LA: Abortion medication by mail banned in Louisiana
Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill prohibiting the sale of abortion-inducing medication by prescribers outside the state. It creates the crime of “abortion by means of an abortion-inducing drug.”
TN: Tennessee Republicans press governor to block distribution of COVID vaccine for youngest kids
The Republican leaders of the Tennessee House asked GOP Gov. Bill Lee to block the Department of Health from “distributing, promoting or recommending” the COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5, despite widespread support for the vaccine in the medical community.
NC: Medicaid expansion is back on the table in North Carolina House
The Republican-majority House will consider a Medicaid expansion bill that could mean North Carolina won’t miss the deadline for the $1.5 billion signing bonus from the federal government to expand it this year.
NY: ‘Extreme risk’ orders to seize guns surge in New York, but many cases dismissed
The number of “extreme risk protection orders” filed by New York State Police has surged after an executive order from Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul that mandated troopers pursue the court applications whenever they encounter a person who is “likely” to be at risk of harm. But many are being dismissed by judges because the troopers often are appearing without attorneys.
WI: Wisconsin GOP lawmakers reject governor’s special session to overturn 1849 abortion ban
Republicans in control of the Wisconsin legislature took no action on a special session that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers called to overturn the state’s 173-year-old abortion ban. The state Senate convened and adjourned in the space of 15 seconds, and the state Assembly adjourned in similarly quick fashion.
TX: Texas state senator sues Department of Public Safety for not releasing shooting records
Texas and local Uvalde officials have fought the release of records that could provide clarity on the botched emergency response to the shooting that killed 19 children and two educators. Law enforcement responding to the shooting waited more than an hour on the scene before going into the classroom to kill the shooter.
CA: California wildfires caused by humans are more dangerous than fires sparked by lightning
New research from the University of California, Irvine, shows that fires caused by human activity—be it arson, a neglected campfire, sparking electrical equipment or ill-conceived gender reveal parties—spread faster, burn hotter and destroy more trees than those caused by lightning strikes.
NV: Nevada justices uphold groundwater plan in ruling that could ‘significantly affect water management’
The Nevada Supreme Court has cleared the way for Eureka County irrigators to move forward with a contested groundwater plan, issuing a 4-3 ruling that could have significant implications for the way water is managed in dozens of aquifers across the state.
HI: Why so many Hawaii nurses want to leave the profession
Nearly a quarter of Hawaii nurses said they had considered leaving the workforce, mostly due to COVID-19-related safety concerns, job fatigue and caregiver strain, a recent University of Hawaii survey found.
UT: Utahns experiencing homelessness for the first time ticked up last year
The number of Utahns experiencing homelessness for the first time rose last year, and state officials think pandemic-fueled turmoil and surging housing prices may be to blame.
IN: Indiana governor calls special session
Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb called lawmakers back to the statehouse for a special session starting July 6. He’s asking legislators to send a collective $1 billion back to Hoosiers in order to combat inflation, but lawmakers also could pass new abortion restrictions.
MN: Group aims to flip Minnesota legislature to a female majority by 2024
The nonprofit Vote Run Lead’s mission is to flip the Minnesota legislature to a majority-woman membership in just two election cycles. The number of women serving in the Minnesota legislature is the highest it’s ever been; currently 72 women make up 36% of the legislature.
ID: Idaho ranked the state most dependent on the firearms industry
Idaho is the state most dependent on the gun industry, according to recent rankings by personal finance website WalletHub. Idaho ranked in a tie for first for firearm industry jobs per capita, total firearms-industry output per capita and total taxes paid by the firearm industry per capita.
MT: With an eye on US Supreme Court, Montana preps for out-of-state abortion surge
Abortion is constitutionally protected in Montana. An expected reversal of federal abortion protections could increase pressure on the state’s abortion providers.
AR: Appeals panel upholds dismissal of challenge to Arkansas anti-boycott law
A federal appeals court ruled that a district court judge was right to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Arkansas Times challenging an Arkansas law that added a pledge to not boycott Israel as a part of vendor contracts with the state of $1,000 or more.
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