From PressofAtlanticCity.com:

State lawmakers working to increase public workers’ payments toward pensions and health insurance removed a controversial provision from the draft law that would have set restrictions on out-of-state health coverage Monday.

That was enough to win the pension-reform bill approval by the full Senate and by an Assembly subcommittee, setting up a vote Thursday by the full Assembly before the legislation heads to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk.

As 1,000 union members converged on Trenton with tents and signs for an all-day protest of the bill, state Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland, and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, D-Essex, Passaic, agreed to remove the restrictions on out-of-state health care. Party leaders saw the move as necessary to win over skeptical Democrats and at least one skeptical Republican assemblyman, Atlantic County’s Vince Polistina, whose combined votes are seen as vital to passing the legislation.

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Check out new RSLC Political Director Matt Walter on Capitol Tonight in New York:

From LaCrosseTribune.com:

All three Democratic state senators targeted for recalls will have to stand for election this summer after the board that oversees elections declined on Wednesday to invalidate petitions circulated against them, even though it found evidence of fraud.

The Government Accountability Board voted to reject thousands of signatures it determined were either fraudulent or collected by circulators through misleading means, such as saying the petition was for something other than recalling the Democrats.

But even after those signatures were tossed, more than enough remained to force recall elections for Sens. Jim Holperin of Conover, Dave Hansen of Green Bay and Bob Wirch of Pleasant Prairie.

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Alexandria, Va. (June 8, 2011) – The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) announced, today, the further expansion of their political team with the hiring of Matt Walter as the Committee’s Political Director. Walter previously served as an outside consultant to the RSLC’s successful $1.4 million effort to regain the New York State Senate for Republicans in 2010 and has extensive state legislative and campaign experience.

As Political Director, Walter will play a key role in directing all RSLC political expenditures, expected to exceed $21 million for the cycle, in races for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State and state legislature.

“Matt is an experienced political professional who is ready to continue the RSLC’s groundbreaking success and take the point for the Committee’s efforts electing Republicans to state office across the country,” said Chris Jankowski, RSLC President.

Walter has more than 15 years of experience in New York State where he served as Executive Director of the New York Republican Party from spring 2008 through fall 2009 as well as serving as Communications Director and Director of Strategic Planning. As Executive Director, Walter raised and managed a $3 million budget. His extensive campaign experience includes recent service as Campaign Manager for Lazio for New York Governor and GOTV Operations Director for Chris Gibson for Congress. He held a variety of communications and political positions with the New York Senate Majority, including serving as a Senate spokesperson during the 2000 redistricting cycle. Matthew is a graduate of the RNC’s 2010 Redistricting Conference and Training Seminar as well as the 2009 Executive Director’s Comprehensive School.

The RSLC raised more than $30 million for the 2009-2010 cycle as part of an effort that picked up 20 legislative chambers, six Attorneys General, three Lieutenant Governors and seven Secretaries of State. The RSLC is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders and the only national organization whose mission is to elect down ballot, state-level Republican office-holders. Since 2002, the RSLC has been working to elect candidates for the office of Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State Legislator. The RSLC has more than 100,000 donors in all 50 states.