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CA: California seeks records showing separation policy’s impact on children
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a Freedom of Information Act request for all records involving federal agencies’ consideration of the separation policy’s effects on the mental and physical state of children. At a congressional hearing last week, administration officials indicated they were made aware that the separation policy could traumatize children.
KS: Kris Kobach won’t recuse himself in Kansas gubernatorial recount
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said he has no plans to recuse himself from a recount of his Republican primary race against Gov. Jeff Colyer. No law requires he recuse himself, but legal and political experts said that he should do so to maintain trust in the election. Kobach leads the race by less than 200 votes.
NY: New York elections board OKs regs that could hinder independent investigations
The New York state Board of Elections’ commissioners approved new regulations that give them more control over probes conducted by the state’s top election enforcement official.
WV, KY: West Virginia governor still owes at least .5M in Kentucky
The billionaire governor of West Virginia, Republican Jim Justice, said that coal companies linked to his family have paid all the delinquent taxes they owe the state of West Virginia and its counties, but records show the companies still owe millions in eastern Kentucky.
MA: Massachusetts unveils new ad against stoned driving
With the debut of recreational marijuana sales imminent, Massachusetts safety officials unveiled a new television ad warning consumers against driving under the drug’s influence. The 30-second spot, “The Roads You Take,” is meant to discourage driving while stoned, drunk, or impaired by other drugs.
PA: Pennsylvania’s absentee-ballot problem: Votes come in late because of tight deadlines
Every vote counts. But the reality in Pennsylvania is that not every vote is counted. In fact, if past patterns hold, more than 2,000 absentee ballots cast by Pennsylvanians this November won’t be tallied — and the voters won’t know it.
MT: Montana faces extreme fire danger
The fire danger in Northwest Montana has been hiked to “extreme” in a week that may be the hottest of the summer, state officials said.
VA: Virginia governor declares state of emergency ahead of Charlottesville rally anniversary
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, and the city of Charlottesville declared states of emergency ahead of the one-year anniversary of last summer’s white supremacist rally that turned deadly. The declaration will increase state and local law enforcement’s capacity to respond to civil unrest.
MO: After ‘right to work’ referendum defeat in Missouri, business advocates take pause
The defeat of a Republican-led bid to make Missouri a “right to work” state probably means the issue will be off the table for at least a year, some GOP lawmakers say.
AK: Alaska Supreme Court: Salmon protection measure can appear on ballot, with caveat
Alaska argued that the measure was not constitutional, saying it would eliminate the Legislature’s authority to allocate habitat for fish that swim up rivers to spawn to certain uses, such as for roads, mines or other projects.
MN: Minnesota clears giant backlog of elder abuse complaints
State health regulators have eliminated a giant backlog of unresolved complaints alleging abuse and neglect at Minnesota senior care facilities, while fulfilling a promise to dramatically speed up investigations into new complaints. The backlog had become so severe that it sometimes took state health investigators months or even years to complete investigations.
FL: Florida Supreme Court to take up greyhound-racing ban
Just a day after receiving the case, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously agreed to take up a battle about whether a proposed ban on greyhound racing should go on the November ballot.
CT: In Connecticut, women retain right to abortion even without Roe v. Wade, panel says
In Connecticut, the protections in Roe v. Wade were codified in state law in 1990. Therefore, even if Roe vs. Wade were overturned, this state law would remain intact and enforceable, according to a panel of bipartisan lawmakers and women’s rights legal experts.
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