• California is 1st to Use Health Exchange for Voter Registration
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   May 17, 2013
• In a move that other states are expected to follow, California is giving people who contact the state's new health exchange to buy insurance the opportunity to register to vote at the same time.

• Texas Enacts Law to Prevent Wrongful Convictions
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   May 17, 2013
• Known as the Michael Morton Act, the law aims to avoid wrongful convictions by preventing prosecutors from suppressing evidence.

• Brewer's Immigrant-License Policy Upheld in Court
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   May 17, 2013
• A federal judge refused to suspend Gov. Jan Brewer’s policy denying driver’s licenses to young undocumented immigrants who receive work permits through President Barack Obama’s deferred-action policy.

• Washington State's Marijuana Rules Taking Shape
• Source: Seattle Times   |   Washington state   |   May 17, 2013
• State officials released proposed rules for a legal seed-to-store marijuana system that would allow adults to buy an ounce of tested, labeled pot seven days a week.

• Facing a Strike, UC Medical Centers Cancel Elective Surgeries
• Source: Los Angeles Times   |   California   |   May 17, 2013
• Facing a possible two-day strike next week by patient care and technical workers, the five large University of California medical centers are starting to cancel elective surgeries.

• Proposal to Raise Legal Cigarette Age to 21 Catches on in New Jersey
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   May 17, 2013
• New Jersey and New York are both considering raising the minimum age for buying cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21.

• Bill Allowing Armed Personnel in Schools Becomes Tennessee Law
• Source: Tennessean   |   Tennessee   |   May 17, 2013
• Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill that allows school districts to let people with police training be armed in schools.

• Impact of Louisiana School Voucher Ruling Beginning to Show
• Source: New Orleans Times Picayune   |   Louisiana   |   May 17, 2013
• As the 2013-14 funding plan boomeranged between the Legislature and the state board of education, the state education superintendent revealed that the state had to find an extra $29 million for the current school year; meanwhile, parents of students in the voucher program rallied to keep their kids enrolled.

• Minimum-Wage Increase Hits Roadblock in Minnesota
• Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune   |   Minnesota   |   May 17, 2013
• Once a top priority, a hike in the minimum wage is falling off the agenda as the House and Senate disagree on how much it should rise.

• Florida's Rick Scott Rejects Amazon Deal
• Source: AP/Miami Herald   |   Florida   |   May 17, 2013
• Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who has made job creation his top priority, has rejected a proposed deal to bring major Internet retailer Amazon to the state because it would have meant that Floridians would have to pay sales tax on Internet purchases made through the company.
• 3 Comments

• Detroit's Recovery Plan Increases Default Risks
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   Detroit   |   May 16, 2013
• Moody's, the credit ratings agency, has warned that Detroit’s preliminary financial operating plan opens the door to place bondholders on the hook for the city’s debts, a move that would further damage the city’s already low credit rating.

• Illinois to Allow 17-Year-Olds to Vote in Primaries
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Illinois   |   May 16, 2013
• The Illinois legislature has passed a bill allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they are going to turn 18 by the November general election. In doing so they become the 13th state to allow this group of teens to vote in primaries.

• Oklahoma Law Bucks Trend in End-of-Life Care Debate
• BY: Stateline   |   Oklahoma   |   May 16, 2013
• A new law in Oklahoma severely restricting end-of-life options for patients raises a number of questions for doctors and is adding fuel to the national debate about end of life care.
• 2 Comments

• Texas GOP Donor Releases Anti-Obamacare Songs
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   May 16, 2013
• Houston physician and Republican campaign donor Steve Hotze has written two songs about his opposition to federal health reform.
• 1 Comments

• 6 States Have No Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws for Outside Groups
• Source: Indianapolis Star   |   Nation   |   May 16, 2013
• A 50-state analysis by the National Institute on Money in State Politics found that Indiana, Alabama, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota and South Carolina don’t have a single law on the books to require super PACs and nonprofits to disclose their finances,

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Comments

• U.S. AG Holder, Gov. Brownback Spar over Kansas' New Gun Law
  
  "RE: your response to me - I understand your confusion. Our tendency to devalue historical..."
• Felons' Voting Rights Could Impact 2012 Election
  
  "well that exulated quickly......"
• Colorado Becomes 14th State to Offer Undocumented Immigrants In-State Tuition
  
  "Finally, while I do agree with you that people who cheat the system should not be given..."
• Motorcycle Deaths Rise as States Rethink Helmet Laws
  
  "How many more lives would be saved if automobile riders would wear helmets. We are talking..."
• Surveillance Cameras Key to Solving Crimes in Boston, Elsewhere
  
  "By the way joe read this;
  
  
  http://www.eejournal.com/archives/fresh-bytes/a-fingerprint-scanner-that-can-capture-prints-from-20-feet-away/..."

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