• Obama Declares Oklahoma Tornado a Major Disaster
• Source: USA Today   |   Oklahoma   |   May 21, 2013
• At least 51 people were killed when a massive tornado blasted through central Oklahoma, flattening neighborhoods and destroying two elementary schools. The grim work of search, rescue and recovery continues today.
• 2 Comments

• Judge Allows 1,000s of UC Medical Workers to Strike
• Source: Sacramento Bee   |   California   |   May 21, 2013
• A Sacramento judge Monday refused to stop a strike today by thousands of employees at the UC Davis Medical Center and four other UC hospitals – but ordered a limited number of critical care employees to stay on the job.

• Unions Win Big Victory in Minnesota
• Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune   |   Minnesota   |   May 21, 2013
• The Democratic Legislature eked out a major victory for organized labor, giving in-home child-care providers and personal care attendants the right to unionize at a time when union power is in full retreat in many state capitols.

• Federal-Run Health Exchanges Won't Mirror Massachusetts'
• Source: Boston Globe   |   Nation   |   May 21, 2013
• Massachusetts, which served as the model for Obamacare, conducts competitive bidding to promote cost-efficient plans in its exchange. But in the 34 states where the federal government will be running the exchange, the government has decided to permit any plan to qualify that meets a minimum set of standards set by the law.

• Alaska Pushes Feds on Arctic Drilling
• Source: Politico   |   Alaska   |   May 21, 2013
• Alaskan officials are hoping to prod the federal government into measuring the amount of oil and gas beneath the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and are offering state money as part of their plan to push the project forward.
• 2 Comments

• 3 Gun Bills Sent to New Jersey Gov. Christie
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   May 21, 2013
• Three bills aimed at controlling gun violence gained final legislative approval in the state Assembly, making them the first of what is expected to be a big batch of gun control legislation to land on Gov. Chris Christie’s desk.

• Kardashian Pulls T-Shirt from Shelves After Gov. Cuomo Threatened Lawsuit
• Source: New York Daily News   |   New York   |   May 21, 2013
• The high-end clothing line backed by reality star Khloe Kardashian yanked a New York-themed t-shirt from its website hours after New York Gov. Cuomo’s administration warned the item may be violating copyright law because the design of the $35 shirt looks almost identical to a state Department of Agriculture logo.

• Wyoming Gov. Mead Announces Anti-DUI Campaign
• Source: AP/Casper Star-Tribune   |   Wyoming   |   May 21, 2013
• The Governor's Council on Impaired Driving is rolling out advertisements that emphasize how much it costs to get cited for drunken driving, and that people convicted of the crime stand may lose their license.

• Colorado to Use Telemedicine in Prisons
• BY: Government Technology   |   Colorado   |   May 20, 2013
• The Colorado Department of Corrections and Denver Health Medical Center are launching a telemedicine pilot program in June for incarcerated patients that need consultations specialized areas.

• Illinois Increases Penalites for Social Media-Linked Attacks
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Illinois   |   May 20, 2013
• Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law Saturday a measure that allows stiffer penalties for people convicted of using social media to organize mob attacks.

• Success of Gun Buyback in Phoenix May Backfire
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Phoenix, Ariz.   |   May 20, 2013
• The gun buyback was designed, in part, to get unwanted weapons out of homes and into the hands of Phoenix police before a new law takes effect requiring police to sell the guns instead of destroy them. But the program was so successful that police are already struggling to process the more than 1,000 weapons in their possession.
• 2 Comments

• Virginia GOP Launches Tea Party Ticket
• Source: Politico   |   Virginia   |   May 20, 2013
• Rejuvenated by a Democratic scandal in Washington and a tea party conservative atop their ticket, Virginia Republicans nominated a trio of statewide candidates whose fate will be closely watched as an indicator of the health of the national GOP.

• Arkansas' Early Abortion Ban Blocked -- for Now
• Source: Politico   |   Arkansas   |   May 20, 2013
• The law was briefly the earliest abortion ban in the nation. But later the same month, North Dakota went even further, passing a ban on abortions after six weeks.

• Gov. Scott to OK Medicaid Money for Florida Hospitals
• Source: Tampa Bay Times   |   Florida   |   May 20, 2013
• The state's largest hospitals were relieved to learn Gov. Rick Scott will approve $65 million aimed at easing the transition to a new Medicaid payment system. In return, hospitals agreed not to ask for more such money next year.

• Arizona Gov. Brewer Looking to Leave Legacy with Medicaid Expansion
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   May 20, 2013
• Gov. Jan Brewer, one of the state’s conservative firebrands who has attracted a national following with her messages of states’ rights and border security, is walking a political tightrope as she pushes to reshape how the state provides health care to the poor.

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• Skagit River Bridge That Collapsed Wasn't Built to Take Critical Hit
• Kardashian Pulls T-Shirt from Shelves After Gov. Cuomo Threatened Lawsuit
• Massachusetts Lt. Gov. to Resign
• Unions Win Big Victory in Minnesota
• Obama Declares Oklahoma Tornado a Major Disaster

• Skagit River Bridge That Collapsed Wasn't Built to Take Critical Hit
• Kardashian Pulls T-Shirt from Shelves After Gov. Cuomo Threatened Lawsuit
• Creating the Courts Americans Want
• Massachusetts Lt. Gov. to Resign
• Success of Gun Buyback in Phoenix May Backfire

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..."
• 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..."
• Study: Medicaid Improves Mental But Not Physical Health
  
  "Shame on me for forgetting to cite my sources:
  
  http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/stories/2013/may/10/oregon-medicaid-participant-view-of-the-program.aspx..."
• 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..."
• GOP-Controlled Wisconsin Legislature Targets Milwaukee
  
  "A residency requirement may be limiting the standards and expectations of civil servants...."

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