Even as the NFL undergoes its annual sorting and distribution of fresh talent, legislative sessions in many places are in the last quarter, or even overtime. Here are some of the plays being run as the clock winds down.
- Green Bay Packing: Republicans in Wisconsin want to micro-manage how food stamp recipients spend their benefits, because I guess they think teh poors can't be trusted to buy their own food. But maybe that's because those Republicans also think teh poors are on drugs.
- A package of bills would eliminate all shellfish from the allowable foods list, require participants to spend two-thirds of their monthly allotment on "nutritional foods" (except shellfish, obviously), and force hungry folks to pee in a cup before receiving benefits.
- Fun fact! The shellfish banned in this bill are, like seafood generally, actually super healthy and nutritious -- and way better for you than the "white potatoes" the bill specifically allows folks to buy, as well as beef and pork, generally.
This must be what Republicans mean when they talk about "the dignity of work." If you're out of work, we're not going to let you have any dignity!
- Quoth the Ravens - "Thug Nation": Speaking of food stamps... Maryland state Delegate and super-enlightened person Patrick McDonough thinks that the "thug community" of Baltimore should be punished for protesting by having food stamps taken away.
- He also insists he doesn't want to put "these young people...in a test tube or cage," because, well...um... no idea, why would you even say that???
- No wonder the state can't support a professional sports team: A Republican state Senator in Alabama thinks you lazy sods don't deserve any more days off. She's introduced a bill to cap the number of paid state holidays at the current 13.
- Fun fact! Alabama state employees got a $400 bonus at the beginning of the year... as some sort of feeble attempt to make up for the fact that they haven't gotten a raise since 2008.
- This week in genital photographs not sent by pro athletes: By now you've probably heard about the North Dakota Republican state Senator who voted against an anti-LGBT discrimination bill getting caught posting pictures of his junk on Grindr. But now it's caught the attention of E!, so we know it's news.
- Detroit Lions and Tigers and right-wing posturing, oh my! Michigan House Republicans voted to ban Planned Parenthood from receiving state funding, which is especially meaningful considering that Planned Parenthood doesn't actually receive state funding.
- But it doesn't pay to get between state Rep. Gary Glenn and his causes... although he usually confines his antics to his anti-LGBT crusades (you may remember the recent "agenda alert" he issued when he learned that the new editor of a local paper was gay).
- Speaking of.... Republicans controlling a Michigan Senate committee fed the anti-same-sex marriage trolls on Tuesday by holding a hearing on the state's version of so-called "religious freedom" legislation (the same day as the same-sex marriage case arguments before the Supreme Court! Weird!). The committee didn't even plan on voting on the bill, so you know it was time well spent.
- Tebow still sucks. Things are a little crazy in Florida right now. (Okay, crazier than usual.) After continued discord between the state House and Senate over the latter's Medicaid expansion bill, the state House... well, they ran away. Seriously. Rather than bring the bill up for a vote, the House Speaker ended the legislative session three days early. The move, which is the first time ever one chamber has adjourned before the other, also left the state without a budget.
- Oh, but it gets better. Florida Senate Democrats filed a Writ of Mandamus with the state Supreme Court on Thursday afternoon to try to force the state House members back to the Capitol.
- The actual petition was written hastily and apparently contained a few typos.
So why argue over substance when you can snipe about stuff like that?
Fun fact! My former law school classmate (and Florida GOP Rep.) Matt Gaetz is a classy guy (Sen. Joyner is a state civil rights leader and attorney, and Sen. Bullard is a high school teacher)!
This response was the clear winner:
Only 125 days until NFL season kickoff! While we're talking about happy things...
- File under: Not Everything Is Terrible: A Democratic lawmaker in Pennsylvania wants to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour! Another Democrat is proposing legislation to raise it to $10.10 per hour (it's currently $7.25).
- File under: Everything Is Terrible: The minimum wage boost has to make it through the GOP-controlled Senate and the GOP-controlled House before Gov. Wolf would have a chance to sign it.
The following 34 state legislatures are meeting actively this week: ALABAMA, ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, FLORIDA, HAWAII, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, LOUISIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OKLAHOMA, OREGON, SOUTH CAROLINA, TEXAS, VERMONT, WASHINGTON and WISCONSIN.
Also meeting: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GUAM, PUERTO RICO and UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS.
GROUPS
May 6, 2015
CONFERENCE OF WESTERN ATTORNEYS GENERAL
Energy Exports Summit
Washington, D.C.
CONFERENCE OF WESTERN ATTORNEYS GENERAL
Energy Exports Summit
Washington, D.C.
May 7-8, 2015
INTERNATIONAL CITY COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
Northeast Regional Summit
Windsor, Connecticut
INTERNATIONAL CITY COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
Northeast Regional Summit
Windsor, Connecticut
May 7-8, 2015
DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION
Spring Policy Conference
Chicago, Illinois
DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION
Spring Policy Conference
Chicago, Illinois
CALIFORNIA
The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met April 27 to discuss A.B. 1326, which regulates virtual currency.
The Assembly Committee on Judiciary met April 28 to discuss limiting liability for entities based upon its communication of cyber security threat information to another private entity until January 1, 2020.
The Senate Health Committee met April 29 to discuss S.B. 203, which requires health safety warnings to be attached to labels of sugar-sweetened beverages.
COLORADO
The Legislative Health Benefit Exchange Implementation Review Committee met April 29 to hear a presentation on Health Exchanges from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
FLORIDA
INDIANA
The General Assembly adjourned the 2015 legislative session on April 29.
KANSAS
The Legislature returned for its veto session April 29.
MISSOURI
The Workforce Standards and Development Committee met April 27 to discuss H.B. 44, which seeks to require the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to create best practice guidelines in gender pay equality.
The House Agriculture Policy Committee met April 28 to discuss H.C.R. 47, which opposes legislative actions at the federal level that are not based on sound science and may result in unnecessary restrictions on the use of modern agricultural technologies including, but not limited to, crop protection chemistries, genetically engineered or enhanced traits and nutrients.
MONTANA
The deadline for the Legislature to adjourn for the 2015 legislative session
NEW YORK
The New York City Committee on Women's Issues met April 27 to consider a resolution calling upon the State Assembly to pass, and the Governor to sign, an amendment prohibiting differential pay based on gender.
NORTH DAKOTA
The Legislature adjourned sine die April 30.
WASHINGTON
The Legislature convened for a special session April 29.
