Stateline Headlines

Connecticut Tops in Teacher Pay, Educators' Union Says

Teachers in Connecticut continue to earn more than their peers in other states, a survey by the American Federation of Teachers, a union that represents more than one million educators, shows. The average Connecticut teacher's salary during the 1997-1998 school year - the latest time period for which there are figures - was $51, 727. South Dakota had the lowest average teacher salary -- $27, 839. The national average teacher's salary was $39,347, the AFT said.

Reader E-Mail

As you might expect, our online interview with President Clinton brought comment from our readers. Our e-mailbag this week also includes barbs about the focus of our coverage.

Black Student Voucher Performance, Bias Experiences Studied

Black students using school vouchers in Dayton, Ohio, and the District of Columbia are getting higher scores on math and reading tests after only six months in private school, according to a Harvard University study. Meanwhile, another study finds that African-American students tend to be disciplined at a higher rate than whites and Asian, and are not given equal opportunities to pursue advanced placement courses.

Four States Share Bonus For Curbing Out-of-Wedlock Births

Four states and the District of Columbia have bucked the national trend and are reporting dips in their rates of births to unmarried mothers, the Department of Health and Human Services reported Friday. While the percentage of out-of-wedlock births in the nation as a whole climbed slightly over the two years from 1997 to 1998, it fell in Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan and the District of Columbia.

State Officials Uneasy With Bush's Welfare Changes

Alabama, Michigan and the District of Columbia split $75 million in extra federal welfare funds last year for achieving the largest decreases in out-of-wedlock births and abortion rates between 1996 and 1999. But the program that brought this windfall may soon disappear because President George W. Bush's welfare reform reauthorization plan does away with bonuses to states that do the best job of reducing illegitimacy and medically terminated pregnancies.

Disabled Lawmakers Overcome Barriers

At a recent GOP convention near Elbow Lake, Minn., candidates were allowed to speak until the conventions sergeant stood up to signal five minutes were up. Minnesota Rep. Torrey Westrom, who is blind, says, I went on, and looked over toward him, and said, Im going to keep talking until I see you standing up.

States Fret About Child Care Needs

Only 12 percent of families eligible for child care get the help they need. But President Bushs welfare reform reauthorization plan doesnt have any new money for child care, which concerns advocates for the poor and some state lawmakers.

State AGs Fight Teen Smoking—Onscreen

More than 30 attorneys general are mounting a campaign to add anti-smoking ads to the beginning of films in which actors light up onscreen. The bid to fight teen smoking was prompted by a study that showed a marked increase in smoking among children who watch movie characters puffing away.

Govs Win Greater Flag Powers

(Updated 1:40 p.m. EDT, July 2)Governors now enjoy new authority to order the Stars and Stripes lowered on federal buildings - including the White House - under a law just approved by President George W. Bush.

Worth Noting: 'Taxasaurus' Sighted in Colorado

A gecko-like creature with a governor's head is spotted near Denver. A kidney transplant violates ethics laws in Alaska. And D.C.'s mayor gets snubbed again by those with statehood status. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

WORTH NOTING: Fat Folks Uninvited

A Mississippi legislator wants restaurants to stop serving obese customers. Rooster owners in Riverside, Calif., must muffle cock-a-doodle-doing during daytime hours. And Florida lawmakers want to tax strip-club goers and give the money to poor nursing home residents. In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

States Lead Push for Paid Sick Days

In the midst of this year's flu epidemic, nearly half of all U.S. workers who fall ill or have sick kids must decide whether to stay home and lose wages or go to work sick and expose others, a choice many say no one should have to make. Lawmakers in 12 states and the District of Columbia are considering bills that would make paid sick days a minimum labor standard.

States Warned to Prep for Election Glitches

Eight years after voting irregularities marred the 2000 presidential election, most states still are not as prepared as they should be for Election Day glitches, from machine breakdowns to a shortage of emergency ballots, according to a new report by voter advocacy groups.

Obama's Rise Gives Hope to '51st State'

Barack Obama's inauguration Tuesday (Jan. 20) as the nation's 44th president has raised the hopes of Americans across the country, but perhaps nowhere more so than in the nation's capital.

Budget Cuts Drive DMV Changes

Drivers going to the department of motor vehicles will likely face longer lines and higher service fees in several states as recession-ravaged budgets force the shutdown of branch offices, a reduced work force and the need to raise revenue.

Mass. Health Connector, Other Innovations Honored

As the Obama administration and Congress debate the details of a national health care plan, the state that paved the way for universal coverage was honored in Washington, D.C.

Report: State Deficits Loom Despite Stimulus

The federal government paid out all but $1 billion of the anticipated $49 billion in stimulus money for states and localities for fiscal 2009, a Congressional watchdog reported Sept. 23. But some states are still coming up short.

Report: 11 States Emerging From Recession

It's going to be a long, hard climb out of the current economic downturn for many recession-ridden states hit hard by the housing crash, unemployment and shrinking revenues. But as the national economy starts its slow recovery, 11 states and the District of Columbia are showing signs of emerging from the recession, according to a new report.

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.

The United Regions of America

President Obama would like to transform the traditional strategy of states battling each other for jobs and replace it with an approach that emphasizes U.S. regions competing against other countries in the global economy.

Connecticut, D.C. Leap at Medicaid Expansion

TODAY'S TAKE: Only Connecticut and the District of Columbia have jumped at the chance to expand Medicaid under the new federal health care law. Both jurisdictions have submitted early applications to the federal government to shift tens of thousands of residents from existing, locally paid health plans to Medicaid, the joint state-federal health insurance program for the poor. The move could save Connecticut and D.C. tens of millions of dollars.

D.C. is Best for Finding a Job, Analysis Finds

TODAY'S TAKE: The greater Washington, D.C., region has the strongest job market in the nation, according to Juju.com, a search engine that compares local unemployment rates with online job listings in each state. The worst job markets are in Kentucky, Idaho, Mississippi and Michigan, the site found.

D.C. Hacking Raises Questions About Future of Online Voting

Security remains an obstacle to voting over the Internet. But more states may be tempted to experiment in order to comply with a new law concerning the rights of military and overseas voters.

Private-School Vouchers Return to Education Agenda

In several states, newly elected Republican governors are reviving the idea of using taxpayer money to send students to private schools.

Residents Flee New Jersey in 2010, Moving Survey Finds

TODAY'S TAKE: An annual survey of national migration patterns finds that more people are moving out of New Jersey than any other state. It's the first time in five years that Michigan hasn't led the nation.

Another Federal Judge Upholds Health Law

HEALTH BEAT: A federal judge in Washington, D.C. upholds the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act … An Arizona legislative panel votes to end Medicaid … Four states get waivers to offer cut-rate insurance plans, and other health care news.

Casinos, Online Poker Get State Attention

Massachusetts is planning new resort-style gambling casinos, and Florida and New York may open their first commercial casinos as a way to generate more tax revenue. Meanwhile, states that already have casinos are looking at new ways to tap the gambling that takes place online illegally.

D.C. Outpaces States in Population Growth

TODAY'S TAKE: The nation's capital grew faster than any state between April of last year and July of this year, according to new figures from the Census Bureau.

State Commissioners Ask EPA for Stricter Vehicle and Fuel Standards

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Several state environmental commissioners say that new federal vehicle and fuel standards would be a boon to public health.

Immigration Law Debate Gets Preview in U.S. Senate

A Senate subcommittee heard testimony from author of Arizona’s controversial immigration law and from opponents of the law. If the Supreme Court upholds Arizona’s law, Senate Democrats threatened legislation to preempt more state immigration enforcement.

Infographic: Annual State Lottery Sales

New York led all states in lottery sales in fiscal year 2011. Massachusetts residents spent more per capita than residents of any other state.

Best of #StateReads: Special Interests, Politics Delay Changes After Sandusky Scandal

This week’s collection of #StateReads includes an examination at what derailed child advocacy improvements in Pennsylvania following the Jerry Sandusky scandal, an investigation into the 15 percent of homicides in Washington, D.C. that have gone unsolved and a look at a region in Utah that contains as much as 80 percent of the state’s homeless population.

D.C. Crime Lab: An Experiment in Forensic Science (Second of Two Parts)

Washington, D.C. has had its fair share of crime lab problems. Will a new agency get the District back on track?

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.