconsin, Alabama, Virginia
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Republicans in the House of Representatives voted Thursday to pass HR 2, a massive border bill. Many of them who represent states far removed geographically from the border told The Daily Signal how the crisis is impacting their states. “We have had a rash of fentanyl overdoses in the 3rd Congressional District in the…Tyler O’Neil -
- News
Texas on the Verge of Allowing Chaplains in Public Schools
A bill allowing chaplains in schools passed the Texas Legislature Tuesday evening after the state’s House of Representatives voted largely along party lines, according to Religion News Service. House Bill 3614 was introduced by Republican state Rep. Cole Hefner in March and if signed into law would allow schools to “employ or accept as volunteers chaplains,” according…Kate Anderson -
- News
Alabama Senator Blasts Lloyd Austin: ‘Most Political Secretary of Defense We’ve Ever Seen’
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., once again stymied his Democrat colleagues from approving nearly 200 promotions for military generals and flag officers—while also picking up an ally in his ongoing dispute with the Pentagon over its new abortion policy. The latest standoff took place Wednesday evening when Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., asked for unanimous consent to…Rob Bluey -
- News
Woke Capitalism Threatens US National Security, Alabama Attorney General Says
Left-wing environmental, social, and governance policies in corporate America are “a clear and present danger to consumers and to our democracy,” according to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. “An unelected cabal of global elites is using ESG to hijack our capitalist system, capture corporations, and threaten hard-earned dollars of American workers,” Marshall, a Republican, said…Samantha Aschieris -
- Opinion
Eager Publicists for Racial Reparations in California
How insanely radical and unjust can blue states get? California’s nine-member Reparations Task Force voted May 6 to recommend that state lawmakers provide billions of dollars in compensation payments to black residents, along with a formal apology for slavery. Why should an 18-year-old white person—or a freshly minted migrant—pay taxes through the nose to atone…Tim Graham -
- Opinion
DeSantis Signs 4 of Largest Reforms of Public Education in Florida History
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed four landmark pieces of education legislation Tuesday that seek to “empower teachers,” protect schools from the harmful effects of social media, expand student scholarships, and authorize one standardized test as an alternative to two others. DeSantis’ office has dubbed the package of four bills the “Teachers Bill of…Tony Kinnett -
- News
‘Model for Rest of the Country’: South Dakota History Standards Scrap Critical Race Theory, Build on Hillsdale Foundation
While much of the cultural debate about education centers on school libraries removing sexually explicit books, South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem's team has been hard at work crafting new K-12 history and social studies standards that her chief of staff calls a "model for the rest of the country." Noem rejected an earlier effort…Tyler O’Neil -
- News
Smirnoff Drag Queen Partner Flashes Bystanders at Texas Capitol
After Bud Light’s “ill-fated marketing campaign” that featured a transgender woman, it appears that Smirnoff, a brand of vodka produced by the British company Diageo, has made a failed attempt to keep its partnership with Texan drag queen and transgender-identifying woman Maxine St. James LaQueene quiet. In September 2022, LaQueene expressed his excitement in joining Smirnoff’s “Show…Abigail Olsson