Ohio political commentators sue over online harassment ban

A group of liberal and conservative online political commentators in Ohio has filed a constitutional challenge to the state's recently enacted law against internet harassment. A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cleveland alleges a prohibition against knowingly posting text or audio statements or images on a website "for the purpose of abusing... or harassing another person" violates the commentators' constitutional rights to free speech and expression.

On further reviewA a oeMorning Editiona report last week offered 13…

A "Morning Edition" report last week offered 13 million NPR listeners results from Indiana's largest-in-the-nation school voucher program: Per-pupil education spending, adjusted for inflation, less than 2009 as the state picks up tuition bills for more families who always intended to send their children to religious schools Early research finding ... (more)

AG Balderas won’t be entering race for New Mexico governor

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas will not be entering the race for governor and instead will focus on his re-election as the state's top prosecutor. The Democrat ended the speculation Tuesday with a statement that detailed the work his office has done - from pursuing internet criminals who target children to recovering Medicaid fraud dollars.

Washington becomes latest state to seek ID compliance

In this April 6, 2016, file photo, a sign at the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Wash., is shown to inform visitors of the federal government's REAL ID act, which requires state driver's licenses and ID cards to have security enhancements and be issued to people who can prove they're legally in the United States. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign a measure Tuesday, May 16, 2017, that seeks to bring the state into compliance with federal identification requirements.

Paul LePage says selling drugs used in fatal overdoses is manslaughter

Maine Gov. Paul LePage, center, speaks to reporters at a news conference accompanied by Kellyanne Conway, an advisor to President Trump, far left, and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, right, after a meeting to discuss the state's efforts to fight the opioid epidemic, Wednesday, May 10, 2017, at the State House in Augusta. Gov. Paul LePage kept his focus on fighting Maine's opiate addiction epidemic Tuesday when he said he supports a pending bill that would make dealing drugs that cause an overdose Class A manslaughter.

Teacher enters race for governor of New Mexico

This April 23, 2017 photo provided by Peter DeBenedittis shows Peter DeBenedittis, 58, at the New Mexico state capitol in Santa Fe. DeBenedittis announced Monday, May 15, 2017, that he will seek the Democratic nomination for governor as Republican Gov. Susana Martinez cannot run for a third term.

Trump to join Pence in disclosing 2016 financial information

Here are five ways to make you a less-likely victim of cyberhacking and those who would try to hold your data for ransom. Here are five ways to make you a less-likely victim of cyberhacking and those who would try to hold your data for ransom.

John Micek: Lawmakers launch free-speech crackdown

Back in the 1930s, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously referred to states as “laboratories of democracy.” Enraged by the hundreds of thousands of women who peacefully took to the street in Washington in January, and the activists who camped out to block the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline, lawmakers in 20 states are debating or voting on more than 30 bills aimed at criminalizing or otherwise cracking down on the protest movements spawned by President Donald Trump's administration. But critics say that, in their haste, these lawmakers are shredding the Constitution and stomping on free speech rights as they shovel the proposals into the legislative maw.

Senate sends House a budget plan that may be dead on arrival

Apparently not satisfied with the progress on the state budget, the Senate amended a House bill with a Senate budget proposal Monday and sent it back to the lower chamber for consideration, Senate Pro Tem Mike Schulz said. But House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said the Senate proposal contains a "poison pill" - an increase in the fuel tax.

Supreme Court removes North Carolina law that critics say disenfranchised blacks

The U.S. Supreme Court put the final nail in the coffin of North Carolina's strict voter-identification law on Monday, rejecting a Republican bid to revive the measure struck down by a lower court for intentionally aiming to suppress black voter turnout. The justices left in place a July 2016 ruling by the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that voided the law passed by a Republican-controlled legislature and signed by a Republican governor.

States are finally letting kids bring sunscreen to school without a doctor’s note

Susan Grenon makes sure her son is lathered with sunscreen before he leaves for school in the morning, but the fair-skinned 10-year-old can't bring a bottle to reapply it without a doctor's note. Many school systems categorize sunscreen as an over-the-counter medication requiring special paperwork, but several states have been pushing to loosen restrictions to make it easier for kids to protect themselves from skin cancer.

Supreme Court rejects appeal over NC voter ID law

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal to reinstate North Carolina's voter identification law, which a lower court said targeted African-Americans "with almost surgical precision." The justices left in place the lower court ruling striking down the law's photo ID requirement and reduction in early voting.

Introducing Doug Robinson, Mitt Romney Nephew Running for Colorado Governor

Doug Robinson , the latest hopeful to announce for the 2018 Colorado governor's race, is the nephew of Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts and the 2012 Republican candidate for president. But Robinson is optimistic that his experience in the technology industry, his passion for issues such as education and his status as a political outsider will help him top the better-known candidates with whom he's competing.

Lawmakers urge Trump to avoid picking a partisan for FBI job

As President Donald Trump considers a replacement for fired FBI Director James Comey, lawmakers are urging the president to steer clear of appointing any politicians. The advice came Sunday amid more criticism over Trump's dismissal of Comey during an FBI probe of Russia's meddling with last year's election and any ties to the Trump campaign.

More states allow sunscreen at schools without doctor’s OK

Susan Grenon makes sure her son is lathered with sunscreen before he leaves for school in the morning, but the fair-skinned 10-year-old can't bring a bottle to reapply it without a doctor's note. Many school systems categorize sunscreen as an over-the-counter medication requiring special paperwork, but several states have been pushing to loosen restrictions to make it easier for kids to protect themselves from skin cancer.