Questions tagged [us-state-laws]
Questions related to any laws enacted by any of the 50 states in the United States. Use the [united-states] tag alongside this.
124
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How do the Republicans' recent laws make it harder for Democratic voters to vote?
I read this BBC article, but it's not totally clear for me why the recent voting rights laws passed in more than a dozen Republican-controlled state legislatures affect the Democratic base, but not ...
3
votes
1answer
123 views
Did the US Supreme Court's recent ruling sidestep the issue of judicial review? (Whole Women's Health v. Jackson; challenge to Texas S.B. 8)
The following questions and their extensive answers cover the background of the issues well:
How close does the Texas law that bars most abortions after six weeks come to saying 'Defendants can&#...
-1
votes
5answers
389 views
Why do the states have such heavy support banning abortion?
The political dynamic in the United States is that a small group of elites, the Supreme Court, has to read the tea leaves of the Constitution and extract imputed rights out of it that include the ...
3
votes
1answer
278 views
Why doesn't the Governor of the US state of Idaho fire the Lt. Governor for insubordination? Can they be punished in any way at all?
Idaho Public Radio's McGeachin and Little battle over COVID-related executive orders — again details a situation where as soon as Idaho's Governor left the state on official business the Lieutenant ...
1
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1answer
91 views
Balanced budget (amendments) in U.S. States
I understand that 43 out of 50 U.S. states are constitutionally required to have balanced budgets. Are there identifiable trends in how and when these states implemented the requirement in their ...
30
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6answers
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Why is avoidance of judicial review of the Texas abortion law and other future US state laws so concerning to the US department of justice?
From CNN's video coverage of US Attorney General Merrick Garland announcement of its lawsuit against the state of Texas:
Q: ...several GOP lawmakers who said that they will follow Texas’ lead, and I ...
3
votes
1answer
270 views
Are there constitutional arguments for preventing/avoiding judicial review of state law in some scenarios? Are there any historical examples of this?
From CNN's video coverage of US Attorney General Merrick Garland announcement of its lawsuit against the state of Texas:
Q: ...several GOP lawmakers who said that they will follow Texas’ lead, and I ...
28
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2answers
1k views
What arguments have been made to support the Texas abortion law's private enforcement provisions, beyond evading review?
Texas Senate Bill 8, which practically bars abortions in the state, has an unusual* provision whereby civil claims against abortion providers can be asserted by private plaintiffs not involved in or ...
0
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0answers
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What exactly is that "advisory" to the nursing homes from the New York State Department of Health, and is it really from A. M. Cuomo?
Here, on the Wayback Machine website, is the controversial directive to the nursing homes from the New York State Department of Health.
It calls itself an "advisory" but it gives very stern ...
-1
votes
2answers
326 views
What's the most extreme way the states of the United States can ensure compliance to a vaccine mandate for all adults? [closed]
What's the most extreme way the states of the United States can insure compliance to a vaccine mandate for all adults?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobson_v._Massachusetts
Jacobson v. ...
4
votes
1answer
226 views
Does arresting specific types of people for voting illegally discourage those types of people from voting?
There were instances where voters were arrested for voting illegally in the state of Texas. Many of these arrests involve black and other nonwhite Democratic voters according to reports.
Texas found ...
1
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1answer
194 views
How can POTUS legally prevent/change state National Guard movements/actions?
According to some news from the Texas-Mexico border, some other states, including Texas and South Dakota, are sending their troops to the Texas border to support border patrol agents.
I don't think ...
2
votes
2answers
159 views
What can individual state governments do to combat court case backlogs?
Many people say that states have a problem administering justice due to a large and growing number of cases that have yet to be tried.
Increasing funding to the state's courts system seems like an ...
17
votes
5answers
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Why are American states permitted to vote their own election laws?
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday that the Department
of Justice would be suing the state of Georgia over its recent voting
rights changes. While the case is obviously directed at the ...
4
votes
1answer
309 views
Is it true that in Paradise, Nevada the services for streets, sewer, security and energy supply are private?
In Paradise, Nevada, The Clark County Commission is the governmental organization that governs and runs Clark County, providing services.
Paradise is an unincorporated area.
I heard that the services ...
26
votes
3answers
5k views
How do states with no state income tax like Florida or Texas generate tax revenue?
How do states with no state income tax like Florida or Texas generate tax revenue? Do they have higher property tax or sales tax?
I compared their property and sales taxes with other states with ...
53
votes
8answers
9k views
What is the rationale behind making it illegal to hand out water to voters in line in Georgia?
From S.B. 202 (emphasis added):
No person shall solicit votes in any manner or by any means or method, nor shall any person distribute or display any campaign material, nor shall any person give, ...
1
vote
1answer
607 views
What contributing factors would make the Florida “gain time” bill be signed into law in 2021?
A.) Are there contributing factors that would effect whether the Florida “gain time” bill will be passed by the House in 2021? Is so, what are they at this current time? I heard that some House ...
5
votes
1answer
160 views
Could a state governor use their pardon power to perform controlled experiments on sentencing policy?
My understanding is that state governors have roughly unilateral power to pardon state crimes. (First of all, is this true?)
If so, suppose that a governor were to announce something like the ...
2
votes
2answers
106 views
What does "H St Aff" mean as an action taken on a proposed bill (Idaho)?
Idaho's legislature is in session. I've been monitoring their activity on this page. I can usually tell what abbreviations for actions taken on bills mean at a glance, but this one has me stumped:
...
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votes
2answers
205 views
Can there be an administrative organization inside the US, above the state level? [closed]
According to the question about chairman West's phrase:
Perhaps law-abiding states should bond together and form a Union of states that will abide by the constitution
Is it constitutionally possible ...
10
votes
2answers
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Can members of the Wayne County Canvassing Board rescind their votes?
A couple days ago, all four members of the Board of Canvassers of Wayne County, Michigan voted to certify the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. Now the two Republican members of the ...
2
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1answer
297 views
What is the mechanism to invalidate a (US) election result? [duplicate]
Inspired by this tweet:
In Detroit, there are FAR MORE VOTES THAN PEOPLE. Nothing can be done
to cure that giant scam. I win Michigan! -@realdonaldtrump
Let us, for the sake of argument, assume the ...
9
votes
2answers
774 views
How are U.S. states allowed to put marijuana legalization on ballots when it's against federal law?
Five states will now legalize marijuana for both recreational and medical use.
During the November elections, A majority of New Jersey and Arizona residents voted yes on ballot measures to make ...
22
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2answers
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If every legal challenge that Trump has mounted since the election succeeds, could he win the presidency?
I am not certain of exactly which legal cases he has launched, but let us imagine that all of them (recounts, discarding votes, etc.) are decided in his favo(u)r, exactly as he wishes.
In that case, ...
asked Nov 9 '20 at 9:55
Mawg says reinstate Monica
3,4452 gold badges17 silver badges29 bronze badges
21
votes
2answers
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Why does New Mexico resolve election ties with a game of Poker?
I just learned today that, according to the New Mexico Constitution, if an election ends in a tie, the race will be decided by a game of chance, either a coin-flip, high-card draw, or a single hand of ...
5
votes
1answer
242 views
Why do many states in the US often elect state cabinet members?
When I first learned various states hold elections for state cabinet positions I was puzzled, because there are no such elections for federal secretaries. Why do so many states do it like this, ...
11
votes
1answer
258 views
Why do some states forbid per-kWh by anyone but the utility monopoly?
I was reading this article on EV-charger pricing schemes. There are some vague references to states requiring per-minute pricing, but 0 explanations of that thing. A little research has suggested ...
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votes
1answer
205 views
Maximum fetal age for legal abortion in the USA?
Of all the places that permit abortion in the USA, which ones have the maximum fetal age for legal abortion?
Say State A allows abortion when the age of the fetus is less than 20 weeks, and State B ...
5
votes
2answers
65 views
How does one efficiently go about researching the history of a specific issue across state legislatures?
I am attempting to research a certain political issue across state legislatures.
Specifically, I'm attempting to compile information regarding which states have debated a specific issue in their ...
3
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0answers
52 views
Which states have weakened police unions’ collective bargaining power over disciplinary issues?
Matt Yglesias, liberal political columnist for Vox, just tweeted this:
Months into the era of everyone reading White Fragility and posting Black Lives Matter memes and declaring racism a public ...
1
vote
1answer
59 views
Voting for 2020 presidential election during out of state move [closed]
I imagine that I will be moving states before the 2020 Election Day, and I don’t want to do a mail in ballot, just because I think there’s going to be a lot of BS around that this year. If I’m a tax ...
12
votes
1answer
386 views
Covid-19 public data accuracy, disclosure, and transparency
With the unprecedented move of the Trump administration to have state Covid-19 data sent to HHS instead of the CDC it warrants to know if any rules\regulations will work differently with this change ...
asked Jul 15 '20 at 18:42
The 'Bernie Sanders' Party
2,4761 gold badge11 silver badges36 bronze badges
16
votes
4answers
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How can grand jury secrecy rules block release of Trump financial records?
This NY Times article discussing the Supreme Court ruling that Trump cannot block release of financial records clarifies that this "probably means the records will be shielded from public ...
3
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1answer
207 views
In Kentucky, who is responsible for closing a polling location?
For in person voting tomorrow, Kentucky (USA) will have roughly 200 out of the normal ~3,700 polling locations open.
Was a single person responsible for this decision, such as the Kentucky secretary ...
32
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8answers
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Is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact constitutional?
I read recently that Colorado will have a version of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact on their ballot in November. Considering that this bill functionally eliminates the Electoral College, ...
4
votes
1answer
137 views
Who draws county lines?
Within a state, which government institution is responsible for drawing and determining the boundaries of county lines?
3
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2answers
106 views
What is the difference between voting for presidential nominee vs. voting for delegates in Maryland?
On my ballot in Maryland for the presidential primary, there are separate questions to vote for the presidential nominee directly, and to vote for specific delegates to the convention. The delegates ...
3
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1answer
208 views
How can a Governor enforce "Shelter in Place Orders" if cities or States' Attorneys refuse to enforce them?
I've seen reports of state's attorneys and cities refusing to enforce state Stay at Home orders. If a governor was so inclined, are there actions they could take against the state's attorneys and ...
5
votes
1answer
225 views
Why are some Covid-19 tests excluded in some US states?
For example, the LabCorp COVID-19 RT-PCR has been EUA-approved by the FDA, but it lists as exclusion criteria the following:
Exclusion:
• Live in MD, NJ, NY or RI
meaning that people who live in ...
3
votes
1answer
502 views
In Massachusetts, if a US Senator resigns midterm, how is their replacement selected?
Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, is generally considered a top contender to be Joe Biden's running mate. If she was elected Vice President, she would have to resign her ...
57
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8answers
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In most U.S. states, female genital mutilation is illegal. So why is male circumcision legal?
Hello new users from around the Stack Exchange Network
We are aware that this question is about a very emotionally laden topic. So we would like to make sure you are aware of the purpose of ...
1
vote
1answer
209 views
Does the US government have any plan to punish Equifax for failure to stop Chinese breach?
I read about how Equifax was hacked by Chinese hackers and stole the data of over 146 million Americans, a hack that was partially only possible because Equifax made simple security mistakes like ...
28
votes
2answers
5k views
What would happen if every state had a law requiring it hold the nations first primary?
Quoting https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/11/politics/iowa-new-hampshire-primary-monopoly/index.html:
The vote-counting meltdown in Iowa's antiquated and haphazard caucus system -- a process used partly ...
4
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0answers
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How do Oregon's mayoral elections work?
I'm writing an RPG campaign that takes place in a city of Oregon. However, taking a look in lists of mayors of some cities, I found that some mayors have mandates of only one year, despite others ...
5
votes
2answers
964 views
Why does California seem to have much more aggressive Consumer Protection and Safety Legislation? [closed]
Why does the state of California seem to be so much more aggressive about passing protection/safety legislation?
My impression is that they seem to pass consumer protection laws earlier and more ...
4
votes
1answer
179 views
Does the electoral college (or a similar system) apply to US governor elections?
I'm following the live results of the Kentucky and Mississippi elections for governor etc, and I notice that while the Republican nominee has won the majority of the precincts, what they're reporting ...
1
vote
1answer
138 views
Can special prosecutor Dan Webb charge Jussie Smollet? [closed]
In a case that made political headlines, actor Jussie Smollett was charged with making false statements to Chicago police about a supposed hate crime he had experienced. But then the Illinois State ...
4
votes
2answers
383 views
In terms of US politics, has protecting taxicab operations from competition been a left-wing policy?
Because of the limited space available, the title could be raising an unanswerable question. Given changes over time and the variety of viewpoints within the left wing, the answer could depend on ...
9
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1answer
264 views
Which US states prohibit vote trading by elected officials?
Apparently vote trading is illegal in California when done by elected officials:
Recent amendments to the Penal Code extended the prohibition to local officials:
Any member of the legislative body ...