State & Local

  • November 05, 2024

    Trump Has Official Immunity. What About His Aides?

    Whether the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity extends to subordinates who follow a president's orders has become a more pressing question in the wake of Donald Trump's projected election win, according to legal experts.

  • November 05, 2024

    How Trump Can Quash His Criminal Cases

    Donald Trump's projected victory at the polls also translates to a win in the courts, as the second-term president will have the power to end both of his federal criminal cases. And the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity would shield him from any consequences for ordering his charges to be dismissed, experts say.

  • November 05, 2024

    An Early Look At Trump's Supreme Court Shortlist

    With former President Donald Trump projected to win the 2024 presidential election and the Republicans' success in securing the U.S. Senate majority, Trump may now get the chance to appoint two more justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, cementing the court's conservative tilt for decades to come.

  • November 05, 2024

    GOP's Senate Win Hands Future Of The Judiciary To Trump

    Republicans were projected to take back the White House and Senate and possibly the House early Wednesday, putting the GOP in position to back Donald Trump's agenda and his slate of young, conservative judicial nominees. 

  • November 05, 2024

    The Firms With An Inside Track To A New Trump Admin

    Law firms that have represented Donald Trump and the Republican Party on everything from personal legal woes to election-related lawsuits could see the risks of that work pay dividends as Trump is projected to secure a second term in office.

  • November 05, 2024

    Florida, Georgia, Others Peel Back Real Estate Taxes

    Voters in seven states approved a spate of real estate tax ballot initiatives on Election Day, including measures that would curb property taxes for veterans, residential property owners and residents of municipalities that fail to enforce nuisance laws. 

  • November 05, 2024

    Cannabis And Psychedelic Reform Bids Fail In Multiple States

    Efforts to liberalize cannabis and psychedelic laws via ballot initiatives met with defeat in multiple states on Election Day, dealing a blow to reformers of drug policies.

  • November 05, 2024

    Oregon Voters Reject New Tax On Big Businesses

    Oregon voters declined Tuesday to impose a new minimum tax on large businesses that could have raised $15 billion each biennium with most of the funding used to make annual payments to residents, rejecting Measure 118.

  • November 05, 2024

    North Dakota Voters Choose To Retain Property Taxation

    North Dakota will continue to allow its political subdivisions to levy property tax after voters rejected a constitutional amendment Tuesday that would prohibit its imposition by a subdivision unless it had outstanding debt.

  • November 05, 2024

    South Dakota Voters Turn Down Grocery Tax Exemption

    South Dakota voters rejected a ballot initiative Tuesday that would have exempted food sales from the state's sales tax.

  • November 05, 2024

    Nev. Voters Approve Sales Tax Exemption For Diapers

    Nevada will exempt diaper sales from the state's sales and use tax under a measure approved by voters Tuesday.

  • November 05, 2024

    Calif. Managed Care Tax Made Permanent By Ballot Measure

    California's tax on managed healthcare insurance plans to fund the state's Medi-Cal health program has been made permanent following voter approval of a proposition on Tuesday.

  • November 05, 2024

    Ga. Voters Approve Expanded Reach Of State Tax Court

    Georgia voters approved a ballot measure Tuesday that will give the state's administrative tax court jurisdiction with the state's superior courts with an amendment to the state constitution.

  • November 05, 2024

    Washington Voters Reject Repeal Of State Capital Gains Tax

    Washington state voters declined Tuesday to repeal the state's embattled tax on capital gains, voting 1,610,148 to 937,050 with 64% of the vote counted against Initiative 2109 and thus allowing the capital gains tax to stand.

  • November 05, 2024

    Wash. Voters Reject Repeal Of State Cap-And-Trade Law

    Washington state voters declined to repeal the state's cap-and-trade program Tuesday, turning down Initiative 2117 by a vote of 1,566,065 to 972,623 with 64% 0f the vote counted.

  • November 05, 2024

    Ga. Voters Approve Increase To Personal Property Exemption

    Georgia will increase its personal property exemption to $20,000 under a referendum approved by voters Tuesday.

  • November 05, 2024

    Ga. Voters Approve Local Option Homestead Exemption

    Georgia will give localities the ability to opt out of a statewide homestead exemption from ad valorem taxes under a ballot measure approved by voters Tuesday. 

  • November 05, 2024

    Calif. Couple Can't Carry Back Or Carry Forward Loss

    A California couple's loss in 2017 did not generate a net operating loss that could be carried back to 2015 and 2016 and carried over to 2018 and 2019, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled, upholding the Franchise Tax Board.

  • November 05, 2024

    Calif. Seller Can't Retroactively Report Real Estate Gain

    A California seller of a $10.6 million property in Beverly Hills may not retroactively choose to report the gain on the sale of the property on an installment basis, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled, siding with the Franchise Tax Board.

  • November 05, 2024

    Ill. Dept. Floats Regs To Clarify Aviation Fuel Tax Discount

    The Illinois Department of Revenue proposed regulatory amendments to clarify that a sales tax discount isn't allowed for a portion of taxes paid on aviation fuel that is subject to use requirements under federal transportation statutes governing aviation programs.

  • November 05, 2024

    Montana General Revenues Through Oct. Down $6M

    Montana general revenue collection from July through October fell roughly $6 million compared with the same period in the last fiscal year, according to the state Department of Revenue.

  • November 05, 2024

    Florida Net Revenue Through Sept. Beats Estimate By $226M

    Florida's net revenue collection from July through September beat revenue estimates by $226 million, according to a report by the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research.

  • November 05, 2024

    Iowa Net Receipts Through Oct. Drop $6M From Last Year

    Iowa net receipts from July through October fell $6 million from the total for the same period last fiscal year, according to the state Legislative Services Agency.

  • November 05, 2024

    Calif. OTA Says Ga. Biz Owner Owes Income Tax

    A Georgia resident is required to file and pay taxes on California income from a company he partly owned, the California Office of Tax Appeals ruled Tuesday, sustaining the findings of the state Franchise Tax Board.

  • November 05, 2024

    Ohio House Bill Would Eliminate Income Tax On OT Wages

    Ohio would exempt overtime wages from the state's personal income tax under a bill filed in the state House of Representatives.

Featured Stories

  • Trump Has Official Immunity. What About His Aides?

    No Photo Available

    Whether the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity extends to subordinates who follow a president's orders has become a more pressing question in the wake of Donald Trump's projected election win, according to legal experts.

  • How Trump Can Quash His Criminal Cases

    No Photo Available

    Donald Trump's projected victory at the polls also translates to a win in the courts, as the second-term president will have the power to end both of his federal criminal cases. And the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity would shield him from any consequences for ordering his charges to be dismissed, experts say.

  • The Firms With An Inside Track To A New Trump Admin

    No Photo Available

    Law firms that have represented Donald Trump and the Republican Party on everything from personal legal woes to election-related lawsuits could see the risks of that work pay dividends as Trump is projected to secure a second term in office.

Expert Analysis

  • Kentucky Tax Talk: Finally Better Online Records At Revenue?

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    The Kentucky Department of Revenue has not taken significant visible steps toward complying with legislation requiring it to post administrative guidance on its website starting no later than Nov. 15, and refusal to do so would widen the transparency gap between the state and its more business-friendly neighbors, say attorneys at Frost Brown.

  • Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being

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    As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.

  • Overreach In Texas And An Acronym In Peril: SALT In Review

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    From the Council on State Taxation's take on a proposal in Texas to the potential end of a fundamental truth in Montana, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

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    Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.

  • How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources

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    Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • NY Tax Talk: Questions In Corporate Franchise Tax Regs Case

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    In the first challenge to New York's Corporate Franchise Tax regulations — Paychex v. Department of Taxation and Finance — the court has an important opportunity to provide clarity on a major retroactive application issue, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

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    Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.

  • Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity

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    Attorneys living with disabilities face extra challenges — including the need for special accommodations, the fear of stigmatization and the risk of being tokenized — but if given equitable opportunities, they can still rise to the top of their field, says Kate Reder Sheikh, a former attorney and legal recruiter at Major Lindsey & Africa.

  • Judicial Committee Best Venue For Litigation Funding Rules

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    The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules' recent decision to consider developing a rule for litigation funding disclosure is a welcome development, ensuring that the result will be the product of a thorough, inclusive and deliberative process that appropriately balances all interests, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.

  • The Strategic Advantages Of Appointing A Law Firm CEO

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    The impact on law firms of the recent CrowdStrike outage underscores that the business of law is no longer merely about providing supplemental support for legal practice — and helps explain why some law firms are appointing dedicated, full-time CEOs to navigate the challenges of the modern legal landscape, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Strategies.

  • How Cos. Can Build A Strong In-House Pro Bono Program

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    During this year’s pro bono celebration week, companies should consider some key pointers to grow and maintain a vibrant in-house program for attorneys to provide free legal services for the public good, says Mary Benton at Alston & Bird.

  • Home Canning Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Making my own pickles and jams requires seeing a process through from start to finish, as does representing clients from the start of a dispute at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board through any appeals to the Federal Circuit, says attorney Kevin McNish.

  • Sound Ideas And An Ill-Advised Gamble: SALT In Review

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    From potential reforms in Louisiana to tax incentives for a gambling company in Colorado, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.