In Your Backyard - January  29, 2008

California
Senate Kills Governor's Health Plan
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) plan to arrange medical insurance for nearly all Californians was rejected Monday by the state Senate, obliterating the chance of anything but piecemeal healthcare changes from the Legislature this year. The Senate Health Committee voted down the $15 billion proposal which would have required people to hold private insurance, force insurers to accept nearly all applicants, and require employers to contribute toward their workers' health benefits or pay into a state fund.
Source: Los Angeles Times

 

Idaho
Internet Tax Bill Moves to Full House
The state House's tax committee has voted unanimously to force Idaho retailers to collect sales tax on Internet sales to customers in Idaho. Sen. Brad Little, an Emmett Republican, says his bill will help level the playing field for Idaho businesses without Internet or catalog sales. It could boost tax revenue by $500,000, according to supporters. The bill now goes to a full House vote.
Source: Associated Press

 

Michigan
House Passes Bulk Purchasing Bill for Small Businesses
The state House of Representatives passed a measure last week that would allow small businesses to participate in the state's bulk-purchasing program. Currently, access to the state's cooperative bulk-purchasing program is limited to certain governmental bodies, such as school districts and colleges, and also nonprofit hospitals. House Democrats say the move, if signed into law, would cut costs and create jobs for Michigan workers.
Source: The Monroe News

 

New Jersey
Senate Rushes to Pass Paid Sick Leave Bill
A proposal to allow workers take six weeks of paid leave to care for a newborn child or sick relative advanced in a Senate committee Monday. The bill won a narrow 8-6 victory in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, overcoming opposition from business groups who said that even a modified plan hurt small businesses who cannot afford to lose personnel. New Jersey would become the third state, after California and Washington, to offer paid family leave. Workers would pay for the program through a payroll tax that would cost an estimated $33 a year.
Source: Courier-Post

 

West Virginia
Bill to Provide Job Training Program for Women
A group of female legislators is pushing a bill that would provide state oversight and funding for programs to teach women how to perform jobs traditionally dominated by men. The legislation, called the "Nontraditional Career Development Centers Act," targets single moms and displaced homemakers, and would focus on training in carpentry, welding, masonry, and electrical work as well as road maintenance and construction.
Source: Charleston Daily Mail