The Pew Charitable Trusts - State and Consumer Initiatives about

Kentucky Enacts Outcomes-Driven Home Visiting Policy

On April 4, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear signed into law a measure that sets up one of the strongest home visiting systems in the country by building on the strength of Kentucky’s flagship home visiting program for new and expectant parents, the Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) Program.

In Palin Ruling, Alaska Supreme Court OKs Personal Email for State Business

The Alaska Supreme Court on Friday said state officials may use personal email accounts to conduct official business, but some emails sent from private accounts may be subject to open records law.

Report: New Jersey First in Anti-Corruption Measures

TODAY'S TAKE: Long plagued by scandal, New Jersey's state government has the nation's most comprehensive and rigidly enforced anti-corruption laws, a 50-state investigation has found. In most states transparency and government accountability are said to be lacking.

In California, a State and Local War Over Revenue and Responsibilities

PART THREE OF THREE: At a desperate fiscal moment, California's state legislators and city officials are barely on speaking terms. Governor Jerry Brown lacks the power to bring the feuding factions into line.

New Michigan Law Increases State Role in Local Government

State-appointed emergency managers will move into depressed local jurisdictions with the power to abrogate labor contracts and even break up local governments if they deem it necessary for community survival.

In Hawaii, an Imbroglio Over an Investment Gone Bad

Hawaii Auditor Marion Higa (left)and Governor Linda Lingle (right) Hawaii holds $1 billion worth of securities that have become nearly impossible to unload since the market froze in 2008. When Auditor Marion Higa (pictured bottom) issued a report looking at the problem, it opened a debate with Governor Linda Lingle (top) about how the state's finances are managed.

Alabama Bingo Investigation Intensifies

TODAY'S TAKE: Federal officials are probing corruption in Alabama's bingo battle, yet another twist in the convoluted saga over whether the state should allow electronic bingo machines to raise money for local governments or charities. Agents from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney's office and the FBI say they have found "substantial evidence of corruption" around a legislative battle to formally legalize the bingo machines, which look similar to slot machines, according to The New York Times. On April 11, the Birmingham News reported that at least two lawmakers had worn wires as part of the investigation after they had received offers from bingo lobbyists that they considered bribes.

Seven States Lead in Budget Transparency

TODAY'S TAKE: A report released Tuesday (April 13) finds that seven states - Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Texas - lead the nation in budget transparency, providing the public with comprehensive and easily searchable information about government spending. Eighteen states flunked the scorecard created by U.S. PIRG, a Boston-based research and public-interest advocacy group.

Summary of the Missouri State of the State Address

Picking up where he left off a year ago, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) declared Jan. 20 that creating private-sector jobs would be his top priority in the coming year through tax credits, recruitment of high-technology companies and increased job training.

Summary of the New Mexico State of the State Address

Announcing budget cuts, ethics reforms, public and highway safety initiatives and clean energy incentives, Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson asked lawmakers to support a laundry list of new proposals in his Jan. 19 state of the state address.

Summary of the New York State of the State Address

Gov. David Paterson (D), facing what could be a difficult primary campaign this year, proposed a plan Jan. 6 that he said would fix New York's shattered finances, rejuvenate its slumping economy and restore trust in government through a series of major ethics reforms.

Weekly Wrap: Calif. Wildfire Costs Are Another Blow to Budget

The expense of fighting a major fire; a plant closing in recession-proof North Dakota; and a new state-by-state list of stimulus spending.

Tracking the Recession: State Leaders Suffer Political backlash

Voters are blaming governors and state legislators for the economic downturn, which could make it harder for them to win re-election next year.

Tracking the Recession – Much Ado About a Small Stimulus Pot

After weeks of speculation and intense political pressure, a reluctant Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford on Friday (April 3) became the last governor to formally notify the White House that he plans to accept at least some federal dollars from the stimulus package - but the controversy is far from over.

Economy Trims Some Govs' Inauguration Plans

In a bleak economy that has led even some of the most financially stable states to grow uneasy, some governors who were elected or re-elected in November are skipping the typical inaugural balls and toning down the glitz at their swearing-in ceremonies to cut costs.

Legal Woes Have Hit Other Governors

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) became the latest governor to be in trouble with the law, after federal authorities arrested him and his chief of staff Tuesday (Dec. 9). But not all scandal-tainted governors have been convicted or forced to step down.

'Present' Votes Defended by Ill. Lawmakers

In most legislatures, lawmakers vote either "yes" or "no" on bills, but in Illinois, senators and representatives can hit a third button for a "present" vote. Now that quirk - not unique to Illinois - has sparked heated exchanges among Democrats vying for president.

Another Sanford joke riles lawmakers

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) jokes about terrorism at the Capitol. A Kansas political operative asks for unemployment benefits after running a losing campaign. And a GOP ad in Louisiana commits a football faux pas. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Turnabout overdue in state-federal relations

States' relationship with the federal government is at a low point, a condition our nation can no longer afford, writes Raymond C. Scheppach, executive director of the National Governors Association, in his latest commentary for Stateline.org.

Colorado is hot spot for politicking by 527s

More than a dozen political nonprofit groups, so-called 527s, are using their special federal tax status to circumvent Colorado's tight limits on campaign contributions. And they aren't alone. More than 300 527s are based in at least 45 states, raking in unlimited contributions and sometimes wresting control of the political landscape even from the parties and candidates they seek to promote.

Scandals alter pols' tunes; will voters listen?

Scandals are making news in more than a dozen states at a time when key members of Congress and the Bush administration are under a cloud as well. Political experts caution, though, that the string of scandals won't necessarily translate into big changes in control of state or federal government on Election Day.

Four Legislatures Rapped For Lax Ethics Ignore Criticism

In a scathing report last February called "Hidden Agendas," the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit, non-partisan government watchdog group, criticized state legislators in Michigan, Idaho, Utah and Vermont for having the laxest ethical standards in the nation. stateline.org looked at the situation again six months later, and found that little has changed.