In an effort to reach a larger buying audience and reduce overhead, a number of states have jumped on the online auction bandwagon. Some, such as Michigan, have built their own online auction sites. Others, such as Oregon, have taken advantage of large commercial sites like Yahoo!, Amazon.com and eBay. But almost all the states are at least taking a look at where Internet technology is going and how it might enable them to more efficiently sell unwanted items. more

Florida lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a sweeping election reform bill Friday (5/4) that will address the voting ills that plagued last years presidential contest in the state. Sunshine State voters will never again use punch cards or butterfly ballots. more

Most states are feeling a budget pinch, now that the economy is cooling off. But few states face Ohio's "double whammy." At the same time that budget specialists have realized tax revenues over the next two years may come in $800 million below projections, Ohio is under pressure from the state Supreme Court to pump a lot more state dollars into schools. more

For nearly a decade, state legislators had an easy job deciding how to spend because they were riding a wave of unprecedented surpluses. But this year, coming up with a budget could be turbulent because many states must cut expenses. Despite a sagging economy, most states are required by constitution or statute to balance their budget. more

Responding to increased public concerns about privacy issues, the National Association of Attorneys General released a set of fairly strong guidelines Friday (3/16) urging the adoption of laws that would force commercial interests to actively seek permission from people before selling or trading their personal information. more