By: - March 8, 2023 12:00 am

MO: Federal judge tosses Missouri gun law, calling it unconstitutional

kansascity.com

A federal judge has overturned a Missouri law that declared certain federal gun laws “invalid” if they don’t have a state-level equivalent, after the U.S. Department of Justice sued to overturn the measure.

OK: Oklahoma voters reject legalization of recreational marijuana

oklahoman.com

Oklahomans gave a resounding “no” to legalizing recreational marijuana sales, striking a blow against efforts to expand an industry beyond the current medical marijuana framework set up five years ago. More than 61% of voters rejected the measure.

FL: Florida governor pledges further shift to the right

tallahassee.com

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis declared that while he has pushed Florida onto controversial, conservative ground over the past four years, he is determined to shift the state even further right in coming weeks.

TX: Women denied abortions sue Texas to clarify exceptions

texastribune.org

Five Texas women who say they were denied medically necessary abortions are suing the state, seeking to clarify when the procedure is permissible under state law.

AR: Arkansas bill criminalizing bathroom choice advances

arkansasonline.com

The Arkansas Senate narrowly approved a bill that would create criminal penalties for knowingly entering and remaining in a bathroom of the opposite birth sex while a minor is present. Opponents have said the bill would create the “most extreme bathroom ban” in the nation if enacted.

MI: Michigan law to give tax relief to retirees and low-income workers

freep.com

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation that essentially reverses major changes to the tax bills of retirees and low-income earners her predecessor made more than a decade ago.

NY: New York City plans upstate training, national resettlement for migrants

nydailynews.com

New York City is launching a job training program for migrants at an upstate college and is undertaking efforts to resettle asylum seekers to other parts of the country as the city continues to house tens of thousands of them.

WV: West Virginia tax cut digs deep into state surplus

apnews.com

West Virginia GOP Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill that returns more than $750 million to state residents, including a reduction in the personal income tax.

NV: Nevada legislators may raise property transfer tax to create more supportive housing

thenevadaindependent.com

Nevadans may see a tax on property transfers go up as a way to boost housing options for people with behavioral, mental and physical disabilities. The proposal faces an uphill climb because it needs bipartisan support in the legislature.

IN: Indiana AG questions ‘sterilizations’ at gender-affirming clinics

indianacapitalchronicle.com

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican, inserted himself into the debate over gender-affirming care for minors — though recent testimony documented that surgeries on children don’t occur in Indiana. 

CT: Connecticut ends consideration of rent cap bill

ctmirror.org

The rent cap bill would have set maximum annual rent increases in Connecticut at 4% plus the consumer price index. The proposed measure faced opposition from landlords who said inflation and increased costs of doing business would exceed the rent cap.

KY: Kentucky GOP advances bill to prevent college campuses from banning guns

kentucky.com

A bill to prevent Kentucky higher education institutions from banning guns on campus won approval from a legislative committee.

OH: Ohio lawmakers want divorced parents to share equal time, responsibility for kids

dispatch.com

Some Ohio Republican lawmakers want to overhaul child custody rules to ensure most parents who get divorced share equal responsibility and time with their kids. A House bill would establish equal parenting as the default arrangement in child custody cases.

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Stateline staff
Stateline staff

Stateline’s team of veteran journalists combines original reporting with a roundup of the latest news from sources around the country.

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