Latest Politics Headlines
All the headlines from our Politics Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Bill to Tighten “Gig” Worker Rule Passed by California Senate
Sep 11 2019 // The California State Senate voted on Tuesday to pass a bill that would make it much more difficult for gig economy companies like Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. to classify workers as independent contractors rather...
Trump Administration Appoints Aviation Safety Advisory Panel
Aug 23 2019 // U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao on Thursday named 22 people to a new panel that will advise the department on aviation safety oversight and certification programs as the Federal Aviation Administration continues...
Trump Administration Moves Ahead with Revised Truckers’ Hours Rules
Aug 19 2019 // The Trump administration took a key step last week toward relaxing federal rules that govern the length of time truck drivers can spend behind the wheel, a move long sought by the trucking industry but opposed by safety...
Democrats File Bills in House, Senate to Legalize, Tax Marijuana
Jul 25 2019 // Bills that would legalize and tax marijuana at the national level, and provide opportunities for people convicted of federal pot crimes to clear their records, were introduced Tuesday in Congress. The companion legislation...
Senate Vows to Vote This Week on Sept. 11 Victims Fund
Jul 22 2019 // The Senate will vote Tuesday on a bipartisan bill to ensure a victims’ compensation fund related to the Sept. 11 attacks never runs out of money, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday. The announcement...
N. D. Insurance Commissioner Urges U.S. Senate to Tackle Surprise Air Ambulance Bills
Jul 16 2019 // In a letter sent to U.S. Senate leaders in early July, North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread, urged lawmakers to take action on the issue of surprise bills from air ambulance providers. Godfread wrote to Senate...
House Democrats Eye Possible Ban on Big Tech Firms Offering Financial Services
Jul 15 2019 // A proposal to prevent big technology companies from functioning as financial institutions or issuing digital currencies has been circulated for discussion by the Democratic majority that leads the House Financial Services...
Trump Administration Halts Plan to Sideline Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Jul 11 2019 // The White House abandoned a push to end rebates paid to middlemen who negotiate drug prices on behalf of health insurers, a move that could turn scrutiny back on how drugmakers themselves set prices. President Donald Trump...
Trump Administration to Ease Rules on Truckers’ Maximum Hours on Road
Jul 3 2019 // Truck driver Lucson Francois was forced to hit the brakes just five minutes from his home in Pennsylvania. He’d reached the maximum number of hours in a day he’s allowed to be on duty. Francois couldn’t...
Michigan Democratic Leader Says Businesses, Heavy Trucks Must Fix Roads
Jun 27 2019 // With Republicans firmly opposed to a 45-cents-a-gallon fuel tax hike, Democratic lawmakers want businesses to do more to help fix the roads. A new $1.2 billion proposal from House Democrats would raise the state’s...
Oklahoma Governor, GOP Leaders Say Opioid Drug Settlement Violates Law
Jun 17 2019 // Oklahoma’s governor and Republican legislative leaders are raising concerns about the state’s proposed $85 million settlement with an opioid manufacturer that has yet to be approved by a judge. Gov. Kevin...
Talk of Managing Earth as an Asset Wins Over Congressional Climate Change Skeptic
Jun 13 2019 // In a break from years of acrimony over basic science, House Budget Committee members on Tuesday tripped over each other to agree that climate change is not only real but caused by humans. “The last decade has seen...
New York Senate Passes New Limo Safety Rules Following Fatal Crash
Jun 10 2019 // The New York Senate approved new safety regulations Thursday for limousines, following an upstate crash that killed 20 people last fall. The nine bills endorsed Thursday include provisions that would require large stretch...
Louisiana Senate Passes Statewide Rules for Ride-Hailing Services
Jun 3 2019 // Efforts to enact statewide Louisiana regulations for ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft, aimed at expanding the services’ availability around the state, won passage Saturday in the Senate, after two years of...
GOP Lawmaker Sidetracks Disaster Bill Including Flood Insurance Extension
May 27 2019 // A single Republican House member temporarily blocked fast-track passage Friday of a $19 billion disaster-aid plan, likely meaning lawmakers will vote when they return in early June from a week-long recess. Freshman...
Oklahoma Senate OKs Workers’ Comp Reforms; Bill Goes to Governor
May 23 2019 // The Oklahoma Senate has approved legislation that makes changes to Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system that lawmakers say will preserve and strengthen reforms adopted in 2013. An increase in benefits paid...
Insurance Commissioner Confers with Connecticut Congressional Delegation
May 14 2019 // Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. Mais joined more than 40 of his colleagues from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) last week to highlight important issues for members of U.S....
Alabama Senate Approves Medical Marijuana Bill
May 10 2019 // The Alabama Senate has approved a bill authorizing the use of medical marijuana for some medical conditions. Senators swiftly approved the bill Thursday morning on a 17-6 vote. It now moves to the House of...
Michigan Senate Passes Plan to Cut Car Insurance Rates
May 8 2019 // Michigan’s Senate has passed legislation aimed at cutting the country’s highest average auto insurance premiums by eliminating a requirement that drivers buy unlimited medical benefits to cover crash...
Congressional Budget Office Warns of ‘Potentially Disruptive’ Move to ‘Medicare for All’
May 3 2019 // Congressional budget experts said this week that moving to a government-run health care system like “Medicare for All” could be complicated and potentially disruptive for Americans. The report from the...
