State Legislatures Shift Right, Sweeping Proposals Expected

Legislative control will shift from Democratic to Republican majority in eleven states and Republicans now control the legislature and governor's office of 20 states, up from nine, after adding more than 675 seats in last week's midterm elections, reports the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The GOP gained control in one or both chambers in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Results from elections in New York, Oregon and Washington are still pending. Republicans won control of both chambers in Southern states previously controlled by Democrats, including Alabama and North Carolina, and gained control of both houses in the Midwestern states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana, according to Stateline.org. Sweeping proposals on budgets, taxes, social issues, redistricting and challenges to the federal health care law are anticipated in the coming year, reports NCSL. Post-election maps and charts are available at: http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=21318.