Press Releases

Lansing, MI - Last Thursday, in a 65-36 vote, the Michigan House of Representatives passed HB 6010, a bill that would enter the state into an interstate compact to de facto abolish the Electoral College by ensuring that the winner of the national popular vote becomes president.

The vote, which came on the same day the US Senate voted against a proposed bailout of the Detroit-based auto industry, highlighted a growing rift between the national GOP leadership, which rallied opposition to the bailout, and Republican legislators in Michigan.

New York - On the heels of Barack Obama’s landslide victory in Tuesday’s Presidential election, the national policy group Progressive States Network hosted a conference call today in which policy experts, legislators, and advocates from across the nation highlighted the state-level mandate for progressive change that accompanied Obama’s victory and mapped an ambitious 50-state legislative agenda to capitalize on that mandate.

New York - Despite a mainstream media narrative trumpeting 2008 as the year of anti-immigrant legislation, a report released today by the Progressive States Network reveals that most anti-immigrant legislation never passed, while positive policies working to integrate new immigrants into our communities have actually fared far better in states around the country.

Boston - In a voice vote late last night, the Massachusetts Senate adopted legislation to enter the state into a growing interstate compact to replace the current Electoral College apportionment system with a national popular vote system.  The bill, which was approved by the state House of Representatives by a 119-37 vote last month, is now awaiting a procedural vote by both houses to send it to the desk of Governor Deval Patrick.

Hartford - Tonight, in a 102 to 43 vote, the Connecticut House of Representatives approved legislation that would dramatically reduce health insurance costs for tens of thousands of Connecticut residents by allowing them to buy into the group plan currently provided to state employees.

By allowing small businesses, non-profits, and municipalities to join the 200,000 members-strong state plan, the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership would foster competition among health insurance carriers and enable employers to access extensive benefits with lower premiums, deductibles and co-pays for their employees.

Providence - Amidst the recent national uproar over lead in children’s toys, the Rhode Island legislature joined statehouses across the country in turning its attention to a new set of poisonous chemicals showing up in children's toys: phthalates and bisphenol-A.

Madison, WI - Healthy Wisconsin, a legislative package that would guarantee affordable health care to all Wisconsinites, is gaining steam as a national model for state health care reform.  As the revised Healthy Wisconsin bill (SB 562) had its public hearing today before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the Washington State Legislature neared final passage of legislation authorizing a detailed study of a proposal modeled after Healthy Wisconsin. 

Brooklyn, NY - At a press conference this afternoon, New York State Representative James Brennan (D, Brooklyn) and State Senator Frank Padavan (R, Queens) unveiled a new bill that would place a one year moratorium on all court-ordered foreclosures in the state.

Washington D.C. - Legislators and policy experts assembled at the Center for American Progress Action Fund today for a panel to discuss the emerging national trend toward progressive immigration policy in the states.

At the event, PSN and dozens of partner legislators announced the formation of the Network of State Legislators for Progressive Immigration Policy, a national coalition that will work to facilitate information sharing and collaboration across state lines among progressive legislators and advocates working to build off of the recent progressive gains in the immigration debate.

Hartford, CT - This Wednesday, Progressive States Network joined with the Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut to promote legislation designed to stem the flow of toxic toys into the hands of the state’s children.