Texas Democrats have fled the state in an effort to keep Republicans from approving a new U.S. House map that could boost their slim congressional majority next year.

For many, the legislative term in Lansing is coming to a disappointing end. It has been marred by a boycott of sessions and in-fighting.

Colorado medical providers will need to get patients’ prior consent before medical students can perform pelvic exams on them while they are unconscious for a procedure under a bill signed into law.

First lady Jill Biden will represent the U.S. at the coronation of King Charles III next month, President Joe Biden told the royal during a Tuesday call, the White House said.

Colorado teachers flooded into the state Capitol to press for better protections for students and school staff after a 17-year-old Denver student shot two administrators, fled to the mountains and killed himself.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a portion of the state’s ban on abortion, ruling women have a right to an abortion not just in a medical emergency.

The official 2022 Michigan state Christmas tree has been selected, harvested and delivered to the state’s capital from Clinton County.

New York lawmakers began a special legislative session seeking to limit the proliferation of firearms in public after the Supreme Court gutted the state’s century-old handgun licensing law.

Thousands of teachers and other school workers have walked out in Sacramento.

Meshawn Maddock, the Co-Chair of the Michigan Republican Party, was one of the 16 GOP electors who submitted false electoral college documents to the National Archive in an attempt to give former President Donald Trump a win after the fact in Michigan.

Meshawn Maddock, the Co-Chair of the Michigan Republican Party, was one of the 16 GOP electors who submitted false electoral college documents to the National Archive in an attempt to give former President Donald Trump a win after the fact in Michigan.

Kathy Hochul has become the first female governor of New York.

Texas Republicans are pressing ahead with their push for tougher election laws after Democrats' defiant weekend walkout stopped one of the nation's most restrictive voting measures.

A Tennessee Republican has falsely declared that an 18th century policy designating a slave as three-fifths of a person was adopted for what he called “the purpose of ending slavery.”.

In state legislatures across the country, lawmakers of color are seizing on the nation’s reckoning with racial injustice.

“We are witnessing state legislators acting as if their anti-American effort to take away citizens freedom to vote is somehow the right thing to do,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

On the first day of Michigan Legislature’s return to session Tuesday, the steps of the state Capitol were flooded with people saying to stand up for voting rights.

About two dozen protesters turned out near Augusta National to object to Georgia’s new voting law during the third round of the Masters.

Georgia’s Republican governor has stepped up his attack on Major League Baseball’s decision to pull this summer’s All-Star Game from the state in response to a sweeping new voting law.

FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, armed men stand on the steps at the State Capitol after a rally in support of President Donald Trump in Lansing, Mich. But the question of whether guns should be allowed in capitol buildings remains political and states are going in opposite directions. – In the past year, insurrectionists have breached the U.S. Capitol and armed protesters have forced their way into statehouses around the country. But the question of whether guns should be allowed in capitol buildings remains political, and states are going in opposite directions. “What they said is that weapons, guns, bullets are still welcome in our state Capitol as long as we can’t see them.

Barbers and hair stylists are protesting the state's stay-at-home orders, a defiant demonstration that reflects how salons have become a symbol for small businesses that are eager to reopen two months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)LANSING, Mich. – A judge dismissed disorderly conduct charges Monday against six hair stylists who were ticketed last spring during a protest at the Michigan Capitol. The women were cutting hair to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's decision to keep barber shops and salons closed for nearly three months because of the coronavirus pandemic. Many barbers and hair stylists emerged as activists in Michigan, inspired by the defiance of Karl Manke, a barber in Owosso, who dared state authorities to shut him down.

LANSING, Mich. – Government buildings in Lansing are boarded up in preparation of an expected armed protest at the state Capitol. In addition to heavy police presence the Michigan National Guard has been activated by Gov. The Lansing Police Department announced that there is an event planned for noon at the Michigan Capitol on Sunday, Jan. 17. Gen. Michael McDaniel, who served as the assistant general for Homeland Security, Michigan National Guard. Michigan State Police, working with the Michigan National Guard and FBI, says that have increased personnel and protective measures at the Capitol and in Downtown Lansing.

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)LANSING, Mich. – Law enforcement agencies across Michigan are stepping up security measures at the Capitol and in surrounding areas to prepare for expected armed protests starting this weekend. Michigan State Police, working with the Michigan National Guard and FBI, says that have increased personnel and protective measures at the Capitol and in Downtown Lansing. The Lansing Police Department announced that there is an event planned for noon at the Michigan Capitol on Sunday, Jan. 17. “I can assure you that we take our responsibility for safeguarding the Capitol and those who work and visit here seriously and, together with our law enforcement partners, we will be prepared to ensure law and order.”On Friday, Michigan Gov. The FBI has warned local law enforcement agencies in all 50 states of possible armed protests at state Capitol buildings starting this weekend.

Michigan State Police are preparing for a protest expected Sunday at the state Capitol. A group that had planned to protest is now telling its members to avoid the Capitol. READ: State to install 6-foot fence around Michigan Capitol building ahead of possible armed protestsREAD: ‘Michigan Capitol is not safe’: AG Dana Nessel warns new ban on firearms not sufficientMichael and Wendy Lackomar are part of the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia. Michael and Wendy said they are not sure if some of their militia will still go, but they think the protest may be calmer than expected. Michigan ‘prepared to respond accordingly’ if threat is made to state Capitol, Whitmer saysMembers of law enforcement are coordinating with the Michigan National Guard to make sure they’re prepared to respond to any sign of violence at the state Capitol, Gov.

LANSING, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 07: Armed Trump supporters take part in a demonstration at the Michigan State Capitol building on November 07, 2020 in Lansing, Michigan. I repeat-the Michigan Capitol is not safe,” Nessel’s tweet series concluded. After months of delay the Michigan State Capitol Commission finally put their authority to use and voted in favor of banning the open-carry of firearms inside the State Capitol. Those with concealed weapon permits are still allowed to carry firearms (concealed) into the State Capitol. The Michigan State Capitol Commission must take the next step and ban ALL firearms inside the State Capitol.

LANSING, Mich. – The FBI warned law enforcement agencies of possible armed protests at state capitols of all 50 states next week. Additionally, Michigan’s State Capitol Commission voted to ban open carry of firearms at the Capitol on Monday. READ: Democrats criticize ban on open carry of guns inside Michigan Capitol for not going far enoughREAD: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer calls for ‘immediate action’ to ban all weapons at Michigan CapitolWith no checkpoints inside the Capitol, McMorrow said it is now harder for sergeants at arms to spot weapons if they can be concealed. Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel want a more comprehensive approach -- a ban on all weapons and possibly metal detectors and tighter security.

(Photo by Seth Herald/Getty Images)The Michigan State Capitol Commission unanimously voted Monday to ban the open carry of guns from inside the Michigan Capitol, effective immediately. “After months of delay the Michigan State Capitol Commission finally put their authority to use and voted in favor of banning the open-carry of firearms inside the State Capitol. Those with concealed weapon permits are still allowed to carry firearms (concealed) into the State Capitol. The Michigan State Capitol Commission must take the next step and ban ALL firearms inside the State Capitol.”Gov. Today’s actions are simply not enough to do that.”Read more: Should guns be allowed in Michigan Capitol building?

LANSING, Mich. – The riots in Washington, D.C. Wednesday that left five people dead has reignited debates over whether guns should be allowed inside Michigan’s Capitol Building. READ: FBI, Michigan federal prosecutor seek tips in deadly siege on US Capitol BuildingWith the new legislative session starting in days, security of the Capitol will likely take center stage. It’s impossible to come to work when you are under that constant threat,” Lasinski said. Security experts are now viewing that event as a potential practice run for those who stormed the U.S. Capitol Building Wednesday. “There should be no weapons of any kind in our Capitol,” Lasinski said.

In the latest annual report on clerical sex abuse, dioceses and other Catholic entities reported paying out $281.6 million during the year for costs related to allegations, including payments for cases reported in previous years. There has been a huge overall surge in allegations over the past three years as dioceses faced unprecedented pressure to address the decades-old problem of clergy sex abuse. It is the 17th abuse report issued since 2002, when the U.S. bishops established and adopted a comprehensive set of procedures to address sex abuse allegations. Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which advocates for survivors of clergy sex abuse, expressed concern about a section of the report indicating that only 60% of parishes nationwide were performing safety audits on their own. Every single sitting attorney general should be investigating cases of clergy abuse in their state, identifying enablers and removing them from power, and ensuring that hidden abusers are made known to their communities.

Circuit Court of Appeals on June 17, 2020, upheld a federal judge's ruling that said dinosaur fossils are part of a property's surface estate in an ongoing battle over ownership of millions of dollars of fossils unearthed on an eastern Montana ranch. Dinosaur fossils worth millions of dollars unearthed on a Montana ranch belong to the owners of the lands surface rights, not the owners of the mineral rights, a U.S. appeals court ruled. The surface rights where the fossils were found are owned by Mary Ann and Lige Murray. In the meantime, the 2019 Montana Legislature passed a bill stating that dinosaur fossils are part of a property's surface estate unless they are reserved as part of the mineral estate. In a 4-3 ruling last month, the Montana justices said dinosaur fossils are not considered minerals under state law.

Yet state statistics also show hospitalizations are up since early April, which has some health officials worried. Some people are trying to stay 6 feet (2 meters) apart, as required under state orders, but others aren't. Leaders in Republican-controlled, deeply conservative Alabama, like many states, are stuck between trying to revive a lagging economy and prevent the spread of disease. As of Friday, more than 13,400 people had tested positive for the coronavirus in Alabama, and 533 had died. Alabamas jobless rate jumped to 12.9% in April during the economic shutdown linked to the coronavirus pandemic, the worst in nearly 38 years, the state said.

Barbers and hair stylists are protesting the state?? (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)LANSING, Mich. Police ticketed seven people for cutting hair during a protest outside the Michigan Capitol, where about a dozen barbers and hair stylists defied stay-at-home orders to give free hair cuts Wednesday. At one point, about 300 people attended the demonstration that was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition to oppose the measures imposed by Gov. Angela Rigas, of Caledonia in western Michigan, said she was ticketed after refusing three times to stop cutting hair. I will not stand down, said Karl Manke, a 77-year-old barber who cut hair at the demonstration.