Stateline Stories

Boston Bombings Show Future Use for Police Drones

The manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombers has raised fresh questions about the use of domestic drones by law enforcement.

Report: Sandy Inundated East Coast With Sewage

Hurricane Sandy’s floodwaters last October inundated East Coast with sewage. Researchers have now estimated how much flowed from crippled treatment plants.

After Boston Bombings, a Failure of Communications

Congress approved $7 billion to build a national public safety broadband network, but making it work will require buy-in from 60,000 public safety agencies. The Boston Marathon bombings gave fresh urgency to the issue.

Federal Cuts Could Harm Flood Forecasting

As climate change increases the likelihood of extreme droughts and floods, experts say shutting off the stream-flow gauges could have costly consequences.

Drone Limits Become Law

Police agencies in five states already have drones, and lawmakers want to make sure protections are in place before more agencies spend more money. Which cities already have drones?

Security Cameras Were Key to Finding Boston Bombers

Will the successful use of video analysis to identify the suspect accused of planting explosives near the finish line of the Boston Marathon spark a new push for more surveillance cameras in American cities?

Homeland Security Grants to States Gutted

Homeland Security grants to states have been cut 67 percent. Grants to Massachusetts, site of Monday’s bombings, have been cut even more.

Arizona’s Border Fence Still Faces Obstacles

After nearly two years of preparation and with more than a quarter million dollars of private donations in hand, Arizona officials still have not unveiled a plan to build a border fence. But a state lawmaker who is leading the effort said that will soon change.

Report: Insurers Ill-Prepared for Climate Risks

Just 23 out of 184 large companies doing business in the U.S. follow a comprehensive plan to address climate change risks, according to a survey conducted by insurance regulators in California, New York and Washington.

States with Heavy Military Presence Hurt Hardest

The White House published a 50-state list of potential impacts from the automatic budget cuts known as sequestration. States that rely heavily on military spending would be hurt worst.

States Seek Legal Limits on Domestic Drones

Lawmakers in nearly half the states are working to set legal limits on the use of drones, before they become a key part of domestic policing.

Obama Sends $50.5 billion Sandy Relief Package to States

Federal aid is finally headed to the Atlantic Coast states, three months after Hurricane Sandy ravaged their shores.

Alabama’s Dam Oversight Void Stirs Safety Concerns, Confusion

Alabama is the only state that doesn’t regulate dams, leaving thousands of aging structures never inspected or regulated in any way. It likely includes dams built over a century ago, and hundreds the state doesn’t know exist.

Federal Government Gives States More Time on Real ID

Only 13 states issue driver’s licenses that comply with the federal Real ID law, but states that do not will have at least six months to bring their licenses up to those standards.

Northeast Governors Outraged About Sandy Aid Delay

Frustration boiled over on Wednesday, the day after the U.S. House, finishing up a compromise to avert the nation’s “fiscal cliff,” scrapped a vote on the $60.4 billion relief plan approved last month by the Senate.

At New Jersey Gas Pumps, Life Returns to Normal

Governor Chris Christie announced Monday the state would end gas rationing in 12 New Jersey counties, signaling major progress made in restoring power and fuel delivery to areas devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

New Jersey Officials: Displaced Sandy Victims May Vote By Email

New Jersey voters displaced by Hurricane Sandy may cast their ballots using fax or email, state officials announced Saturday, prompting concern among some computer security experts.

After Sandy, Some Homeowners Spared from Costly Hurricane Deductibles

Governor Tom Corbett added Pennsylvania to the growing list of states — including Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and New York — where governors and insurance regulators have told insurers to spare homeowners from the costly deductibles after the superstorm whirled across the East Coast, causing heavy wind and flood damage to property and leaving millions without power.

State Officials Brace for Impact as Sandy Nears East Coast

State emergency managers rallied every resource as a unique megastorm swirls closer to landfall, threatening to bring a potentially deadly combination of hurricane force winds and historic surge levels to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coast, along with heavy Appalachian snows.

States Defend Anti-Terrorism Centers After Harsh Senate Report

Law enforcement agencies and state officials defended regional information-sharing offices known as “fusion centers” as a key part of the nation’s homeland security network. A Senate report questioned the value of the fusion centers, which they found had “not produced useful intelligence.”

Jindal Stays Put as Isaac Swirls Toward Coast

This week was supposed to be Bobby Jindal’s time in the limelight — a chance at complete redemption for the Louisiana governor, whose star in the Republican Party is rising once again. But a hurricane named Isaac thought otherwise.

Iowa Governor Blasts Pentagon Air Guard Cuts

Just days before he and other governors are scheduled to meet with Pentagon brass, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad attacked the Defense Department Thursday (July 12) for failing to work with governors on plans to drastically cut the size of the Air National Guard.

Alabamans Get Sales Tax Holiday for Storm Supplies

State hopes discounted storm supplies will prompt residents to prepare for emergencies

Governors Vow Vigilance on Air National Guard Funding

Drastic cuts to the Air National Guard were frozen after intense lobbying by governors and guard leaders, but the defense budget still has to withstand a full House and Senate vote.

States, Feds Poised to Write New Chapter in Public Safety Communications

As a plan for a national emergency network takes shape, many questions remain unanswered.

Ohio Governor Declines Federal Disaster Aid

TODAY'S TAKE: While the governors of Indiana and Kentucky accepted federal disaster relief after devastating tornadoes, Ohio Governor John Kasich declined, saying his state could handle the recovery on its own.

Governors Protest Cuts to Air Guard

TODAY'S TAKE: Governors from both parties are expressing alarm over proposed Pentagon budget cuts to the Air National Guard, saying the state-based force is taking a "disproportionate" share of the nation's fiscal pain.

States May Lose Crucial Flood-Predicting Tools

Due to state, federal and local budget shortages, the U.S. Geological Survey may shut off hundreds of streamflow gauges across the country, increasing danger in flood-prone areas.

Infographic: Disaster Declarations Climb

The past few years have seen a surge in presidential disaster declarations.

A Record Year for Disasters—and Promises of Federal Help

States have received federal disaster assistance more times in the first nine months of 2011 than in any other year. But the surge in disasters comes at a time when states, localities and the federal government are struggling to find money to pay for relief.

Infographic: Since September 11, a Much Changed National Guard

Before 2001, the state-based units of the National Guard were often viewed as "weekend warriors" that governors called out to respond to natural disasters. But in the decade that followed, the Guard became an increasingly integrated part of the military in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Reports Find Mismanagement of Homeland Security Grants

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: In the lead-up to the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, reporters have found that states have spent anti-terrorism funds on questionable items, some of which they can't even find.

East Coast States Prepare for Hurricane Irene

TODAY'S TAKE: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Virginia declared states of emergency ahead of the storm, which is expected to make landfall on Saturday (August 27).

Missouri Governor Wins Plaudits for Disaster Response

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: Tornadoes and severe flooding have devastated Missouri this spring, spurring Governor Jay Nixon to take the lead in helping communities recover.

States Boost Security After bin Laden Raid

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: Homeland security officials warn of possible reprisals after the U.S. killing of terror leader Osama bin Laden … California Governor Jerry Brown grants parole to convicted killers … A major court overhaul moves ahead in Florida, and other public safety news.

Arizona Governor Authorizes New State Militia

TODAY'S TAKE: With the National Guard fighting overseas in large numbers, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on Thursday (April 28) authorized the creation of a state militia that could be called upon to fill any security void at home.

Feds Give States Another Two Years to Comply with Real ID

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: States now have until January 2013 to comply with Real ID … California opts not to issue transportation bonds again, to keep cash on hand… The New Mexico House reverses course on driver's licenses for unauthorized immigrants, and other transportation news.

Pennsylvania Ordeal Raises New Questions About States' Info-Gathering

TODAY'S TAKE: Relatively little is known about state governments' homeland security operations, but a scandal in Pennsylvania is focusing new attention on how much information is being collected -- and about whom.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson on the Issues

SANTA FE, N.M. - In a June 10 interview with Stateline, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson discussed how the immigration issue is playing in this year's race to succeed him. He described the benefit of sending the National Guard to secure the border and discussed his recent trip with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to tour the border area.

Mixed Reaction to Obama Border Plan

TODAY'S TAKE: President Obama's plan to send 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border is the second time in four years that a president has deployed the Guard to stem illegal immigration, and it's a sign of how quickly the issue has resurfaced as a point of national debate. But Obama's decision, announced Tuesday, has only partly quelled criticism from border-state officials.

For Arizona Cops, a High-Profile Dilemma

Arizona's new immigration law makes it a crime for illegal immigrants to be in the state - for any reason - but it also prohibits police from using racial profiling. The tension presents police with an almost insoluble dilemma, and many Latinos in law enforcement fear the law inevitably will lead to police treating all Latinos - whether or not they're in the country legally - in a discriminatory way.

Arizona Law Stokes Immigration Talk in D.C.

TODAY'S TAKE: An Arizona law, signed Friday (April 23) by Governor Jan Brewer, that gives local police broad new powers to arrest illegal immigrants drew a rebuke from President Obama and revived long-stalled efforts to overhaul the country's immigration laws.

Report Charts Homeland Security Failures

TODAY'S TAKE: Since Sept. 11, 2001, state and local governments have received some $30 billion in grants from the federal government to improve their homeland security capabilities. But that money hasn't necessarily bought security, according to a new report from the Center for Public Integrity and the Center for Investigative Reporting.

Snow Puts Strain on State and Local Budgets

TODAY'S TAKE: The heavy snowfall that has blanketed much of the mid-Atlantic region in recent days already has exhausted an entire winter's worth of state and local cleanup budgets in some places.

Summary of the Iowa Condition of the State Address

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) called on lawmakers Jan. 12 to eliminate certain tax breaks and adopt his "government efficiency" proposals that he said could provide enough savings to allow the state to restore recent cuts in education and other key programs and invest in more "green-collar" jobs.

36 States May Miss Real ID Deadline

TODAY'S TAKE: While Congress debates national health care legislation that could put new fiscal burdens on the states, the nation's governors are pushing Capitol Hill for a reprieve from another costly federal program that states have long criticized: Real ID.

National Guard Aids Afghan Farmers

National Guard troops from a half-dozen heartland states are taking their civilian farming know-how to Afghanistan in a little-noticed aspect of the Obama administration's efforts to stabilize the war-torn country.

Outbreak Focuses States' Flu Response

The swine flu outbreak of the last two weeks gave states' pandemic preparation plans their biggest test yet. Officials now anticipate tweaking their plans, particularly in dealing with when to close schools and how to control the spread of the disease by undocumented and migrant workers.

States Prep for Possible Swine Flu Pandemic

The state response to the emerging swine flu outbreak has been fast and well-coordinated because of extensive preparations, but health worker layoffs and budget cuts could present challenges if the outbreak worsens.

Q&A: Should Armed Guard Troops Be Sent to Mexico Border?

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) recently asked the federal government to send 1,000 armed National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent drug violence from spilling over into the United States. The Obama administration is weighing Perry's request. Stateline.org asked several experts whether they think armed citizen soldiers should be sent to the border.Inside, New Mexico Attorney General Gary King (D); Arizona state Rep. Ray Barnes (R); James Jay Carafano of the Heritage Foundation; El Paso, Texas, Mayor John Cook; and Randall Rhyne, president, Texas Narcotics Officers' Association talk about whether the National Guard should be sent to the border.

Mexico Violence Sparks State Action

(Updated 2 p.m. EDT, March 26, 2009)While Mexico's raging drug war looms as the Obama administration's next big foreign policy battleground, states on the front line are taking steps to combat the violence already spilling into their back yards.

Q&A: How Concerned Should Americans Be About Mexican Drug Violence?

As the Obama administration unveils a new plan to fight surging drug violence in Mexico, Stateline.org asked several experts for their thoughts on the scope of the problem.Inside, Arizona state Rep. Ray Barnes (R), New Mexico state Sen. Cisco McSorley (D) and James Jay Carafano of the Heritage Foundation talk about how concerned Americans should be.

National Guard Taps Star Power

Moviegoers may be surprised to see big names like Kid Rock, 3 Doors Down and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in recruitment ads for the Army National Guard.

Gustav spotlights rift between McCain, GOP govs

Hurricane Gustav's disruption of the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities this week could draw attention to a subject that GOP presidential candidate John McCain probably would prefer not to bring up at his nomination: his outspoken opposition to a disaster-management proposal that most Southern governors - including those in his own party - have long pushed.

Govs Celebrate Past, Look to '09

While 70 current and former governors hobnob and reminisce in Philadelphia July 11-14 during the National Governors Association's 100th anniversary celebration, the sitting governors also plan to strategize on how to influence the next president on policies ranging from energy to health care.

FEMA Change Sends States Searching For Ice

States looking for free ice from FEMA in the aftermath of a hurricane will be out of luck because of the agency's new policy.

Violent Weather Taking Toll on States

A string of deadly tornadoes and damaging floods in 17 states this year has raised questions about public safety, the toll on infrastructure and how to pay for recovery.

McCain, GOP Governors Split Over Disaster Fund

A congressional proposal to create a national "catastrophe fund" to help states recover from natural disasters has put Republican presidential hopeful John McCain at odds with a handful of GOP governors - including two state chief executives frequently mentioned as possible vice-presidential picks for the U.S. senator from Arizona.

Guard Pushes Ahead on Transformation

Five years after being called into an unprecedented combat role on two fronts in the war against terrorism, the National Guard is doing a better job of balancing its responsibilities overseas with its traditional emergency-response duties at home, Guard officials say, though challenges remain.

Legislators Prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID

As some states tumble into what they fear is a recession, state lawmakers from across the country are pushing Congress for relief from impending federal rules that would force states to pick up more Medicaid costs and spend billions to make drivers' licenses more secure.

Real ID Showdown Averted

The clash between the states and the federal government over nationwide rules to make driver's licenses more secure has ended - for now. A truce, of sorts, between the 50 states and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has kicked the issue down the road for the next president and Congress to hash out almost two years from now.

Governors' Military Powers Debated

Should governors gain authority over all U.S. military forces in their states - not just National Guard troops - during terrorist attacks, hurricanes and other domestic disasters? A congressionally chartered commission last week recommended just that.

Govs may regain sole control over Guard

In a victory for the nation's governors, legislation headed to President Bush's desk would restore their exclusive power to call up National Guard troops during terrorist attacks, natural disasters and other domestic emergencies.

States test pandemic plans with free flu shots

As flu season nears, some states are offering free immunization programs that double as tests of their emergency response plans for a flu pandemic or bioterrorism attack. Arkansas last month conducted the largest vaccination drive in the country, delivering more than 100,000 shots across the state in a three-day emergency response drill.

New license rules slam some legal residents

In a push to keep driver's licenses out of the hands of illegal immigrants, states are starting to demand more identification -- with some unexpected consequences for legal residents ranging from refugees to married women to scofflaws.

Schools, Colleges Underreport Crime

Schools and colleges across the country do not report crime and violent incidents on campus consistently or accurately - in many cases because they are not required to, according to safety experts and a new report by 27 state attorneys general.

Congress Tackles States' Agenda

As the domestic agenda takes center stage in Congress, states are sending lawmakers a simple message: more money and less federal interference.

Home Insurance Woes Mount in Coastal States

As private home insurers raise rates or pull out completely along the Gulf Coast and in other storm-prone areas of the country, states are scrambling to respond.

Anti-Terror Funds to States Are Shrinking

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, rebutting complaints from the nation's governors, warned states on Wednesday (July 18) that federal grants to help them combat terrorism "are not meant to be annuities or entitlements" and could continue to decline in coming years.

States Urge Hurricane Awareness

The governors of Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia have declared official awareness periods to highlight the beginning of what forecasters say could be a dangerous hurricane season.

Real ID Dropouts Leave Security Holes

Defying Uncle Sam, four states have passed laws refusing to comply with federal rules to make driver's licenses more secure, casting further doubt on the future of the 2005 Real ID Act.

National Guard Sacrifices Hit Home

All but one state — Delaware — has lost National Guard troops in the U.S. war on terror. Pennsylvania has suffered the highest number of losses — 31 of a total 480 Guard deaths since Sept. 11, 2001, while North Dakota’s 13 deaths are the highest per capita in the country. In an unprecedented show of support fo

Kan. Tornado Unleashes Guard Supply Furor

The Kansas tornado that leveled the small town of Greensburg, Kan., is stirring up a tempest of its own over whether the Iraq war has drained National Guard troops of their ability to assist states in natural disasters.

States' Rebellion at Real ID Echoes in Congress

Two states leading a revolt against the Real ID Act have picked up new firepower in the U.S. Senate in their fight to roll back an unprecedented federal overhaul of state driver's licenses.

$1 Billion on Horizon for Crisis Communications

The nation's switchover to digital television in 2009 soon will yield benefits to states still scurrying to enable firefighters, police and other local and federal emergency officials to communicate during a crisis.

Two Govs Seek Inquiry Into Women in Military

Two of the country's most powerful Democratic female governors - and commanders-in-chief of their states' National Guard units - have called on the Pentagon to investigate the extent of sexual abuse of women in combat by fellow soldiers.

Two States Lead Revolt Against Real ID

Updated 3:50 p.m. EDT, WednesdayMontana and Washington state defied the U.S. government this week, enacting the first state laws to reject the 2005 federal Real ID Act and ratcheting up pressure on Congress to amend or repeal national standards for driver's licenses.

Mo. Treasurer Crusades to Deny Funds to Terrorists

Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman may be far from the front lines in the war on terrorism but she's on the cutting edge of efforts to fight it with the power of the U.S. dollar.

COMMENTARY: Despite Regulations, Real ID Still Cause for Concern

When Congress enacted the Real ID Act in 2005 to create national standards for strengthening the security of drivers licenses, it asked Homeland Security to come up with rules to implement the law. For nearly two years, Homeland Security dragged its feet and refused to issue the regulations. With only 14 months to implement a law that requires the reissuance of more than 245 million drivers licenses, state legislators are only now learning what it is they'll be implementing.

Report Validates Govs' Worries Over Guard

A new report to Congress bolsters governors' complaints that they've wrongly been left out of decisions about sending state-based National Guard units to war despite effects on emergency preparedness at home.

Real ID Deadline Delayed

States can get an extra 19 months to begin beefing up security of their driver's licenses, blunting a major complaint with the federal Real ID Act but still leaving states facing an estimated $14.6 billion in costs with little help from Washington, D.C.

Health Care, REAL ID Top Govs' Priorities

The nation's governors staked out children's health care and the National Guard as top concerns for a Democratic-controlled Congress that is preoccupied with the war in Iraq, a daunting federal deficit and the problem of uninsured Americans. In their first gathering since Democrats took control of Congress last November, governors made it clear that they want to play a major role on issues that the White House and Capitol Hill will tackle in the coming year, including a popular children's health program.

Govs, Bush Vow Closer Health-Care Efforts

The Bush administration pledged to help states in danger of running out of money for a popular children's health program and agreed to work with a newly created task force of governors on ideas for overall health-care reform. Iraq, education, energy and immigration also were among the issues that President Bush and his Cabinet discussed Monday (Feb. 26) with the nation's governors.

Govs Press for Action on Child Health Care

Governors are expected to urge President Bush today to work with Congress to quickly provide $765 million to prevent at least 14 states from running out of money for a popular children's health program. Health care, Iraq, and the federal No Child Left Behind education law are expected to be top issues when governors meet this morning with the president and several Cabinet members as part of the National Governors Association's winter meeting.

Health Care to Top Govs' Meeting in D.C.

Health care is expected to dominate discussions when the nation's governors converge in Washington, D.C., this weekend for the National Governors Association winter meeting. Also high on the governors' agendas: use of the National Guard in Iraq, the federal No Child Left Behind education law and a sweeping new mandate to revamp drivers' licenses.

Iraq War Draws Nays in State Capitols

Discontent with President Bush's call for bolstering U.S. troops in Iraq not only is flaring in Congress but also is beginning to surge in state capitols. The U.S. House is expected to vote Friday (Feb. 16) on a nonbinding resolution against Bush's plans for a troop surge in Iraq. But the first legislative bodies to lash out at the war were the Democratic-controlled Vermont Legislature and California Senate.

WORTH NOTING: A New Sin Tax, Iraq Snafus rankle Govs

This week's noteworthy developments in state capitols include an X-rated tax plan, a study of cell phone's role in traffic accidents, more miscues in Iraq and perils for unfaithful spouses in Michigan.

Governors Lose in Power Struggle Over National Guard

A little-noticed change in federal law packs an important change in who is in charge the next time a state is devastated by a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina. To the dismay of the nation's governors, the White House now will be empowered to go over a governor's head and call up National Guard troops to aid a state in time of natural disasters or other public emergencies.

Coast Guard Broaches State Boat Licenses

Citing potential terror threats, the commander of the U.S. Coast Guard wants state governments to issue permits to America's 77 million recreational boaters.

Too Little Time, Too Much Cost for Real ID

States cannot possibly meet a May 2008 federal deadline making driver's licenses more secure -- steps that could cost more than $11 billion over five years, according to a survey of state motor vehicle administrators released Sept. 21.

Feds Ignore State Anti-Terror Intelligence

Five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks called into question the nation's intelligence system, state homeland security officials say the federal government still is failing to collect and analyze terror-threat information gathered by state and local authorities.

Katrina, Rita Create Unexpected Boom

Despite dire forecasts that Gulf Coast governors would have to slash state budgets in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita one year ago, a new report finds that booming "hurricane economies" have fueled state revenue surpluses across the region.

Govs' Anger With Feds Boils Over

CHARLESTON, S.C. - As they approach crucial November elections, governors from both parties blame the Republican-led Congress and White House for a widening chasm between the federal government and the states.

Legislators Help Pets in Disasters

With hurricane season under way and images of Katrina lingering, Louisiana could become the fifth state since spring to enact a law addressing the plight of pets in emergencies. The issue is among a host of animal-related legislation to cross governors' desks in recent weeks.

Governors Want Say on Guard Changes

Governors insisted at a Capitol Hill hearing Thursday (June 15) that no major changes should be made to the nation's National Guard without first consulting the troops' local commanders-in-chief -- the governors.

Border Plan Reignites an Old Debate

President Bush's plan to send 6,000 National Guard troops to the Southern border has rekindled debate in states about the role of the Guard, particularly on whether the new assignment will strain a force drained by extensive deployments. But some governors called the plan a bold step in the right direction.

Guard Under-Equipped For Hurricanes

Overseas fighting has sapped the National Guard of key equipment as hurricane season approaches. More guardsmen are home, but the tools to respond to a hurricane -- such as Humvees -- are in short supply, according to Guard officials. To compensate, states find relying on each other no longer is optional; it's essential.

New Mexico law sparks push for Guard benefits

Click to enlarge. After attending the funeral of a fallen soldier, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson vowed his state would do more for its National Guard troops. His efforts to pay the life insurance premiums of guardsmen have inspired similar bills in 35 other state capitals.

Governors Demand Information on Guard Changes

The nation's governors, skeptical of a move to reshape the National Guard, have asked the Pentagon to furnish a state-by-state account of the plan's impact and are insisting on a chance to sign off on any changes in the Guard's structure. Concerns about illegal immigration and health also took center stage at the National Governors Association's winter meeting, which concluded Tuesday (Feb. 28).

Governors Wary of Plans for National Guard

Govs. Dirk Kempthorne (R) of Idaho and Tom Vilsack (D) of Iowa, at the podium, field questions about governors' closed-door session with President Bush. By Kathleen Hunter and Mark K. Matthews, Stateline.org Staff Writers Fears that the Pentagon's plans to reshape the National Guard could harm emergency preparedness on the home front topped the list of concerns governors voiced to President Bush Monday. Governors said they also petitioned Bush for help in stemming illegal border crossings and in fixing the federal government's troubled new prescription drug program for seniors.