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LANSING, Mich - A sweeping plan to reform Michigan's election recount process passed the state’s Democratic-led Senate on Tuesday amid partisan tensions as lawmakers debated the role of bipartisan canvassers.
The proposal would solve a long-standing issue in Michigan elections by allowing county officials to recount precincts that are “out of balance” because the number of physical ballots does not exactly match the local clerks’ count of voters.
But the legislation has proven controversial because it would also make clear that county canvassers – two Republicans and two Democrats each – should focus on remedying potential “errors” in a recount but not investigate “fraudulent or illegal voting,” which Democrats say should be left to law enforcement.
Republicans uniformly voted against the bills, with some alleging the changes would weaken the state’s protections against election fraud. But supporters contend the plan would drive home the distinction between recounts and proper criminal investigations. Click here to read more.
ST. LOUIS, MO - Plagued throughout the academic year by what it called “chronic bus absenteeism,” St. Louis Public Schools is offering to pay families who drive their kids to the final two weeks of school.
NewsNation local affiliate KTVI reports the Missouri school district has already begun offering gas cards to families, but the new initiative was detailed in a letter sent to parents Monday.
“We are excited to announce a new set of programs aimed at addressing the current challenges in transportation services,” Toyin Akinola, the director of transportation for St. Louis Public Schools, said in the letter. Click here to read story.
WAUCHULA, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Wednesday banning the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat in Florida.
SB 1084 prohibits and creates penalties for the manufacturing, sale or distribution of cultivated meat in the state.
It also preempt the regulation of electric vehicle charging stations to the state and prohibits local governments from implementing their own policies.
Additionally, the legislation provides regulations for the destruction, harvesting and sale of saw palmetto berries.
The new law also bolsters state provisions on charging suspects with trespassing on commercial agricultural land, one provision touted by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on Wednesday. Click here to read more.
WASHINGTON D.C. - Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., paid tribute to a fraternity Wednesday that was involved in defending the American flag from protesters at the University of North Carolina.
A viral image circulating social media depicts members of Pi Kappa Phi surrounding a large flagpole and holding up the U.S. flag. The image was taken during a campus protest in which demonstrators attempted to raise a Palestinian flag in its place, according to freelance journalist Bryan Anderson. Click here to read more.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — 7News On Your Side has obtained an email revealing Prince William County Public Schools removed a speech-language pathologist from their list of evaluators because he "sides with the parents."
The email is dated July 14, 2023, and appears to be sent from one of the school district's executive administrative assistants to the Director for the Special Education Department to other school district staff members, informing them Dr. Jay Lucker was no longer on the list of speech-language pathologists.
"[We] removed Dr. Jay Lucker from our speech provider list," the email said. "Dr. Lucker does not give good evaluations and typically sides with the parents. We took him off the list, but did not send him a formal letter to state that we are removing him from our provider list. I don't think we are required to do that." Click here to read more.
