Ks and TX Friends of the Court In Florida Support Governors in KANSAS and TEXAS said they would file amicus briefs in support of FLORIDA Gov. Rick Scott’s (R) lawsuit against the Obama administration alleging the government is illegally coercing the state to expand Medicaid (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION...

Texas Gov. Greg Abbot (R) signed a package of bills that will commit hundreds of millions of state dollars to bolster security along the Texas-Mexico border. The measures, HB 10, HB 11 and HB 12, collectively contain a wide array of elements, including: hiring additional state troopers; giving the Department...

Investigation Into Planned Parenthood At least four Republican governors have ordered state health officials to investigate the operations of Planned Parenthood clinics in their states after a video surreptitiously captured by an anti-abortion group surfaced showing a PP executive discussing the selling...

TX-Mexico Border Deal TEXAS Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed an agreement with Mexico that, among several things, promotes bilateral collaboration on motor vehicle border land crossings and future border infrastructure projects (LANDLINE MAGAZINE). Hogan Cuts Fees MARYLAND Gov. Larry Hogan (R...

Bentley Impeachment Effort Moves Forward As expected, Rep. Ed Henry (R) filed articles of impeachment against ALABAMA Gov. Robert Bentley (R) last week. Those articles accuse the governor of, among several things, “willful neglect of duty,” “corruption in office,” “incompetency”...

MORE GOVS NOW PONDERING MEDICAID EXPANSION : With the failure of the Congressional proposal to overturn the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, a growing number of governors are expressing openness to expanding their states’ Medicaid programs. GEORGIA Gov. Nathan Deal (R) said last week he was...

ABBOTT ORDERS FREE REPLACEMENT GUN CARDS: TEXAS Gov. Greg Abbott (R) directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to waive the cost of replacing licenses to carry handguns for residents who lost their cards as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Residents in counties covered by a state disaster declaration...

ABBOTT PITCHES TIGHTER TX TEACHER SCREENING : Responding to a spike in the number of Lone Star State teachers entering into relationships with students, TEXAS Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has proposed creating a “do not hire” list for educators involved in an inappropriate relationship. That list...

Citing the shooting death last year of a state trooper by a man with a long criminal history, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) last week proposed making access to bail more difficult for defendants charged with certain serious crimes. Abbott’s proposal would require that bail for people accused...

Baker Opposes MA Nurse Staffing Mandates MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said a recent report by the state Health Policy Commission has convinced him to vote no on Question 1 , a ballot measure that would require strict nurse-to-patient ratios in Bay State hospitals. Baker cited cost estimates...

For the seventh quarter in a row, polling by Morning Consult shows that the ten most popular governors in America are all Republicans. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker topped the list with a 70 percent approval rating, followed closely by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, at 67 percent. That pair has topped...

BAKER URGES NEW STEPS FOR REPORTING MA HATE CRIMES Taking a cue from the recommendations of a state task force, MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said the Bay State will create a new website to track hate crimes and urged police chiefs to designate at least one officer to coordinate responses to...

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed measures last week that address human trafficking, the state’s enormous backlog of rape kits, and providing increased resources for survivors of sexual assault. Abbott lauded the trafficking bills – HB 2613 , which makes it a crime to operate a house...

BAKER URGES PATIENCE WITH MA WIND POWER In an address to the wind power industry, MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said the Bay State has a responsibility to get it right and to position the offshore wind industry for long-term success. Baker said the two things he hears the most about the state’s...

ABBOT VETOES TX CHILD PROSTITUTION BILL Saying the bill could have “unintended consequences,” TEXAS Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed HB 1771 , which would have barred minors forced into the sex trade by human traffickers from being charged as prostitutes. Although minors in Texas under age...

In the wake of the nation’s latest (as of this writing) mass shooting, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) proposed a package of reforms to his state’s gun regulations. The hard part will be not having them instantly shot down by his fellow Republicans that control the Buckeye State Legislature. ...

COOPER SIGNS NC GUN ORDER NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy Cooper (D) issued an executive directive ordering that state Bureau of Investigation and other state agencies to take more action against gun violence. The order directs the BOI to conduct more threat assessment training for local police and provide...

WA LEG SUES INSLEE The WASHINGTON Legislature filed suit against Gov. Jay Inslee (D), arguing the governor had violated the Evergreen State Constitution when he issued several partial vetoes of the 2019-21 transportation budget. Inslee acknowledged the unusual nature of the vetoes in his veto message...

WA GOV ORDERS VAPING BAN Citing a rising number of illnesses and deaths linked to e-tobacco use, WASHINGTON Gov. Jay Inslee (D) said he will ask the state board of health to adopt emergency rules enacting a statewide ban on flavored vaping products. At least four other states – MICHIGAN, NEW...

A new temporary homeless camp fostered by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is so far not doing much to alleviate the growing homelessness problem in Austin. A week after the camp was opened at a former maintenance yard for TxDOT vehicles in East Austin, advocates for the homeless say barely a dozen people...