Crime & Courts News

VA: Virginia inmate executed for killing two men in separate shootings

Crimes and Courts News - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 05:15
JARRATT, Va. -- A Virginia inmate was executed Thursday night for killing two men in front of their families in separate shootings.

VA: Virginia Gov. McDonnell speeds rights-restoration process for nonviolent felons

Crimes and Courts News - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 05:15
RICHMOND, Va. -- Nonviolent felons must now wait two years, instead of three, after completing their sentences to apply to have their right to vote restored in Virginia, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell announced Thursday as he outlined a faster rights-restoration process.

VA: Walker executed for two Richmond murders

Crimes and Courts News - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 05:15
JARRATT, Va. -- Darick Demorris Walker was executed by injection last night for the separate killings of two Richmond men.

VA: McDonnell vows to speed up voting rights restorations

Crimes and Courts News - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 05:15
Felons who have fully paid their debt to society and properly applied to regain voting rights will receive a decision on their request to have their rights restored within 60 days under a plan Gov. Bob McDonnell called "the fastest and fairest procedure for restoring people's civil rights in modern Virginia history. "

VA: Anti-abortion fetus dolls handed out to Norfolk students

Crimes and Courts News - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 05:15
Plastic human fetus dolls - soft, in pink and brown, and about 4 inches long - have been handed out at Oakwood Elementary School by an employee who was put on administrative leave Thursday over the situation.

WI: Former state lawmaker's retrial moved to Waukesha

Crimes and Courts News - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 05:15
Former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen's second trial on charges of misconduct in office will be moved to Waukesha County, his home and political base, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

WI: Day care operator gets year in federal prison over false claims in bankruptcy

Crimes and Courts News - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 05:15
A Milwaukee woman who collected more than $540,000 from the state's taxpayer-subsidized child care program was sentenced Thursday to a year in federal prison for hiding some of her day care income from bankruptcy court.

CT: Susan Bysiewicz says she will not run for any office

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
After a shockingly quick ruling by the state Supreme Court that she is not qualified to run for attorney general, Bysiewicz announced Thursday that she will not run for any office this year.

IA: Leaked Culver book shows economic woes

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
A briefing book for Iowa Governor Chet Culver -- obtained by POLITICO and posted here -- illustrates the depth of the challenges facing him and other incumbents in a down economy, and his attempts to salvage a second term with a focus on jobs.

NJ: NJ Gov. Chris Christie swiftly vetos millionaires tax increase, property tax rebate bills

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
It took about two minutes from the time Senate President Steve Sweeney certified the passage of the millionaires tax package for Governor Christie to veto the bills at his desk.

FL: Charlie Crist's redistricting stance riles Republicans

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
Here's proof that Gov. Charlie Crist is flexing his muscles as a candidate not tethered to a party platform: This week, he endorsed two redistricting amendments that attempt to ban incumbency protection when the Republican-controlled Legislature rewrites the political boundaries starting next year.

PA: Pennsylvania lieutenant governor vote may need recount

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
For a post with no real political power or name recognition, the job of lieutenant governor has been causing a lot of headaches in recent years.

CA: Schools, students sue state over funding

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
More than 60 children and nine school districts across California filed a historic lawsuit Thursday, arguing that elected officials have failed in their constitutional obligation to support public schools.

KY: Gov. Beshear issues call for special budget session

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
Gov. Steve Beshear on Thursday included bills to shore up the state unemployment insurance fund and expand bourbon sampling laws for special legislative session he set Monday to come up with a state budget.

ME: State lawmakers learn about evolving health reform

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
Plunging into a complex review of private insurance regulation, Medicaid provisions, tax incentives, Dirigo Health, insurance exchanges, individual mandates, electronic medical records and other existing and emerging elements of the health care landscape, state lawmakers on Thursday started down the long road of implementing national health reform initiatives in Maine.

US: Northeast states seek massive rail upgrade

Stateline.org - Fri, 05/21/2010 - 04:55
BOSTON, Mass. — A coalition of 11 states asked federal railroad officials on Thursday to develop a plan to dramatically upgrade high-speed passenger rail service along the Northeast Corridor during the next four decades, part of an effort to relieve strangling traffic congestion and airport delays in the region.

Charlie Crist vs. GOP

Stateline.org - Thu, 05/20/2010 - 23:00
TODAY’S TAKE: The stream of headlines coming out of Florida in recent weeks has catalogued a growing divide between Governor Charlie Crist and the state Republicans he once led. Crist, who is running for the U.S. Senate as an independent after struggling in Florida’s Republican primary, has infuriated his former GOP colleagues on a range of state policies.

In Colorado, concern over anti-tax measures

Stateline.org - Thu, 05/20/2010 - 23:00
A package of three measures on Colorado’s November ballot would slash state and local revenues and restrict the ability of governments to borrow money. For the state that gave birth to the “Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights,” it’s a new round of an old fiscal fight.
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