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OR Declares Drought Emergency Citing an ongoing lack of rainfall and snowpack, OREGON Gov. Kate Brown (D) declared a drought emergency in three southern and central Beaver State counties. Similar declarations have been made by governors in CALIFORNIA and WASHINGTON (HUFFINGTON POST). Drought Task...

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) strongly denied that the closure of 31 mostly rural Heart of Dixie DMV offices is based on race or an effort to suppress minority voters. Bentley called such accusations “politics at its worst.” His remarks came in the wake of strong criticism over the...

Hogan Completes Chemo MARYLAND Gov. Larry Hogan (R) completed his final round of chemotherapy treatment for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hogan posted on his Facebook account that since being diagnosed in June he has undergone 30 days of 24-hour chemotherapy, three surgeries, four spinal taps and...

Bentley Weighing Medicaid Expansion ALABAMA Gov. Robert Bentley (R) said his administration is pondering expanding Medicaid eligibility. Bentley, who is a doctor, said he was concerned about the health care access for the state’s working poor and rural health care infrastructure, but that the...

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) recently issued an executive order stripping Attorney General Luther Strange (R) of the primary responsibility for enforcing the Heart of Dixie’s anti-gambling laws. Executive Order 13 gives that power instead to local sheriffs and district attorneys. Bentley said...

In the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris on Nov. 13 that claimed 129 lives and left hundreds more critically injured, a majority of America’s governors now vigorously oppose allowing refugees escaping Syria’s civil war to relocate in their states. A smaller number, while expressing caution...

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) opted to settle a lawsuit brought forth by Planned Parenthood Southeast rather than appeal a federal judge’s order to reinstate a contract with the organization. Bentley also agreed that the state will pay over $51,000 toward the group’s legal fees. Bentley...

Wolfe Boosts State Wages PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom Wolfe (D) issued an executive order ( EO 2016-02 ) raising the minimum wage to $10.15 per hour for state government employees and private sector employees working on state contracts. Wolfe said raising the wage would achieve efficiency and cost savings...

A top aide to Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) resigned last week amid allegations she and the governor were having an affair. But Bentley himself is so far resisting a growing number of calls that he resign. Bentley made an appearance in northern Alabama last Wednesday in which he had hoped to...

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”...

AL Lawmakers Set Up Impeachment Process ALABAMA lawmakers set up the process by which the House will attempt to impeach Gov. Robert Bentley (R). House lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a resolution that requires at least 21 signatures by House members to present impeachment articles to the Judiciary...

LA Judge Rejects Edwards LGBT Directive Saying the law was unclear, a LOUISIANA judge rejected an attempt by Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) to force the state Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) to okay legal contracts that include anti-discrimination language to protect LGBT people. Edwards said he would...

McAuliffe Vows Vetoes VIRGINIA Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said last week he would veto any measures sent to him by lawmakers that discriminate against the LGBTQ community or which seek to force so-called “sanctuary cities” to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. McAuliffe noted...

Just days after Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) named Steve Marshall to replace Luther Strange as State Attorney General, Marshall confirmed what had long only been rumored: that Bentley is under criminal investigation by the AG’s office. Ironically, Marshall confirmed the investigation so he could...

Malloy Pitches Justice System Reform for CT Young Offenders : Saying we need “a society where young people who make mistakes don’t pay a price forever,” CONNECTICUT Gov. Dannel P. Malloy (D) proposed creating a new category of “young adult” offenders for those aged 18...

Baker Tries Again on MA Police Assault Bill After lawmakers killed a similar proposal last session, MASSACHUSETTS Gov. Charlie Baker (R) refiled legislation last week that would make it a felony to assault and cause serious bodily harm to a police officer. The measure would also limit the sentencing...

With the sudden resignation of Robert Bentley last Monday, Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey (R) became Alabama’s second female governor last week. After resisting calls for him to quit for more than a year over accusations he had misused public funds to carry on and cover up an affair with a former top...

Gov. Scott Vetoes VT Weed Bill VERMONT Gov. Phil Scott (R) vetoed a measure ( SB 22 ) that would have made the Green Mountain State the first to legalize recreational marijuana through legislative action. Scott said he still supported the bill in concept but wanted lawmakers to toughen penalties against...

DUCEY DECRIES ‘RECKLESS’ CALLS TO ABOLISH ICE In an op-ed in USA Today last week, ARIZONA Gov. Doug Ducey (R) said calls from a growing number of Democratic officials to abolish the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency were “reckless” and “misguided.”...

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 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...

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...