0:00
News Story
- Business of Government
- Economy
- Education
- Energy and Environment
- Federal Impact
- Gambling
- Health
- Justice
- Labor
- Social Issues
Editor’s Picks From Around the Web
CA: First estimate places damage from California wildfires at $2 billion
The staggering estimate of this year’s Butte and Valley wildfires places them among the most costly in California’s history. Although home insurance will cover all but $800 million of the losses, the fires have still dealt an economic blow to the rural areas affected by them.
NV: Nevada regulators order daily fantasy sports sites to close
State gaming regulators said unlicensed daily fantasy sports websites, such as DraftKings and FanDuel, constitute sports wagering and banned them from operating in Nevada.
VA: Virginia governor bans guns in state offices
Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe ordered a ban on guns in most state office buildings and took executive action to bolster the prosecution of illegal gun sales in Virginia.
DE: Delaware attorney general seeks sentencing reforms
Democratic Attorney General Matt Denn proposed a series of changes in Delaware’s criminal justice system, which he said would be fairer to some nonviolent and repeat offenders. He also proposed investing in law enforcement and drug treatment, changing how juveniles are treated and closing loopholes in gun crime laws.
ME: Marijuana CEO: Maine can be leader in legal recreational pot business
Maine is poised to be a leader in the recreational marijuana business because of its success with medical cannabis, said Patricia Rosi, CEO of the state’s largest medical marijuana dispensary group. She said cannabis is the fastest growing industry in the U.S., with an economic impact of up to $11.1 billion this year.
UT: Utah ordered to continue payments to Planned Parenthood
A federal judge ordered Utah to keep sending money to the local arm of Planned Parenthood amid a lawsuit over Republican Gov. Gary Herbert’s decision to defund the organization — at least for now.
MA: Massachusetts governor proposes bill aimed at stemming opiate abuse
Facing a deadly scourge of prescription drug and heroin abuse, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker proposed new limits on how many opioid painkillers Massachusetts doctors and dentists can prescribe to a patient.
PA: Pennsylvania Senate advances bill to restrict union dues collection
The Senate passed a bill that would limit the ability of Pennsylvania’s public-sector unions to automatically collect union dues and political contributions. Supporters argued that the automatic payroll deductions allow government resources to be used for political purposes.
IA: Iowa grad students pitch tax incentive to fight ‘brain drain’
The proposal calls for a 50 percent income tax break for Iowa-educated graduate- and professional-level students who get jobs in the state after graduation. The incentive would increase to a 75 percent break for those willing to locate to rural Iowa for five years.
TX: Dallas-Houston bullet train could have $36 billion impact on Texas, firm claims
A proposed bullet train between Dallas and Houston could pump more than $36 billion into the Texas economy over the next 25 years, including more than $2.5 billion in local and state taxes, according to a study commissioned by the private firm developing the project. Texas Central Partners hopes to transport passengers between the two cities in less than 90 minutes starting in 2021.
ID: Idaho gets a year’s reprieve on REAL ID driver’s license requirements
Idaho has been granted another one-year extension on federal requirements to comply with the REAL ID Act, easing fears that Idahoans could soon be barred from using their state driver’s licenses to go through airport security or enter military bases or other federal installations.
MD: Maryland likely to begin recalling license plates with Confederate flag images
The recall likely will begin this fall after a federal judge agreed to lift a 1997 injunction that prevented Maryland from taking the specialty plates out of circulation.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. AP and Getty images may not be republished. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics.
Related News
