Rhode Island
Lawmakers Struggle to Legalize Airbnb
© The Associated Press Bruce Bennett folds a blanket in a room he rents out of his San Francisco home. The city votes today on a ballot measure that would more tightly regulate such rentals. This story has been updated to clarify San Francisco’s rules on hosting short-term renters. Renting out a room, apartment or […]
Is ‘Telemedicine’ Virtually Identical to the Examination Room?
© The Associated Press A California doctor waits to confer with a doctor at another hospital whose image is displayed on a monitor. States have taken different approaches to regulating telemedicine. Telemedicine has been praised as a cost-effective way to link doctors and patients, enabling physicians to monitor their medical conditions and consult with specialists […]
Editor’s Picks From Around the Web
ND: North Dakota to pay for gay marriage lawyers with abortion fund inforum.com Some of the money set aside by North Dakota lawmakers to defend the state against legal challenges to its abortion laws will instead be used to cover attorneys’ fees awarded to lawyers for couples who challenged the state’s gay marriage ban. NY: New […]
States Try to Counter Rural Flight
Associated Press People gather for the annual McPherson County All Schools Day parade. Kansas is among the states seeking to counter shrinking population in rural counties with tax incentives and other programs. Bill Longnecker grew up in rural Nebraska and, after trying life in Kansas City, Missouri, and other urban areas, returned to his home […]
States Compete for Military Retirees
© AP Retired Army Reserve Lt. Col. Philip Kowzan of Spokane, Washington, plays taps at a military honor funeral. States are competing to lower income taxes on military pensions to attract retirees. (AP) Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan roared into office this year ready to cut taxes, including exempting all military pensions from the state’s […]
Editor’s Picks From Around the Web
LA: Louisiana’s Jindal says other states should follow Louisiana and tighten gun laws nytimes.com Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana called for tougher gun laws in other states, breaking his silence on the issue three days after a gunman with a history of mental illness and violence opened fire in a movie theater in Louisiana’s […]
Editor’s Picks From Around the Web
MO: Missouri Supreme Court takes over cases in Ferguson stltoday.com The Missouri Supreme Court took the “extraordinary action” of reassigning all Ferguson municipal court cases to the circuit court starting next week. The action follows the release last week of a scathing Justice Department report on Ferguson’s police and court practices. TX: Many along Texas […]
Should Nonprofits Have to Pay Taxes?
Elaine Povich/Stateline Maine Audubon communications manager Michelle Smith shows off the Gilsland Farm nature preserve on the Presumpscot River estuary, near Portland, Maine. Republican Gov. Paul LePage has proposed levying property taxes on nonprofits. (Elaine Povich/Stateline) FREEPORT, Maine – Marlene DiMarco-Hammond paused while sorting through some gently used clothing at the thrift store run by […]
Will Obama’s Budget Break a Legislative Logjam on Paid Family Leave?
AP President Barack Obama talks about his paid family leave proposals during an unannounced stop last month at a Baltimore cafe. By offering federal money to states to set up their own paid leave programs, the president may break a legislative logjam on the issue. (AP) After more than a decade of trying, backers of […]
States Hit the Brakes on Road Projects As Federal Fund Goes Broke
© AP A truck drives on the Highway 40 bridge over I-70 near Midway, Missouri. As the federal Highway Trust Fund barrels toward insolvency, Missouri and other states have delayed highway projects to avoid getting stuck with bills they can’t pay or starting projects they can’t finish. (AP) Instead of shifting into high gear during […]
Next Steps for States and ACA
Models hand out stickers and juice at a mall in Denver, encouraging people to get health coverage under the ACA. States that ran their own exchanges already are making plans for next year’s enrollment, which starts Nov.15 and runs until February 15, 2015. (AP) DENVER – Like other states that opted to run their own […]