• Confessions of a former legislature fanboy

    Back in January, I wrote a commentary in praise of the West Virginia Legislature. Here is what I said: “Let me confess now that I am a fan” of the Legislature. I went on to write about the importance of real people—not professional politicians—collectively making decisions they believe are in the best interests of their

  • Fight over how to fund public schools intensifies in Legislature

    The divide between the Senate and House over how to fund public education — specifically local school districts — intensified dramatically on Thursday.

  • Negotiations continue with Dunleavy, legislature on education spending

    (The Center Square) - Senate President Gary Stevens said lawmakers are continuing to negotiate with Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on an education package after he threatened to veto a package passed last week. Senate Bill 140 includes a $680 increase in the base student allocation but does not include bonuses for teachers proposed by the governor. Dunleavy threatened a veto during a news conference last week. "I'm personally really concerned about without assurances...

  • Legislatures in These States Make Real Progress for Education Choice

    In the midst of the school choice movement’s most successful legislative season last year, The Hill asked: “School choice won big in states this year. Read More

  • Repeal of Legislature’s authority over same-sex marriages considered

    The state Senate will now consider a House bill calling for a constitutional amendment to repeal the Legislature’s authority to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples.

  • Legislature faces big decision on state unemployment program

    Here is a question West Virginia legislators always need to ask themselves, especially in the closing days of a session: Is it better to something or do nothing? That applies to the current debate under the Capitol dome over SB 841 which makes significant changes in the benefits paid to laid off workers and the

    • WOWT

    Senator reads aloud graphic rape scene in Nebraska Legislature

    Monday’s session in the Nebraska unicameral adjourned abruptly after Sen. Steve Halloran read a passage describing sexual violence in graphic detail during a debate.

  • AZ legislature hosts new COVID hearing full of misinformation

    For the third time in less than a year, Arizona Republican lawmakers listened intently and offered no pushback during a special hearing at the state Senate that was billed as examining the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic but was instead rife with conspiracy theories, misinformation and fear-mongering about vaccines and public health. In May 2023, the Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee featured testimony from a group of supposed health experts who spread...

  • Alaska Gov. Dunleavy vetoes Legislature-backed education package

    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy late Thursday vetoed an education funding package overwhelming passed by lawmakers and urged action on teacher bonuses and charter school provisions that have been divisive among legislators. Dunleavy, a Republican and former educator, announced his decision hours ahead of a deadline he faced to sign the bill, veto it or let it become law without his signature. School districts have struggled with teacher shortages and, in some cases, multimillion-dollar deficits, and...

  • Legislature awards Oregon Shakespeare Festival over $2.5 million

    ASHLAND, Ore. -During the last moments of the 2024 Oregon legislative session, over $2.5 million in funding was awarded to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. OSF was one of seven arts and culture organizations chosen for funding within the bill. It received the highest dollar amount of the seven. The second highest was the Oregon Symphony […]

  • KS legislature targets diversity, equity inclusion in college admissions

    TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansas lawmakers are looking to prohibit colleges from granting students admission or scholarships based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). HB 2460 seeks to prevent postsecondary schools from using DEI and political ideology as criteria for evaluating admissions and scholarship candidates, as well as hiring or promoting faculty and staff. The bill []

  • Parliamentary workers seek full financial autonomy for state legislature

    The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, on Thursday, called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on state governors to guarantee full implementation of financial autonomy for state legislatures to avert another strike. PASAN suspended its strike following a jointly signed Memorandum of Understanding by the Chairmen of the Conference of the Speakers and Nigeria Governors’ Read More