GA: Georgia governor condemns pro-Trump mob, extends National Guard order
Gov. Brian Kemp condemned the violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday as he extended an executive order that authorized him to deploy Georgia National Guard troops if needed.
OH: Trump-picked US attorneys in Ohio vow to prosecute any Ohioans who stormed the Capitol
Two U.S. attorneys appointed to watch over Ohio by President Donald Trump have pledged to prosecute Ohioans caught storming the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
AZ: Arizona Department of Public Safety enhances security at state Capitol
About 1,000 supporters of President Donald Trump gathered at the Arizona Capitol in downtown Phoenix to protest the certification of election results for President-elect Joe Biden. A handful of protesters were seen banging on the locked doors of the state Capitol building, yelling for Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and shouting “Freedom!”
KY: Kentucky Republicans fast-track several bills to curb powers of governor
Kentucky lawmakers advanced their priority bills at a rapid clip as they attempted to wrestle power away from the governor in the opening days of a short legislative session.
MS: Black doctors in Mississippi work to convince patients to take vaccine
As many Black residents in Mississippi remain doubtful about the benefits of taking a COVID-19 vaccine when available, more Black doctors are pushing for them to reconsider by getting immunized themselves.
NV: ‘Stop the steal’ rallies held at Nevada state Capitol
Supporters of President Donald Trump lined the streets outside Nevada’s state capital and rallied in front of federal buildings in Las Vegas. In Carson City, protestors called for a “new Republican Party” and equated the vote count to treason.
OR: Unlawful assembly declared at Oregon Capitol
Protesters converged on the Oregon Capitol, where speakers addressed topics including Trump’s false claim that the election had been stolen from him. Counter-demonstrators arrived a few hours after the rally began, and clashes soon ensued before police appeared and declared an unlawful assembly.
CO: Hundreds gather for pro-Trump rally outside Colorado state Capitol
The rally at the Colorado Capitol was slated to begin at noon, but hundreds of people showed up beforehand, waving U.S. and blue Trump flags and wearing Make America Great Again hats. Around 2 p.m., Democratic Mayor Michael Hancock estimated the crowd had grown to 700 people.
UT: Hundreds protest outside Utah Capitol
The crowd of pro-Trump protesters outside the Utah state Capitol swelled to an estimated 400 as many broke into chants of “USA, USA, USA!” A spokesperson for Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said he remained inside the building while other staffers inside the building were ordered to leave.
SC: Demonstrators gather at South Carolina Capitol to protest election
Around 200 protesters gathered at the South Carolina State House as election results came in from Georgia and Congress prepared to affirm Joe Biden’s election win. Many at the protest told The State they doubted the presidential election results and wanted some sort of intervention the election.
VT: Vermont governor wants to lift COVID-19 restrictions on indoor high school sports
Right now, high school students in Vermont can only practice. But Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, wants sports to start. That could happen if state officials determine health conditions are good enough.
NC: North Carolina governor extends curfew
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said he is extending the state’s modified stay-at-home order for three weeks, including a curfew, while the state’s top health official issued her own order to direct people to only leave home for essential activities.
WA: Washington releases vaccination tiers
The Washington state Department of Health will next prioritize for vaccination anyone who is 70 years and older and those who are 50 years and older and live in multigenerational households. The new guidance establishes a complex web of priority tiers and charts the state’s course through the next four months of vaccination.
MT: New Montana governor will lift mask mandate ‘in weeks, not months’
Montana’s new Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte said he will remove the statewide mask mandate once the most vulnerable are vaccinated and the legislature creates liability protections for local businesses, churches and others.
CA: Governor proposes payments to Californians in need and extending COVID-19 eviction moratorium
With a state law protecting California tenants from pandemic-related evictions expiring at the end of this month, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed to extend the protections and expedite distribution of .6 billion in federal rental assistance for low-income tenants.
PA: Election officials want a say in Pennsylvania’s voting reforms, but politics may get in the way
The people who actually run elections across Pennsylvania, whose pleas for assistance have been largely ignored by the legislature over the past few months, said they should be front-and-center in the reform process.
IN: Indiana to roll out COVID-19 vaccine to groups by age
In a departure from federal government recommendations and his own initial plans to distribute the coronavirus vaccine, Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Indiana will prioritize the state’s oldest residents.
NY: New York governor expected to lay out recreational marijuana plan
Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo pledged to pursue legalization and regulation of cannabis for recreational use by adults this year, marking his third attempt to get the drug fully legalized.
MD: Maryland places disabled adults in group homes high on vaccine priority list
In a surprise announcement, Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan said residents and staff of “special-needs group homes” will be included in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan, along with individuals over 75, teachers and child care workers. This group, which totals about 860,000 residents, could start receiving doses of the vaccine by late January.
WV: West Virginia jails have been beyond capacity since Dec. 1
Since the beginning of December, the 10 regional jails in West Virginia have operated at least 1,300 inmates above their listed capacity, despite efforts earlier this year to lower inmate populations because of the pandemic. During that time, at least 833 inmates in have tested positive for the coronavirus.
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