SYRACUSE — A group of lawmakers in New York state say the state needs to do more to fight synthetic marijuana. The state Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference plans to hold a public hearing Thursday in Syracuse focusing on the health ...

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ALBANY — A panel of lawmakers in New York is taking a look at a proposal to legalize online poker in the state. The Senate Standing Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering meets Wednesday to review legislation that would authorize, ...

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A political pope is sure to seize his opportunity when he addresses a political body. So both Democrats and Republicans are looking forward to Pope Francis’ remarks to Congress next month — and bracing for them, too. The pope thrills ...

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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s request for billions of dollars to deal with migrant children streaming across the border set off Democrats and Republicans. Lawmakers in both parties complained that the White House — six years in — still doesn’t ...

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WASHINGTON — Congress is wildly unpopular. In fact, two-thirds of Americans want their own House member booted. And the tea party is dogging longtime Republican lawmakers. So incumbents are sweating out this year’s election, right? Nope. Mostly they’re not. People ...

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WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. drug enforcement official urged Congress and others Tuesday not to abandon scientific concerns over marijuana in favor of public opinion to legalize it, even as the Obama administration takes a hands-off approach in states where ...

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NEW YORK — New York lawmakers say voter turnout would increase if the laws were changed to allow weekend voting. U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, state Sen. Tony Avella and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein favor the move. They want to hold Election ...

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WASHINGTON — Lawmakers say they’re outraged that for the second time this month a member of the armed forces assigned to help prevent sexual assaults in the military is under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct. In the latest case, an ...

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Senator Al Franken, D-Minn., has reintroduced a bill that would prohibit the enforcement of mandatory arbitration clauses against employees and consumers. The Arbitration Fairness Act of 2013, introduced this month as S. 878, provides that “no predispute arbitration agreement shall ...

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WASHINGTON — Even with one of the largest hurdles to an immigration overhaul overcome, optimistic lawmakers on Sunday cautioned they had not finished work on a bill that would provide a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants. The ...

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ALBANY — Some New York lawmakers are upset with a proposed tax credit that would benefit NBC if it moves “The Tonight Show” from California to New York City. As reports circulated that Jimmy Fallon is poised to become the ...

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The New York State Bar Association is urging state lawmakers to approve the judiciary’s $2.4 billion request in its entirety so the court system can maintain its basic operations. In a statement issued Friday, President Seymour W. James Jr. pointed ...

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