Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill for now
The Supreme Court on Friday preserved women’s access to a drug used in the most common method of abortion, rejecting lower-court restrictions while a lawsuit continues. The justices granted emergency requests from the Biden administration and New York-based Danco Laboratories, maker of the drug mifepristone. They are appealing a lower court ruling that would roll back the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone. The drug has been approved for use in the U.S. since 2000, and more than 5 million people have used it. Mifepristone is used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol, in more than half of all abortions in the U.S. The court’s action Friday almost certainly will leave access to mifepristone unchanged at least into next year, as appeals play out, including a potential appeal to the high court. The next stop for the case is at the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which has set arguments in the case for May 17. Two of the nine justices — Samuel Alito, the author of last year’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, and Clarence Thomas — voted to allow restrictions to take effect, and Alito issued a four-page dissent. No other justices commented on the court’s one-paragraph order, and the court did not release a full vote breakdown. President Joe Biden praised the high court for keeping mifepristone available while the court fight continues. “The stakes could not be higher for women across America. I will continue to fight politically-driven attacks on women’s health. But let’s be clear — the American people must continue to use their vote as their voice and elect a Congress who will pass a law restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade,” Biden said in a statement. Alliance Defending Freedom, representing abortion opponents challenging the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, downplayed the court’s action. “As is common practice, the Supreme Court has decided to maintain the status quo that existed prior to our lawsuit while our challenge to the FDA’s illegal approval of chemical abortion drugs and its removal of critical safeguards for those drugs moves forward,” ADF lawyer Erik Baptist said in a statement. The justices weighed arguments that allowing restrictions contained in lower-court rulings to take effect would severely disrupt the availability of mifepristone. The Supreme Court had initially said it would decide by Wednesday whether the restrictions could take effect while the case continues. A one-sentence order signed by Alito on Wednesday gave the justices two additional days, without explanation. The challenge to mifepristone is the first abortion controversy to reach the nation’s highest court since its conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade 10 months ago and allowed more than a dozen states to effectively ban abortion outright. In his majority opinion last June, Alito said one reason for overturning Roe was to remove federal courts from the abortion fight. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” he wrote. But even with their court victory, abortion opponents returned to federal court with a new target: medication abortions, which make up more than half of all abortions in the United States. Women seeking to end their pregnancies in the first 10 weeks without more invasive surgical abortion can take mifepristone, along with misoprostol. The FDA has eased the terms of mifepristone’s use over the years, including allowing it to be sent through the mail in states that allow access. The abortion opponents filed suit in Texas in November, asserting that the FDA’s original approval of mifepristone 23 years ago and subsequent changes were flawed. They won a ruling on April 7 by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, revoking FDA approval of mifepristone. The judge gave the Biden administration and Danco Laboratories a week to appeal and seek to keep his ruling on hold. Responding to a quick appeal, two more Trump appointees on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the FDA’s original approval would stand for now. But Judges Andrew Oldham and Kurt Engelhardt said most of the rest of Kacsmaryk’s ruling could take effect while the case winds through federal courts. Their ruling would have effectively nullified changes made by the FDA starting in 2016, including extending from seven to 10 weeks of pregnancy when mifepristone can be safely used. The court also would have halted sending the drug in the mail or dispensing it as a generic, and patients who seek it would have had to make three in-person visits with a doctor. Women also might have been required to take a higher dosage of the drug than the FDA says is necessary. The administration and Danco have said that chaos would ensue if those restrictions were to take effect while the case proceeds. Potentially adding to the confusion, a federal judge in Washington has ordered the FDA to preserve access to mifepristone under the current rules in 17 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia that filed a separate lawsuit. The Biden administration has said the rulings conflict and create an untenable situation for the FDA. Alito questioned the argument that chaos would result, saying the administration “has not dispelled doubts that it would even obey an unfavorable order in these cases.” And a new legal wrinkle threatened even more complications. GenBioPro, which makes the generic version of mifepristone, filed a lawsuit Wednesday to preemptively block the FDA from removing its drug from the market, in the event that the Supreme Court doesn’t intervene. The Supreme Court was only being asked to block the lower-court rulings through the end of the legal case. The appeals court has sped up its review, but there is no timetable for a ruling. Any appeal to the Supreme Court would follow within three months of a ruling, but with no deadline for the justices to decide whether to review the case. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama’s unemployment plummets to 2.3%
Of those Alabamians formally in the workforce – i.e., they have a job or are looking for work – just 2.3% meet the government definition of being unemployed. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced Friday that the state had set a new all-time record low unemployment last month. Alabama’s preliminary seasonally adjusted March unemployment rate of just 2.3% is a new record low, down from February’s rate of 2.5%. It is also below March 2022’s rate of 2.5%. Just 53,053 people in the state met the official definition of unemployed in March. This is down considerably from the 56,166 unemployed in February and the 58,074 counted as unemployed in March 2022. That is the lowest number of people counted as unemployed in state history. “We’re almost a quarter into 2023, and we are already seeing record-breaking success when it comes to Alabama’s economy,” said Governor Ivey. “We have been enjoying a period of low unemployment, high wages, and high jobs count for some time now, and I believe that even greater economic achievements are on their way. We will not back down on our commitment to continue bringing quality, high-paying jobs to Alabama.” Gov. Ivey has credited her administration’s aggressive recruiting of new industries to the state by offering economic incentives. On Thursday, Gov. Ivey doubled down on this strategy by signing legislation extending the Alabama Jobs Act, the Growing Alabama Jobs Act, and adding additional incentives to the state economic planner toolbox. “I am proud the Alabama Legislature has officially passed all four bills in The Game Plan package – my plan for our state’s continued economic success,” Ivey said in a statement. “I commend both the Senate and House for their incredible work on this timely legislation that will, no doubt, be transformative for our state and, more importantly, for our families. We are creating stability for our economy and are going to keep Alabama winning for many years to come.” The state experienced growth of 54,100 jobs in the past 12 months, with the most significant gains occurring in the manufacturing sector (+10,400), the professional and business services sector (+8,700), and the private education and health services sector (+7,500), among others. Extremely low unemployment and a growing economy pressures employers to pay more wages to recruit and retain workers. Classical economists cite full employment as being between 4 and 5%. At that level, most competent people can find a job, and employers are not under pressure to bid up the cost of labor to get workers leading to inflation across the economy. “Additionally, we’re continuing to see positive increases in our wages, meaning more money in Alabamians’ pockets,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “This month, we reached one of our highest average weekly wages in history.” Total private wages increased by $30.12/weekly over the year to $1,008.61 in January, marking the third-highest weekly wages in state history. The counties with the lowest unemployment rates are Shelby County at 1.8%, Morgan County at 2.0%, and Marshall, Madison, Limestone, and Cullman Counties at 2.1%. The counties with the highest unemployment rates are Wilcox County at 8.8%, Clarke County at 5.9%, and Dallas County at 5.4%. The major cities with the lowest unemployment rates are Homewood at 1.6%, Madison at 1.7%, and Alabaster, Trussville, and Vestavia Hills at 1.8%. The major cities with the highest unemployment rates are Selma at 6.4%, Prichard at 5.2%, and Bessemer at 4.2%. The size of the workforce in March increased to 2,289,759 persons. That is up from 2,287,334 in February and up from 2,286,491 in March of 2022. There were some negatives in the report, though. Even though wages have risen, Alabama’s labor force participation rate has dropped over the last 12 months. The seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate of Alabamians 16 years old and older in March was just 56.7%. That is unchanged from February and down from 57.1% just 12 months ago. The state’s 2.3% unemployment rate is well below the national average of 3.5%, but the state’s labor force participation rate of 56.7% trails the national average of 62.6%. How to lure more able-bodied but not working Alabamians off the sidelines and back into the workforce has perplexed employers and state leaders alike. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House expected to vote on a $3 billion general fund budget
On Wednesday, the Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund advanced the largest state general fund (SGF) budget in history. The over $3 billion 2024 budget the House will reportedly consider on Tuesday is $15 million more than Governor Kay Ivey requested and $169 million more than the current fiscal year 2023 budget, the previous biggest SGF budget in the history of the state of Alabama. There are several minor changes between the Governor’s request and the House Committee substitute. In 2022, the Legislature passed, and Gov. Ivey signed controversial legislation that ended the pistol permit requirement. The Sheriffs said that doing so would devastate their pistol permit revenues. As a result, the Legislature agreed to create a $5 million fund to compensate the sheriffs. The governor kept that $5 million in her budget request. The Committee raised that amount to $7.5 million. Gov. Ivey cut funds from the Department of Tourism. The Committee restored those funds and gave the Department a substantial increase – a difference of $1,375,000. She eliminated a $50,000 appropriation for the MOWA Band of Indians. The House restored that line item. Gov. Ivey’s budget added nearly $10 million to the budget request for the Department of Mental Health. The House Committee added another $4,450,000 to Mental Health. They also added an additional $400,000 to the Department of Human Resources. The governor completely eliminated a $1,200,000 appropriation for a Huntsville Hospital Health System – workforce development schools for in-demand health professionals. The House restored that funding and added $500,000 to it. The State Auditor will receive $1,150,819 – $45,000 more than governor’s request. This is a substantial increase from the 2023 budget appropriation of $975,000. The House raised the governor’s request for the Alabama Forestry Commission by $325,000. They raised the request for the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs $2,415,000. They also added $400,000 for crime victims, $300,000 for district attorneys, and $550,000 for the Department of Agriculture and Industries. In this budget, the state will spend $661,732,404 on the Department of Corrections. This is an increase from 2023 of $58,798,327 (9.75 percent). This does not include $30,000,000 in a separate line item for debt service for the – Correctional Institution Finance Authority. There is also a separate $11,977,500 line item in the budget for feeding prisoners. That did not get an increase in the FY2024 budget. Additionally, there is a conditional $40 million appropriation for Correctional Capital Improvements that will only be paid if conditions are met. The Judicial branch will receive $196,415,909 in 2024 – a modest increase from $192,653,808 in 2023. That is just a 1.95% increase. Given inflation and a state employee pay raise, that means no money for new judges – something that Chief Justice Tom Parker has said is needed for years. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is getting a considerable boost from the 2023 budget. ADEM’s budget has increased from $12,327,927 to $24,482,935. The Department of Public Health is also receiving a big boost – increasing from $75,990,897 in FY2023 to $111,772,076 in 2024, including $1,760,000 more than the Governor requested. The Department of Human Resources is increasing from $107,408,581 to $121,805,400, including $400,000 more than the Governor requested. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is seeing its budget increase from $82,532,287 in 2023 to $112,112,287 in 2024. The Alabama Medicaid Agency budget will increase from $793,531,700 in 2023 to $862,999,999 in 2024. The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is receiving a budget cut from $3,525,047 in FY2023 to $2,525,047 in FY2024, but the Commission should start to see revenue from the new 9 percent tax on medical cannabis sold in the state of Alabama. Persons with a demonstrable medical need will be able to obtain a recommendation for Alabama-grown medical marijuana products late in the current calendar year. The Department of Mental Health sees a substantial increase, from $193,994,548 in FY2023 to $209,441,459 n FY2024, including $4,450,000 more than the Governor requested. The Military Department is receiving an increase from $8,542,605 in FY2023 to $9,527,505 in FY2024. The 2024 budget also creates a new $2,000,000 line item for the Military Department – Armory Commission separate from the Military Department. The Department of Senior Services is receiving an increase from $82,557,013 in FY2023 to $87,532,998 in FY2024. The Department of Veteran Affairs is receiving a budget increase from its FY2023 appropriation of $2,441,643 to $3,199,737 in FY2024. This includes $250,000 more than Gov. Ivey requested. The Department of Youth Services saw its budget increase from $6,704,537 in FY2023 to $7,204,537 in FY2024. There is a $14,500,000 increase in the cost of living adjustments for state employees. There is also a new $50 million line item for inflationary increases for state agencies and $5.6 million for the State Employees Insurance Board. There will be no one-time bonus in 2024 for retired state employees. That saves the state $4.8 million. There is a conditional appropriation of $3.5 million for the State Port Authority. The Grant Total SGF increased from $2,855,137,387 in FY2023 to $3,024,167,948, including $15,045,000 more than Gov. Ivey requested. Many agencies, including the Legislative Branch, were either level-funded or received modest percent increases in the House Ways and Means Committee’s proposed budget. Alabama has a very archaic budgeting system where over 90 percent of revenues are earmarked to specific agencies. Education is in a separate budget altogether. Many agencies have line items in both budgets, and agencies like the Department of Transportation and the Secretary of State’s office don’t even have line items in the two budgets. Most agencies have their own revenues, which go directly to them and not to the budgets, including approximately $14 billion in federal matching funds and federal appropriations. The full House of Representatives will consider the Committee’s recommendation when it meets on Tuesday. If it passes the House, the SGF will go to the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee for their consideration. The House will also consider a separate supplemental appropriation for FY2023. The 2024 fiscal year begins on October 1. To connect with the author
Gov. Kay Ivey signs ‘The Game Plan’ legislation
On Thursday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a package of four bills to extend and expand the economic incentive tools available to state financial planners. The Alabama Legislature passed the package of bills on Thursday morning, promising that the four “Game Plan” bills are the “plays” Alabama needed to call to have a bright future. “I am proud the Alabama Legislature has officially passed all four bills in The Game Plan package – my plan for our state’s continued economic success,” Ivey said in a statement. “I commend both the Senate and House for their incredible work on this timely legislation that will, no doubt, be transformative for our state and, more importantly, for our families. We are creating stability for our economy and are going to keep Alabama winning for many years to come.” “The Game Plan will give Alabama’s team the tools it needs to extend our winning record in economic development and help us unleash a new wave of growth and innovation across the state,” said Gov. Ivey. “From our rural areas to our big cities, this is going to benefit every corner of Alabama.” Senate President Pro Temp Greg Reed said that passage of the package was a victory for the state and its future. “The Game Plan is a multi-pronged approach to strengthen Alabama’s economy from all angles,” said Reed. “The four ‘plays’ are effective pieces of legislation that will help Alabama’s local communities thrive by attracting high-quality employers, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth.” Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter said that the package would benefit Alabamians by better positioning the state to compete for the best jobs in the country. “Industries across the nation and globe are trying to come here because of our great employees, our low taxes, and our unbeatable quality of life,” said Ledbetter. “We want to make sure that, from a competition standpoint, we have the tools needed to bring companies here and keep them here.” Greg Canfield is the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The Game Plan will serve as our next-generation strategic economic development framework as we work to build a more dynamic economy for Alabama and its citizens,” said Secretary Canfield. “Neighboring states are aggressively escalating their economic development activities, and this will allow us to keep winning the projects that trigger lasting impacts.” The Alabama Big 10 Mayors praised the passage of the economic development Incentives bills. Passing the economic incentives legislation was item number one on the Alabama Big 10 Mayors’ 2023 legislative agenda. “These incentives programs are critically important to our cities and the entire state of Alabama,” the Alabama Big 10 Mayors said in a joint statement. “For our cities to be successful, we need to have the tools to attract new industry, businesses, and high-quality jobs. These bills give Alabama the ability to not just remain competitive, but also increase our ability to attract the world-class businesses and developments that improve the quality of life across our state.” “We thank Governor Kay Ivey, legislative leadership and their members, the Department of Commerce, and the many stakeholders who worked tirelessly to make this happen. We were proud to support this package of bills, and we look forward to seeing the impact that these incentives programs will have on each of Alabama’s ten largest cities.” The Mayors representing Alabama’s ten biggest cities work together to address the state’s most important issues and make Alabama a safer, better place for all its residents to live. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. The Game Plan includes four bills — or “plays” — focusing on economic development issues such as incentives, site development, small business support, and transparency. Play 1: The Enhancing Alabama’s Economic Progress Act renews the Alabama Jobs Act and the Growing Alabama program and extends their sunset dates to 2028 while adding strategic enhancements to increase their effectiveness. The Jobs Act is the state’s primary incentives platform, while Growing Alabama primarily speeds development of shovel-ready sites. Play 2: The Site Evaluation and Economic Development Strategy Act (SEEDS) will allow the State Industrial Development Authority to accelerate the development of industry-ready sites at a time when available sites are scarce, and other states are expanding their site programs. Play 3: The Innovation and Small Business Act aims to supercharge growth in Alabama’s innovation economy and support underrepresented businesses and enterprises in rural areas, transforming the state into a hub for technology and innovation. Play 4: The Enhancing Transparency Act will amend the Jobs Act to require the Alabama Department of Commerce to publish certain incentivized project information on its website. Transparency around important information related to companies receiving incentives will serve a valid public service and increase confidence in the process. Critics of the idea of economic incentives to lure industry and projects argue that it is corporate welfare and picking winners and losers, but there were no critics in the Alabama Legislature as the plan sailed through both Houses. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Reps. Terri Sewell and Mike Rogers introduce bipartisan legislation to address Alabama’s rural wastewater issues
On Thursday, Congressmembers Terri Sewell and Mike Rogers introduced bipartisan legislation that would help households install or upgrade wastewater systems through a USDA grant program. The Rural Decentralized Water Systems Reauthorization Act would help combat Alabama’s rural wastewater crisis by strengthening and expanding the existing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Decentralized Water Systems Program. The already existing program provides grants to help low- and moderate-income households install or upgrade individually-owned decentralized wastewater systems. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Cory Booker and Shelley Moore Capito. “Access to adequate wastewater infrastructure is a basic human right, but for too many of my constituents, generations of disinvestment have created broken and failing wastewater systems that put the health of our communities at risk,” said Rep. Sewell. “The Rural Decentralized Water Systems Reauthorization Act is an important step toward correcting this injustice. Many communities in the Black Belt have received USDA Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program grants to help households install and upgrade their wastewater systems. By reauthorizing and expanding this program, more rural and underserved communities will receive the wastewater infrastructure resources that they deserve.” “I am excited to join my colleague and friend from the great state of Alabama to reintroduce this important legislation,” said Rep. Rogers. “I was especially proud to work in a bipartisan and bicameral manner to address the universal issue of our country’s failing rural wastewater infrastructure. Reauthorizing this grant program will ensure access to clean water for more rural communities in Alabama and across the country.” “Water is a basic human right, and access to safe, clean water should never be determined based on one’s socioeconomic status,” said Sen. Booker. “We must ensure that all Americans have access to reliable water well and wastewater systems to prevent health hazards in communities where water contamination is a real threat. That is why I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill that would expand and strengthen the USDA Rural Decentralized Water Systems Program to provide support to more low- and moderate-income households to modernize their outdated wastewater systems.” “Strengthening our infrastructure throughout West Virginia has been and remains a top priority of mine,” said Sen. Capito. “I’m glad to join Senator Booker in reintroducing legislation that will help improve home water systems in West Virginia and reauthorize the Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program that has proven to work in my state. This legislation is also included in my list of Farm Bill priorities this year, and I look forward to working to advancing it.” Approximately 20 percent of Americans dispose of wastewater through their own sewage disposal systems. Because these systems have high maintenance costs, certain failures often go unaddressed, potentially endangering the health of millions of Americans living in areas where water can be contaminated as a result of homes that lack a sewage system altogether or have a failing, improperly installed, or homemade septic system. The problem is particularly dire in parts of rural Alabama where—in the absence of municipal wastewater systems—many families have struggled to afford the installation and maintenance costs associated with individually owned wastewater systems. The Rural Decentralized Water Systems Reauthorization Act: · Reauthorizes the Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program through 2028 · Reinstates eligibility for loans to individuals earning up to 100 percent of the area median income. · Targets funding through subgrants to individuals earning 60 percent or less of the area median income. · Increases the maximum subgrant or loan amount from $15,000 to $20,000. · Allows subgrant funding to include the cost of a performance warranty for individually owned household decentralized wastewater systems. The Rural Decentralized Water Systems Reauthorization Act has been endorsed by the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP). The federal government is already in the process of pouring billions of dollars into improving, modernizing, and in some cases, installing both freshwater and wastewater systems around the country, including in Alabama. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama corrections supervisor convicted of federal charges
A former Alabama prison supervisor was convicted of federal civil rights charges for the 2020 beating of three prisoners and writing a false report to cover up the beatings, federal prosecutors said. Court records show that a federal jury on Tuesday convicted Lorenzo Mills of three counts of violating the prisoners rights and one count of falsifying an official report, the Department of Justice said Wednesday in a news release. The DOJ said trial evidence and testimony showed one man suffered a broken arm, and the two others suffered injuries such as pain and bruising after being beaten with a baton. Mills then wrote a report where he denied using any force against the victims, the department said. Mills was a sergeant at Draper Correctional Facility in Elmore, Alabama. “This verdict shows that our community members agree that no person is above the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Constitution protects the rights of all people, including those in our jails and prisons.” The Department of Justice said that Mills faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the civil rights charges and 20 years in prison for the obstruction of justice offense. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Investigators: Gunmen fired into crowd at Sweet 16 party
Investigators said five people charged in a deadly shooting at Sweet 16 birthday party had fired guns into the crowd at the celebration. Investigators wrote in court documents filed Thursday that they believe the five were present at the party and “discharged firearms into the crowd,” resulting in the deaths of four people. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced two additional arrests on Thursday, for a total of five people facing reckless murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting. The shooting at the Sweet 16 birthday killed four young people, ranging in age from 17 to 23, and shocked the small east Alabama city of Dadeville. Besides the four slain, 32 others were injured, four of them critically. The party, at a dance studio just off the town square, was in full swing when gunfire erupted. Investigators have not discussed a motive or what they believe led to the shooting. Tyreese “Ty Reik”, 17, of Tuskegee and Travis McCullough, 16, of Tuskegee were arrested Tuesday. Wilson LaMar Hill Jr., 20, of Auburn, was arrested Wednesday. and Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee, and Willie George Brown Jr., 19, of Auburn, were arrested Thursday. All are charged with four counts of reckless murder, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. The district attorney said the teens will be tried as adults as required by Alabama law when anyone 16 or older is charged with murder. All of the suspects are being held in the Tallapoosa County Jail with no bond. The birthday girl’s brother, 18-year-old Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell of Camp Hill, died as his sister knelt beside him begging him to keep breathing. He and another fatal victim, 17-year-old Shaunkivia Nicole “KeKe” Smith of Dadeville, were high school seniors. Also slain were Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 19, of Opelika, and Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23, of Dadeville. The shooting was the 16th mass killing in the U.S. this year. A 17th took place in Maine on Tuesday. A total of 88 people have died in mass killings so far in 2023. A mass killing is defined as the slaying of four or more people other than the perpetrator, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
