Stateline Stories

Florida Republicans Focus on Tax Cuts, Education

As Republicans take over Florida government for the first time since Reconstruction, the talk is all of tax cuts and education. Gov. Jeb Bush is giving those issues high priority in his first budget. The GOP now controls both houses of the legislature, the governor's office and the elected state cabinet - a first for any southern state. It is out to make a good impression, and ready to do something voters will remember.

The Other Governor Bush Makes Impressive Start

Name a governor of a large southern state who has raised mountains of campaign cash, reached out to Democrats and pushed all of his top priorities through the state legislature without breaking a sweat. If you said George W. Bush, you're wrong. While the Texas governor has captured the national spotlight as he prepares for a campaign for president and battles with state lawmakers, his little brother Jeb is off to a more impressive start in Florida. For a profile of the other Gov. Bush, click on

Four States Consider Income Tax; Four States Reject It

Facing education funding woes and a variety of budget shortfalls, lawmakers in New Hampshire and three other states that do not collect income taxes considered reversing course this year--and in each case defeated or abandoned those plans for fear of retribution from the voters. To read about this politically perilous policy issue, click on

Florida: A Reluctant Affirmative Action Battleground

Ward Connerly's drive to ban affirmative action in Florida has all the signs of a failed campaign -- no endorsements from big-name politicians, no fat bank account, no organized support other than construction contractors. Yet Connerly's Florida Civil Rights Initiative appears to be gaining momentum even as Gov. Jeb. Bush, state legislators and civil rights groups wish it would go away well before the 2000 election.

Gov Bush Briefs Congress on Florida Voucher Program

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the younger brother of Republican presidential contender George W. Bush, administers the nation's first statewide education voucher program. Bush was in Washington Thursday to brief Congress on how the politically controversial program works, and stateline.orgcovered his appearance.

Nation's Top Court To Hear Several States' Right Cases

Before recessing in June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued three decisions strongly reaffirming the concept of state sovereignty and curtailing Congress' power to create federal law binding on the states. Legal observers expect that trend to continue during the high court's 1999-2000 term, which begins today. At least five states' rights cases are already on the docket.

Florida's Virtual High School Breaks The Mold

Florida has a high school that breaks all the rules of what the term "high school" implies. There is no school building, there are no bells between classes, and the school population is not drawn from normal geographical boundaries. This unique new school is an online statewide virtual place of learning where class begins when the kids click on.

Journalism Conference Focuses On Statehouse Coverage

More than 100 journalists from 34 states and the District of Columbia are meeting in Denver this weekend to examine the state of state government reporting and share ideas for improvements. The conference opened with a disturbing content analysis that suggests newspaper coverage of state government leans heavily toward politics, ignoring important policy issues and the citizens most effected by them.

High Court Hears States Rights' Case Involving Motorists

A policy that infuriated citizens in South Carolina, Florida and Colorado this year -- the disclosure of driver's license information -- is getting a U.S. Supreme Court review. At issue is whether the federal government can use the Driver's Privacy Protection Act to keep states from using motor vehicle records as they please.

Globetrotting Governors Push Exports, Commerce

With most state legislatures having finished work for the year, many of the nation's governors are off to faraway places to enage in commercial diplomacy. Three of the highest profile travellers have been Illinois Gov. George Ryan, California Gov. Gray Davis and Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, but they've had lots of company visiting foreign shores. For more information, click on

Twenty-Seven States Win Awards For Welfare Successes

Twenty-seven states will share $200 million in performance bonuses from the federal government for successfully moving welfare recipients into work. President Clinton announced the awards Saturday. Minnesota showed the best performance, ranking in the top ten in three out of four categories.

E-Voting: States Better Get Ready, Experts Say

When it comes to Internet voting, Gov. George Pataki of New York and Gray Davis of California have a similar message: Proceed with caution. "We want to accelerate the pace of Internet voting," Davis said. But he stipulated that "we need to develop a secure, reliable system" before offering voters online ballots. Davis predicted that Californians would be voting via Internet within five to seven years, though some Internet executives expect it to happen a lot sooner.

Push For Ten Commandments To Return To Schools

The Ten Commandments are experiencing a renaissance in states debating bills that would display the Big 10 in schools alongside historical documents. Emphasizing history, not religion, is a strategy that Commandments backers hope will skirt court challenges.

Florida State of the State Address 2000

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - March 7 - Following is the full text of Gov. Jeb Bush's 2000 State of the State Address: President Jennings, Speaker Thrasher, distinguished members of the Supreme Court, my partner Lieutenant Governor Brogan, members of the Cabinet, Honorable Senators and Representatives, distinguished gues

Florida School Voucher Ruling Hits States

When Florida Judge Ralph L. Smith, Jr. struck down the first-ever statewide school voucher program last Tuesday, his ruling hit states considering similar programs like a bombshell. Teachers union officials and other voucher opponents see it as a stake driven through the heart of the movement.

UPDATE: More States Decriminalize Safe Baby Abandonment

In February, Stateline.org reported that seven states were considering abandoned baby laws; that number has now climbed to at least 23. Since mid-April alone, Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, and West Virginia have enacted abandoned baby or "safe haven" laws, often in response to tragic stories of infants left in dumpsters, alleyways, shallow graves, public restrooms or parking lots. For an in-depth report on this policy trend, click on

Florida Voucher Plan Stirs Continuing Controversy

No one ever said running the first-ever statewide voucher plan would be easy and Florida's has certainly experienced its share of problems. The battle over the controversial education program is being waged on financial and legal fronts. A Florida judge who ruled the voucher plan unconstitutional in April denied a bid by voucher foes to halt the program while his decision is appealed.

States Showcase Successes, Pitch New Vision

Confronted with a new set of environmental challenges, states are leading the public policy charge toward a cleaner, healthier America. But the current structures of cooperation linking environmental protection authorities are doing more harm than good to their efforts, a handful of top state officials and analysts testified to a Congressional committee.

Six States To Elect State Schools Chiefs

Election 2000 may be remembered as the education election. The issue has dominated the campaign for Presidency and many races for Congress too, but in six states, campaigns are being waged for an office that will have a lot more impact on schools -- superintendent of education.

Six States Pick Schools Chiefs

The results may not be in for the presidential contenders, whose campaigns focused on education issues, but voters in six states know the superintendents who will be running their schools. The races in Florida and North Carolina were extremely close, a reflection of what was happening in national, state and local contests across the country.

Voters Send Mixed Signals On Growth, Environment

Voters in 23 states considered ballot measures dealing with growth management and the environment on Nov. 7. Some of the most highly publicized proposals were rejected, but experts dismiss suggestions that the defeat of prominent "smart growth" measures in Arizona and Colorado means that interest in curbing sprawl has cooled.

States In South, West Big Winners In 2000 Census

The historic movement of Americans away from the northeastern states to the west and southwest continued over the last decade, the Census Bureau reported Thursday, and as of 2003, the make-up of the U.S. House of Representatives will be adjusted to reflect the population shift.

State Officials Meet on Election Reform

Hoping to head off congressional interference in elections, the nation's secretaries of state unveiled their own recommendations on election reform Monday (2/5), calling on Washington, D.C. to steer clear of state affairs and allow local officials to correct outdated and error-prone voting systems on their own. The only thing the secretaries want of the federal government is more financial help to do the job right so that states won't be forced to rely on the courts to resolve election standoffs.

States Tackle Privacy Loopholes Created By Congress

When Congress voted two years ago to tear down Depression-era barriers that had long kept banks, investment firms, insurance companies and other elements of the financial services industry from merging , Wisconsin State Representative Marlin Schneider had just one comment: "They're nuts," he said of the federal lawmakers. Since then, a growing number of state legislators have come to the same conclusion as they've tried to address privacy loopholes in the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999.

Florida Task Force Says Scrap Punch Card Ballots

A task force slogging through Florida's presidential election mess yesterday recommended scrapping punch card ballots in favor of more advanced and accurate ballots.

State Lawmakers Balk At Election Reform's Price Tag

Despite public cries for election reform, lawmakers in Florida and California have soured on the idea of making wholesale changes to antiquated voting systems for lack of funds, careful study, or both.

Tracking Election Reform: This Week's News

Despite last year's fiasco in Florida, several state legislatures this week defeated or pigeon-holed election reform measures, but others plunged into what could be a busy, contentious season of debates on overhauling how Americans vote. Maryland, Colorado and Utah were states where major proposals went nowhere, but there was action in Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and Iowa. To read the first of a series of weekly reports on this issue, click on

Tracking Election Reform: Florida Moves Forward

Election reform efforts suffered a partisan blow in Congress this week but received a top-level vote of confidence in Florida, the state regarded as ground zero for voter discontent in November 2000. Capitol Hill Republicans and Democrats broke off talks Tuesday (3/27) to create an election reform task force after the two sides could not agree on the make-up of a panel. In Florida meantime, Gov. Jeb Bush (R) expressed confidence that the legislature would adopt a "system that is the best in all 50 states."

Budget Resolution Ignores Election Reform

Neither President Bush's or Congress budget blueprint includes a dime for election reform initiatives. Senators nixed an 11th hour, Democrat-backed spending plan that would have allotted $500 million for national election reform efforts, moments before a deadline to vote on the fiscal 2002 budget resolution. The House resolution also omitted any reference to election reform. Though non-binding, budget resolutions serve as the basis for the work of Capitol Hill appropriators.

Officials Doubt Election Holiday Would Have Impact

As Maryland nears approval of a universal statewide voting system, top election officials in two western states are skeptical of proposals to make presidential election day a national holiday. Los Angeles County registrar Conny McCormack who oversees the largest election district in the country said last week that experiments with weekend voting indicate a national day off will probably not bring more Americans to the polls or get more qualified workers at the polls. Her views were echoed by Oregon Secretary of State William Bradbury.

Harris in Spotlight as Congress Debates Election Reform

Love her or loathe her, no one played a more prominent role in the nations 38-day post-presidential election morass than Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris.Harris stole the spotlight again yesterday (4/25), this time in a pronounced reversal of roles. Just as she took the lead in certifying President George W. Bush as the winner of Floridas electoral votes last year, Harris went to Capitol Hill to stand at the forefront in a very different campaign - election reform.

Florida Set To Adopt Election Reform Package

Florida lawmakers were poised to pass a sweeping election reform bill Friday (5/4) that they say will address nearly all of the voting ills revealed during last years presidential contest in the state. Senate and House negotiators combined a number of pieces of legislation into Senate Bill 1374. Related bills cruised to unanimous approval in committees and lop-sided victories in both houses. Fridays vote comes on the final day of the Sunshine States 60-day legislative session.

Florida Adopts Sweeping Voting Reforms

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.

State Sunshine Laws Under Attack

All over the country, state legislators are trying to limit public access not only to their own records and deliberations, but to other forms of public information as well. And nowhere is this trend more apparent than in Florida, which historically has been in the forefront of open records statutes, commonly known as sunshine laws.

Activists Call For Greater Federal Election Role

Civil and disability rights leaders want the federal government to take a more active role in elections, which would overturn a tradition of state and local control over voting. Testifying at a hearing of the National Commission on Federal Election Reform at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library on May 24, advocates of an expanded federal role in the electoral process evoked the name of LBJ and the landmark Voting Rights Act he shepherded.

Tracking Election Reform: Back in a Holding Pattern

Its summer in Washington, and the pace of life and legislation is slowing down. The Democratic Senate has placed election reform in a holding pattern perhaps until late this year - despite a new emphasis on the topic.

States Weigh Role on Export of Electricity

Mid-America is fast becoming ground zero for the biggest power plant construction boom since the 1970s. But much of the electricity generated by these new facilities will be exported to other parts of the country, leaving states without any real economic benefits from the plants' construction and with the financial burden of having to monitor their impact on local communities.

Eco-Terrorists Targeted By Get Tough State Laws

Boise Cascade Inc. recently dedicated its newest timber and wood products office in Monmouth, Ore. The imposing building is a steel-capped, cinderblock fortress. That's because the original log-cabin office was burned to the ground on Christmas Day, 1999, by a fringe environmentalist group called the Earth Liberation Front (ELF).

Tracking Election Reform: NAACP To Issue Report Cards

Civil rights leaders impatient with the pace and scope of election reform legislation in state capitals and in Washington have announced they will begin issuing "report cards" to hold officials accountable. NAACP Chairman Julian Bond announced the campaign Monday (7/9) at the organizations annual convention in New Orleans. "It will help you hold accountability sessions with your governor, legislators and other elected officials to find out what they have done to guarantee every vote is counted in the future," Bond said. "And in the fall, were going to issue a report card on their progress. Well see who gets As and who gets Fs."

Election Officials Report Mixed Success on Reform

Members of the National Association of State Election Directors, a reform-minded group long before last year's presidential election mess in Florida, met in Arkansas last weekend (July 14-15) to compare notes on the progress of election reform around the country -- and found there was little to cheer about.

Elections Aren't Broken, But Could Use Help, Study Says

Election administrators from around the country said Thursday (8/9) the nations system of voting is "not in crisis" as they presented findings of their own six-month task force look at election reform.

Cooling Economy Slows Growth Of State Tourist Income

It's official. The sagging U.S. economy has become a drag on tourism and business travel in most parts of the country. At least that's what the Federal Reserve Board says in its latest "Beige Book" report, which monitors the burps and sputters of the nation's economic engine. However, travel industry officials predict overall business and leisure travel this year will finish the summer slightly above last year's rate, one of the best in history.

Nine Million Kids Still Uninsured

Illinois resident Kendall Watters was eight years old when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. His family didn't have insurance, so his mother Nora did what any Mom would do. She desperately tried to find someone, anyone who could help her son. Thanks to a federal-state healthcare program that most parents don't even know about, Kendall finally got the care he needed. Today he's a healthy 11-year-old who loves to dance.

Election Reform Reports Reveal States Best, Worst

Two new reports alternately praise and chastise states for their election practices while offering vastly different proposals for how to best reform voting practices in this country.

Election Reform Drive Brings Little Change

Most Americans returning to the polls next year will vote in exactly the same way they did in the heavily-scrutinized 2000 presidential election. Punch card machines will not lie in scrapheaps, chads will still be hanging and swinging and 1950s-era lever machines will still be the voting machines of choice in thousands of precincts.

States Move To Deal With Attack Effects

Gov. James Gilmore of Virginia Wednesday lifted the one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits so workers hurt by the closing of Reagan-National Airport can get immediate financial help. Gilmore also announced establishment of the Virginia Post-Attack Economic Response Task Force to assess the adverse impact on the state's economy and develop a plan for dealing with it. A similar task force is contemplated by Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano, who scheduled a special meeting with local officials and business leaders Wednesday about the potential impact of revenue losses on businesses directly related to the state's travel and tourism industry.

State Revenue Report Finds Everything Slowing

State tax revenue growth last quarter was the weakest in eight years and the economic slowdown, which had been concentrated in the Midwest and the Southeast, has spread to nearly the entire country, according to a report published Wednesday by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. "The trend now is toward slowing growth. The fear is that this continues and we start seeing negative growth," says Nicholas Jenny, a fiscal analyst at Rockefeller and one of the report's authors.

Tourist States Suffering But Hopeful

Las Vegas and Reno were reduced to ghost towns the weekend after the attacks of September 11. Hotels that rarely see weekend vacancies were left wondering if they could even fill every other room. The next weekend, Las Vegas' hotel occupancy rate was up to 80 percent, not far from its usual 95 percent mark, and Reno could boast a 100 percent occupancy rate. This weekend? Well, no one knows what to expect. But Bruce Bommarito, the head of Nevada's Commission on Tourism, thinks the safe bet is on continued improvement.

States Go Slow on Wiretap Expansion

While the U.S. Congress is nearing a vote on a bill that would expand federal wiretapping in order to combat terrorism, most states are taking a go slow approach. Foes of increasing states surveillance powers say state prosecutors may never use new wiretapping laws because combatting terrorism is a federal responsibility.

Election Officials Move to Avoid 'Another Florida'

Election officials in two states and host of cities, towns and counties holding elections tomorrow (11/6) have put in place a number of voting reforms to avert "another Florida" as they prepare for the first major balloting since Republican George Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore in last year's disputed presidential race.

America Under Fire: Florida Gov. Jeb Bush

When they assumed office, none of the state governors could have anticipated the kinds of problems and challenges theyve faced since September 11. From time to time, Stateline.org is publishing their reflections on their role in Americas fight with terrorism. In this installment, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican, talks about how the attacks affected him as an elected official and family man, and his assessment of how Americans are coping.

States Share Latest On Rx Programs

Officials from Florida, Maine, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia will provide updates on their Medicaid and state employee prescription drug programs at a forum in Pittsburgh Friday (1/11).

Term Limits Hit Lawmakers In 11 States

Legislatures in 11 states face fallout from term limits in this year's elections with 330 lawmakers being forced to step down after 12 or fewer years in office. The Michigan state Senate, which will lose 27 of its 38 members, will be hardest hit. The Missouri Legislature will suffer heavily as well -- it bids farewell to 75 of its 163 House members and 12 of its 34 Senators

Florida State of the State Address 2002

TALLAHASSEE, Flordia - Jan. 22 - Following is the full text of Gov. Jeb Bush's 2002 State of the State Address.: Good morning. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Legislature, honored guests, and my fellow Floridians. Good morning to you all. In most years, we mark change by the passing of foreseeable events

Enron's Troubles Include State Probes

Hoping to spearhead the fight to recoup billions of dollars of retirement fund losses, representatives of five states are asking to lead a nationwide class-action lawsuit against bankrupt energy giant Enron Corp.

Enron Helped Push Electric Deregulation

Enron has been among the most active players in state politics in recent years, lavishing over $1 million on state lawmakers during the 2000 election cycle alone. Its goal in doling out these dollars? Deregulation of electricity markets, experts say.

Few States Regulate Outside Campaign Money

Out-of-state money is pouring into Florida to influence the outcome of the race for governor in the Sunshine State, which political experts regard as a a bellwether for the 2002 election and possibly the 2004 presidential race. It's a phenomenon that occurs in most states in election years.

No Stampede For New Terrorism Laws

In contrast with the federal rush to expand police powers to go after suspected terrorists, most state legislatures are moving slowly on post-9/11 homeland protection measures as they seek to balance national security concerns with the preservation of civil liberties.

States Continue Rx Onslaught

Vermont is poised to enact a landmark prescription drug law within the next few weeks, a move that adds fuel to state battles against rising prescription drug costs. Lawmakers borrowed parts of at least five different programsincluding Maine, Florida, Michigan, West Virginia and Illinois to come up with a plan that is sweeping and controversial.

Death Penalty Rulings Raise Issues For Lawmakers

The Colorado Legislature will convene in special session July 8 in order to bring state law into line with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down the authority of judges to impose sentencing in death penalty cases. At least four other states directly affected by the decision may have to hold special sessions as well.

Govs' Gaffes Sometimes Overshadow Policies

When Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican, recently told a group of high school girls its about time a woman became governor of the Sunshine State, he apparently forgot about Janet Reno, a leading contender for the Florida Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Its not the first time a governor has put a proverbial foot in his or her mouth. And it wont be the last.

Primary Schedule Now Nearly Complete

Courts have finally cleared the way for primary elections to take place in Florida, Kansas, North Carolina and New Hampshire, the last states where legislative redistricting disputes threatened to derail this falls nominating process for the general election. But its still unclear whether the New Hampshire primary scheduled for Sept. 10 will include a full slate of candidates.

'You've Got Mail' Risky Message For Candidates

Politicians are finding that sending e-mail is a way to reach people and save money on postage. But in several states, that has backfired. An Internet Service Provider pulled the plug on a California candidates Web site, an e-mail recipient list fell into an opponents hands in Florida, and voters complained about unsolicited messages from candidates in Hawaii and Texas.

Millions Potentially Affected By Medicaid Cuts

States are shrinking their healthcare programs for the poor to save money by eliminating services offered during the economically robust 1990s. So if youre an adult on Medicaid in Florida and you want dentures, you may soon be out of luck. Ditto if you get publicly financed home-based health care in Colorado and the state decides youre getting too many visits from caregivers. And if you live in Connecticut or Arkansas and you want a name-brand drug instead of a generic, the state may say "too bad."

Southern Governors to Coordinate Emergency Response

With the nation approaching the first anniversary of last Septembers terrorist attacks, governors from across the South have unveiled a plan to link their health and emergency agencies to better coordinate response and relief efforts.

South Lags in Industry Research

The New South looks uncomfortably like the Old South, as industry research in the region - a key component of economic and wage growth - lags behind the rest of the country, a new report shows.

States Mine for Gray Gold

At the state level, economic development is usually associated with business recruitment. But some states are hoping to boost their bottom lines by luring senior citizens with tax cuts and other incentives.

McBride Claims Victory in Florida Democratic Primary

Florida election officials have certified Bill McBride as the winner over Janet Reno in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. But Reno is refusing to concede amid continued reports of voting problems and uncounted ballots in Miami-Dade County precincts.

Primary Turnout May Prolong Downtrend

This election year may go down in the record books alongside 1998 when states posted an average voter turnout in the primaries of only 17 percent, the worst in U.S. history.

Education Initiatives Take New Approach

Vouchers are out. After-school programs are in. Education reform is a perennial at the ballot box, but the initiatives that voters will examine Nov. 5 go beyond the standard subjects.

Gubernatorial Candidates, Alabama-Kentucky

A comprehensive list of gubernatorial candidates in Alabama through Kentucky.

Don't Pin Me Down: Candidates Avoid Budget Specifics

It's a priorities issue. No new taxes. I won't touch education. These are nice campaign slogans, but they don't close budget gaps, despite what some candidates for governor would have you believe.

State Agencies Search for Foster Kids

Following the high-profile disappearance of a 5-year-old foster child in Florida who was discovered missing last spring after a social worker failed to check on her for 16 months, several states are under pressure to account for hundreds of missing foster kids that ran away or were abducted from state care.

'Choose Life' Car Tags Spark Debate

Legislators in seven states Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and South Carolina have authorized specialty license plates bearing the slogan "Choose Life," an action that has sparked controversy and several lawsuits. Though supporters say "Choose Life" is not a political message and is intended to promote adoption, the plates have been challenged by abortion rights groups whove gone to court to try to block them.

Provisional Balloting Works Well in Initial Tests

Under the new federal election reform law, voters who claim to be registered but whose names are not on the rolls must be allowed to cast a provisional ballot starting in 2004. A handful of states implemented the new rule in the Nov. 5 election, and generally found that the system worked well.

Alien Species: Another Costly State Headache

State agriculture and wildlife officials are the first line of defense against a bio-pollution problem that costs the country billions each year in environmental damage the invasion of foreign plants, insects, animals and diseases.

Delaware, Florida Move to Restrict Smoking

Delaware recently became the second state to ban smoking in the workplace, following Californias landmark legislation in 1994, and Florida is expected to follow suit soon. The passage of Delaware's ban surprised opponents, who thought the issue wouldnt resonate beyond the West Coast.

State-Tax Systems Need Fix, Report Finds

Like a Model T in the Daytona 500, many state tax systems are too dated and inefficient to enable state governments to run effectively in a 21st-century economy. That's the conclusion of "The Way We Tax: A 50-State Report" by Governing magazine, an ambitious study undertaken with the support of the Pew Center on the States (parent body that funds Stateline.org).

Florida State of the State Address 2003

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - - Following is the text of Gov. Jeb Bush's 2003 State of the State Address: President King, Speaker Byrd, Members of the Legislature, honored guests and my fellow Floridians, Good Morning. Let me begin by saluting the 14 new Senators and 30 new Representatives who join us today. This morn

Tourism States Brace for Potential Gulf War

The nations most tourism-dependent states could suffer a crippling decline in revenue if a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq scares would-be travelers away from the countrys most popular vacation and business destinations.

Virginia Out to Widen Use of Life-Saving Devices

Twenty year-old medical technology could save hundreds of thousands of Americans who die from cardiac arrest each year, but legal barriers have stymied its use. Now Virginia is taking the lead in trying to remove these barriers.

Land Preservation Programs Survive the Ax

Even though most states face major budget problems, voters and state government leaders have shown that preserving land from development is a top priority, no matter what the cost. All across the country, expensive land acquisition programs have survived the budget ax and continue to receive full funding.

Legislation Touches the Lives of Undocumented Students

Dario is an undocumented student, and a recent veto by Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. (R) threatens to derail his education plans.

Workers' Comp: A Brewing Crisis for States?

Double-digit hikes in what employers pay for workers compensation have state lawmakers scrambling to figure out ways to cut costs. The governors of Florida, Washington and West Virginia all called special sessions this year to look at the system that pays for medical care and provides cash benefits for workers injured on the job. Florida and West Virginia approved significant changes while Washingtons were more limited.

Southern Governors Oppose Federal Plan To Upgrade Grid

With an abundance of cheap, reliable electricity at their fingertips, governors from across the South are against federal plans to spread the costs of transmission grid upgrades among all the states. They say the proposal represents an assault on the South's economy, which depends on low cost energy to attract big manufacturers.

Cleric Legislators Balance Political, Religious Roles

More than two dozen state legislators double as spiritual leaders, and must walk a fine line in reconciling their dual roles with the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. Hawaiis Bud Stonebraker and Floridas Frank Peterman Jr. are cases in point.

Five States Freeze CHIP Enrollment

Several cash-strapped states are opting to freeze enrollment in their childrens health insurance program (CHIP). Theyve turned to this measure as a way to stretch funds rather than tighten eligibility or cut back services for those who are already enrolled.

Florida Joins College Board to Lift Minority Enrollment

Florida and the College Board have joined forces to bolster the ranks of minority students who go to college in the Sunshine State.

New Governors: Deficits Are 'Opportunities'

Even with the economy improving, many states are still struggling to recover from a fiscal hangover induced by two-plus years of program cuts, tax increases and layoffs. The governors-elect of Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana soon will lead such states and say they relish this challenge.

Florida's Big Fuss Over Small Classes

Florida voters narrowly approved a controversial constitutional amendment limiting how many children may be in public school classrooms. But the initiative has not worked out the way supporters had hoped, and the powerful political coalition that tried to prevent it from becoming law continues efforts to roll it back.

Florida State of the State Address 2004

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Mar. 3 - The following is text of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's (R) 2004 state of the state address: Thank you all. Thank you very much. Thank you Mr. President. It is a joy to be here. Thank you Speaker Byrd for arranging such a rousing prelude to what may not be a rousing speech. The st

Harassment of Muslims Up in Arizona, 9 Other States, Report Says

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based nonprofit organization, reported Monday that discrimination and violence against Muslims increased in 10 states in 2003. Arizona, California and New York saw the largest reported increases.

Southeastern States Struggle with Teacher-Quality Rules

Southeastern states are lowering the bar for teacher qualifications and using federal rules under the No Child Left Behind Act as a maximum standard rather than a minimum, according to a report released today . The Southeast Center for Teacher Quality concludes that some states are focusing only on what teachers know and not how well they convey that knowledge to students.

Florida Lawyer Seeking Gay Marriage Limelight

Ellis Rubin might seem an unlikely crusader for gay rights. In the 1970s, he was singer Anita Bryants lawyer in her widely publicized fight to overturn a Dade County, Fla., gay rights ordinance. Now, claiming a change of heart, Rubin is racing from courthouse to courthouse in Florida in a push to legalize marriage for same-sex couples.

Medical Malpractice Fights Go to Voters in Four States

Voters in four states will pick sides Nov. 2 in the contentious debate over costly malpractice insurance premiums for doctors, an issue rife in statehouses across the country this year. Physicians and health insurance groups in Florida, Nevada, Oregon and Wyoming are lobbying voters to approve tort reform ballot measures, in the face of fierce resistance from trial lawyer groups. The issue also is being raised in three governors races and other state contests.

Florida Guard Able to Cope with Record-Setting Storms

Florida's onslaught of hurricanes provided a major test of the ability of state-based National Guard troops to respond to a local disaster, at a time when Guard troops are deployed in record numbers overseas. Even with a fifth of Floridas Guard members stationed abroad, state officials said they had access to enough soldiers and equipment to provide disaster relief although they borrowed several hundred guardsmen from other states.

Provisional Ballots Source of Anxiety in Swing States

One of the central safeguards of a new federal law designed to tamp down controversies at the ballot box has spawned pre-election confusion and court fights reminiscent of the hanging-chad hullabaloo after the 2000 election.

Minimum Wage Set to Rise in Five States

Employers in five states Illinois, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington will dole out fatter paychecks to their lowest-paid workers in 2005. Florida will soon follow suit voters there approved a constitutional amendment that will hike its minimum wage to $6.15 per hour sometime next year.

Save Your Quarters: States Build More Toll Roads

States are taking the free out of freeway. Toll roads are booming because gas tax revenues are woefully inadequate to pay for constructing and improving highways. Pay-as-you-go roadways may not please motorists but are gaining favor with cash-strapped state officials.

More Students Passing College-Prep Tests

New York, Maryland, Utah, Florida and California have the largest percentages of high school students succeeding in college-level Advanced Placement classes, according to a first-ever state-by-state survey from the nonprofit College Board.