Arizona students must pass US citizenship test on civics
By BOB CHRISTIE Arizona high school students face the nation’s first requirement to pass the U.S. citizenship test on civics before they can graduate after the legislation sailed through the…
State governments
Conservatives cheer on Romney as establishment field grows
By STEVE PEOPLES and BILL BARROW Mitt Romney’s unexpected step into the 2016 presidential contest is drawing enthusiasm from the GOP’s most passionate conservatives. But not because they want him…
Edward Brooke, 1st black elected US senator, dies
By SYLVIA WINGFIELD and MARK PRATT Former U.S. Sen. Edward W. Brooke, a liberal Republican who became the first black in U.S. history to win popular election to the Senate,…
PASADENA, Texas emerges as new battleground on voting rights
By PAUL J. WEBER When the movie “Urban Cowboy” made this refinery town famous in 1980, the honkytonk Gilley’s was booming and wannabe cowpokes from the white Houston suburbs flocked…
Mario Cuomo, a giant in NY, liberal politics, dies
By DAVID KLEPPER and MICHAEL HILL Mario Cuomo had a loud and liberal voice that inspired a generation of politicians to turn to public service, and a story of humble…
10 things to watch in ’15 ahead of 2016 campaign
There’s a whole year of campaigning, positioning and politicking to go before the next campaign for president kicks off with the Iowa Caucus in early 2016. Here’s a look at…
Witness confirms cover-up of Mexico army slayings
By MARK STEVENSON When the witness refused to sign a false statement that 22 suspected drug gang members had died in a shootout with the Mexican army, state investigators began…
Funding sometimes lags for sex-trafficking victims
By DAVID CRARY As awareness of America’s sex-trafficking industry increases, state after state has enacted new laws to combat it. But while a few have backed those get-tough laws with…