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US: Three more GOP-led states withdraw from partnership to protect voter access
Florida, Missouri and West Virginia withdrew from the Electronic Registration Information Center, the bipartisan multi-state partnership aimed at helping states maintain accurate voter rolls to fight voter fraud. Alabama and Louisiana had previously retreated from the partnership.
CA: California to cut ties with Walgreens over abortion pills
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said California will stop “doing business” with Walgreens over the company’s decision to stop selling abortion medication in 20 states. Medicaid and state health insurance contracts are at stake.
DC: DC tries to pull crime bill before US Senate vote
The U.S. Senate plans to vote on whether to block Washington, D.C.’s overhaul of its century-old criminal code from becoming law, even as top city leaders tried to pull the legislation before federal lawmakers could weigh in.
FL: Florida lawmakers to push DeSantis ‘freedom’ agenda, which critics decry
Florida’s “Blueprint for Freedom” touted by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis has been embraced by Republican lawmakers. They have filed bills that would expand restrictions on classroom discussions about sex and race, provide more guidelines on banning books, prohibit children from using the pronouns of their choice, ban doctors from providing gender-affirming care and puberty blockers to minors, and authorize the state to remove transgender children from their parents.
MN: Minnesota sees surge in mental crisis calls
Tens of thousands of Minnesotans have sought emergency help through the new 988 mental crisis hotline, surpassing expectations and spurring calls for greater state funding of the life-saving service.
AZ: Arizona candidate sanctioned for ‘groundless’ election challenge
A judge in Arizona has ordered former Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem to pay financial sanctions for filing a frivolous lawsuit in the wake of his loss in November’s election.
TN:Tennessee House Republicans pass bill to punish Nashville over GOP convention
Tennessee House Republicans overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require city and metropolitan governments to cap their councils at 20 members. Nashville would be the only government affected by the legislation, and it is widely viewed as punishment for the capital city’s refusal to bid on hosting the 2024 Republican National Convention.
GA: Burnout, exhaustion fuel public health worker crisis in Georgia
Fueled by burnout, trauma, exhaustion and the stress of working in an increasingly politicized environment, a staggering number of public health workers in Georgia have quit their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, with grave implications for Georgians’ health and economy.
WV: West Virginia at a crossroads on coal
West Virginia’s upcoming decisions on its iconic fossil fuel could have major implications for planet-warming emissions, the future of coal in the eastern United States and how much people pay for electricity in the region.
NJ: New Jersey invites more offshore wind farms
New Jersey opened the door to more offshore wind farms in pursuit of 100% clean energy goals even as concerns, as yet unsubstantiated, grow that pre-planning for turbines is causing whale deaths.
OK: Oklahomans head for polls on marijuana
Oklahoma voters will decide whether to make the state one of the most conservative to green-light cannabis use for adults. The proposal, if passed, would allow anyone over the age of 21 to purchase and possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana, plus concentrates and marijuana-infused products.
TX: Texas has record number of LGBTQ lawmakers amid bills to strip rights
The Texas legislature has nine lawmakers who are openly LGBTQ, all Democrats. At the same time, some Republican lawmakers are pushing a slate of bills aimed at drag queens, transgender children and how sexuality is discussed in schools.
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