Articles written by David A. Lieb
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Health care vaccine mandate remains as some push for an end
LOWRY CITY, Mo. (AP) — At Truman Lake Manor in rural Missouri, every day begins the same way for every employee entering the nursing home's doors — with a swab up the nose, a swirl of testing solution and a brief wait to see whether a thin red...
After election, marijuana advocates look to next states
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Law-abiding marijuana enthusiasts could find themselves in a bit of a predicament following voter approval of a recreational cannabis initiative in Missouri. Though it soon will become legal for adults to possess and...
NRA stages big gun show in Texas days after school massacre
HOUSTON (AP) — The National Rifle Association begins its annual convention in Houston on Friday, and leaders of the powerful gun-rights lobbying group are gearing up to "reflect on" -- and deflect any blame for -- the deadly shooting earlier this...
Calls to suspend gas taxes across U.S. grow as prices surge
With gas prices at record highs across the U.S., an increasing number of governors and state lawmakers are calling for the suspension of gas taxes to provide relief to motorists who are facing the prospect of even higher pump prices as the country...
Partisan divide on COVID policy widens in state legislatures
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — In Democratic-led Washington state, just four lawmakers were present in the 98-member House this week as they convened a mostly remote session with an abundance of caution. Anyone working there is required to be tested...
Infrastructure bill unleashes funding to address risky dams
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — States will soon be flooded with federal money to address a pent-up need to repair, improve or remove thousands of aging dams across the U.S., including some that could inundate towns or neighborhoods if they fail. The...
Gerrymandering surges as states redraw maps for House seats
North Carolina Republicans are well positioned to pick up at least two House seats in next year's election — but it's not because the state is getting redder. The state remains a perennial battleground, closely split between Democrats and...
Lawsuits over workplace vaccine rule focus on states' rights
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — More than two dozen Republican-led states filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for private companies, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown pitting federal authority against...
New redistricting commissions splinter along partisan lines
When voters in some states created new commissions to handle the politically thorny process of redistricting, the hope was that the bipartisan panelists could work together to draw new voting districts free of partisan gerrymandering. Instead,...
EXPLAINER: What to know about the new Texas abortion law
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Supreme Court allowing a new Texas law that bans most abortions is the biggest curb to the constitutional right to an abortion in decades, and Republicans in other states are already considering similar measures. The law...
9 women now serving as governors in US, tying a record
With Kathy Hochul officially taking the reins as New York's governor, a historic number of women are currently leading U.S. states — a push towards equality and representation that could continue into next year's midterm elections. There are now...
Census data puts target on rural, Rust Belt House districts
While suburban congressional districts are swelling with new residents, lawmakers in large swaths of rural America and some Rust Belt cities are in need of more people to represent. In rural Illinois, Republican Rep. Mary Miller's district is short 7...
Treasury says some state tax cuts OK under Biden relief act
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Responding to concerns from state officials, the U.S. Treasury Department said Wednesday that states can cut taxes without penalty under a new federal pandemic relief law — so long as they use their own funds to offset...
Virus tolls similar despite governors' contrasting actions
Nearly a year after California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the nation's first statewide shutdown because of the coronavirus, masks remain mandated, indoor dining and other activities are significantly limited, and Disneyland remains closed. By...
Virus outbreaks stoke tensions in some state capitols
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — After only their first few weeks of work, tensions already are high among lawmakers meeting in-person at some state capitols — not because of testy debates over taxes, guns or abortion, but because of a disregard for... Full story
Statehouses, US capital brace for potentially violent week
The threat of extremist groups descending on state capitals in a series of demonstrations Sunday prompted governors to roll out a massive show of force and implement tight security measures at statehouses across the country. Fencing, boarded-up...
States declare emergencies, close capitols ahead of rallies
Responding to warnings of potentially violent demonstrations, governors across the nation are calling out National Guard troops, declaring states of emergency and closing their capitols to the public ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration...
State capitols step up security amid new safety concerns
State capitols across the nation stepped up security Monday, deploying National Guard units, SWAT teams and extra police officers while several legislatures convened amid heightened safety concerns following last week's violence at the U.S. Capitol....
State capitols reassess safety after violence at US Capitol
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The insurrection by supporters of President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol this week has prompted governors and lawmakers in several states to heighten security at their own capitol buildings as they gather amid a...
AP: States spent over $7B competing for early virus supplies
Ray Bellia had a good business before the coronavirus pandemic. He topped $4 million in annual sales from his New Hampshire store that specialized in protective gear for police. Then he got a call from a buyer with the state of Massachusetts asking i...
Missouri governor, opponent of mandatory masks, has COVID-19
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican who has steadfastly refused to require residents to wear masks, tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said Wednesday. Parson was tested after his wife, Teresa, tested posi...
Masks reveal partisan split among lawmakers on coronavirus
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — To the issues creating a partisan divide in state legislatures across the U.S., add this one: masks. Many Democratic lawmakers are wearing them amid the coronavirus outbreak while many Republicans refuse. "Public health...
Legislatures meet remotely, limit public as virus spreads
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Members of the Arkansas House met in a college basketball arena, spaced out among 5,600 seats, as they voted on ways to cover a budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus punch to the economy. When South Dakota lawmakers...
'The whole city laid off': US jobless claims climb sky high
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Barely a week ago, David McGraw was cooking daily for hundreds of fine diners at one of New Orleans' illustrious restaurants. Today, he's cooking for himself, at home — laid off along with hundreds of thousands of people across...
States still reporting surge in virus-related jobless claims
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Some states on Friday continued to report huge spikes in new claims for unemployment benefits after a week of widespread business closures as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. The figures provided to...
