Arizona lawmakers endorsed a key element of President Barack Obama's health care law in a huge political victory for Republican Gov. Jan Brewer.

The Arizona House passed an $8.8 billion state budget that includes Medicaid expansion early Thursday and puts Gov. Jan Brewer one Senate vote away from a huge political victory as she embraces a signature part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law.

A bill that would make it more difficult for recently unemployed people in Arizona to collect unemployment benefits is likely to land on Republican Gov. Jan Brewer's desk.

Las Vegas union supporters have launched a seven-day hunger strike to protest a casino operator's alleged attempts to prevent workers from organizing.

Nevada's unemployment rate fell to 13 percent in November in the first drop since May, but the state's labor force continued to shrink as Nevada gained only 1,300 jobs last month, according to state employment data released Monday.