McClatchy News

Recent Articles

• Illinois Looking to Stop Outsider Access to Pension System
• May 7, 2013
• No longer just concerned with saving the state's underfunded pension system money, reform efforts now seek to stop allowing interlopers who aren't state workers into the taxpayer-supported retirement systems.
• 1 Comments

• States' Seek Limits on Undisclosed Political Donations
• May 6, 2013
• States are trying to figure out ways to stem the tide of the secret money that played an unprecedented role in the 2012 election cycle. The first step is to force tax-exempt advocacy organizations and trade associations out of the shadows.

• Florida Court Forces Police to Obtain Warrant for Cell-Phone Searches
• May 3, 2013
• The Florida Supreme Court, in a 5-2 decision, has ruled that police must obtain a search warrant to view the contents of a person's cellphone when they are taken into custody.
• 3 Comments

• Thousands Denied Food Stamps When Tied to Assets
• May 3, 2013
• Advocates for the poor now say that by weeding out a relatively small number of people with too many assets, the Department of Public Welfare made getting food stamps so complicated that deserving low-income people became inundated by paperwork and lost their benefits.
• 2 Comments

• Detroit Schools Emergency Manager to Step Down
• May 2, 2013
• After two years as the emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools, state-appointee Roy Roberts will retire in the next two weeks from his job at the helm of the state's largest school district.

• Minnesota House Abandons Vote on Gun Legislation
• May 2, 2013
• With a deeply divided Democratic caucus and no sign of compromise in sight, Minnesota House Speaker Paul Thissen announced there would be no floor vote on gun control legislation this year.
• 1 Comments

• California Increases Funding to Seize Illegally Held Guns
• May 2, 2013
• Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation providing $24 million to clear the backlog of weapons known to be in the hands of people who purchased them legally but were then disqualified from owning one. The funds will be used to hire 36 additional special agents.

• Florida Gov. Scott Signs Ethics Bill to Crack Down on Legislators' Lobbying
• May 2, 2013
• Florida Gov. Rick Scott vetoed an emotionally charged bill that would have ended permanent alimony in divorce cases, but signed into law ethics and campaign finance measures that were important to legislative leaders.

• Florida Pension Reform Bill Fails
• May 1, 2013
• A pension reform bill that would have moved new state workers and teachers into a 401K plan and blocked them from enrolling in the state pension system, failed in the Florida senate. Several Republicans joined the Democratic minority to defeat the measure 22-18.
• 1 Comments

• Gov. Corbett: Drug Tests Leave Jobs Unfilled
• May 1, 2013
• Trailing in the polls in his bid for reelection and being sharply criticized for the lack of job growth in his state, Gov. Corbett blamed unemployment on workers who could not pass drug tests.

• Supreme Court Rules States Can Restrict Access to Public Records
• Apr 30, 2013
• The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Virginia Freedom of Information Act provision allowing state and local governments to deny record requests from out-of-state residents.
• 3 Comments

• New Jersey Passes Drug Overdose Prevention Bill
• Apr 30, 2013
• The new legislation mirrors laws in 11 other states in protecting witnesses and victims of drug overdose from prosecution.

• New Jersey Adds 420,000 Names to Federal Gun Database
• Apr 29, 2013
• The names of hundreds of thousands of current and former New Jersey residents who have been involuntarily committed to psychiatric facilities have been added to an FBI database used to bar firearms purchases by people with criminal records or a history of mental illness.

• Georgia Law Concealing Child-Deaths Info Questioned
• Apr 29, 2013
• Lawmakers passed a law in 2009 that limits public scrutiny of the child-welfare system. With an increased number of children dying while under the care of the state, many are questioning whether the law is good policy.

• Will the Detroit Mayor Run for Re-Election?
• Apr 26, 2013
• Detroit's Dave Bing has taken the first steps towards exploring a bid for reelection. An already crowded field will mean an uphill battle for the unpopular mayor, who has taken blame for the city's financial meltdown that led to a state-takeover.