AUSTIN, Texas-- A stalemate over a Texas budget deal ended late Wednesday when the House and Senate finally backed down and approved major pieces of a roughly $100 billion spending package that is the only necessary order of business left for the Legislature.
*MBIA to have unsecured claims of $3.6 bln. May 23- Ally Financial Inc agreed to pay $2.1 billion to Residential Capital LLC to settle claims that it stripped the bankrupt mortgage subsidiary of choice assets. Creditors who objected to the original deal included ResCap's unsecured creditors, bond insurers such as MBIA Corp and Assured Guaranty Corp, and others.
BATON ROUGE, La.-- Louisiana lawmakers have delayed the start date of Gov. With a 35-0 vote Wednesday, the state Senate gave final legislative passage to a one-year suspension of the law that had been slated to take effect in July. With the delay, it will apply to workers hired after July 1, 2014 _ if the law is upheld by the Supreme Court.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.-- New Mexicans qualifying for extended unemployment benefits starting next month will have their payments reduced by 25 percent because of federal spending cutbacks, state officials announced Wednesday. The Department of Workforce Solutions estimated the cuts initially could affect 2,100 people. Weekly benefits range from $76 to $407.
PROVIDENCE, R.I.-- Rhode Island lawmakers have put off a vote on legislation that would stop employers or higher education officials from demanding access to a person's Facebook or Twitter accounts. The House was scheduled to vote Wednesday but decided to wait to allow for more work on the legislation. California already has a similar law.
HARTFORD, Conn.-- A group of Connecticut organizations that support gun rights, pistol permit holders and gun sellers has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and other state officials, arguing the state's new gun control law violates their constitutional rights.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- Proposed changes for the unemployment compensation program awaiting action by Missouri Gov.
OMAHA, Neb.-- A prominent Nebraska abortion clinic is facing a new legal challenge from state officials who want to revoke the license of the clinic's only nurse because of allegations of questionable care. Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said Wednesday that he has filed a petition with regulators to revoke Lindsey Creekmore's license.
Paul LePage's office made it clear Wednesday he'll veto a bill to pay off a $484 million debt to Maine hospitals because of an amendment to expand Medicaid, Democrats professed hope the Republican governor will relent and considered passage a victory.
*Repsol open to an out-of-court YPF compensation package. MADRID/ BUENOS AIRES, May 23- A year after Argentina seized the local business of Spanish oil firm Repsol, there seems little prospect of a quick deal on compensation despite signs that both sides would rather avoid a costly, drawn-out legal battle.
MADRID-- Spain's southern Andalucia region has begun its first proceedings to seize confiscated houses from banks under a new anti-eviction law aimed at protecting people in economic difficulties.
May 22- Borders owes nothing to holders of roughly $210.5 million of gift cards that had not been used by the time the bookstore chain shut down, a Manhattan federal judge ruled on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON, May 22- Major U.S. trade legislation appears increasingly likely to clear Congress this year despite an intensely partisan atmosphere made worse by scandals plaguing President Barack Obama's administration.
The department made the acknowledgement in a response to a class action lawsuit that alleges Indiana collected up to $30 million more than it should have by charging drivers more for licenses than allowed by law.
AUSTIN, Texas-- Seeking to help the state's youngest students develop nutritious habits, Texas lawmakers on Tuesday approved banning the sale of sugary drinks in public elementary and junior high schools. In a 24-6 vote, the Senate advanced a bill that would limit beverage choices to water, low-fat milk and pure juice.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.-- Illinois' Senate has again approved a plan to address so-called Smart Grid technology over the objection of Gov. Senate President John Cullerton disputed those claims. The Illinois Commerce Commission and ComEd disagreed over implementation.
SAN FRANCISCO-- A federal court Tuesday struck down Arizona's ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy absent a medical emergency. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law violated a woman's constitutionally protected right to terminate a pregnancy before a fetus is able to survive outside the womb. "
Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security and the Pentagon would be spared under the plan approved by the House Appropriations Committee on a party-line vote, but legislation responsible for federal firefighting efforts and Indian health care would absorb a cut of 18 percent below legislation adopted in March.