• Supreme Court Appears Divided Over Arizona's Voting Requirements
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Nation   |   March 19, 2013
• The court heard oral arguments on Arizona's voter registration requirements on Monday and appeared divided along ideological lines.

• 3 Gun Bills to Get Colorado Governor's Signature
• Source: AP/Politico   |   Colorado   |   March 19, 2013
• The measures proposed are some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, and their passage comes after weeks of tense legislative battles.

• Arizona Lawmakers Back Gold, Silver as Currency
• Source: AP/Arizona Capitol Times   |   Arizona   |   March 19, 2013
• The measure is Arizona’s latest jab at the federal government, which prohibits states from minting their own money.
• 3 Comments

• Maryland Repeals the Death Penalty, Joins Growing Trend
• BY: Stateline   |   Maryland   |   March 18, 2013
• After a years-long fight, Maryland has become the sixth state in as many years to repeal its death penalty.
• 3 Comments

• Can States Require Proof of Citizenship to Vote? Supreme Court to Decide
• Source: AP/Washington Post   |   Nation   |   March 18, 2013
• The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday about the validity of an Arizona law that tries to keep illegal immigrants from voting by demanding all state residents show documents proving their U.S. citizenship before registering to vote in national elections.
• 11 Comments

• North Dakota Governor Faces Choice on Abortion Restrictions
• Source: AP/Bismarck Tribune   |   North Dakota   |   March 18, 2013
• He can join with his fellow Republicans and approve measures that are likely to lead to a costly legal battle that opponents say will end in utter failure. Or he could veto bills that have enough support to pass without him, a move that would draw the ire of social conservatives in a state that is historically socially conservative.

• Facing a Psychiatrist Shortage, Iowa Considers Tax Breaks
• Source: AP/Des Moines Register   |   Iowa   |   March 18, 2013
• With Iowa facing a psychiatrist shortage in the middle of sweeping changes to the county-based mental health system, one lawmaker thinks giving income tax breaks to psychiatry students will be enough to encourage them to practice in the state.
• 1 Comments

• Tuition Equity Bill for Undocumented Immigrants Uncertain in Minnesota
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Minnesota   |   March 15, 2013
• If the Legislature passes the bill, Minnesota would join 12 other states in offering in-state tuition to eligible undocumented immigrants.

• New Wisconsin Law Strips Secretary of State of Some Powers
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   March 14, 2013
• Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill to strip the secretary of state of his power to briefly delay legislation from taking effect. The proposal renewed in part the 2011 fight over Walker's labor legislation, in which the secretary of state had a significant role in a court fight over the law.

• States Weigh How to Compensate the Wrongfully Convicted
• Source: New York Times   |   Nation   |   March 14, 2013
• Twenty-three states that have no system to compensate the wrongfully convicted.

• 'Anti-Bloomberg Bill' in Mississippi Bars Local Restrictions on Food and Drink
• Source: New York Times   |   Mississippi   |   March 14, 2013
• The bill, which is on the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant and is likely to get a swift signature means that cities or counties cannot enact rules about any aspect of the daily dining experience.
• 5 Comments

• Bill to Tie Education Funding to Student Test Scores Earns Arizona Governor's Support
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   March 14, 2013
• Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is putting her weight behind a bill that would give more money to schools where students perform well or improve on state tests, but opponents fear the proposal could take money from struggling schools.
• 1 Comments

• Controversial California Bill Promotes Statewide Online College Courses
• Source: Los Angeles Times   |   California   |   March 14, 2013
• The legislation calls for development of 50 online classes as potential substitutes for the hard-to-get core courses required for graduation.

• Colorado to Join 8 States with Civil Unions for Gay Couples
• Source: AP/Denver Post   |   Colorado   |   March 14, 2013
• Colorado lawmakers took a historic vote to approve civil unions for gay couples, delivering on a campaign promise from Democrats who have capitalized on the changing political landscape of a state where voters banned same-sex marriage not long ago. The bill is expected to be signed into law within two weeks.

• New Jersey Appeals Sports Betting Decision
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   March 14, 2013
• New Jersey officials appealed a federal judge’s decision to block legal sports betting in the state, a move that was expected in a high-stakes case that could end up before the nation’s highest court.