Gun-safety initiative heads to big win in Washington
With broad support across both sides of the Cascade Mountains, Initiative 1491, a gun-safety ballot measure, won easily.
States & provinces
Arizona sheriff officially charged with criminal contempt in racial profiling case
Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been arresting undocumented immigrants with no state charges against them. He has now been charged with criminal contempt.
Cannabis tax revenue is overwhelming Oregon’s tax office
Oregon officials estimate that they’ll take in around $43 million in tax revenue from recreational cannabis this year.
Florida votes overwhelmingly to remove property tax on solar equipment
Solar advocates finally got a win in the Sunshine State on Tuesday, as voters approved a measure to get rid of property taxes on solar equipment.
With more than 1,970,000 Floridians checking ‘yes,’ the measure, known as Amendment 4, received more support than the state’s two U.S. Senate primary winners, Marco Rubio (R) and Patrick Murphy (D), combined.
California lawmakers approve mandatory sentencing for rape
The California Assembly unanimously passed a measure that requires a prison sentence for anyone convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious person.
Massachusetts passes groundbreaking equal pay law
The new state law, which will take effect on July 1, 2018, requires employers to pay men and women the same for comparable work, defined as works that “requires substantially similar skill, effort and responsibility and is performed under similar working conditions.”
Great Bear Rainforest Agreement sets global standard for Indigenous-led conservation
In 2016, Indigenous groups, government, and environmental organizations forged the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement, protecting nearly 6.4 million hectares of British Columbia’s rainforest. This landmark deal recognized Indigenous rights and leadership in land stewardship, balancing conservation with sustainable economic development. It became one of the world’s largest Indigenous-led conservation efforts, setting a precedent for collaborative, large-scale environmental protection.
India’s Cochin International becomes world’s first fully solar-powered airport
Cochin International, in the state of Kerala, transformed a patch of land previously reserved for cargo handling into a 12-megawatt solar plant. This energy source – now featuring more than 46,000 solar panels – provides all the power the airport needs and even generates surplus for the state. Costing less than $10 million USD, the project likely recouped all development costs within the first five years of operation.
Massachusetts becomes first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that it was unconstitutional under the Massachusetts Constitution to allow only opposite-sex couples to marry.
Bahia gains independence, ending Portuguese rule in Brazil
Control of the province was disputed in several battles, mostly in Pirajá, before the Portuguese were fully expelled on 2 July 1823. Bahia became a Brazilian state in 1889.