State News Shot

WA AG Shares insight

Last Updated on Friday, 7 January 2011 02:09 Written by rslcpol Friday, 7 January 2011 02:09

To a packed house.

From The Columbian:

Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna predicted Thursday that a multistate challenge to last year’s federal health care reform law could reach the U.S. Supreme Court next year or in 2013, ahead of the scheduled implementation date of the highly contested law.

McKenna, speaking at a packed lunchtime meeting of the Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce at the city’s community center, said the legal challenge against a mandate for universal health care coverage turns on the central question of federal authority. “It’s the most important case involving federal power of our lifetime,” the second-term Republican said.

McKenna has come under attack from some Democrats, including Gov. Chris Gregoire, for signing onto a challenge by almost two dozen states to the health care reform law. The attorney general typically represents state officials or agencies, but he is allowed by state law to bring lawsuits independently on behalf of the state’s residents.

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IL: Democrats Push 75% Income Tax Increase

Last Updated on Friday, 7 January 2011 10:35 Written by rslcpol Friday, 7 January 2011 10:35

From ChicagoTribune.com:

Gov. Pat Quinn and top Democratic lawmakers reached a tentative agreement Thursday on a major, post-election income-tax increase and a $1-a-pack cigarette-tax hike to stabilize the state budget and provide a cash infusion for schools.

The plan, detailed by Senate President John Cullerton following closed-door meetings with the governor and House Speaker Michael Madigan, still faces a review by rank-and-file members of the Democratic-led legislature in the waning days of a lame-duck session.

Under the proposal, the state’s 3 percent personal income-tax rate would rise to 5.25 percent for four years, then fall to 3.75 percent. All told, that’s a 75 percent increase.

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MI: New AG Continues Health Care Fight

Last Updated on Thursday, 6 January 2011 02:31 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 6 January 2011 02:31

From hollandsentinel.com:

Newly elected Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced a renewal of Michigan’s constitutional challenge to the federal health care law.

Schuette filed paperwork in the U.S. District Court in Florida, joining 20 other states and the National Federation of Independent Business in the lawsuit.

NFIB Michigan State Director Charles Owens praised Schuette’s decision to continue the legal challenge, started by former AG Mike Cox.

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Texas AG Sworn in for 3rd Term

Last Updated on Thursday, 6 January 2011 02:25 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 6 January 2011 02:25

From the Southeast Texas Record:

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Monday formally began his third term as the State’s chief legal officer and top law enforcement official.

Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson administered the oath of office during a ceremony performed at the Attorney General’s Office in the presence of agency employees. U.S. Senator and former Texas Attorney General John Cornyn delivered remarks at Abbott’s inaugural ceremony today.

After swearing to defend the laws and constitution of the State of Texas, Attorney General Abbott renewed his commitment to tough law enforcement and thanked agency employees for their service to Texas citizens.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the talented men and women who serve the Texas Attorney General’s Office, we achieved some remarkable accomplishments over the last eight years,” Attorney General Abbott said.

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NE: AG Files for Senate Run

Last Updated on Thursday, 6 January 2011 01:54 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 6 January 2011 01:50

Nebraska Republican Attorney General files to run for US Senate.

From JournalStar.com:

Republican Attorney General Jon Bruning took another widely expected step Wednesday, filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to become an official candidate for U.S. Senate.

“The excitement and show of overwhelming support from Nebraskans statewide has us moving on to the next step in this process. I look forward to a more formal announcement in the coming weeks,” Bruning said.

Bruning, a former state senator, has been less than shy about voicing his desire to serve in the Senate.

In 2007, Bruning initially ran for the seat of outgoing Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, but eventually withdrew when former governor and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns entered the race.

Bruning raised some $1 million for that bid and said he hoped to use the money for a future campaign

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Outlook for 2011-2012 AG Races

Last Updated on Thursday, 6 January 2011 01:35 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 6 January 2011 01:35

Louis Jacobson gives us his outlook on the all important Attorney General races.

From Governing.com:

Following Republican gains in 2010, the partisan breakdown of the nation’s attorney general offices is closer than it has been at any time in recent memory. Now, as the 2011-2012 election cycle gets under way, a majority of the 13 contests to be held over the next two years look like they will be competitive.

The campaign season isn’t fully under way yet. In fact, in many cases, the list of challengers is still a matter of speculation. As a result, these ratings only offer a baseline assessment.

That said, Governing is placing six of the 13 races to be held over the next two years in the tossup category. They include four Democratic-held seats (Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana and West Virginia) and two Republican-held seats (Pennsylvania and Washington state).

We rate three other contests in the slightly less competitive lean Democratic category — Louisiana, Missouri and North Carolina. These three states all have Democratic AGs at present.

The four remaining contests in 2011-12 are looking strong for the incumbent party — Utah and Indiana for the Republicans, Oregon and Vermont for the Democrats. So the nine races rated tossup or lean Democratic could tip the overall balance of AG seats between the two parties.

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IA: GOP Takes on the Economy First

Last Updated on Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:59 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:59

From DesMoinesRegister.com:

Republican leaders pledged Tuesday to keep their focus primarily on economic issues, but they said the Iowa House would debate several hot-button social issues.

Among them: further restrictions to abortion and a push to amend the Iowa Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

The measures’ potential fates in the Senate, where Democrats have a slim majority, are uncertain.

Republicans have sought a public vote on same-sex marriage since an April 2009 Iowa Supreme Court decision legalized such unions.

Attention on the abortion law intensified late in 2010 when Nebraska abortion provider Dr. LeRoy Carhart said he intends to open a late-term abortion clinic in Council Bluffs.

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MN: Republicans Claim Control of Legislature

Last Updated on Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:58 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:58

From StarTribune.com:

As babies cried and flashbulbs sparkled, newly elected Republicans claimed control of the Minnesota Legislature on Tuesday, ushering in the most profound change in the body in four decades.

“Our job now is to govern,” Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers said moments after his election to the state’s second-most powerful post.

To taxpayers, Zellers pledged to “treat every one of your dollars that you send to us with the same common sense and frugality” used around the family kitchen table.

The House floor, usually restricted to legislators and staff, was overflowing with family and friends on the first day of the 2011 session.

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OK: Former State Senator picked for Secretary of State

Last Updated on Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:53 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:53

Former Senate President Pro Tem gets the nod.

From NewsOK:

The immediate past leader of the state Senate will be Oklahoma’s next secretary of state.

Glenn Coffee’s leadership and experience as a legislator will go a long way in helping our team be successful and I’m proud to have him serve in my Cabinet”

Republican Gov.-elect Mary Fallin announced Tuesday that she has selected former Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee to serve in the post. Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, could not seek re-election because of legislative term limits. He was first elected in 1998 and served the maximum 12 years.

Coffee was the first Republican to lead the Senate when the GOP gained control of the chamber for the first time after the 2008 elections. Since mid-November, Coffee has served as co-chairman of Fallin’s transition team. Coffee was paid by the committee that is funding the transition and with funds that will be raised from the inaugural ball, a Fallin spokesman said.

The state constitution prohibits a legislator from working for a state agency within two years of leaving office unless the salary comes from private or federal funds.

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FL AG: States versus ObamaCare

Last Updated on Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:50 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 5 January 2011 02:48

New Florida Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi has a column in the Wall Street Journal on the states fight against ObamaCare.

From the Wall Street Journal:

This week begins the inauguration and swearing-in ceremonies for newly elected officials all over the country. One thing many of us have in common is that the voters rewarded us for our outspoken opposition to ObamaCare.

The electorate’s decisive rejection of the Obama administration’s policies reveals a pervasive concern over the federal government’s disregard of fundamental aspects of our nation’s Constitution. No legislation in our history alters the balance of power between Washington and the states so much as ObamaCare does.

The tactics used to pass the health-care bill gave all Americans ample warning of the constitutional wrongdoing that was about to occur. Concerns were raised in the summer of 2009 over the constitutionality of the individual mandate and other portions of the bill, yet the president and Congress proceeded full-steam ahead. In the Senate, the much-ridiculed “Cornhusker Kickback” gave Nebraska an all-expenses-paid Medicaid expansion program. Due to public pressure, the provision was eventually removed from the final law.

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