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Top State Stories 10/10
US: Little-watched state legislative races could have huge consequences
A U.S. Supreme Court case could give state legislative bodies nearly absolute power over federal elections. The justices are expected to decide whether to grant nearly unfettered authority over such elections to state legislatures — a legal argument known as the independent state legislature theory.
AZ: Court ruling allows abortions to resume in Arizona
The Arizona Court of Appeals has put on hold the territorial law that bans nearly all abortions in the state until a full appeal of an earlier ruling on it is heard. Planned Parenthood Arizona said it would restart the procedure at its clinics following the ruling.
LA: Louisiana governor says he can’t follow Biden on marijuana pardons
President Joe Biden’s plan to ease federal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana was commended by Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards. But Edwards said he could not make the same move himself because it’s not something he presently has the authority to do.
CO: Election deniers infiltrate ranks of poll watchers and election judges, Colorado clerks warn
County clerks across Colorado say they’re bracing for a surge of highly motivated election deniers working as poll watchers or election judges in the November midterms — part of a nationwide attempt to manufacture evidence of election fraud.
ID: Idaho educators call for more Indigenous voices in schools
Officials and Native American leaders are advocating for schools and teachers to incorporate more Indigenous voices into their classrooms as Idaho commemorates its fourth year recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day.
OH: Ohio judge puts restrictive abortion law on hold
A Hamilton County judge put on hold Ohio’s so-called fetal heartbeat ban, at least temporarily making abortion legal in Ohio until 22 weeks of pregnancy, as the court considers whether the law violates the state constitution. That trial could take the better part of a year before a final decision is made.
NY: Another challenge to New York’s gun law: sheriffs who won’t enforce it
Some sheriffs in New York state say the measure, which forbids concealed weapons in so-called sensitive areas and was passed after a U.S. Supreme Court opinion, ignores common sense, the Second Amendment and the way people live outside big cities.
MT: Montana officials inundated with doubts about 2020 election results
In Montana, election officials have reported harassment and occasional threats from right-wing activists who continue to advance false election theories. Repeated and duplicate voting records requests are central to the activists’ latest push.
DC: DC housing agency is failing, federal report says
Inadequate management, poor oversight and faulty governance drovethe D.C. Housing Authority’s failure to provide “decent, safe, and sanitary” housing for its residents in violation of federal requirements, investigators from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have concluded.
TN: Tennessee governor ‘not considering’ marijuana pardons
Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee does not plan to pardon those convicted of marijuana possession in the state, despite a call to do so by President Joe Biden. Biden pardoned all people with federal convictions for simple marijuana possession, but the vast majority of marijuana convictions occur at the state level.
IL: For Asian Americans, their moment in Illinois politics was a ‘long, long time’ coming
At least 22 Illinoisans of Asian descent are running for office in the state, from county commissioner to state representative to U.S. senator.
MI: Michigan poised to ramp up efforts against black-market marijuana
Brian Hanna, the new acting director of Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency, has built a career on using technology and information to combat crime. Many marijuana business leaders say they’re ready for the agency to increase enforcement on illicit marijuana that’s sneaking into an already saturated market.
MD: Maryland high court upholds early ballot counting
Maryland’s highest court upheld a decision to allow early counting of mail-in ballots prior to the November election, overruling an argument raised by Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox that the move is unconstitutional.
MA: Even in abortion-rights Massachusetts, clinics can be distant
Massachusetts has emerged as a safe haven for reproductive health care, but there are wide swaths of the state, some densely populated, where it’s impossible to schedule an abortion. No one provides routine abortion services on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard or large parts of western Massachusetts.
NV: Nevada treasurer seeks to address generational poverty with baby bonds
Nevada’s treasurer wants to address wealth disparities by creating savings accounts for every child born on Medicaid. The program is called baby bonds, in which money is deposited at the time of birth and grows with interest until the child is 18 years old.
WY: Increasing judges’ retirement age is on the Wyoming ballot
Among the many decisions voters will make in the Nov. 8 general election is a question on whether Wyoming Supreme Court justices and district court judges could retire five years later. Amendment B would increase the mandatory retirement age from 70 to 75.
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