December 20, 2015 Ohio House votes to ban powdered alcohol The Ohio House has passed a measure that would ban crystalline, or powdered alcohol, in the state.
December 20, 2015 Kansas Supreme Court allows more gay marriages The Kansas Supreme Court cleared the way Tuesday for additional gay marriages in the state's most populous county while declaring that it would defer to the federal courts on whether Kansas' ban on same-sex marriages is constitutional.
December 20, 2015 NYC mayor looks to undo Giuliani-era welfare reforms New York City’s new Democratic mayor is planning to unravel the country’s largest local “workfare” program – which ties work requirements to welfare benefits – and revert to what critics are calling an old-fashioned “entitlement” system.
December 20, 2015 Beckham's bid to bring soccer, stadium to Miami taking political and business header Will Miami bend it for Beckham? Retired soccer star David Beckham has international fame and clout, but he’s struggling to get the Miami community to allow him to start a pro team and build a stadium in the city.
December 20, 2015 Red light cameras tough to turn off, despite growing opposition Red light cameras have generated millions in revenue for towns and cities across the country, but they’ve brought plenty of controversy, too. More than 500 municipalities are using red light cameras, which have proliferated, as have efforts to limit or ban them.
December 20, 2015 Medicaid surge triggers cost concerns for states From California to Rhode Island, states are confronting new concerns that their Medicaid costs will rise as a result of the federal health care law. That's likely to revive the debate about how federal decisions can saddle states with unanticipated expenses.
December 20, 2015 Oil companies say new federal regulations on Southwest bird have halted drilling in Kansas Oil companies say a weeks-old Obama administration ruling that protects a Southwestern prairie bird has already halted oil-drilling operations in Kansas and is costing the U.S. economy tens of millions of dollars, as a GOP congressmen suggests the move is another job-killing attack on fossil fuel.
December 20, 2015 Tennessee brings back electric chair during lethal injection drug scarcity Tennessee has decided how it will respond to a nationwide scarcity of lethal injection drugs for death-row inmates: with the electric chair.
December 20, 2015 South Dakota gay marriage ban challenged in lawsuit In 19 states and the District of Columbia, gay couples already can wed, with Oregon and Pennsylvania becoming the latest to join the list this week when federal judges struck down their bans and officials decided not to appeal.
December 20, 2015 Wyo. lawmakers mull firing squad for executions Wyoming lawmakers are considering changing state law to permit execution of condemned inmates by firing squad.