WASHINGTON, May 6 -- A coalition of 114 state legislators submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Labor opposing its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on employee versus independent contractor status under several federal labor laws. The letter argues that the proposed rule, which would replace the current federal test with a modified 2021 standard, threatens the fiscal integrity of state programs reliant on accurate worker classification. The legislators, representing states wi  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, May 4 -- The University of Chicago posted the following news: * * * A conductor's 50-year crescendo at UChicago * With baton in hand, Barbara Schubert steps up to her podium before the University Symphony Orchestra. The musicians sit at the ready, eyes on their conductor. Tall and poised, Schubert casts her gaze over the players. Then, as she has for the past 50 years, she lifts her arm-and the music starts, rising and swelling to fill Mandel Hall on the University of Chi  more

LANSING, Michigan, May 5 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release: * * * AG Nessel and Bipartisan Coalition to Secure Final Approval in $700 Million Google Settlement over App Store Monopoly * The United States District Court for the Northern District of California stated last week that it will approve a $700 million settlement in a multistate antitrust lawsuit against Google. In 2021, Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a bipartisan group of 53 attorneys ge  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * All Gas, No Brakes: Red to Blue Candidates Will Lead Democrats to the House Majority * This week, the DCCC announced eight new top-tier candidates added to its highly competitive 'Red to Blue' program for the 2026 cycle. This is the first expansion of the group since the announcement of the first round of 'Red to Blue' candidates in February. DCCC Spokesperson Liam Buckley: "Dem  more

SACRAMENTO, California, May 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Bonta Rebukes Trump Administration for Proposal to End a Nearly Century-Old Restriction on the Shipping of Handguns Through USPS * OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a coalition of 22 attorneys general, today submitted a comment letter opposing an unlawful proposal by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to allow anyone to ship a handgun -without   more

KINGSTON, Rhode Island, May 5 -- The University of Rhode Island posted the following news: * * * Commencement 2026: For URI undergraduate, International Engineering Program epitomized 'German precision' * KINGSTON, R.I. - May 05, 2026 - German precision is a cliche often linked to German cars and, more broadly, to the nation's manufacturing and technology abilities. German precision could also be applied to Michaella Junge. Her journey these last five years at the University of Rhode Islan  more

CARLISLE, Pennsylvania, May 5 -- Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law posted the following news: * * * Dean Danielle M. Conway delivers keynote address at OHACE year-end celebration * CARLISLE, PA-Penn State Dickinson Law and School of International Affairs Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway delivered the keynote address at the Office of Health Advancement and Community Engagement's (OHACE) third annual year-end celebration. OHACE is part of Penn  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, May 6 -- Fisher Phillips, a law firm, issued the following insight on May 5, 2026: * * * Maine Sets New Pay Transparency Requirements: What You Need to Know Ahead of July Effective Date Maine businesses will soon have to disclose pay ranges and maintain employee compensation records under the state's recently enacted pay transparency law. Maine joins a growing number of jurisdictions requiring companies to be more transparent about their pay practices. Here's everything busi  more

FAIRFAX, Virginia, May 4 -- George Mason University issued the following news: * * * George Mason Board of Visitors approves modest tuition and fees increase for 2026-27 * The George Mason University Board of Visitors voted Thursday to increase tuition for the 2026-27 academic year, a response to rising utility costs, and the decades-long gap in state funding when compared with the university's peers. The increase, both for in-state and out-of-state students, is $360 per undergraduate stud  more

ALBANY, New York, May 5 -- Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Hochul Announces Twin Rivers Paper Company Acquires Potsdam Specialty Paper INC. * Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that Twin Rivers, a leading producer of specialty paper products, has acquired Potsdam Specialty Paper Inc. (PSPI), a recognized leader in the development and manufacturing of specialty latex, acrylic and other saturated base papers. The acquisition will save 70 jobs  more

WASHINGTON, May 6 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on May 5, 2026: * * * Sen. Collins Announces Release of $10 million Secured for Spruce Budworm Mitigation in Maine U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced today that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has signed a grant agreement with the State of Maine to allow for the release of $10 million she secured in the Fiscal Year 2  more

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Collins Visits Mid-Maine Technical Center * Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos. WATERVILLE, ME - Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited the Mid-Maine Technical Center (MMTC) in Waterville, where she met with students and faculty and toured several of the center's programs. She also saw firsthand MMTC's new engineering and manufacturing program that is supported by fe  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, May 6 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on May 5, 2026: * * * Attorney General Jones Joins Multistate Effort to Oppose Postal Service Rule Undermining Federal Gun Law Attorney General Jay Jones joined a multistate comment letter signed by 22 states opposing an unlawful proposal by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to allow a flood of prohibited weapons to move across state borders by mail, endangering the public and further straining sta  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Welch Joins Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Rural Hospital Program * Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) provides lifeline to rural communities WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care joined U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in introducing the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Reau  more

SACRAMENTO, California, May 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release: * * * What's There to Hide? Attorney General Bonta Urges Transparency in Federal Spending of Taxpayer Dollars * OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget challenging the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) deactivat  more

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Merkley Lead Effort to Extend Legislation Improving Healthcare Access and Financial Stability in Remote Areas * Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have introduced legislation that would extend the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) for five years. The program improves financial stability for rural hospitals by paying the reasonable costs of Medi  more