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Editor’s Picks From Around the Web
KS: Kansas’ Brownback signs nation’s first ban on abortion procedure
Republican Gov. Sam Brownback signed legislation making Kansas the first state to ban a common second-trimester abortion procedure known as “dilation and evacuation.” Abortion foes describe it as dismembering a fetus, but abortion rights supporters say it’s sometimes the safest method for women terminating their pregnancy.
OH: Ohio treasurer wants all government ‘checkbooks’ open to the public online
Republican State Treasurer Josh Mandel seeks to expand state government’s online open checkbook program to include all local governments so Ohioans can see with a few clicks how their local officials spend tax money.
AZ: Patients can soon get lab tests in Arizona without doctors’ orders
Arizonans will soon be able to get blood tests directly from licensed clinical laboratories without a doctor’s order, under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.
NY: Questions of bias raised about teachers’ exam in New York
A federal judge is questioning whether a new exam for aspiring teachers in New York is discriminatory against minorities, a case that could derail the state’s efforts to create a more rigorous set of tests for entry into the profession.
CO: Colorado homeless are being ‘criminalized,’ report says
The homeless are being “criminalized” throughout Colorado by local bans and laws that restrict homeless access to, and use of, public places, a new report says.
ND: North Dakota Senate votes to allow concealed guns at political rallies
The Senate approved a measure that would expand the places where concealed weapons could be carried, including North Dakota public parks and political rallies.
CA: California judge says legislature can be sued to open records
A Superior Court judge has ruled for the first time that the state legislature can be sued for access to public records under the California constitution.
MN: Minnesota’s Dayton unveils million public works package
Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton proposed public works construction that he said would create nearly 24,000 jobs. The project list includes million for college campus improvements, million for railroad safety projects and million for added renovations to the state Capitol.
TX: House backs way of using Texas’ rainy day fund to pay down debt
The Texas House approved a resolution calling for a constitutional election over whether to send surplus dollars from the state’s rainy day fund into a new account to pay down state debt, which was .3 billion at the end of the 2014 fiscal year. If the Senate signs off, the issue would go to voters on Nov. 3.
NV: Paid sick leave proposal draws fire in Nevada
A Democrat-backed bill requiring Nevada businesses to offer paid sick leave is meeting staunch opposition from several state business groups.
FL: Bid to bring resort casinos to Florida gains no traction
A push to bring Las Vegas-styled resort casinos to South Florida is once again being rejected by the legislature.
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