Latest Politics Headlines
All the headlines from our Politics Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Georgia Republican’s Bill Would Curb Insurance Execs’ Political Contributions
Feb 21 2010 // A Republican lawmaker who is running for governor in Georgia has introduced legislation to ban executives of insurance companies from contributing to a political campaign for the office of state insurance commissioner or...
Workers’ Comp Bills Move Out of Oklahoma Senate Committee
Feb 17 2010 // Two measures aimed at reforming Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system have passed out of the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee. Both bills were authored by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee. The...
New Mexico Senate Approves Liability Bill for Spaceport
Feb 16 2010 // Legislation aimed at protecting New Mexico’s spaceport from liability while the commercial space industry tackles the hazards of space flight was approved by a 37-0 vote in the state Senate. The approval is a victory...
Democrats Seize on Wellpoint’s 39% Rate Hike to Renew Reform Effort
Feb 12 2010 // Health insurer WellPoint Inc. defended its rate hike of up to 39 percent for certain California customers as Democrats latched onto the increase to press their case for overhauling the U.S. healthcare system. The...
What Republicans Are Proposing for Healthcare Reform
Feb 11 2010 // President Barack Obama has asked Republicans to bring their best ideas on healthcare reform to a televised bipartisan meeting later this month that Democrats hope will help restart the stalled healthcare overhaul...
Democrat: Kan. House Speaker Should Step Down Due to Insurance Ties
Feb 8 2010 // A Democratic legislator called for Kansas’ Republican House speaker to step down because he is representing businesses, trade groups and insurance funds in a lawsuit against the state. State Rep. Marti Crow said...
Mandatory Seat Belt Bills Clear Virginia Senate
Jan 29 2010 // The Virginia Senate has passed a bill to allow police to pull over and ticket drivers for not wearing a seat belt. The bill passed 24-16 Wednesday and heads to the House, where similar efforts have died in past...
Michigan Senate Follows House, OKs Ban on Texting While Driving
Jan 28 2010 // Michigan lawmakers took a key step this week toward prohibiting the use of cell phones to send or read text messages while driving, but some say the measure is watered down and wouldn’t do enough to crack down on...
Workers’ Comp Reform High on Oklahoma GOP Legislative Agenda
Jan 24 2010 // Reforming Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system will be among the top legislative goals for Republican lawmakers in 2010. GOP leaders in the state Senate and House of Representatives say overhaul of the...
Pelosi Says Senate Healthcare Bill Can’t Pass in House
Jan 22 2010 // House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she did not think the Senate’s version of healthcare reform had enough support to pass the House of Representatives without changes. “I don’t see the votes for...
Wisconsin Senate OKs Bill That Expands Malpractice Claims
Jan 21 2010 // The Wisconsin Senate has approved a bill that would allow for more medical malpractice claims against health care providers. The approved bill allows parents to sue for pain and suffering damages if their adult-aged...
U.S. Senate Vote Dims Hopes for Stronger World Climate Pact
Jan 21 2010 // Hopes for stronger world action in 2010 to curb climate change have dimmed after the U.S. Democrats lost a key Senate seat to a Republican opposed to capping emissions, experts said Wednesday. The election of Republican...
Republican Win in Massachusetts Could Jeopardize Healthcare Bill
Jan 20 2010 // In a stunning blow to President Barack Obama, Republican Scott Brown won a bitter U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts Tuesday and promised to be the deciding vote against his sweeping healthcare overhaul. Brown’s win...
Oklahoma House Republicans Roll Out Their Workers’ Comp Reform Plan
Jan 15 2010 // Republicans in the Oklahoma House of Representative followed their counterparts in the state Senate on Jan. 14 by introducing their plan to overhaul Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system. Senate Republicans...
Congressional Pressure Builds to Disclose AIG Payments to Banks
Jan 13 2010 // U.S. lawmakers moved Tuesday to force release of documents that may show whether the New York Federal Reserve pressured insurer AIG to limit discussions about payments to banks when current Treasury Secretary Geithner led...
House, Senate Democrats Struggle to Find Healthcare Compromise
Jan 13 2010 // Democrats in the House struggled Tuesday to find common ground with the Senate on how to pay for a healthcare reform bill, with the differences over taxes emerging as the biggest stumbling block to a quick deal. Returning...
Former State Rep. Ausley, Democrat, to Run for Florida CFO Post
Jan 13 2010 // Former state Rep. Loranne Ausley is running for chief financial officer. Ausley is the only major Democrat now seeking the seat Alex Sink is giving up to run for governor. Ausley, 46, of Tallahassee served in the House for...
Restructuring Workers’ Comp Among Goals for Oklahoma Senate GOP
Jan 13 2010 // Reforming Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system will be among state Senate Republicans’ top legislative goals for 2010. Republicans, who enjoy a majority in the Oklahoma Senate, are led by Senate...
Democrats Optimistic on Health Care Bill Prospect
Jan 6 2010 // House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday she was sure Democrats in the House of Representatives and Senate would produce a final health care reform plan that would hold insurers accountable and make medical coverage...
Key Differences in Senate, House Health Bills
Jan 6 2010 // Democrats in the U.S. Congress are preparing to merge the two health care bills passed in 2009 by the Senate and House of Representatives into a single bill. This compromise bill would have to be passed by both chambers of...
