USApp Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in U.S. state blogging

Gilson, Chris

LSE Research Online

blogs.lse.ac.ukhttp://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2015/04/25/new-yorks-cuomo-heads-to-cuba-nebraska-moves-towards-death-penalty-repeal-and-oregons-obamacare-exchange-woes-us-state-blog-round-up-for-18-24-april/New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Credit: Gage Skidmore (CC-BY-SA-2.0)New York’s Cuomo heads to Cuba, Nebraska moves towardsdeath penalty repeal, and Oregon’s Obamacare exchange woes:US state blog round up for 18 – 24 AprilUSApp Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in U.S. state blogging. Click here for our weeklyroundup of national blogs. NortheastDaily Kos reports this week that Maine’s Republican Governor, Paul LePage is pushing for harsher limits on whatpeople can buy with food stamps, such as junk food. They say that despite Page’s recent comments, Maine wouldstill have to pass a law seeking a waiver from federal rules about what it available with food stamps.Last week marked the second anniversary of the bombing of the Boston marathon. The Atlantic  argues on Fridaythat it was wrong for Massachusetts state officials to shut the city down. They say that that present and futureofficials should learn from the mistake, which costs millions and caused massive disruption to the city.This week New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo visited Cuba with a state delegation of business representativesand lawmakers. State of Politics says that the state’s Republican Party has heavily criticized Cuomo for makingthe trip to what they refer to as a ‘police state’. In response, Cuomo states that Cuba must change, and opening itup as a new mark is a start. Staying in the Empire State, Roll Call’s At the Races writes on Friday that StatenIsland District Attorney, Dan Donovan, easily beat his Democratic opponent, Vincent Gentile, in fundraising in thelast quarter ahead of the May 5th special election to replace U.S. House Representative, Michael Grimm. Theysay that Donovan’s cash in hand is $462,000 compared to Gentile’s $116,000.Moving on to New Jersey,PolitickerNJ reports on Tuesdaythat GOP Governor, ChrisChristie’s popularity in the state isplummeting according to two newpolls. They say that only a third ofpeople now approve of Christie,and only 44 percent woulddescribe him as ‘trustworthy’.In the Keystone State this week,Raging Chicken Press says thata state legislator has suggestedthat he will introduce legislationthat will protect police officersfrom ‘getting their feelings hurt’from citizens, and would make ita crime to taunt police. They saythat the initiative is in response tothe apparent change in attitudestowards police which has occurred since 9/11.SouthOn Friday, Informed Comment reports that this week, anger in Baltimore, Maryland is reaching a boiling point overthe death of Freddie Gray, who died of a spinal injury while in the custody of the Baltimore Police Department.They say that the situation has been made worse by the Baltimore Police’s statement that peaceful demonstratorswere akin to a ‘lynch mob’.Florida’s state House and Senate are currently locked in a battle over the expansion of Medicaid in the state.According to Saint Peters Blog the state House, which is against the expansion, has offered $600 million incontingency funding to the Senate to make up for the loss of Medicaid funding.Heading up to the Yellowhammer State, leftinalabama writes on Tuesday that the state’s budget is a mess, andfaces a huge shortfall. They say that legislators are becoming frustrated at hearing from citizens who are worriedabout money running out for state services, and that they should do something to fix the situation and ‘quitewhining’.Wonkblog looks at the high rate of maternal mortality in Mississippi, which is the highest in the country. They saythat between 2010 and 2012 nearly 40 women died for every 100,000 births, compared to the national average of18.5. They say that the fact that the state did not expand Medicaid may be playing a contributing role.This week marked the 20th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City,which killed 168. The Daily Signal looks at how Oklahoma City rebounded from the largest act of homegrownterrorism in U.S. history.Moving south to the Lone Star State, The Volokh Conspiracy reports that a committee in the Texas statelegislature has approved a bill which would prohibit state employees from issuing or recognizing marriage licensesfor same-sex couples. The move comes ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision on a case which challenges statebans on gay marriages.Midwest The Governor of Ohio, John Kasich, looks to be preparing a bid for the Republican 2016 presidential nomination.Americablog writes on Friday that while Kasich is touting his credentials as a ‘moderate’ the Ohio GeneralAssembly is considering his ‘extreme’ budget which would raise consumption taxes while slashing income taxes,which will hurt those on lower and middle incomes.Progress Illinois says on Thursday that the state House has passed a marijuana possession bill which would seethose caught with 15 grams or less of the drug fined rather than arrested. The sponsor of the bill, which is nowheaded to the state Senate, has said that it will ensure charges for small amounts of cannabis will not ruin people’slives.Wednesday was Earth Day, which Uppity Wisconsin say was marked by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walkerwarning 57 staff from the state’s Department of Natural Resources that they may soon be fired. Many of the staffunder threat of from the Department’s science division.Crooks & Liars reports on the unfolding situation in Parma, Missouri, where the election of an African-Americanmayor resulted in the resignation of police officers in protest. They say on Friday that the new mayor, BettyMcCray has been prevented from entering city hall, and was told that she had been impeached before she couldtake up her position.On Tuesday, Wonkblog writes that according to new official estimates, Kansas will be facing a $143 million budgetshortfall in 2016, after Governor Sam Brownback’s overhauling of state income tax policies which saw tax breaksfor wealthier Kansans. Rather than asking the wealthy to chip in to help address the shortfall, state legislatorsinstead have barred welfare recipients from using their benefits to go swimming or watch movies, and have putforward regressive proposals to increase sales and excise taxes.In the Cornhusker State, Townhall writes that the state legislature has voted to advance legislation which wouldrepeal the death penalty. They comment that Nebraska appears to be an example of how conservatives areturning away from the death penalty, mostly because of its costs and the increasing difficulty in obtaining theWisconsin Governor Scott WalkerCredit: Gateway Technical College (CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0)Colorado Governor, John Hickenlooper Credit:Hans Watson (Flickr, CC-BY-SA-NC-2.0)necessary drugs. West and Pacific This week in Colorado, The Spot reports that Governor John Hickenlooper hassigned the state’s $25 billion into law, but has also warned of tight timesahead. They say that the Democrat has stated that spending decisions will betougher next year because of the focus in this year’s budget on increasededucation spending.Heading up to the Treasure State of Montana, The Volokh Conspiracy saysthat the state’s legislature has voted through a bill which would limit the use ofasset forfeiture, meaning that police will no longer be able to confiscate theproperty of those accused, but not convicted of a crime. They say the lawdoes have some limitations, as it does not stop state law enforcementagencies from keeping the proceeds of asset forfeitures, or working withfederal agencies which would allow them to circumvent state constraints onforfeiture.Eye on Boise says this week that Idaho is in the national news once again –this time because the state legislature’s House Judiciary Committeehas voted against the child support enforcement bill. The bill, which islinked to an international treaty which would make it easier to trackdelinquent parents, needs to be acceded to by all 50 states. WithoutIdaho’s agreement, U.S. participation in the treaty is now in question.On Monday, The Hill’s Congress Blog writes that Congress shoulduncover the ‘truth’ about Cover Oregon – the state’s health insuranceexchange established via the Affordable Care Act. They say that CoverOregon is a textbook example of how and why health exchanges cango wrong. They say that the exchange is now dead after GovernorKate Brown signed a bill to kill it in favor of routing people through thefederal exchange of the Healthcare.gov website.The Daily Signal is similarly negative this week about California’s $1billion health insurance exchange. They say that Covered California isstruggling with its share of challenges including disappointingenrolment numbers and problems with its call centres at launch.Heading out to Hawaii, Honolulu Civil Beat writes this week that theAloha State may about to become the first to raise the smoking age to 21, after the legislature sent a bill toGovernor David Ige which would prevent those under that age from purchasing or consuming tobacco in a publicplace. Featured image: Governor of New York State, Andrew Cuomo Credit: Diana Robinson (Flickr, CC-BY-2.0: Please read our comments policy before commenting .Note:  This article gives the views of the author, and not the position of USApp– American Politics and Policy, norof the London School of Economics.Shortened URL for this post: http://bit.ly/1bEVAZPCC BY-NC-ND 3.0 2014 LSE USAPP

New York’s Cuomo heads to Cuba: Nebraska moves towardsdeath penalty repeal: and Oregon’s Obamacare exchange woes:US state blog round up for 18 – 24 April

New York’s Cuomo heads to Cuba: Nebraska moves towardsdeath penalty repeal: and Oregon’s Obamacare exchange woes:US state blog round up for 18 – 24 April

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

LSE Research Online