USAPP Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in US state blogging. Click here for our weekly roundup of national blogs

Gilson, Christopher

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blogs.lse.ac.ukhttp://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2015/12/26/pennsylvanias-death-penalty-ban-upheld-virginia-ends-reciprocal-concealed-carry-and-a-bleak-outlook-for-south-dakota-democrats-us-state-blog-round-up-for-19-25-december/Pennsylvania’s death penalty ban upheld, Virginia ends reciprocalconcealed-carry, and a bleak outlook for South DakotaDemocrats: US state blog round up for 19 – 25 DecemberUSAPP Managing Editor, Chris Gilson, looks at the week in US state blogging. Click here for our weekly roundup ofnational blogs. Northeast On Sunday, GraniteGrok releases its regular podcast on New Hampshire politics – GrokTalk. In this edition, theydiscuss whether or not the state is a political petri dish for the political class.Moving on to Vermont, VTDigger this week looks at what they say is the state’s ‘shaky government’. They write thatthe state legislature’s big challenge for next year will be to produce a budget for 2017 which is balanced, but alsocontains no new tax increases.In the Empire State, Times Union has the news that Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced plans to issueconditional pardons for about 10,000 people convicted of non-violent crimes when they were minors. They say thatthe move comes at the same time as the New York State Legislature looks to pass a number of criminal justicereforms including raising the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18.Over in the Garden State, Save Jersey writes on Monday that the New Jersey Star-Ledger  has once again gone overthe top in its ‘crusade’ to end gun ownership, with a recent editorial on the costs of gun violence. They comment thatfor the paper, “editorial balance [is] too heavy a cross to bear”.In the Keystone State this week, PoliticsPA reports that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has upheld Governor TomWolf’s moratorium on the use of the death penalty in the state, saying that the order did not violate his constitutionalauthority. Staying in Pennsylvania, raging chicken press reports on recent progress made towards an agreement onthe state’s budget. They say that the most recent attempt at a deal ‘blew up’ because of disagreements over pensionreform and the feud between the State House and Senate.SouthOn Wednesday, Delaware Liberal has a to-do list for the state’s General Assembly in 2016. Items include passing abill which creates a new higher tax bracket, putting a Senate bill to repeal the death penalty up for a vote, andpassing same day voter registration and no excuse absentee voting bills.Credit: J. Stephen Conn (Creative Commons BY NC)Moving on to the Old Dominion State, Bearing Drift has the news that Virginia’s Attorney General, Mark Herring hasended the state’s reciprocal concealed-carry agreements with 25 other states. Herring has been roundly criticized bystate conservatives, who have accused him of applying state law through the lens of his own politics.The Progressive Pulse of North Carolina reviews the top ten state budget missteps for 2015. These include tax cutsfor wealthy and profitable corporations over reinvestment, the failure of state lawmakers to restore the Earned IncomeTax Credit, and continued underinvestment in education.Heading down to the Sunshine State, Shark Tank says that the 2016 Senate race to replace Marco Rubio (who willnot be contesting his seat due to his presidential run) is heating up. Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera hasthis week criticized US House Representative (and current GOP favorite) David Jolly for his joke that he has pressedVeterans issues to bolster Congress’ ratings.Heading out west to Texas, Burnt Orange Report reports that the state’s Governor, Greg Abbott has pulled a grant forPlanned Parenthood which has provided HIV testing and prevention services for 27 years. They say that move shouldclear up any doubt about Abbot’s crusade against Planned Parenthood in Texas.Midwest Michigan’s eclecta blog writes Tuesday that the state’s Republicans want to make it harder for people to vote, and forpeople to be less informed when they do. They comment that a recently passed Senate Bill will ban using publicdollars or resources to educate voters on ballot proposals in the 60 days leading up to an election, and eliminate acampaign finance reporting requirement meaning that independent expenditures will remain secret until after theelection. Staying in Michigan, RightMI has the news that the state’s Governor, Rick Snyder has wished all in the statea generic ‘happy holidays’, despite having signed a bill in 2013 which allows public institutions to permit holidaygreetings such as ‘Merry Christmas’.Moving on to Wisconsin, The Political Environment says that the state’s Governor, Scott Walker has blamed thestate’s relatively low ranking in job creation on the state’s workers themselves.Blog for Iowa says on Thursday that the recently agreed federal government spending bill as agreed by Congresshas a huge benefit for the state’s landowners who want to protect their land, in the form of improvements to the long-term Tax Benefits for Conservation Gifts which can go to the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust.Democrats in South Dakota face a bleak outlook for 2016, according to South Dakota War College, which reports onWisconsin Governor Scott Walker Credit:Gateway Technical College (CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0)a recent article in the state’s Argus newspaper. Dakota Free Press also comments on the Argus piece, and offerssome constructive counterpoints such as the need to recruit more candidates for the legislature and to ‘raise heck’ onballot measures.West and PacificOn Tuesday, Intelligent Discontent argues that one way to really hurt the state’s economy is to not deal with the threatof global warning. They say that according to new research, failing to deal with global warming, may cost the stateover a billion dollars and 36,000 jobs over the next 35 years. This week they also write that that businessman andphilanthropist, Greg Gianforte has told Montana locals that he is exploring a runfor the state’s governorship, while also telling reporters in Washington DC thathe is definitely running for the position.Heading over to New Mexico, Progressnow NM says that the state’s Governor,Susana Martinez, has become a ‘punch line’ for GOP leaders after a tape of herbullying a police officer after a complaint was made about her party’s behaviorat a hotel emerged.In Washington State this week, Strange Bedfellows has the news that a CountySuperior Court Judge has dismissed a challenge by the National RifleAssociation to Seattle’s new gun-violence tax. They $25 per gun tax on gunsales and a tax on ammunition will become law on January 1st.Moving down to California, The Left Hook argues that reforms are needed tobankruptcy laws so that more Golden Staters can get out of debt.Out in Hawaii, Honolulu Civil Beat looks at Governor David Ige’s vision to makethe state’s government more effective and efficient by finding ways to collectmoney that the Aloha State is owed, but has not been paid.Featured image: miracc (Flickr, CC-BY-NC-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, nor ofthe London School of Economics.Shortened URL for this post: http://bit.ly/1R66RTkCC BY-NC 3.0 2015 LSE USAPP

Pennsylvania’s death penalty ban upheld, Virginia ends reciprocal concealed-carry, and a bleak outlook for South Dakota Democrats: US state blog round up for 19 – 25 December

Pennsylvania’s death penalty ban upheld, Virginia ends reciprocal concealed-carry, and a bleak outlook for South Dakota Democrats: US state blog round up for 19 – 25 December

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