CA: Opposition mounts against California governor’s plan for court-ordered treatment of homeless people
Six weeks after California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a far-reaching effort to push more people into court-ordered treatment for severe mental illness and addiction, homeless advocates are calling it legally misguided and immoral as the proposal’s first public hearing has been delayed.
KY: Kentucky AG urges judge to reject Planned Parenthood’s challenge to abortion law
Calling it “wholly improper,” Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican, has asked a federal judge not to grant Planned Parenthood’s request that a new law restricting abortion in the commonwealth be blocked from taking effect.
GA: Subtle change may have undermined Georgia automatic voter registration
A dramatic drop in automatic voter registrations in Georgia may have been caused by a government website that required potential voters to click a button before they could sign up. However, the intent of the program was to register voters at driver’s license offices by default, with an option not to register.
WI: 1 year into clergy investigation, Wisconsin has received over 200 reports of abuse
A year after Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul announced a formal investigation into abuse by members of the clergy in Wisconsin, more than 200 reports have been made to the state Department of Justice. Those include more than 150 individuals accused of abuse, and 51 people were reporting an instance of abuse to law enforcement for the first time.
OR: Oregon governor signs farmworker overtime bill
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, has signed a bill that phases out the state’s agricultural overtime pay exemption.
PA: Philadelphia election commissioners beg for more money
Philadelphia elections chief Lisa Deeley said the costs of running elections have exploded as Pennsylvania is transformed by new voting machines and the dramatic expansion of mail voting. Deeley urged the City Council to give the commissioners all the money they’re asking for.
TX: Texas state troopers who don’t shrink their waists could be pulled off enforcement duties
More than 200 state troopers will need to slim down by year’s end or face discipline under a controversial policy the Texas Department of Public Safety is enforcing to limit the size of officers’ waistlines.
ME: Bill establishing Maine Space Corp. signed into law
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed into law a bill that will help expand Maine’s budding aerospace economy and position the state as a leader in the fast-growing space industry.
NJ: New Jersey governor renews push for even tougher gun laws after proposals stalled
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy renewed his call for state lawmakers to pass a package of bills to tighten New Jersey’s already strict gun-control laws, a few months after the proposals stalled in the state legislature’s last session.
SC: South Carolina won’t issue permit to harvest horseshoe crabs in protected coastal area
Under pressure from lawmakers and conservation groups, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources won’t open a pristine coastal area to horseshoe crab harvesters.
MA: Masks no longer required on Boston rapid transit, Massachusetts airports
People will no longer be required to wear masks on public transportation in the Boston area or at Massachusetts’ airports, officials announced in the wake of a federal judge’s ruling that voided the national mask mandate for public transportation.
NE: Nebraska law gives money to COVID recovery efforts in low-income communities
Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, signed a bill that will devote $335 million to COVID-19-related economic recovery efforts in Nebraska’s underserved communities in rural areas and near Omaha and Lincoln. The project will likely move onto developing a business park and advancing affordable housing efforts.
WA: Washington transportation agencies drop mask mandates
In light of a federal court ruling striking down the nationwide mask mandate on airlines and transit, Washington state public transportation agencies began rolling back their requirements that riders wear face coverings. Eight Seattle-area transit agencies said in a joint statement that masks are now optional.
AK: Alaska wildlife officials on the lookout for new, deadlier bird flu
Alaska bird watchers, harvesters, biologists and veterinarians are all on the lookout for a highly contagious strain of bird flu that’s swept across the U.S. and killed more than 27 million domestic poultry, as well as countless wild birds. This new bird flu strain has not been detected yet in Alaska, but the spring migration to the state is underway.
AR: Arkansas broadband report recommends path to universal internet access
Arkansas will need about $550 million to extend broadband access to households without high-speed internet, according to a new report. Arkansas has consistently ranked near the bottom for high-speed internet access among U.S. states.
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