Article Summary – In April 2021, first-term Representative Zooey Zephyr, a trans woman, spoke in opposition to Senate Bill 99, which would ban transition-related medical and surgical care for transgender minors in Montana. After refusing to apologize for her comments, Zephyr was barred by the Speaker of the House from
Article Summary – Pennsylvania’s Department of Education is offering $75 million in grants for school environmental repairs and upgrades through the Public School Environmental Repairs Grant Program. The funding aims to tackle issues such as asbestos, lead, and mold in school buildings. A further $100 million in grants is also
Article Summary – During a visit to Pittsburgh’s West Penn Hospital, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen praised the Biden administration’s actions to improve healthcare and grow the economy. Yellen emphasized the administration’s efforts to make healthcare more affordable, including expanding tax credits for families paying healthcare premiums through the 2021 American
Article Summary – Public school districts in Montana are preparing to implement a new law aimed at boosting reading proficiency among the state’s youngest students. The law, House Bill 352, will end the Running Start program at Bozeman Public Schools that offered kindergarten instruction for children under age 5, and
Article Summary – Cascade County, Montana, is amid a dispute over who will administer the 2024 elections following allegations of mishandling by the current clerk, Sandra Merchant, leading to her losing the duties. The newly created position of commission-appointed election administrator has four candidates, including the former clerk, Rina Moore.
Article Summary – The FCC has stopped accepting applications for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides subsidized internet access to nearly 23 million Americans, due to its funding only extending to April 2024. The program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides a monthly discount on internet services
Article Summary – The Women’s Service Program, a new initiative in Pennsylvania, will provide up to $15.9 million over the next two years to reproductive health groups offering free health services including prenatal and postpartum care, menstrual health education, and testing for sexually transmitted infections. The program is designed to
Article Summary – Michigan lawmakers are reintroducing a film incentive program to attract film production companies to the region. The Multimedia Jobs Act will create a tax credit scheme, replacing the former 42% rebate of production costs, to encourage local job creation and boost customer traffic for small businesses. However,
Article Summary – Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has presented her budget for fiscal year 2025, which includes funding for universal prekindergarten and free community college. The proposed budget totals $80.7 billion, with specific funding allocated for education initiatives such as $159 million for free pre-K education, $30 million for
Article Summary – Dave McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania’s endorsed candidate for a U.S. Senate seat, has expressed indifference to job outsourcing except in key industries he deems critical. Notably, during his time as an executive at Bridgewater Associates, the company accepted $52
Article Summary – Michigan Republican Rep. Tim Walberg, along with two colleagues, has proposed a bill to exclude home care workers from federal minimum wage and overtime laws. The bill, backed by the Private Care Association, would reverse a 2013 Department of Labor rule that applied these protections to workers
Article Summary – A proposed US bill, the Life Saving Leave Act, will allow employees up to 40 nonconsecutive hours of unpaid leave annually for bone marrow or blood stem cell donation. The bill, introduced by Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and co-sponsored by Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, aims
