Hot issues in other state legislatures this week

Two states have already adjourned in 2007: Virginia and Utah. Three states are projected to adjourn: West Virginia, Wyoming, and us.

Number of bills filed nationwide so far this year: 93,131

Business
Virginia: An eminent domain bill was signed into law preventing the government from obtaining private property for any reason other than building roads, schools, or other public works (obviously a Kelo reaction);

Georgia: The Georgia Senate approved the "Merlot to go" bill, allowing restaurants to seal up unfinished bottles of wine for their customers to take home. This same bill was vetoed last year;

Utah: The Senate approves a bill to require 80 percent of residential owners or 75 percent of commercial owners in a project area to give their approval before redevelopment authorities can exercise eminent domain to take that property.

Crime & Punishment
Colorado: The Senate approved a measure that would allow police to pull over and ticket drivers who are not wearing a seat belt (the same measure is pending here);

Wyoming: Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D) signed SF 93, which bans open alcohol containers in a moving vehicle;

Education
Colorado: The House endorsed HB 1117, which requires school sex-education programs to have science-based standards;

Kentucky: The Senate unanimously approved SB 110, which would require all public school students in preschool through eighth grade to get at least 30 minutes a day or 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous exercise;

Montana: The House killed a proposal that would have forced state education officials to reject the federal No Child Left Behind law. Doing so would have cost the Treasure State about $120 million in federal education funds;

South Dakota: The House approved a measure to require students to stay in school until age 18;

Utah: Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) signed legislation that allows families to receive up to $3,000 per child in public funds each month to send their children to a private school. Opponents say they will challenge the law’s constitutionality in court;

Environment
Maryland: The Senate approved legislation to adopt California rules that require automakers to reduce fleetwide emissions of greenhouse gasses from their vehicles 30 percent by 2016;

Health & Science
Iowa: Gov. Chet Culver (D) signed SF 162, legislation that will allow medical researchers to clone human embryos to harvest embryonic stem cells;

Illinois: A Senate committee approved a measure that would require all sixth-grade girls to be inoculated with a vaccine to protect against cervical cancer.

Immigration
Missouri: The House approved HB 269, which would bar illegal immigrants from attending state colleges or universities;

Massachusetts: Gov. Deval Patrick (D) issued an executive order requiring contractors working with the state to sign a document promising not to knowingly hire undocumented workers. A similar bill has been signed into law here in Arkansas. The Oklahoma legislature is considering a similar measure;

Social Policy
South Dakota: Last week, 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. This week, a Senate committee rejected it;

Rhode Island: Officials announced they will legally recognize same-sex marriages validly performed in Massachusetts;

Indiana: The House overwhelmingly approved legislation that would remove from office any elected official who has been delinquent $15,000 or more on child support payments for more than 30 days;

Hawaii: A House panel tabled a proposal to allow civil unions for same-sex couples;

South Carolina: A House panel approved a measure that would require women seeking an abortion to first view an ultrasound image of the fetus.

Miscellaneous
Virginia: The House endorsed legislation that would bar teenage drivers from using a cell phone while driving;

Arizona: The House approved HB 2458, which would bar their governor from commandeering firearms and weapons during a state of war emergency;

Virginia: The House endorsed legislation that would bar teenage drivers from using a cell phone while driving.

Georgia: The House unanimously approved HB 202, legislation that would bar any company that falls more than 25 percent behind on a public works or state transportation construction contract from bidding on a new project;

Kentucky: The House approved a proposal that would allow the surviving spouse of an accident victim to sue the responsible party for loss of companionship. Plaintiffs are currently allowed to sue only for economic losses;

Wisconsin: Lawmakers rescued beer drinkers from daylight savings problems in that state. A bill has been passed that allows bars to stay open until 3:30 a.m. on March 11. Under normal circumstances, bars must close at 2:30 a.m. Without this action, bars on March 11 would've closed at 2:00 a.m. because that is when the clocks change, making 2:00 actually 3:00 – a half hour past closing time. Whew.