#state-legislation

#state-legislation

After Missouri residents voted to repeal their state's near-total abortion ban and enshrine abortion rights into their state constitution, advocates quickly got to work. In a lawsuit filed the day after the 2024 election, abortion providers challenged not only the constitutionality of the state's ban, but also a slew of other restrictions that, they said, made their jobs so arduous as to be impossible. More than a year later, they are still in court.

House Bill 1695, known as the Tennessee Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, was filed earlier this month by Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson). The bill is scheduled for consideration during the current session of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly. It would grant the State Treasurer authority to invest a limited share of select state funds in bitcoin. The bill's findings cite inflation as a central concern.

Amid national furor over ICE tactics, Gov. Maura Healey has consistently railed against the agency and the Trump administration's broader immigration enforcement efforts. She filed legislation this week and signed an executive order aimed at reining in federal agents, saying that ICE is engaging in unlawful actions designed to stoke fear and destabilize communities.

Staying ahead of the curve requires keeping up with and sifting through a massive volume of data, and LexisNexis State Net is uniquely equipped to meet these challenges. This platform integrates with Lexis+ AI and other LexisNexis solutions to provide a user-friendly interface, apprising you of all of the legislative activities and status actions in the precise areas you need to monitor. State Net also boasts a new generative AI feature that will seamlessly guide you through the potential effects of a measure.

A similar proposal in Utah would block lawsuits over climate-warming emissions, unless a court finds the defendant violated a statute or permit. I think anyone in America who breathes the air around them and also believes in corporate accountability ought to be very concerned about these types of end-runs against accountability, said Jay Inslee, the former governor of Washington state and a former trial attorney.

Fresh off a dominant reelection bid, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is gearing up for a renewed test of her political capital. This week, Wu restarted her public push to shift more of the city's tax burden onto commercial real estate in order to provide savings for residential homeowners. This effort has been stymied by state lawmakers twice already. Now, Wu is hoping that the third time is the charm on Beacon Hill.

By the numbers: Overall, 35 states have considered or are considering resolutions related to DST in 2025 - with a portion of those bills connected to permanent standard time - according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Between the lines: California voters approved permanent DST back in 2018 via ballot measure, but state lawmakers haven't yet passed the required legislation.

Connecticut is one of only a handful of states without a law banning female genital mutilation and cutting, a human rights violation and one of the most extreme forms of gender-based violence. FGM/C, as the practice is often abbreviated, can be done for cultural reasons or a way to exert control over sexuality. It is most often performed on young girls without their consent, has no medical value, and can result in severe medical complications like obstructed childbirth and sensory deprivation.

As AI quickly advances and legislators struggle to keep up, it can feel like the Wild West when choosing whether and how to disclose the use of AI in advertising and other communications. However, even though the number and scope of formal mandates under existing U.S. law that require advertisers to disclose the use of AI are limited, there are some restrictions and guidelines that advertisers must follow to ensure their compliance.

"It's a damning indictment of representative democracy when elected officials are scared of the will of their own voters," said Alexis Magnan-Callaw.

The proposed bill aims to create a pilot program for residential parking permits in parts of Brooklyn, allowing residents priority in curbside parking while generating funds for the initiative.