Latest Politics Headlines

All the headlines from our Politics Topic Page, ordered by recency.

South Carolina Senate Approves $40M Farmer Flood Aid

May 2 2016 // The Senate has approved a bill providing $40 million to South Carolina farmers devastated by last fall’s flooding.Senators voted 33-3 Thursday on legislation allowing farmers in disaster-declared counties to apply...

Climate Change and The Conservative Republican

Apr 28 2016 // If you’re a conservative Republican, there’s a decent chance that you believe in climate change.Compared with two years ago that is. Don’t tell this to Rush Limbaugh or presidential hopeful Donald Trump....

Republicans Call for State Pools to Replace Obamacare Safeguards for Sickest Insureds

Apr 28 2016 // U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan called on Wednesday for an end to Obamacare’s financial protections for people with serious medical conditions, saying these consumers should be placed in state...

Medical Marijuana Expansion Bill Passes in Louisiana Senate

Apr 22 2016 // A day after falling one vote short, backers of a proposal to expand Louisiana’s medical marijuana law to cover more diseases found success in the state Senate.Senators voted 21-16 for the proposal from Sen. Fred...

Autism Insurance Coverage Bill Passed by Oklahoma Senate

Apr 19 2016 // The Oklahoma Senate has approved legislation that requires health insurers to cover the treatment of children with autism. The Senate voted 36-5 for House Bill 2962 and returned it to the House for consideration of Senate...

Texas Republican Congressman Named Big ‘I’ Legislator of the Year

Apr 15 2016 // Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, is the Gerald Solomon-Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) Legislator...

Religious Groups, Obama Administration Cool to Supreme Court Birth Control Proposal

Apr 14 2016 // The U.S. Supreme Court got a mixed reaction from the Obama administration and religious groups to its unusual proposal to resolve a clash over employee insurance coverage for contraceptives.In a court filing Tuesday, U.S....

Lawyers Seek Mercy for Ex-New York Senate Leader Skelos and Son

Mar 25 2016 // New York’s former Senate leader and his son, who were convicted alongside one another on charges that the once-powerful Republican used his office to extort about $300,000 in salary and other benefits for the son,...

Georgia Senate Stalls Bill to Expand Medical Marijuana Eligibility

Mar 16 2016 // A bill to expand the diseases eligible for medical marijuana in Georgia has stalled in the Senate with just a few days remaining in the legislative session.Republican state Rep. Allen Peake of Macon hoped to pass...

After Mass. House OK, Senate Takes Up Uber Regulations

Mar 14 2016 // It seems likely based on recent legislative developments that Massachusetts will adopt regulations for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, but it’s still far too early to assume what the final rules might...

Senate Bill Would Require Testing Drone Operators on Rules of the Sky

Mar 10 2016 // All U.S. drone operators would for the first time have to prove they understand aviation regulations under broad legislation introduced Wednesday in the Senate.A bill setting policy for the Federal Aviation Administration...

Vermont Republicans Call for Review of State’s Health Exchange

Feb 22 2016 // Vermont Lt. Gov. Phil Scott and the state’s legislative Republican leaders are calling for an independent assessment of the Vermont Health Connect state insurance exchange, with an eye toward possibly closing it and...

New Mexico Senate OKs Uber, Lyft Operations

Feb 19 2016 // A bill aimed at welcoming and regulating ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft in New Mexico has been approved by state Senate.The Senate passed the legislation Thursday morning. The legal status of the companies has...

Oklahoma Senate Approves Uninsured Motorist Bill

Feb 19 2016 // The Oklahoma Senate approved has approved a bill that requires drivers whose licenses have been suspended due to lack of auto insurance to show proof of insurance to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) in order to have...

Kentucky Senate Passes 3-Feet Bicycle Safety Rule

Feb 11 2016 // Drivers overtaking bicyclists on Kentucky roads would have to leave at least 3 feet between their vehicle and the bicycle under a bill that cleared the state Senate. The Kentucky Senate voted 33-4 to approve a bill that...

Obama Administration Advances Retirement Advisor ‘Fiduciary’ Rule

Feb 1 2016 // The U.S. Labor Department on Friday took the next step toward requiring brokers who provide retirement advice to follow a “fiduciary” standard of putting clients’ interests first, a move that could roil...

P/C Execs Predict Cyber Growth, Democrat in the White House

Jan 25 2016 // Leaders of the property/casualty insurance industry expect 2016 to be a profitable year much like 2015 but do not see any increase in profitability this year for most lines of insurance, and they expect the economy to stay...

Mass. Senate to Consider Ban on Using Handheld Cellphones While Driving

Jan 21 2016 // Motorists in Massachusetts may soon have to put down their cellphones when they’re on the road.A bill prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile electronic devices while driving would also make it illegal to enter...

60% of P/C Execs See 2016 Much Like 2015; 55% Expect Democrat to Win White House

Jan 13 2016 // Leaders of the property/casualty insurance industry expect 2016 to be a profitable year much like 2015 but do not see any increase in profitability this year for most lines of insurance, and they do not expect the economy...

Obama Vetoes Republicans’ Repeal of Affordable Care Act

Jan 10 2016 // President Barack Obama vetoed a measure to repeal most of his signature healthcare law on Friday, releasing a statement that extolled the virtues of his biggest domestic policy achievement while excoriating Republicans for...