NEWSMAKERS.

"My goal is not to make unnecessary restrictions and regulations that take away from being a drone owner. My goal for this bill is public safety."

Nebraska Senator Carol Blood (NP) on her proposal to hold drone owners accountable if they commit crimes, in the Omaha World-Herald.

"If we're going to be serious about improving our campaign finance laws, there have to be real consequences for those who break them."

Idaho House Minority Leader Mat Erpelding (D), who is part of a panel considering changes to the state's laws, in the Idaho State Journal.

California Assembly Republicans unanimously selected Assemblyman Brian Dahle (R) to replace ousted Minority Leader Chad Mayes (R). Mayes, who came under fire from his GOP colleagues for voting with Democrats to extend the state's cap and trade climate program, was elected minority leader in 2015. He resisted calls to step down and withstood a challenge a few days before his colleagues replaced him. He supported Dahle's bid for leader and announced his selection on the chamber floor.

"My contention is we don't have a revenue or a spending problem, we have a process problem."

Colorado Representative Dan Thurlow (R), who supports reforming the state's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, known as TABOR, which requires lawmakers to get voter approval before raising taxes or issuing debt, in The Denver Post.

"You typically have a very short window to get something done, and you're almost certainly not an expert on everything you need to be an expert in."

Arkansas Representative and NCSL Executive Committee member Greg Leding (D) on why it's important for legislators in term-limited states like his to attend the policy sessions at NCSL's Legislative Summit, on KUAR Radio.

"Our goal was to create reforms that would allow government to be as efficient as the private sector would be."

Iowa Representative Steve Holt (R) on a proposal to require public-sector union members to vote to recertify their unions every time a new contract comes up for negotiation, in The Hill.

Vernon Ehlers (R) was a rarity in the Michigan Legislature and the U.S. House. A nuclear physicist and college professor, he was the only research scientist in his home state Legislature and the first ever elected to Congress. He dedicated his political career to educating his colleagues on science issues, whether it was climate change, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, reviewing federal science policy, or improving education standards...