Hot issues in other state legislatures this week

Business
North Dakota: The state minimum wage will increase to $7.25 by 2009;

Colorado: Gov. Ritter vetoed a bill that would have repealed a law that requires a 2nd secret ballot supermajority election for a workplace to form as an all-union shop;

Oregon: The House passed a bill to restrict the amount a check-casher can make to 2% of the value for a state, federal, or city check, 3% for paychecks, and 10% for personal checks.

Crime & Punishment
North Dakota: The House passed a Castle Doctrine bill to grant civil immunity for self-defense used in the home, workplace, or vehicle;

Colorado: The House passed a similar Castle Doctrine bill to grant civil immunity for self-defense only if used in the home or business;

New Mexico: The House passed a bill to abolish capital punishment and replace it with a life sentence without the possibility of parole;

Utah: The House approved a bill to extend protective orders in domestic violence cases to include pets.

Education
South Dakota: The Senate passed a bill requiring students to stay in school until age 18;

Utah: Gov. Huntsman signed a bill into law allowing parents to spend up to $3,000 in public funds per child on private school tuition;

Kansas: (Administrative) The Board of Ed. adopted new standards that delete language suggesting that evolution is controversial and being challenged by new research.

Environment
California: The U.S. Navy rejected a resolution requesting additional safeguards to protect whales from high-powered sonar during war games off the Cal. coastline;

New Jersey: (Executive) Gov. Corzine issued an executive order calling for the state to cut its greenhouse emissions by 20% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050;

Health & Science
Iowa: The Senate passed a bill to allow researches to create embryonic stem cells through cloning.

Homeland Security
Arizona: A House panel authorized the governor to send National Guard troops to arrest people illegally entering the state through the border shared with Mexico;

Utah: A House panel recommended a resolution asking Congress to repeal the federal Real ID Act (a measure already approved in 22 states this year -- Arkansas is not among them). The federal Act requires states to issue tamper-proof drivers' licenses by 2008.

Social Policy
South Dakota: The House approved a proposal to outlaw all abortions except in the case of rape, incest, or to preserve the woman's life or health;

Colorado: The Senate rejected an abortion ban, and the House in that state approved a bill to require hospitals to inform hospitals of available "morning after" pills;

Indiana: The Senate approved a proposal to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage in that state;

Kentucky: A Senate committee approved a bill that would bar public agencies from offering benefits to unmarried domestic partners of their employees;

Montana: A Senate committee rejected a bill that would have added "gender identity or expression" and "sexual orientation" as categories under the laws protecting discrimination.

Hunting
South Dakota: A House vote failed that would lower the state huinting age from 12 to 10.