Lawmakers OK COVID-19 Spending Bills; Budget Chief Concerned
Michigan legislators have approved mid-year spending bills, including billions of federal coronavirus relief to boost pay for frontline government workers, incentivize unemployed people to return to work and upgrade infrastructure
Under a $3.3 billion plan sent to the Senate by the Republican-led House on a 65-42 vote, some of the U.S. funding would go toward payroll costs and free up state dollars to pay the state’s million Flint water crisis settlement
The GOP-controlled Senate, meanwhile, unanimously shipped the House a $445 million supplemental budget bill that would allocate federal emergency rental assistance and other aid that Congress and then-President Donald Trump enacted in December
Nevada Democrats Unveil Renewable Energy Infrastructure Bill
Nevada lawmakers are considering a massive energy infrastructure proposal that would encourage the construction of renewable energy transmission lines and electric vehicle charging stations
The bill calls for a $100 million investment in transportation electrification through five programs that would install electric vehicle charging stations in cities and on highways throughout Nevada
“We could develop transmission lines across the state of Nevada and be able to access wind in Wyoming, solar in the Southwest, hydropower in the Northwest and provide power to our neighbors in southern California and central California,” Senator Brooks said
The Nevada proposal mirrors similar legislation under consideration throughout the region, including in Colorado
Minnesota House Debates Cannabis Bill Before Historic Vote
Lawmakers in the Minnesota House began debating a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana use ahead of a historic floor vote Thursday evening that would mark the first time either chamber has voted on legalization
Passage of the bill — which would legalize marijuana use for adults and expunge minor marijuana convictions — is expected in the Democratic-controlled House
Republican lawmakers pointed out several reservations with the bill, including the potential for increased driving under the influence, a lack of roadside tests for law enforcement and uncertainty for businesses screening applicants who use cannabis, among others
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have already legalized recreational marijuana for adults to varying degrees
K Buenavista
Mr. Buenavista is a writer that specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy to understand formats that appeal to a wide range of news seeking readers, without missing the important details. He handles a majority of the daily news reporting at Easy-Ad, and has written on many other websites. He resides in Southern California.