Category: State Watch

What comes next for Mississippi’s Jackson court bill

The Mississippi legislation that critics have slammed as a “Jim Crow” bill has taken a turn after the state Senate passed it Tuesday with a couple of amendments that would both expand its scope and maintain a level of city government jurisdiction over Jackson. City leaders and Democrats serving in the state legislature have fumed recently as the state House last month passed House Bill…

Kentucky Senate advances bill to limit drag performances

The Kentucky Senate passed a bill that would ban drag performances on public property or in front of children, sending the legislation to the state House.  The bill passed the Senate by a 26-6 vote along party lines with one senator abstaining. Both the state Senate and House have Republican supermajorities.  The legislation would prohibit any individual in the state from engaging in an “adult…

Youngkin defends transgender policies, executive order on ‘critical race theory’ at CNN town hall

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) defended his “model policies” on transgender students and his executive order banning “critical race theory” from public school education at a CNN town hall on Thursday. Youngkin, who has fueled rumors of a potential 2024 presidential bid, has continued to emphasize education and “parents’ rights” during his first two years in the governor’s mansion after the issues helped boost him…

Republican NY lawmakers introduce legislation to prevent House members from profiting off fraud

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A group of Republican lawmakers wants to prohibit fellow members in the House of Representatives who are found guilty of financial or campaign finance fraud from profiting off their fabrications. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) introduced legislation, taking aim at Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.). “This legislation is about ensuring that elected officials who break the public’s trust are held accountable for their wrongdoings,”…

Florida street named after Ketanji Brown Jackson: ‘This is where I got my start’

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson spoke at a ceremony Monday celebrating the renaming of a street in her home of Miami-Dade County in her honor, according to multiple reports. During the Monday ceremony, Brown reflected on the road she took to becoming the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court. “I hope that this street naming will also serve as a testament to…

Nevada Democrats oust incumbent, elect ‘unity’ candidate as party chair

Nevada Democrats ousted incumbent party chair Judith Whitmer in favor of moderate state assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno on Saturday, following several years of turmoil within the state party.  Monroe-Moreno was elected as the first black female chair of the Nevada Democratic Party in a 314-99 vote, along with her slate of fellow “unity” candidates, according to The Nevada Independent.  “Thank you, Nevada Democrats! This victory belongs to all of…

As EPA begins work on East Palestine cleanup, some states feel blindsided by waste disposal

One month after the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, the Environmental Protection Agency-led cleanup is underway — but officials in other states have questioned the waste disposal plans. A number of hazardous chemicals were spilled in the derailment, most notably vinyl chloride, a carcinogenic compound used in production of plastics. The EPA announced on Feb. 21 it would take…

Alex Murdaugh found guilty in the killing of wife, son

A jury found Alex Murdaugh guilty of killing his wife and son on Thursday after just a few hours of deliberation. Murdaugh was a prominent attorney who hailed from a historic, well-known South Carolina family with multiple members working in the law, but he has fallen from grace in recent years following allegations that he killed his wife and son and committed financial crimes against…

Union rep: Employees reporting illness after working on cleanup for East Palestine derailment

Workers that aided in the cleanup of the train derailment in Ohio have experienced lingering migraines and nausea, according to a union representative for workers that build and maintain railways for Norfolk Southern. Jonathan Long, a union representative for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said in a Wednesday letter to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) that…

Nevada Democratic Party chair was convicted on a felony theft charge in the 1990s

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party is a felon convicted of grand theft in the 1990s who was once ordered not to handle money at work without a probation officer’s approval, according to documents obtained by KLAS. Judith Whitmer was elected party chair in 2021. In 1996, authorities in Seminole County, Florida, charged Whitmer, then 40 years old and…

House holds moment of silence to honor victims of Michigan State shooting

House lawmakers held a moment of silence in the chamber on Monday to honor the victims of this month’s shooting at Michigan State University. Three students were killed and five others were injured when a gunman opened fire at two locations on the Michigan State campus in East Lansing on Feb. 13. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), whose district includes the university’s campus, led Monday’s moment…

3 killed, including child and journalist, in Florida shootings; suspect in custody

A string of shootings in central Florida on Wednesday left three people useless, including a 9-year-old lady and a journalist, in accordance with police, who say they have arrested a suspect. The shootings in Orange County, Fla., occurred over the course of plenty of hours on Wednesday. The first capturing, which occurred round 11 a.m., killed a lady in her 20s after she was allegedly…

Brittney Griner officially re-signs with Phoenix Mercury: ‘So good to be back’

WNBA star Brittney Griner has officially re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury for the upcoming season, after spending 10 months detained in Russia last year.  The franchise made the announcement of Griner’s return, which was first leaked over the weekend, in a information release on Tuesday. A source shut to Griner confirmed to The Hill on Monday that the 32-year-old middle, thought-about a free agent, re-signed…

Trump ally Zeldin appears with DeSantis at New York law enforcement event

Ex-Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), an ally of Donald Trump’s who lost New York’s gubernatorial race against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) in November, on Monday introduced the previous president’s potential prime 2024 opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), throughout an event chatting with law enforcement in New York. “Right now the state of Florida has an exceptional governor who has spent years now taking this state…

Project would pipe water from Mexico to parched Arizona — if anyone can agree on it

As arid Arizona scrambles to quench the thirst of a quickly increasing inhabitants, officers are eying the Sonoran seaside in Mexico as a possible wellspring for future demand.  But whether or not the Mexican state and federal governments would be on board with the association — and the hefty infrastructure such a mission would require — stays to be seen.  “I am going to defend the…

Thousands of Starbucks vanilla Frappuccino drinks recalled

More than 300,000 Starbucks vanilla Frappuccino drinks have been recalled on account of glass being discovered in some bottles, in response to a discover from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to an FDA discover, more than 25,000 instances of the 13.7-ounce glasses of the Frappuccino drinks had been recalled, with 12 bottles per case. The company noted that PepsiCo, which produces and distributes…

1 lifeless, 10 injured in Memphis shootings

One particular person was killed and 10 more have been injured on Sunday in two Memphis, Tenn.,  shootings authorities consider to be linked, police say.  Memphis Police Department officers responded to an incident at Memphis nightclub the Live Lounge shortly after midnight, the place two capturing victims have been discovered in crucial situation and 5 others have been discovered with non-critical accidents, in response to…

Norfolk Southern CEO visits East Palestine derailment site ‘to support the community’

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw made a quick go to to East Palestine, Ohio, on Saturday amid heavy criticism about the firm’s response to the prepare derailment earlier this month that prompted space evacuations, in addition to health and environmental considerations. Shaw said he was there ” to support the community,” however declined further remark, in accordance with Fox News. The journey comes in gentle…

Ohio governor says FEMA will provide resources to East Palestine

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will deploy federal resources to the positioning of a prepare derailment in Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced Friday night after saying earlier this week that the company had deemed the state ineligible. “FEMA and the State of Ohio have been in constant contact regarding emergency operations in East Palestine. U.S. EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] and Ohio EPA have been…

MSU professor recalls taking pictures: ‘The images are very vivid and clear in my head’

A Michigan State University professor recalled the chilling and grotesque particulars of the shooting at the university that took the lives of three college students and loved a number of others earlier this week, saying “the images are very vivid and clear in my head.” Marco Díaz-Muñoz, whose classroom was the first focused by the gunman, was educating a class on the Lansing, Michigan, campus…

Arizona court rejects Kari Lake’s claim she won governor’s race, citing no evidence

A state court has rejected one other considered one of Kari Lake’s authorized challenges relating to her loss to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) in the midterm elections — with the judge discovering no evidence to help the Republican’s claim that she won. Thursday’s rejection is the second ruling against the previous gubernatorial candidate’s effort to show her victory. “Lake’s arguments highlight Election Day difficulties,…

1 killed, 3 injured in shooting at mall in El Paso

One individual died and three people had been injured in a shooting at a mall in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday evening, police said. One individual was in custody after the shooting at the Cielo Vista Mall, whereas one individual which will have been concerned in the shooting has but to be detained, however police provided no description of the potential excellent suspect. “We don’t…

Court to reconsider lawsuit against policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in Connecticut

A federal appeals court docket on Monday said it will reconsider a lawsuit that questioned Connecticut’s policy allowing transgender athletes to compete there. The 2nd U.S. Circuit of Appeals announced Monday {that a} majority of the judges agreed to rehear the case, which was first brought to a panel of three judges last September by the conservative authorized group the Alliance Defending Freedom, which alleges…

Virginia lawmakers pass college threat assessment legislation three months after deadly UVA shooting

Three months after the deadly shooting on the University of Virginia (UVA), the state’s General Assembly handed college threat assessment legislation meant to assist stop future violence. Three pupil athletes have been killed in the shooting at UVA in Charlottesville on Nov. 13, and an additional two college students have been injured. Fellow pupil Christopher Jones was arrested the next day and charged with three…

Pence group launching grassroots Iowa effort targeting school transgender policies

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s political advocacy group is launching a spherical of adverts in Iowa pushing back against transgender-affirming policies in colleges, Pence’s newest outreach in the early voting state as he mulls a 2024 presidential bid. Advancing American Freedom, a group shaped in 2021 by Pence to advertise his agenda, announced Thursday a “grassroots campaign” targeted on mother and father rights. “The strength…

No more drop boxes in South Dakota elections, House proposes

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Drop boxes for receiving absentee election ballots can be unlawful under a proposal shifting ahead in the South Dakota Legislature. The state House of Representatives voted 57-11 on Tuesday to advance the invoice. HB-1165 now heads to the Senate for further consideration. South Dakota counties have taken varied approaches on drop boxes in current elections. The laws would uniformly ban their…

Lawmakers forming bipartisan Colorado River caucus

As Colorado River basin states battle to return to an settlement over proposed cutbacks to water consumption, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is pushing to judge the problem. An casual group launched by Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) has now expanded to incorporate senators representing the seven Colorado River basin states: California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. Details concerning the caucus have…

DeSantis wants a ‘core curriculum.’ That idea is college kryptonite.

Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor and a potential Republican presidential prospect, says he wants to mandate a “core curriculum” in public universities as a manner to make sure younger Floridians are grounded in Western civilization.  To the nation’s increased schooling leaders, that idea is political kryptonite.  Proponents of the core curriculum say each scholar ought to emerge from college with a core of human data: not…

Prospects rise for NY charges against Trump in Stormy Daniels case

New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s newest strikes counsel prosecutors are nearing a call about charging former President Trump in reference to a $130,000 hush fee to grownup movie star Stormy Daniels earlier than the 2016 presidential election.  The Manhattan district lawyer’s workplace this week escalated the fight by empaneling another grand jury in the case and presenting witnesses.   Legal specialists and a former colleague of Bragg’s…

Severe weather in Texas forces postponement of NBA game in Detroit

The NBA announced its Wednesday night time contest between the Washington Wizards and the Detroit Pistons had been postponed on account of inclement weather in the Texas space, leaving the Pistons’ group stranded.  “Due to severe weather conditions in the Dallas area, the Pistons have been unable to fly back to Detroit after their game on Monday at American Airlines Center,” the league said in…