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Separate efforts by Brown University researchers and OpenSecrets allow searches of who’s influencing state lawmakers. Less than half of states make lobbying information accessible for analysis. ....
A Brown University analysis sifted through 23,000 lobbying records to track groups’ roles in shaping legislation, their success and their relationships to each other. ....
A coalition working to expand Medicaid in South Dakota this week announced petitions have been approved to get the question onto the fall ballot - and new polling suggests registered voters around the state are likely to vote "yes." In the new AARP poll, eight in 10 South Dakotans age 50 and older say they support the idea. Overall, 65% of respondents said they re likely to back that up with a "yes" vote. AARP South Dakota diector Erik Gaikowski said support is found among people of all political leanings, and added that they don t want to see federal tax dollars keep going to states that already have expanded "$1.3 billion in tax dollars that we want to bring back to South Dakota to expand Medicaid, rather than going to a New York, a California or North Dakota." Incentives for expansion were first offered under the Affordable Care Act, with the federal government covering most of the costs. . ....
As the Omicron variant surges in Pennsylvania and affects people s health and economic security, a new assistance program aims to help residents of the Commonwealth pay their water bills. This week, Pennsylvania launched the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, a federally funded service to help households struggling to pay their water bills on time. The state received $43.2 million through the American Rescue Plan for the program. . ....