• Poll: Gay Marriage Should be Decided by the States
• Source: New York Times   |   Nation   |   June 7, 2013
• A solid majority of Americans opposes a broad national right to same-sex marriage, saying the power to legalize gay unions should rest with the states — even as most support marriage equality for gay people, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

• Iowa Denies Paying Psychics to Solve Crimes
• Source: AP/Des Moines Register   |   Iowa   |   June 7, 2013
• A spokesman said that the public safety commissioner believes investigators should follow every lead, including those from psychics, but he said the department isn’t using psychics “as some sort of philosophy."

• New Hampshire Grants 14 Slaves Freedom 2 Centuries After They Asked for it
• Source: AP/Boston Globe   |   New Hampshire   |   June 7, 2013
• New Hampshire is posthumously emancipating 14 slaves who fought in the Revolutionary War and had asked state lawmakers for their freedom more than 200 years ago.
• 2 Comments

• Northeastern Colorado Considers Seceding from State
• Source: Denver Post   |   Colorado   |   June 7, 2013
• The plan to carve off the northeastern corner of the state — Weld, Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma and Kit Carson counties — and form the state of North Colorado was hatched at a Colorado Counties Inc. conference earlier this week.

• Pennsylvania Employees’ Unions Fail to Pay for Political Deductions
• Source: TribLive   |   Pennsylvania   |   June 7, 2013
• Despite a contract requiring unions representing state workers to reimburse the state for deducting voluntary contributions to political action committees, no such payments have been made, according to a sworn affidavit obtained by the Tribune-Review.

• State Takeover of Camden Schools Approved
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   Camden, N.J.   |   June 7, 2013
• The state Board of Education voted unanimously to approve Gov. Chris Christie's plan to seize control of the state's lowest performing school district starting June 25, the last day of school this year.

• Christie Appoints New Jersey AG Jeff Chiesa to Senate Until Special Election
• Source: Washington Post   |   New Jersey   |   June 6, 2013
• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday announced he will appoint state Attorney General Jeff Chiesa to the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg. A new senator will be elected Oct. 16.

• Wealthy GOP Venture Capitalist Enters Illinois Governor's Race
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Illinois   |   June 6, 2013
• Wealthy venture capitalist Bruce Rauner has formally entered the Republican governor's race, saying state government is broken and portraying himself as a down-to-earth businessman who can fix it.

• California Health Exchange Premiums Vary By Geographic Region
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   June 6, 2013
• With insurers on the health exchanges no longer allowed to use underwriting rules like policyholder's weight, blood pressure, medical history and physical fitness, geography will now be the primary factor used to set prices.

• Florida Enacts New Abortion Law
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Florida   |   June 6, 2013
• Gov. Rick Scott has signed a bill into law requiring that doctors performing an abortion offer emergency medical care if the baby is somehow born alive. Florida becomes the 29th state to enact this kind of legislation.

• States and Localities Look to Regulate Short-Term Rentals
• BY: Stateline   |   Nation   |   June 6, 2013
• As the popularity of short-term rental websites like Airbnb, FlipKey and HomeAway grow states and localities are struggling with how much regulation is needed.

• Cuccinelli Demands IRS Pay the $125 Million it Owes Virginia
• Source: Washington Post   |   Virginia   |   June 6, 2013
• Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R) seemed to be spoiling for his next big fight with the federal government, announcing Wednesday morning that the Internal Revenue Service was refusing to pay $125 million owed to Virginia, possibly in retaliation for his legal battles with the Obama administration.

• Abortion Coverage to be Banned on Pennsylvania's Health Exchanges
• Source: PA Independent   |   Pennsylvania   |   June 6, 2013
• Women in Pennsylvania will have the right to choose insurance through the state health exchange, but it won’t extend to abortion.

• Cory Booker Collecting Signatures for New Jersey's Special Senate Election
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   June 6, 2013
• Newark Mayor Cory Booker has started the process to run in a special August primary to fill the seat of U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, who died Monday.
• 2 Comments

• Bill to Keep Dead, Imprisoned People Off Welfare Becomes Michigan Law
• Source: MLive.com   |   Michigan   |   June 6, 2013
• Gov. Rick Snyder has signed a new law aimed at making sure dead and imprisoned people are taken off the eligibility list for the state’s Bridge Card food assistance program.
• 3 Comments

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Comments

• 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..."
• Texas Enacts Unemployment Drug-Testing Law
  
  "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..."
• Maine Gov. LePage Vetoes Medicaid Expansion Bill
  
  "It's frustrating when politicians (and demagogues)avoid explaining their rationale. So,..."
• Bill to Keep Dead, Imprisoned People Off Welfare Becomes Michigan Law
  
  "Snyder should also make sure to sign a law restricting dead people from getting driver's..."

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