Page 25 - Legislative Reference News Today

A report issued Wednesday found lacking oversight and systemic failures – not willful disregard – within the Pennsylvania Department of State resulted in a botched constitutional amendment.

No malfeasance behind Pennsylvania’s botched constitutional amendment: Report Christen Smith, The Center Square © Provided by Washington Examiner A report issued Wednesday found lacking oversight and systemic failures – not willful disregard – within the Pennsylvania Department of State resulted in a botched constitutional amendment. The Office of the State Inspector General’s probe of the incident found no evidence of “deliberate or intentional malfeasance” at pl...

There seems to be only one thing people of both political parties can agree on -- our legislative process is broken. Compromise is rare, most elections have pre-ordained winners, and incumbents feel free to ignore constituents who disagree with them. Fortunately, we have an opportunity to fix the problem once and for all.  We can restore Wisconsin’s reputation as a state that works by and for the people, and we have introduced legislation that can do just that. We are two elected offici...

OPINION  There seems to be only one thing people of both political parties can agree on – our legislative process is broken. Compromise is rare, most elections have pre-ordained winners and incumbents feel free to ignore constituents who disagree with them. Fortunately we have an opportunity to fix the problem once and for all. We can restore Wisconsin’s reputation as a state that works by and for the people, and we have introduced legislation that can do just that. We are two e...

Read Article A bill that would have Maine voters elect the state’s attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state gained bipartisan support in the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday. “This is long overdue in this state and I’m glad we are moving forward,” said Sen. Joe Baldacci, D-Bangor, Senate chair of the committee and primary sponsor of the bill. The committee also killed off or voted down several variants of the legislation Wednesday. Baldacci’...

Panel endorses bill to have voters elect Maine attorney general, other officers Maine is one of the few states in which legislators, rather than voters, choose the attorney general, secretary of state and state treasurer. Share A bill that would have Maine voters elect the state’s attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state gained bipartisan support in the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee on Wednesday. “This is long overdue in this state and I’m glad we are mov...

Before Breonna Taylor was killed one year ago in Louisville, she had been asleep in her home — an apartment that didn’t have any of the contraband police had come looking for. Her death has led to marches and protests against police brutality and racism across the country. In Milwaukee on Saturday, dozens gathered in a small art studio on the city’s near south side for a celebration of Taylor’s life and to push harder for a statewide ban on no-knock warrants, which began the chain of e...

Local legislators sponsor bills in support of commercial fisheries  BAR HARBOR — The 130th Maine Legislature has released a list of bills proposed in the House and Senate, and local representatives are focused on the commercial fishing industry, alongside other constituent concerns.  The lobster fishery, in particular, is facing competition from offshore wind energy development and conservation measures, both which affect lobstermen and their livelihood.  While more than 1,600 b...

A Wolf spokeswoman defends the Department of State's wording of proposed constitutional amendments that curb the governor's powers in emergency disasters as necessary to provide context. A GOP leader say it's intended to scare voters to vote against them.

The waiver is expected to stay in place until early July, then could be extended by lawmakers.