January 27, 2019

National Democrats target 5 Texas GOP congressmen as 2020 cycle begins

By Patrick Svitek, Texas Tribune


National Democrats have five Texas Republican congressmen in their crosshairs as they begin the 2020 election cycle looking to build on their gains here in November.

As part of its first digital ad campaign of the cycle, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul of Austin, Chip Roy of Austin, Pete Olson of Sugar Land, Kenny Marchant of Coppell and John Carter of Round Rock. They are among 25 GOP House members across the country included in the ad offensive, which the DCCC announced Friday.

The ads criticize the lawmakers for voting against recent Democratic-backed legislation to end the government shutdown without funding for a border wall — a demand by President Donald Trump that prompted the closure. The ads, which come on the day that federal workers will miss their second paycheck under the shutdown, feature an image of a helicopter rescue mission over the water, accompanied by text reading, "The Coast Guard, Border Patrol, & [Transportation Security Administration] just missed another paycheck thanks to" the targeted member of Congress.

The DCCC said the ads "will be geo-targeted and featured on Facebook for swing voters," backed by a "significant" buy.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2019/01/25/national-democrats-target-5-texas-republican-congressmen-2020-cycle-/

January 27, 2019

A Nuclear Deadline Grows Closer. Will Russia Meet Its Obligation?

Anyone remember the last time nuclear arms talks with Russia made big news? The 90s maybe? Those paying closer attention may know that more recently there has been a major disagreement brewing between Russia and the U.S. over a 1987 treaty banning all land-based intermediate cruise missiles.

Aaron Mehta is deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent for Defense News. He says Russia was accused of violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty during the Obama administration, but the Trump Administration has been more vocal about the issue.

In December, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo set a 60-day deadline for Russia to prove compliance with the treaty. If Russia does not do so by Feb. 2, the United States will withdraw.

“They’ve now decided apparently the way to go forward with this process is to say, ‘You know what, if Russia is .. violating the treaty, why are we restraining ourselves in this treaty as well?’” Mehta says. The conclusion is, ‘Let’s get out of this treaty if Russia won’t change its mind.’”

Read more: http://www.texasstandard.org/stories/a-nuclear-deadline-grows-closer-will-russia-meet-its-obligation/

January 26, 2019

Gov. Noem takes flak over 'we need to kill more coyotes' tweet

While it might have been a hit among roadrunners, very few of Kristi Noem's Twitter followers appreciated a recent tweet in which she advocated for killing coyotes.

The tweet, sent just after 8 a.m. Friday morning, shows Noem standing next to Sen. Troy Heinert, D-Mission, who is wearing a coyote fur coat.

"We need to kill more coyotes so everyone can have a coat like Senator Heinert's," Noem said in the tweet. "How cool is this?!?"

Very few of the 140-plus replies thought it was cool, with people saying they found the tweet "disgusting," "terrible" and "wrong on so many levels."

Read more: https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2019/01/25/noem-criticized-over-tweeting-we-need-kill-more-coyotes/2680688002/

January 26, 2019

South Dakota Senate panel rejects anti-nepotism bill

PIERRE | A South Dakota Senate panel has rejected a bill that sought to block state officials from hiring relatives.

The Senate State Affairs Committee voted unanimously Wednesday against the measure. The proposal came after Gov. Kristi Noem announced in December that her daughter would be a policy analyst in the governor's office.

Republican Sen. Stace Nelson, the bill's sponsor, says nepotism is government corruption. Democratic Sen. Craig Kennedy, a bill opponent, says the measure wasn't crafted well.

Noem spokeswoman Kristin Wileman said in an earlier statement that the governor should be able to develop a team who will deliver results for the state "regardless of their last name."

Read more: https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/latest/south-dakota-senate-panel-rejects-anti-nepotism-bill/article_62a1d604-8068-59f1-b145-3b08c0fcc008.html

January 26, 2019

HB 1074 Fails to Recognize Bloggers as Journalists, Contrary to Standing Statute

In her State of the State Address, following up on one of her few campaign promises that I welcomed, Governor Kristi Noem exhorted the Legislature to pass a “commonsense reporter shield law, protecting the right to a free and independent press.” In his effort to comply with the Governor’s demand, Representative Jon Hansen (R-25/Dell Rapids) has written a decent bill… for the 20th century.

Hansen’s House Bill 1074 seeks to provide “a privilege for journalists and newscasters” to refuse to surrender their information or their sources to the courts, grand juries, the Legislature, or any public agency with the power to slap people with contempt charges.

Alas, Hansen pulled his definition of “journalist” and “newscaster” from 1975:

Rep. Hansen loses points for using the wrong principle. In this case, to speak of main or primary functions of the journalist, we need to refer to principal functions.

Read more: http://dakotafreepress.com/2019/01/25/hb-1074-fails-to-recognize-bloggers-as-journalists-contrary-to-standing-statute/

January 26, 2019

North Dakota House passes 'ban the box' bill

BISMARCK -- The North Dakota House agreed to prevent public employers from inquiring about a job applicant's criminal history until they have been selected for an interview Thursday, Jan. 24.

House Bill 1282 is meant to give people with a criminal record a "second chance," said Republican Rep. Vernon Laning, who didn't sponsor the bill but supported it during a short floor debate. He said state corrections officials testified that an inability to "obtain meaningful employment was one of the biggest reasons for recidivism."

"It simply gives the qualified person with a record a better chance to obtain an interview where he or she at least has an opportunity to convince the interviewer they are the best person for the job," Laning said. "People make mistakes, and some of them are big mistakes, but people can also change."

The bill only applies to state, county and city governments, as well as park districts, but it does not apply to school districts. It also doesn't apply to the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or to a "public employer that has a statutory duty to conduct a criminal history background check."

Read more: https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/government-and-politics/4561533-north-dakota-house-passes-ban-box-bill

January 26, 2019

Democratic lawmakers seek student IDs for voting

Democratic lawmakers in the North Dakota Legislature have introduced a bill allowing the state’s college students to use a university-issued identification to vote.

House Bill 1479 would require colleges and universities to provide students with an identification card that could be scanned by a polling clerk to access their address in the state's central voter file, but IDs issued to students younger than 18 years old or noncitizens must appear "significantly" different. The bill was scheduled to have its first hearing Thursday.

The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Matt Eidson, D-Grand Forks, said he heard about “pretty widespread” student voting issues during the 2018 campaign. The state has been locked in a yearslong legal battle over its voter ID laws, a fight that drew national attention last year over its effects on Native Americans.

Student leaders have said frequent changes ordered by the courts and the Legislature have caused confusion. Republicans who hold a supermajority in the state Legislature have defended the state's voter ID law as a way to prevent fraud, while Democrats have criticized the statute.

Read more: https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/democratic-lawmakers-seek-student-ids-for-voting/article_a2393c95-cf65-5bd2-bee0-9b0c52e828b7.html

January 26, 2019

Property rights, hunting heritage at play in North Dakota private land bill

Debate returned Friday to the North Dakota Capitol between landowners and hunters over private land legislation.

Sen. Robert Erbele, R-Lehr, introduced Senate Bill 2315, which he said would reverse the presumption that non-posted private land in North Dakota is open to access. The Senate Agriculture Committee heard the bill in a hearing that lasted throughout Friday, which drew fierce and, at times, forceful comments.

Erbele's bill would require hunters to obtain permission from landowners to access their property or be charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass. The bill also would create a database of private land open to hunters. Similar legislation was defeated in 2017.

"The bill just states that all land will be considered posted. It's a private property rights issue," Erbele told the Tribune. "That's the message of it, recognizing that hunters are important to the economy of North Dakota and also to the welfare of our game resources, but this bill is really trying to seek to bring those entities together."

Read more: https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/property-rights-hunting-heritage-at-play-in-north-dakota-private/article_1c00db00-356a-5cb8-9ffa-1ad46691f808.html

January 26, 2019

North Dakota Senate votes down LGBT anti-discrimination bill

BISMARCK — The North Dakota Senate defeated legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation Friday, Jan. 25, again turning down efforts to add LGBT protections to state law.

Senate Bill 2303 failed in a 20-27 vote. Grand Forks Democratic Sen. JoNell Bakke, the bill's primary sponsor, said it was meant to focus on prohibiting discrimination in housing and employment.

Bakke described her bill as a pared-down version of past efforts. She offered an amendment on the Senate floor that stripped out what she said was unnecessary language that caused some concerns during a committee hearing this week, but it failed.

The bill's proponents called it a matter of civil rights and argued adding sexual orientation to the list of protections that already cover race, sex, national origin and other factors would send a welcoming message to the LGBT community and prevent people from being fired from their job because of employer prejudices. They also cited the state's chronic workforce shortages.

Read more: https://www.inforum.com/news/government-and-politics/958513-North-Dakota-Senate-votes-down-LGBT-anti-discrimination-bill

January 26, 2019

North Dakota House bill to raise speed limit passes committee

GRAND FORKS -- A bill to raise speed limits on interstates and multilane highways in North Dakota passed the House Transportation Committee 8-4.

Rep. Jake Blum, R-Grand Forks, introduced a bill almost two weeks ago to change speed limits on multi-lane highways from 70 mph to 75 mph and on interstates from 75 mph to 80 mph.

Blum said he and co-sponsor Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo, testified before the vote. Koppelman proposed the last House bill to increase speed limits in 2017, which failed due to uncertainties about the cost of implementing higher limits.

“It went pretty smooth,” Blum said of the hearing. “I thought there were good questions. We really didn’t have any negative takes from the committee. There was no opposition testimony, believe it or not, so I think that was pretty indicative of where it stands.”

Read more: https://www.inforum.com/news/government-and-politics/958691-ND-House-bill-to-raise-speed-limit-passes-committee