Highlights: BREAKING NEWS: Judge strikes down Walker's collective bargaining law; NH House Delays Vote On Right-To-Work Bill; Maine: Collective bargaining bill revived for June 2 hearing; Walker signs voter ID law; ALEC's radical right wing agenda comes to PA..; Rick Scott The job-killing governor joins least-liked in nation; Ohio legislator denies resignation connected to SB 5; MI: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says new tax law 'will create jobs'; Montana: unions file unfair labor practice charge; Nebraska lawmakers pass compromise bill on public unions; full Scrooge Alert at http://dailyscroogealert.blogspot.com/
National
Pawlenty urges freeze on federal salaries; to counter Ryan plan
Washington Times
The pushback against public employees mirrors similar calls from lawmakers in Washington and recent fights in Wisconsin, where fiscal battles over the cost of public employees has pushed collective bargaining rights into the national political dialogue ...
New Hampshire
O'Brien Wants More Time On Right-to-Work
New Hampshire Public Radio
O'Brien added that he expects right to work to gain strength from the late-breaking backing of the business and industry association, which formally endorsed the override effort this week. But O'Brien said repeatedly he's got no timetable for voting. ...
House Delays Vote On Right-To-Work Bill - Politics News Story ...
The Statehouse was packed Wednesday with activists on both sides of the right-to -work debate, but a vote to override the governor's veto of the bill never came. Wednesday, May 25, 2011.
Maine
Collective bargaining bill revived for June 2 hearing
Portland Daily Sun
By David Carkhuff A Thursday, June 2 public hearing on a controversial "right-to-work" bill in Augusta could be a prelude to quick passage of a piece of Maine legislation that critics say is similar to what happened with collective bargaining rights in
Labor bill back to committee
Press Herald
"Fair share," the fee that non-union members must pay unions for the collective bargaining they benefit from, is now in the Maine State Employees Association's contract. It is considered separate from union dues. Union contracts cover all state workers ...
'Right-to-work' bills may get hearing after all
Bangor Daily News
By Kevin Miller, BDN Staff AUGUSTA, Maine — The debate over “right-to-work” laws in Maine may happen after all. But events on Wednesday indicated that one ...
House GOP returns right-to-work bill to committee
Morning Sentinel
After an attempt by Democrats to kill the measure failed earlier in the day, ... executive director of the Maine State Employees Association. ...
Pennsylvania
ALEC's radical right wing agenda comes to Pa..
Examiner.com
... bills and Right to Work bills ALEC has sponsored that Scott Walker Republican Governor of Wisconsin accidentally outed as having nothing really to do ...
School budget discussions this spring have been riddled with talk of unpopular cuts, delays and freezes.
Protesters see 'bind' in urged state cuts
A small group of activists, most in wheelchairs, found locked doors and a cordon of police and security officers blocking the way Wednesday as they tried to deliver a message to Gov. Tom Corbett about cuts to programs for disabled people.
Pennsylvania House Democrats fail to force consideration of natural gas drilling tax
Pennsylvania House Democrats weren't able to overcome raw numbers in an effort to force consideration of a proposal to tax drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation.
Michigan
MI: Michigan legislature expected to pass $46.5B budget
The state Legislature is expected to complete work today on a $46.5 billion state budget, the earliest it's been completed in 30 years.
MI: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says new tax law 'will create jobs'
To applause from a roomful of business owners and lobbyists, Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law his landmark tax overhaul Wednesday.
Wisconsin
BREAKING NEWS: Judge strikes down Walker's collective bargaining law
Gov. Scott Walker signed into law Wednesday a requirement that voters in Wisconsin show photo identification at the polls, marking the end of a nearly decade-long push by Republicans to enact it.
New dollars would go to malpractice fund, delay union concessions
The state would use a huge influx of new tax money expected over the next two years to help pay a looming debt to a medical malpractice fund but drop some $30 million in concessions from state workers, under draft legislation circulated Tuesday by Republican lawmakers.
Ohio
Stewart denies rumors surrounding resignation
Parkersburg News
... Tuesday his intentions to resign from office, Ohio Sen. Jimmy Stewart denied allegations his departure was related to mounting criticism for his support of Senate Bill 5, a new law that strips collective-bargaining rights from many public workers. ...
Ohio Gov. John Kasich gets low approval numbers in another poll
A new poll released today suggests the longer Gov. John Kasich is in office the more voters dislike him.
Ohio House takes up drilling in state parks
The Ohio House planned Wednesday to take up a bill that would open state forests, parks and wildlife areas to oil and gas exploration.
Nebraska
Nebraska lawmakers pass compromise bill on public unions
Reuters
Labor rights disputes inspired contentious rallies this year in Wisconsin and Ohio. The National Conference of State Legislatures says lawmakers in 43 states introduced bills to alter collective bargaining for public employees.
Massachusetts
A Perfect Example of What Government Can Do To Create Jobs When the Private Market Refuses To
Florida
Gov. Rick Scott will sign into law today a $69.7 billion state budget for 2011-12 that he boasts is all about creating jobs and reducing Florida's high unemployment. In fact, it is a job-killing budget that threatens the state's anemic recovery and makes the state less attractive to new residents and businesses.
FL: Poll finds Rick Scott among the nation's least-liked governors
Gov. Rick Scott is one of the least popular governors in America, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll that shows 57 percent of Florida voters disapprove of his job performance.
Nevada
NV: Extending Nevada's temporary business taxes gets support
Many of Nevada's largest taxpayers lined up on Wednesday in support of extending business taxes approved during the 2009 Legislature.
Montana
Unions file complaint over pay raise defeat
Three public employee unions filed an unfair labor practice complaint Wednesday over the 2011 Legislature's refusal to pass the pay raises for state workers they had negotiated with Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
State unions file unfair labor practice charge
State employee unions on Wednesday filed an unfair labor practice claim against the state in the wake of the Legislature's rejection of a pay deal negotiated with the governor - a move the unions hope will lead to an even better deal and a special legislative session to ratify it.
Illinois
Senate Democrats present plan to borrow to pay state bills
Saying the state is already borrowing money from the schools and health care providers they owe billions of dollars, Senate Democrats Wednesday renewed their push to borrow money from banks to pay down those unpaid bills.
Minnesota
Local view: Are right-to-work laws anti-union or pro-freedom ...
For example, the Minnesota right-to-work amendment, aka, the “Minnesota Freedom of Employment Amendment,” proposes to ask voters in 2012 a seemingly ...
Texas
Deal on cutting school funds elusive
Legislative leaders continued to look for a compromise school funding plan Tuesday to allocate $4 billion worth of public school cuts they say is necessary to avoid a special session this summer.
