McClatchy News

Recent Articles

• 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.

• Washington Joins Race to Secure Drone Testing
• Apr 26, 2013
• A consortium of several organizations in the state announced that it will submit a bid to the Federal Aviation Administration to be considered for one of the six federally designated test facilities for aerial drones.

• Georgia Quietly OKs Immigration Crackdown
• Apr 26, 2013
• As Congress considers immigration reform, Gov. Nathan Deal signed sweeping legislation that bars undocumented immigrants from obtaining state driver's licenses, grants, public housing and retirement benefits.

• Chicago Prepares to Launch Bike-Sharing Program
• Apr 25, 2013
• The long-anticipated launch of the Chicago program appears to be set for June. Initially the program will be federally funded, but officials say eventually it will pay for itself as it expands.

• States Consider Drug Testing Lawmakers
• Apr 24, 2013
• In connection to the ongoing debate about drug-testing welfare recipients, lawmakers in Minnesota, Alabama, Illinois and Texas are considering requiring it of state legislators too.
• 4 Comments

• L.A. City Council Votes to Accelerate Move Away from Coal Power
• Apr 24, 2013
• The Los Angeles City Council approved a plan to begin moving away from coal-fired energy, despite warnings from a Department of Water and Power watchdog that the shift could cost more than $650 million.
• 1 Comments

• Nevada Reconsidering Its Gay Marriage Ban
• Apr 23, 2013
• Following more than an hour of riveting and personal floor speeches -- during which one state senator publicly announced for the first time he is gay -- the Nevada Senate voted 12-9 to begin the process of repealing the gay marriage ban from the state constitution.

• Florida Enacts Sweeping Education Changes
• Apr 23, 2013
• Gov. Rick Scott signed a sweeping education bill that will revamp the state's high school graduation requirements and place new emphasis on coursework that prepares students for high-tech careers.

• California Carbon Market Linked to Quebec's
• Apr 23, 2013
• The California Air Resources Board has linked its program for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and curbing climate change with one in the Canadian province of Quebec.

• Coca-Cola Helping Chicago Go Green
• Apr 23, 2013
• The soft drink giant will pay for 50,000 blue recycling carts for Chicago homes and in return gets to put images of Coke products on the lids of the familiar bins. The city will save $2.59 million thanks to the partnership.

• Wisconsin May Join States with Social Media Privacy Laws
• Apr 22, 2013
• Legislation that has been proposed would limit the ability of employers, landlords and universities to request access to the private social media accounts of applicants, tenants and students.

• San Francisco to Require Quake Retrofitting for At-Risk Buildings
• Apr 22, 2013
• After years of study and debate, San Francisco has formally adopted a new law requiring owners to retrofit thousands of buildings, marking the most sweeping seismic regulations in California in years.