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
Kentucky Lawmakers Override Governor, Expel School Mask Mandate
Kentucky’s Republican Legislature overrode the state’s Democratic governor late Thursday and repealed a statewide public school mask mandate. The move, reported by the Louisville Courier Journal, came on the final day of a special session called by Gov. Andy Beshear. The mask mandate was repealed as cases in the state increased for the 10th straight week, and…Andrew Trunsky -
- Opinion
Never Forget: A New York Firefighter Shares His 9/11 Stories
Sept. 11, 2001, is a date that looms large in the American psyche. For many of us, the horrific images on TV of burning and collapsing towers, civilians jumping to their deaths, and endless seas of rubble are forever etched in memory. But for Americans born after 9/11, it can be difficult to fully comprehend…Douglas Blair -
- News
Watchdog: ‘Unknown’ Ballots in Georgia, Pennsylvania Surpass Biden’s Margin of Victory There
Georgia and Pennsylvania, two of the most closely contested states in last year’s presidential election, both logged a high number of unaccounted-for mail-in ballots, according to new reports from an election watchdog group. The Public Interest Legal Foundation determined this week that Pennsylvania had 15,175 undeliverable mail-in ballots and 425,606 “unknown” or unaccounted-for ballots. Another…Fred Lucas -
- News
Justice Department Sues Texas Over ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Law
President Joe Biden’s administration is suing Texas over the state’s new Heartbeat Act, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday. “The Department of Justice has a duty to defend the Constitution of the United States and to uphold the rule of law,” Garland said. “Today we fulfill that duty by filing the lawsuit I have just…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- Opinion
Don’t Fall for Biden’s Rhetoric on Texas. He Is Not the Advocate of Women He Claims to Be.
President Joe Biden recently called the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow Texas’ six-week abortion ban to remain in effect “an unprecedented assault on women’s constitutional rights.” Biden went on to say that he is prepared to react to “assaults on women’s rights” during his presidency. Unfortunately, the president’s track record makes it abundantly clear…Mary Szoch -
- News
Governor Restricts Use of Abortion Drugs in South Dakota
Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican, signed an executive order Tuesday restricting the use of abortion drugs in South Dakota. “The Biden administration is continuing to overstep its authority and suppress legislatures that are standing up for the unborn to pass strong pro-life laws,” Noem said in a statement. “They are working right now to make it…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- News
New York Times Story on Biden Budget Says Life Begins at Conception
A New York Times news story on President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion budget repeatedly refers to life beginning at conception. “From Cradle to Grave, Democrats Move to Expand Social Safety Net,” a Times headline published Monday reads, accompanied by this subhead: “The $3.5 trillion social policy bill that lawmakers begin drafting this week would touch virtually…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- News
How These Tech Companies Resist Texas’ New Abortion Law
Several major tech companies have taken action against Texas's new pro-life law by taking down pro-life websites and funding out-of-state abortions. The Texas Heartbeat Act, which went into effect Sept. 1 and also is known as SB 8, prohibits abortions after the unborn baby’s heartbeat is detectable, with exceptions for medical emergencies. The new Texas law includes…Ailan Evans -
- Opinion
Fight Over Texas Abortion Ban Reflects Semantics, Societal Decline
In the matter of a new Texas law banning abortions six weeks after gestation, when a fetal heartbeat can usually be detected by vaginal ultrasound, suppose the headlines had been different? Instead of words like “most restrictive in nation” (The Wall Street Journal) and “Supreme Court refuses to block Texas law” (The Washington Post), along…Cal Thomas -
- News
Florida Counties Return Unused Zuckerberg Election Funds
Florida counties that received money from a nonprofit financed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg either have paid back or are in the process of paying back all funds that weren’t spent during the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election. The move is in compliance with a new Florida law that restricts private money from funding…Fred Lucas -
- News
Texas Governor Signs Election Reforms Into Law Over Liberals’ Objections
Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday signed Texas’ election reform bill into law, ending a monthslong political fight over the controversial legislation. Abbott, a Republican, traveled to Tyler, Texas, to sign SB 1, which repeals many of the voting measures that large cities in the state implemented amid the pandemic and overhauls the state’s mail-in voting and…Andrew Trunsky -
- News
Video Game CEO Ousted After Expressing Support for Texas Heartbeat Law
The head of a video game studio stepped down Monday evening after speaking out in support of the Texas Heartbeat Act on Saturday. John Gibson left his position as chief executive of Tripwire Interactive following a Saturday tweet in which he voiced his approval of the Texas Heartbeat Act, a law banning abortions after the unborn baby’s heartbeat…Ailan Evans -
- News
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Move to Block Newly Cleared Climate Regulations
No sooner did a Pennsylvania state commission narrowly approve new climate regulations this week than state lawmakers advanced a resolution to prevent those rules from taking effect. The five-member Independent Regulatory Review Commission voted 3-2 on Wednesday to approve “cap and trade” regulations to limit carbon dioxide emissions, endorsed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a…Kevin Mooney -
- News
Florida Set to Levy $5K Fines Against Businesses Requiring Proof of Vaccination
The Florida Department of Health will start fining businesses $5,000 for violating the state’s ban on vaccine passports. The state agency’s rule, “Penalties for COVID-19 Vaccine Documentation Requirements,” says it will impose the fine on “any business entity, governmental entity, or educational institution.” The $5,000 fine will apply “per individual and separate violation,” and must be…Sebastian Hughes -
- Opinion
Texas Gets Election Reform Right, ‘Mainstream’ Media Gets It Wrong
The Texas Legislature passed the state’s election reform package, SB 1, designed to protect voters by fixing vulnerabilities in the registration and election system. This happened only when Democrats finally returned to the state after fleeing to the nation’s capital in May to avoid the special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott. This bill’s biased…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
Texas Heartbeat Law Is Now in Effect. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Americans in many states support significant restrictions on abortion. Accordingly, policymakers are working across the country to enact policies that reflect this consensus, rooted in the understanding that life is our most basic human freedom and should be protected in public policy. A recently enacted Texas law that restricts most abortions after a fetal heartbeat…Melanie Israel -
- News
Biden Vows ‘Whole of Government’ Response to Texas Pro-Life Law
President Joe Biden condemned a ruling by the Supreme Court on Texas’ Heartbeat Act on Thursday, saying the court’s decision “insults the rule of law.” The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 late Wednesday night to deny abortion providers’ requests for injunctive relief against Texas’ new law banning abortion after six weeks. The president weighed in on the ruling Thursday morning,…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- Opinion
‘It Feels Like the School Board Is Dividing Us,’ Virginia Mom Says
A Virginia suburb 45 minutes west of the nation’s capital has captured national attention because parents and teachers are resisting a school board that has pushed woke ideas such as critical race theory and gender ideology in the classroom. Shawntel Cooper is one of those Loudoun County parents who decided to take action. In May,…Douglas Blair -
- News
Texas Targets Social Media Titans Over Viewpoint Censorship
The Texas state Senate passed a bill Tuesday that aims to curb perceived political censorship by social media companies. The bill, introduced by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, would prohibit social media platforms from “censoring” users based on their viewpoints. “Censoring” includes actions such as removing content, banning users, demonetizing users, and suppressing posts, according to the bill. Users…Ailan Evans -
- News
Supreme Court Takes No Action, Texas Abortion Ban Goes Into Effect
Texas’ highly disputed abortion ban went into effect early Wednesday morning, uninhibited by any action from the U.S. Supreme Court. Abortion providers had filed emergency requests to block the enforcement of the Heartbeat Act (SB 8), which bans abortions after the unborn baby's heartbeat can be detected. The Supreme Court did not intervene, though it still may do so. “It’s…Mary Margaret Olohan