December 20, 2015 Virginia moves to allow increased use of electric chair Virginia lawmakers, facing a shortage of lethal drugs used to administer the death penalty, have advanced a proposal aimed at making the electric chair its default method for executions.
December 20, 2015 Missouri lawmakers weigh bill that seeks to nullify federal gun laws The Senate General Laws Committee began a two-part hearing Tuesday on the measure that would declare certain federal gun control policies "null and void."Â
December 20, 2015 ACLU sues Utah for not recognizing gay marriages The American Civil Liberties Union has sued the state of Utah over the issue of gay marriage, saying the official decision to stop granting benefits for newly married same-sex couples has created wrenching uncertainty.
December 20, 2015 Kentucky bill would let service monkeys help paralyzed people Kentucky legislators may soon debate whether to allow service monkeys to assist paralyzed adults with simple household tasks.
December 20, 2015 Shortage of lethal drugs, 'ugly' Ohio execution fuels battle over death penalty A shortage of the lethal drugs used to administer the death penalty has re-ignited a battle over capital punishment which has pushed a few states to weigh execution alternatives -- even firing squads.
December 20, 2015 New Hampshire pot vote could nudge Vermont to loosen rules on marijuana The New Hampshire House of Representatives made history last week when it became the first state Legislature to vote in favor of a bill to legalize the sale and possession of recreational marijuana.
December 20, 2015 Judge declares North Carolina abortion ultrasound law illegal U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles ruled that states don't have the power to force a health care provider to be the bearer of what she called an "ideological message in favor of carrying a pregnancy to term."
December 20, 2015 Judge strikes down photo ID requirement for Pennsylvania voters  The law, one of the strictest in the nation, was approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by the Republican governor in March 2012 over the protests of every single Democratic lawmaker.
December 20, 2015 Helping the NSA could become a crime in Washington state Providing water and electricity to the National Security Agency in Washington state could soon mean a year of jail time.
December 20, 2015 Kentucky house passes bill restoring some felons' voting rights A bill seeking to amend Kentucky's Constitution to restore voting rights for some felons sailed through the state House on Thursday. Unlike past years, the proposed ballot issue is showing signs of life in the Senate.