The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would make Washington, D.C. the nation's 51st state.

Residents of Washington, D.C. currently have no voting representation in Congress. Meanwhile, the district's own laws are subject to approval by Congress.  As a state, the district would have one at large representative and two senators.

With a population of more than 700,000, Washington D.C.'s population not only is larger than Vermont and Wyoming, but it is larger than 77 of the nation's 435 congressional districts.

The new state would not include the 2-square-mile area consisting of government buildings and national monuments.

The bill still must be approved by the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden to become law.

For more, read the DCist article.

Click here for more information about the 2021 Washington D.C. Admission Act.

A Michigan couple who had twins carried by a surrogate was denied parental rights and will need to adopt them.

Michigan does not recognize an agreement with a woman who agrees to carry a baby for another woman, nor does it recognize parental rights of the intended parents.

Both the surrogate mother and her husband agree that the biological parents are the twins' parents. The parents have begun the adoption process.

For more, read the New York Times article.

On His Way Out, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin Pardons Murderers, Rapists, Hundreds More

Oregon schools will be required to teach about the Holocaust. A 14-year-old helped make it happen.

For more on the need for education about the Holocaust and genocide, see the NewsInFive column.

Breastfeeding in public now is legal in every U.S. state. Idaho and Utah - the last states where it was prohibited - have passed laws legalizing it.

For the bill to pass in Utah, state lawmakers had to remove language stating it would be allowed "irrespective of whether the woman's breast is covered or uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeeding."

For more, read the Upworthy story.

A bill in the House of Representatives by Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton would create the country's 51st state in the District of Columbia. The more than 600,000 residents of Washington, D.C. have no voting representation in Congress and the district's laws are subject to approval of Congress.

This is the seventh time since 1991 Norton has introduced a similar measure. None have been acted on by the House.

For more, read the DCist story.

Click here for more information on the Washington, D.C. Admission Act.

Click here to read our discussion of the issue of Washington, D.C. statehood.

A bill in the North Dakota legislature would make it legal for a driver to run down pedestrians on roads.

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a driver of a motor vehicle who negligently causes injury or death to an individual obstructing vehicular traffic on a public road, street, or highway may not be held liable for any damages," the bill reads.

The bill failed to pass - being rejected by a 50-41 margin in the state's House of Representatives.

Click here to read the proposed law.

Washington D.C. residents will get to vote on election day whether to create the state of New Columbia.

The D.C. City Council unanimously approved a referrendum that also would include a state constitution.

A vote would not be binding, as statehood can be granted only by Congressional legislation signed by the president. It could, however, demonstrate a strong support for statehood among residents.

For more, read the Washington Post story.

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would require the District of Columbia to get Congressional approval before it can spend any local tax money.

The bill would repeal the Local Budget Autonomy Amendment Act. Passed by the Washington D.C. City Council in 2012, the law has yet to be implemented due to court challenges. The District government plans to start implementing it this year.

Rep. Mark Meadows, who introduced the bill, said that District officials could be subject to civil penalties or criminal prosecution if they attempt to bypass Congressional approval and implement the Local Budget Autonomy Amendment Act.

To become law, the bill also would need to be passed by the Senate and signed by the president.

Read more about and track the Clarifying Congressional Intent in Providing for DC Home Rule Act.

For more, read the Washington City Paper story.

A new law in Arizona requires that physicians give patients unfounded information before providing them with an abortion.

Women in Arizona requesting a medical abortion must be told that the procedure is reversible until both of the drugs involved - taken 48 hours apart - have been taken.

For a list of abortion restrictions in Arizona, see this report by the Guttmacher Institute.

For more, read the New York Times story.

For more on how health insurance policies cover abortions, see our discussion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

A bill in the House of Representatives by Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton would create the country's 51st state in the District of Columbia. The more than 600,000 residents of Washington, D.C. have no voting representation in Congress and the district's laws are subject to approval of Congress.

This is the sixth time since 1991 Norton has introduced a similar measure. None have been acted on by the House.

You can read our discussion of this issue to learn more by clicking on the link in the right sidebar.