• Obama, Perry Both Take Credit for Impressive Texas Jobs Growth
• Source: Time   |   Texas   |   May 10, 2013
• Texas has been a monster job creator over the past ten years with steady employment growth despite massive increases in the state's labor pool and a spike in unemployment in 2009.

• California Assembly Approves Two Bills for Transgender Rights
• Source: The Sacramento Bee   |   California   |   May 10, 2013
• Two bills aimed at eliminating obstacles facing transgender people cleared the Assembly largely along party lines Thursday, including one measure to let students choose the bathroom and sports team that correlates with their gender identity.

• Former Calif. Lt. Gov. Criticizes State's Prison Policies
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   May 9, 2013
• In a speech where he hinted at a possible run for governor, former Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado called out Gov. Jerry Brown for his handling of prison crowding in the state, calling the policies being pursued an "early release" program.

• 'Caylee's Law' on Missing Children Sent to North Carolina Governor
• Source: AP/Raleigh News & Observer   |   North Carolina   |   May 9, 2013
• The bill, inspired by the case of Caylee Anthony, makes it a felony when parents knowingly fail to report to police their child has been missing for at least 24 hours.

• Medical Marijuana Regulations Finalized in Massachusetts
• Source: Boston Globe   |   Massachusetts   |   May 9, 2013
• Companies hoping to sell marijuana for medical use in Massachusetts will be required to hire an independent lab to test their products for contaminants, under final rules that regulators approved by unanimous vote.

• Bills to Increase Oversight of Oil and Gas Industry Fail in Colorado
• Source: Denver Post   |   Colorado   |   May 9, 2013
• The administration of Gov. John Hickenlooper, as well as the oil and gas industry, opposed several of the bills.

• Oregon Secretary of State Tweaks Automatic Voter-Registration Bill in Search of Support
• Source: Oregonian   |   Oregon   |   May 9, 2013
• Kate Brown said she has agreed to changes to address privacy concerns, as well as worries from minor political parties faced with rapidly increasing their numbers to keep their ballot status.

• Arizona May Join States Offering Foster Kids Free Tuition
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   May 9, 2013
• Seventeen other states have tuition waivers for foster children.

• Minimum-Wage Battle Waged Among Minnesota House, Senate
• Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune   |   Minnesota   |   May 9, 2013
• The Minnesota Senate narrowly approved a modest increase to the state’s minimum wage that directly contrasts with the higher wage hike approved by the House and endorsed by Gov. Mark Dayton.

• Voter ID Bill Rejected in Iowa Senate
• Source: Des Moines Register   |   Iowa   |   May 9, 2013
• The effort failed on a 26-24 vote with Democrats against and Republicans in support.

• North Carolina Carefully Weighs Fracking Options
• BY: Stateline   |   May 8, 2013
• As the legislature considers lifting a decades long ban on unconventional drilling which would allow hydraulic fracturing the state's unique geography is prompting concerns about disposal of the wastewater the drilling produces.
• 1 Comments

• Food-Stamp Bill to Encourage Healthy Purchases Advances in Wisconsin
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   May 8, 2013
• The Wisconsin legislature has passed a bill requiring recipients of food stamps to spend at least two-thirds of their assistance money on state-defined healthy foods. A separate bill re-addressing food stamp fraud was also passed.

• Voucher Funding Unconstitutional, Rules Louisiana Supreme Court
• Source: New Orleans Times Picayune   |   Louisiana   |   May 8, 2013
• Act 2, part of Gov. Bobby Jindal's 2012 package of education reforms, diverts money from each student's per-pupil allocation to cover the cost of private or parochial school tuition.

• Marijuana Driving Limits Pass Colorado Legislature After Several Attempts
• Source: Denver Post   |   Colorado   |   May 8, 2013
• The bill approved was the sixth try in the past three years to pass a stoned-driving limit, which supporters say will give prosecutors a tool to combat an increase in stoned-driving cases.

• Obama's Cigarette Tax to Fund Preschool Up in Smoke
• Source: Politico   |   Nation   |   May 8, 2013
• Presidential budgets are all about theater. But this year’s was more theatrical than most: Its biggest single new proposal — the sin tax to generate $78 billion to fund a preschool education program — vanished almost as soon as Obama announced it four weeks ago.

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• Supreme Court to Reexamine Church-State Separation at Government Meetings
  
  "There is everything in the constituation that says laws may not be written such that your..."
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  "How about testing for alcohol too?
  How about testing for smoking too? People on unemployment..."
• Report: U.S. Teacher Training System is Broken
  
  "The education establishment is an industry unto itself. Between insular teacher "training&quot..."
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