state senate news stories on Newser

Oklahoma Senate Passes 'Personhood' Act

Kevin Spak — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:26:08 CST

The Oklahoma Senate has passed a controversial bill that declares that life begins at the moment of conception, in a landslide 34-8 vote. The Personhood Act passed yesterday after two hours of debate. It's unclear what effect the bill will have, however; its author says it's just a statement and...

NJ Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill

Neal Colgrass — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 CST

New Jersey's state Senate passed a gay marriage bill today, but by a margin too slim to overturn the governor's expected veto, the New Jersey Star-Ledger reports. Senators voted 24-16, with two Republicans in favor. "We have some among us who are separate and not equal," said one pro-gay-marriage Republican,...

Control of Virginia's Senate Too Close to Call

Kevin Spak — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:45:00 CST

Republicans appear poised to take over the Virginia state Senate—by a mere 86 votes. Heading into last night’s election, the Democrats had a 22-18 majority in the chamber, but they lost one seat in a strange race that, thanks to redistricting, pitted two incumbents, one Republican and one Democrat,...

Dems Survive Wisconsin Recall

Rob Quinn — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:50:54 CDT

Two more Democratic state senators have survived recall votes in Wisconsin, ending the state's recall saga with the Republicans still in charge of the legislature—but with only a one-seat majority. Another Democrat survived an earlier recall vote, and four of six targeted Republicans held their seats after recall votes...

Carl Lewis Can't Run for New Jersey State Senate

John Johnson — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:53:45 CDT

New Jersey won't let a favorite son run for state office. The lieutenant governor ruled today that Carl Lewis, who has nine Olympic gold medals on his mantle, doesn't meet the four-year residency requirement to run for a state Senate seat, reports the Star-Ledger . The 49-year-old Lewis plans to appeal....

'Don't Say Gay' Education Bill Advances in Tennessee

Matt Cantor — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:03:05 CDT

A Tennessee state Senate committee has passed a bill to make sure teachers don't mention homosexuality in classes below ninth grade, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. The Republican sponsor of the so-called “don’t say gay” bill got it passed 6-3 after some legal wrangling, and it now moves to the...

California Bill Would Require Gay History in Schools

Matt Cantor — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:25:05 CDT

California could be the first state to require that schools teach gay history. Lessons on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people would be added to social studies classes under a landmark bill passed yesterday by the state Senate, the AP reports. The state Assembly and Gov. Jerry Brown must approve...

AWOL Dems: We're Not Coming Home

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:47:24 CST

Some Wisconsin Democrats recently seemed to imply they will return to the state even though talks with Gov. Scott Walker have broken down—but now they're now backtracking on those reports. Minority Leader Mark Miller told the Wall Street Journal the senators were considering a return as soon as certain...

Georgia Lawmaker Likens GOP to KKK, Then Womanizers

Nick McMaster — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:17:37 CST

A Georgia state senator has thrown down against his political rivals, comparing turncoat Democrats to Ku Klux Klan members, Mediaite reports. State Senator Robert Brown, lashing out against his former Dems who'd switched over to the GOP after Republicans made big gains in the election, said that they "put on...