• Minnesota Becomes 12th State to Allow Same-Sex Marriage
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Minnesota   |   May 15, 2013
• Minnesota becomes the 12th state to allow same-sex marriage with Gov. Mark Dayton's signature, which was celebrated with a large festival.

• Takoma Park is 1st U.S. City to Allow 16-Year-Olds to Vote
• Source: Washington Post   |   Takoma Park, Md.   |   May 15, 2013
• Though some residents argued that teenagers lack the maturity and experience to handle the responsibility of voting, the Takoma Park City Council in Maryland passed an amendment to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in city elections.
• 8 Comments

• Christie's Affordable-Housing Battle Heads to Court
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   May 15, 2013
• A three-judge panel said it will hear arguments on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s decision to grab up to $162 million in affordable-housing funds for his proposed $32.9 billion budget

• Feds Block Utah Public-Lands Law
• Source: Salt Lake Tribune   |   Utah   |   May 15, 2013
• A federal judge signed an order blocking implementation of a Utah law prohibiting some Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service employees from enforcing state laws anywhere in Utah after the U.S. Department of Justice argued the law was unconstitutional.

• Controversial Arizona Laws Rack Up Huge Legal Fees
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   May 15, 2013
• Lawsuits defending some of the state’s most controversial laws have cost millions of dollars and thousands of hours of state employee time, diverting them from other important work.
• 3 Comments

• Florida Legislators Pay Peanuts for Health Insurance
• Source: Miami Herald   |   Florida   |   May 15, 2013
• Florida House Republicans, who last month loudly and proudly rejected billions of dollars in federal money that would have provided health insurance to 1 million low-income people, pay less than the $25 a month they wanted to charge poor Floridians for basic coverage.
• 2 Comments

• Anthony Weiner Hires Campaign Manager for NYC Mayoral Bid
• Source: Politico   |   New York City   |   May 15, 2013
• Anthony Weiner’s new campaign manager for his nascent mayoral bid is a recent Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee adviser who spent four months working on a failed Staten Island congressional race last year.

• Florida Lawmakers Have Low Insurance Premiums Denied Medicaid Expansion
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Florida   |   May 14, 2013
• Florida House Republicans last month rejected billions of dollars in federal money that would have provided health insurance to 1 million poor Floridians while keeping their own health insurance premiums staggeringly low.

• Legislation Aims to Save State Mineral Revenues From Sequestration
• BY: Stateline   |   Nation   |   May 14, 2013
• Wyoming Republicans Sen. Mike Enzi and Rep. Cynthia Lummis plan to introduce bills next week allowing states to collect royalties directly from companies that develop oil, gas and coal on federal lands.

• Vermont Passes Aid-in-Dying Bill
• Source: New England Cable News   |   Vermont   |   May 14, 2013
• The Vermont House voted Monday evening to make the state the first in the U.S. to legislate allowing physicians to provide lethal medication to terminally ill patients who request it.

• GOP States Struggle With Use of Budget Surpluses
• Source: AP/Yahoo   |   Nation   |   May 14, 2013
• Republicans who won control over state legislatures on principles of small government are facing pressure to spend budget surpluses on roads, schools and buildings that were cut or neglected during the recession.
• 2 Comments

• Kansas Legislature Seeks Changes to Judicial Nomination Process
• Source: AP/The Republic   |   Kansas   |   May 14, 2013
• Legislators who believe the Kansas Senate should have the power to confirm appellate court judges, including Supreme Court justices, have a new plan that they hope will get approved before lawmakers adjourn this year, an influential senator involved in drafting the measure said Monday.

• Alabama State Democratic Party Faces Financial Ruin
• Source: AL.com   |   Alabama   |   May 14, 2013
• Following a fight over the direction and control of the party that saw party chairman Mark Kennedy resign to form a new organization to be called the Alabama Democratic Majority, the new leader of the party announced at a meeting Monday that the party is broke and unable to pay it's bills.

• Minnesota Passes Same-Sex Marriage
• Source: The Minneapolis Star-Tribune   |   Minnesota   |   May 14, 2013
• The Minnesota Senate voted 37-30 to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure next moves to Gov. Mark Dayton, who will sign it in a ceremony at 5 p.m. today on the south steps of the Capitol.

• Arizona Governor Refuses to Sign Bills Over Medicaid Expansion Delays
• Source: The Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   May 14, 2013
• Gov. Jan Brewer has told lawmakers she's done signing bills until they get moving on Medicaid expansion and the state budget.

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