WASHINGTON, March 21 -- A coalition of 16 state attorneys general have issued a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services demanding the immediate withdrawal of a recent proposed rule that modifies the definition of "disability" under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Proposed Rule, which aims to exclude "gender dysphoria not resulting from physical impairments" from disability protections, has drawn intense scrutiny from legal officials across the nation. The group argues that the proposed changes repre more ST

WASHINGTON, March 21 -- A coalition of 20 state attorneys general submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Census Bureau expressing their opposition to proposed changes for the 2026 Operational Test, which is intended to support plans for the 2030 Census. The group argues that the adjustments threaten to undermine the accuracy and integrity of future census counts, particularly among historically undercounted populations. The comment letter addresses multiple issues raised by the Census Bureau's Notice, published in the Federal Register,  more ST

RALEIGH, North Carolina, March 20 -- North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Jeff Jackson Challenges EPA Rollback That Will Raise Gas Prices for North Carolina Families * EPA's own data shows the rollback will raise fuel prices and cost consumers $1.5 trillion RALEIGH -Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general in challenging an EPA rollback that the agency's own analysis shows will raise fuel costs and cost consumers more than it saves. "The EP more PR

HARTFORD, Connecticut, March 20 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Tong Secures Federal Court Order Protecting Gender Affirming Care * (Hartford, CT) - Attorney General William Tong and a coalition of 21 states and The District of Columbia yesterday secured a federal court order blocking an unlawful attempt by the Trump Administration to pressure healthcare providers into ending care for youth with gender dysphoria. The Court granted the States' motion for summary judgment, more PR

DALLAS, Texas, March 21 (TNSLrpt) -- Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for the Regions December 2025 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Southwest Region - March 20, 2026 * * * Private industry employer costs for employee compensation among the four regions of the country ranged from $41.21 per hour in the South to $53.99 in the Northeast in December 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In the other two regions, hourly employer costs for employee compensation stood at $43.26 in the M more PR

WASHINGTON, March 21 -- Burlington Electric Department (BED) has submitted a public comment letter to the Federal Highway Administration addressing the proposed modification to the Buy America Waiver for Electric Vehicle Chargers. The utility, which serves the City of Burlington, Vermont, and its international airport, is particularly concerned about how changes to domestic content requirements could impact its grant allocation under the Charging for Infrastructure (CFI) program. In the letter, BED expressed its disappointment that its $4,890, more ST

ALBANY, New York, March 20 -- The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued the following news release: * * * DEC Announces 'State of the Lake Fisheries' Public Meeting with Lake Champlain Management Cooperative * The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will join its partners in the Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative, a working group of fisheries professionals from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to host a 'State of more PR

WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Environmental Working Group issued the following news release: * * * Vermont House approves bill to ban toxic herbicide linked to Parkinson's disease The Vermont House on Friday took decisive action to protect public health, passing a bill that would ban the use and sale of the highly toxic herbicide paraquat in the state. House Bill 739 would end Vermonters' exposure to the chemical, an extremely dangerous weedkiller linked to serious health harms, including Parkinson's disease. Despite this and other risks, it  more PR

MONTPELIER, Vermont, March 20 -- Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Phil Scott Appoints Sandi Hoffman Commissioner of the Department for Children and Families * Montpelier, Vt. - Governor Phil Scott today announced his appointment of Sandi Hoffman as commissioner of the Department for Children and Families (DCF). She has served as interim commissioner since September of 2025. Hoffman returns to DCF from the Department of Vermont Health Access, where she served as deputy commissioner and previousl more PR

BELLEVUE, Washington, March 20 [Category: Sociological] -- MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, posted the following news release: * * * Leading Moms Group Thanks U.S. Democratic Women's Caucus for Thursday Evening's 'Powerful Conversation' with PA Moms * U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Becca Balint (VT-AL), and Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03) Joined Moms in Discussion on Affordability, Caregiving in Carlisle CARLISLE, PA - more PR

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 19 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on March 18, 2026, by Director Maureen H. Lavery and research attorneys Hannah T. Stilley and Joe St. James: * * * Ones To Watch: Legislation Landscape for 2026 At a Glance This article provides an overview of the thousands of labor and employment-related bills introduced in the United States in the first quarter of the year and looks at trends that appear to be emerging. * Ones To Watch is back with Littler's fourth annual forecast of the year's  more PR

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Murphy Introduces Bill To Protect Small Businesses From Corporate Gouging, Lower Prices For American Families * WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday introduced the Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act, a bill that would bring down prices for American families and support small businesses by cracking down on corporate price discrimination. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John  more PR

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The U.S. Department of Education issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Department of Education Leaders Highlight Civics Education at "History Rocks!" Events in Vermont and West Virginia * Today, leaders from the U.S. Department of Education visited schools in Newport, Vermont and Beckley, West Virginia as part of the Department of Education's national History Rocks! Trail to Independence tour, in celebration of America's upcoming 250th birthday. The tour aims to strengthen civic literacy by helping students p more PR

STORRS, Connecticut, March 20 -- The University of Connecticut posted the following news: * * * UConn Medical Students Meet their Match * On Friday, March 20, as the clock struck noon, UConn-blue envelopes were ripped open, with the annual exhilaration of National Match Day filling the air with loud cheers, along with happy tears and sighs of relief. The crowd of over 100 fourth-year medical students, along with UConn faculty, family, and friends, gathered for the thrilling annual moment in the Academic Rotunda at UConn School of Medicine, more PR

WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services addressing proposed changes outlined in the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027. The DVHA administers Vermont Medicaid and the state-based health insurance marketplace known as Vermont Health Connect. In its comments, the department emphasizes the need for flexibility regarding multiple proposals, citing challenges ahead of the 2027 plan year. DVHA oversees the enrollment of  more ST

WASHINGTON, March 21 -- Joe Anderson, a law student at Vermont Law & Graduate School, Royalton, submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service regarding a proposed rule on the Project-Level Predecisional Administrative Review Process. The letter argues that revisions proposed in a recent rule published in the Federal Register threaten to undermine established safeguards for public involvement. The changes, as outlined in the public comment letter, include replacing multi-channel notification systems with more ST

OLYMPIA, Washington, March 20 -- Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown issued the following news release: * * * Washington to win summary judgment protecting health care for transgender youth * A federal court said on Thursday that it would rule for Washington, 20 other states, and the District of Columbia, turning back an unlawful attempt by the Trump administration to pressure health care providers into ending transgender health care for youth with gender dysphoria. In an oral statement following yesterday's hearing, U.S. Distric more PR

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Welch and Blumenthal Request Records of Media Buying Firms Linked to Noem's DHS Ads * Republican ad firms Strategic Media Services Inc. and Smart Media Group LLC reportedly placed Mount Rushmore ad featuring Secretary Kristi Noem Senators request subcontracts, invoices, and communications, including with Noem, Lewandowski, and McLaughlin WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Sena more PR

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Welch Opposes Trump's $200 Billion Funding Request to Support Reckless War in Iran: "The time to end the war is now...I will oppose sleepwalking into a forever war." * Welch supports three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) to halt nearly $660 million in additional U.S.-funded weapons Israel WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) spoke on the Senate floor to demand that President Trump immediately de-escalate and end his unconst more PR

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Welch, Durbin, Raskin, Scanlon Press DHS, State Dept on Trump Admin's Continued Targeting of Student Mahmoud Khalil's First Amendment Rights * Evidence overwhelmingly shows Trump Administration's continued efforts to deport Mr. Khalil, a U.S. permanent resident, violated his constitutional rights to free speech and due process WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitut more PR