Stateline Stories

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.

Legislative Scorecard: Three States Still Budget-Less

Lawmakers in New York, Massachusetts and Wisconsin have yet to hammer out budgets for the new fiscal year, which has already begun in all three states. New York's budget is four months late, but that's become the norm in Albany. In Massachusetts, Democrats control both houses of the legislature and they still can't reach an agreement. In Wisconsin, lawmakers have left town on summer vacation and no one knows when they'll return. For more information, click on

Legislative Scorecard: West Virginia Set For Special Session

West Virginia legislators return to Charleston Tuesday for a special session that will consider measures to help the state's drought-stricken farmers. California lawmakers resume deliberations Monday after a brief summer recess.

E-Commerce Advisory Panel Threads Political Minefield

The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce walked a tightrope between policy and process this week as members of the panel wrapped up a two-day meeting without moving significantly closer to a recommendation to Congress on Internet taxation. Its deliberations demonstrated anew that cyberspace is the newest hottest tax policy battleground.

States Dent Welfare Surplus in First Half of 1999

After warnings from Congress to 'use it or lose it,' many states have finally begun to tap into the massive welfare surpluses that have accumulated due to the unprecedented drop in caseloads. According to their latest reports to the Department of Health and Human Services, more than half the states are on track to spend more this year than last. Still, caseloads continue to fall and the welfare money keeps coming, so many states, even though they are spending more, are also continuing to stockpile hundreds of millions of dollars.

New York Sales Tax Holidays Prove Popular Idea

With New York planning to make its temporary clothing sales tax holidays permanent on March 1, other states are considering copying the limited-time tax breaks popularized by New York, Texas and Florida. Lawmakers in Michigan and South Carolina are studying proposals to give tax holidays to consumers, while the Wisconsin legislature rejected Governor Tommy Thompsons plan to give holiday shoppers a break.

New York State of the State Address 2000

ALBANY, New York - Jan. 5 - Following is the partial text of New York Gov. George Pataki's 2000 State of the State Address: Chief Judge Kaye, honorable members of the Court of Appeals, Lieutenant Governor Mary Donohue, Attorney General Spitzer, Comptroller McCall, Majority Leader Bruno, Speaker Silver, Leader F

Newborn Hearing Tests A Growing State Trend

New York is the latest of a growing number of states requiring hospitals to screen newborn babies for hearing impairment. Gov. George Pataki signed the bill into law December 22 in a move that coincided with the launch of a national campaign urging all states to have such tests. Research indicates that when a baby is tested in the first six months of life and found to be hearing impaired, there is time to eliminate deafness with modern technology and get the child on a normal learning schedule.

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.

State Attorneys General Discuss Microsoft Case

Alternately cocky and cautious, three of the 19 state attorneys general who joined the U.S. Department of Justice in successfully filing antitrust claims against Microsoft Corp. discussed a federal judge's ruling in the case Monday. The attorneys general of California, New York and Iowa downplayed reports that friction between the states and Justice led a federal mediator to scrap settlement talks last week. They refrained from discussing what penalties Microsoft should face.

States On Guard For West Nile Virus

This week, New York City renews its war on the West Nile virus -- the mosquito-borne disease that killed 7 New Yorkers and sickened 55 others without warning last summer. As the city gears up to ward off another outbreak, states on the Eastern Seaboard and in the southeast are putting plans into place to guard against the virus as well.

California First In Revenue, Spending In 1998

The nation's most populous state, California, collected more revenue than any other state and also outspent the other 49 states in 1998, the latest year for which data is available, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau. New York claimed second place with $96.1 billion in revenue and $87.3 billion in spending. Texas was third, with revenue of $57.8 billion and expenditures of $51.1 billion in 1998.

States Benefit From Threat To Close Medicaid Loophole

Several states will continue to reap hundreds of millions in extra funds from a federal account despite attempts by members of Congress to stop the flow of money. Since 1991, a number of states used an accounting stratagem to elicit more money from Medicaid than they otherwise would get. Before Congress adjourns, it is poised to modify Medicaid's rules. The changes will shrink the loophole, but will not close it entirely.

RX Costs To Top State Agendas In 2001, Experts Say

Access to prescription drugs will be the number one issue before state legislatures in 2001, according to participants at the fourth annual National Health Policy Conference. The conference, which took place in Charlotte, N.C. last weekend, brought together nearly 400 lawmakers, lobbyists, legislative staffers and health policy officials from more than 40 states to discuss the prescription drug cost crisis and other health issues such as maintaining rural hospitals, dealing with nursing shortages and developing policies governing the use of genetic technology.

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.

New York State of the State Address 2001

ALBANY, New York - Jan. 3 - Following is the text of Gov. George Pataki's 2001 State of the State Address: It's an honor to once again report on the state of the State. And it is a pleasure for me to be able to report that our State is strong, and our future bright with possibilities. I feel great confidence wh

Facilities, Job Conditions Blamed For Medical Errors

Two new studies say understaffed health care facilities and poor working conditions for health care professionals are to blame for "medical errors" that annually kill more people in the United States than traffic fatalities, breast cancer and AIDS.

Tracking Election Reform: Movement In Congress

Congress efforts to pass federal election reform have received new life after House and Senate leaders agreed on the framework for legislation. But the newfound momentum could be tempered. Leaders in the voting equipment industry said Congress has already taken so much time that all of the companies working together to produce high-tech machines would be unlikely to meet demand before the next presidential election.

Nursing Profession Isn't Diverse Enough, Study Finds

As troubling as the nursing shortage is for the country, experts say the profession also has another problem -- it isn't diverse enough. According to researchers at the University of California's Center for the Health Professions, nursing seriously lags in reflecting racial differences of the patients being served..

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.

Saving History: States Push For Preservation Funds

Congress celebrated the U.S. bicentennial in 1976 by establishing the Historic Preservation Fund, a $150 million a year treasure chest for state-administered efforts to save the countrys architectural treasures. But as with most dedicated funding sources for noble-minded cultural and environmental efforts, the money actually set aside has never met the programs grand designs. That could change this year if Congress passes the 15-year, $45 billion Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), now beginning its second run up Capitol Hill.

Western Cities Most Efficient With Land, Sprawl Report Says

Metropolitan population trends documented by the 2000 Census confirmed what land use analysts have known for a long time: most of the nations cities are eating up land for new development much faster than theyre gaining new residents.

Health Care Data Website Unveiled

Did you know Arizona, New Mexico and Texas have the largest percentages of people without health insurance or that Connecticut, New Hampshire and New York spend the most Medicaid money per person of all the states? If you didn't know those bits of trivia, the Kaiser Family Foundation can help you track that information and more. Check out the group's new website known as State Health Facts Online.

Southern States Poorest, Census Says

Making ends meet is harder in Louisiana, West Virginia and Mississippi, states with the highest poverty rates in the country. State poverty rates range from 6.1 percent in New Hampshire to 20.3 percent in Louisiana, according to new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau based on a survey of 700,000 households. States with large minority populations tended to have above-average poverty rates including New York (13.5 percent), California (14 percent), and Texas (15.3 percent), according to an analysis of the survey data by the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute.

North Carolina Panel Seeks Better Schools

Gov. Michael Easley has created a blue ribbon commission to take a look at North Carolina's education system and recommend improvements. This is the first time in 20 years that the system has been examined from top to bottom. Next January, the 30-member panel of business leaders, elected officials, school board members, educators and parents will unveil its findings.

Battleground States React to Terrorist Strikes

New York, Virginia and Maryland remained in a state of emergency Wednesday after terrorists, in what looms as the deadliest attack in U.S. history, rammed hijacked passenger jets into Manhattan's World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In all three states, hundreds of National Guard units were mobilized or on standby to help with security , search and rescue efforts and the treatment of casualties.

Election Campaigns Enter 'Uncharted Waters'

Patriotism, not politics, has been on the minds of many since terrorist attacks last Tuesday. Now a week past, however, elections and campaigns are resuming, entering what both election officials and candidates have called "uncharted waters."

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 Health Officials Trade Ideas on Preparedness

Days before a hijacked plane slammed into the Pentagon, Virginia emergency medical personnel completed massage training. This turned out to be invaluable in caring for rescue workers with aching muscles from heavy lifting, and has emerged as a lesson learned from the terrorist attacks, Virginia Health Commissioner Anne Peterson said.

Education Summit Attracts Govs, Business Leaders

Michigan Governor John Engler and IBMs Louis V. Gerstner opened the National Education Summit 2001 Tuesday against the backdrop of last months terrorist attacks on New York City. Engler and Gerstner cited the destruction of the World Trade Towers as an urgent new incentive to improve education.

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.

Electricity Deregulation Deadline Nears In Some States

Undeterred by the California power crisis, four states will complete their own electricity deregulation efforts in 2002 as they seek to give customers a greater choice of providers and new industry players a better shot at making money.

Census Releases Data on Homeless

Census-takers counted more people sleeping in homeless shelters in California and New York last year than in any other state. Nationally, 170,706 people were in emergency and homeless shelters on March 27, 2000, according to a controversial Census Bureau report released last month. (10/30).

Lawmakers Press Solicitor General on Maine Rx Case

An eight-state coalition wants the U.S. Solicitor General to support Maine in a controversial prescription drug case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. The group, known as the Northeast Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices, wants the federal government's chief lawyer to weigh in heavily on behalf of states trying to curb prescription costs.

New York State of the State Address 2002

ALBANY, New York - Jan. - Following is the partial text of Gov. George Pataki's 2002 State of the State Address: Chief Judge Kaye, honorable members of the Court of Appeals, Lieutenant Governor Donohue, Attorney General Spitzer, Comptroller McCall, Majority Leader Bruno, Speaker Silver, Leader Faso, Leader Connor,

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.

Cigarette Taxes, Public Health Show Little Correlation

Twenty-one states are mulling cigarette tax increases to help ease the pain of massive budget shortages. New York and Connecticut governors have already okayed such taxes, with increases of 39 and 61 cents per pack respectively. Proponents of higher tobacco taxes say upping the rates will improve the health of citizens. But health experts say the tax must be coupled with prevention programs that help people quit smoking and make sure young people don't start.

Govs' Travel Makes People Talk

Want to dodge congested airline ticket counters and long security lines? Fly on government aircraft or corporate jets? You might -- if you get yourself elected governor.

Pending Farm Bill Rekindles Regional Divisions

It seems like it's North versus South all over again. Lawmakers in some Midwestern and Southern states fear that an amendment to the 2002 farm bill now wending its way through the U.S. Congress will cripple farmers in their states dependent on federal crop subsidies. But smaller farm states, which tend to be in the North and Northeast, say this farm bill is more equitable than previous ones.

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.

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.

State Governments Grow Despite Recession

Despite the worst revenue shortfalls in a decade, most state governments continued to grow this year, and many are approving even larger budgets for next year. The tendency is all up in most states, says fiscal analyst Nick Jenny of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a university-affiliated think tank in Albany, NY.

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.

April Cruellest Month For State Budgets

April is the cruellest month, T.S. Eliot lamented in his epic 1922 poem, The Waste Land. State lawmakers might be inclined to agree after tallying up April income tax collections.

Labor Helps Patakis Re-election Battle

Youd think New York Gov. George Pataki was a Democrat the way hes been bagging labor endorsements this year. Not since Nelson Rockefeller nearly four decades ago has a Republican enjoyed so much labor support in a New York governors race.

New Jersey First In School Spending

When it comes to per pupil school spending, New Jersey is at the head of the class. The Garden State spent $10,283 per student in 2000, outdoing second-ranked New York by $244, according to a new Census Bureau report on public education.

New Jersey E-ZPass System A Financial Debacle

New Jerseys electronic toll collection system may save motorists time, money and fuel, but lawmakers and transportation authorities are learning that the E-ZPass system will not pay for itself.

New York Weighs Easing Drug Laws

With Republican Gov. George Pataki leading the charge, the New York legislature appears poised to ease the states anti-drug laws, which are among the toughest in the nation. Among those backing the move is a former state legislator who helped pass the laws in the first place.

Terror Insurance: A New, Risky Business

Book lovers understand that the J. Willard Marriott Library and its three million-volume collection at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City are, in a sense, priceless.

New York Welfare Numbers Surprise Experts

New York was hit hard economically as well as emotionally by the devastating 9/11 attacks, which came just as the state was feeling the effects of the national recession. Thousands of people lost their jobs and businesses shut their doors. Yet state officials say the number of people leaving the welfare rolls, which have shrunk by more than one million people over the last seven years, continues to drop.

Nursery Program Aids Jailed Moms in Four States

A small but growing number of states are using a new tool to keep women prison inmates from committing more crimes motherhood. In Ohio, Nebraska, New York and Washington, some women who give birth behind bars are allowed to keep their babies instead of giving up the child to a foster agency or a relative, as other states require. The programs appear to be helping women clean up their lives, although officials havent conducted major recidivism studies yet.

Mystery Web Site Tracks New Jersey Politics

Politicsnj.com, a New Jersey Web site that dishes up political news, regularly scoops the mainstream media and now is being replicated outside the Garden State. But politicsnj.com is a story in itself because nobody seems to know whos behind it.

Manners Still Matter In Statehouses

Legislative customs vary from state to state, but when it comes to decorum on the statehouse floor, blazers are in, and cell phones are out.

Gubernatorial Candidates, Louisiana - North Dakota

Find a comprehensive list of gubernatorial candidates in Louisiana through North Dakota

States Go After Wall Street

States are following New York's lead and pursuing Wall Street firms whose analysts have publicly touted stocks that they dont really consider good buys in the hopes of helping their companies win more investment-banking business.

Governors Races Break The Bank

This year's gubernatorial races were the costliest in history and defied conventional wisdom that mid-term elections are less expensive than elections in years the White House is at stake. Spending tallies wont be final for several more weeks but the 2002 campaign shattered many records for money spent and candidate self-financing.

Same-Sex Couples Seek Marriage Rights

The battle over legal benefits for same-sex relationships will be fought in at least seven state legislatures next spring with supporters and foes of recognizing gay relationships planning to introduce opposing legislation.

New York State of the State Address 2003

ALBANY, New York - Jan. 8 - Following is the full text of New York Gov. George Pataki's State of the State Address: Chief Judge Kaye, honorable members of the Court of Appeals, Lieutenant Governor Donohue, Attorney General Spitzer, Comptroller Hevesi, Majority Leader Bruno, Speaker Silver, Leader Nesbitt, Leader Pa

States Balance He's and She's

Though women have had the vote for nearly a century, many state constitutions use only male nouns and pronouns to refer to state offices and functions. There's a move afoot to change that, and it's focused on Michigan and New Hampshire.

Wall Street Settlement Yields Millions for States

California, New York and Texas will get the biggest chunk of an estimated $487 million that states will share as part of a settlement that aims to end conflict of interest in Wall Street investment firms. The amount each state gets is based on state population and an estimate of the number of investors possibly hurt, Juanita Scarlett of the New York Attorney Generals office said.

New York Seeks Better Online System

University of Albany computer experts are trying to figure out a better way for state and local New York governments to work with each other online. The aim is to let government workers replace the array of computers and programs currently on their desks with one gateway system that would shuttle information back and forth electronically, Meghan Cook, the project manager at the University at Albany's Center for Technology in Government said.

Northeastern States Seek Terrorist-Intelligence Sharing

Homeland security officials in 10 northeastern states want to establish intelligence-sharing centers that would better disseminate terrorist-related information between federal law enforcement and local police officers. Mark Cohen, who heads the New York State Office of Public Security, said the ability to share intelligence in real time is the most critical component for homeland security in the states.

State Lawmakers Form Great Lakes Caucus

Forty lawmakers representing eight states have launched the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus to create uniform laws in their respective states to curb water pollution, regulate water diversion projects and control non-native organisms that threaten the Great Lakes ecosystem.

New York State of the State Address 2004

ALBANY, New York - JAn. 7 - Following is the text of Gov. George Pataki's 2004 state of the state address: Chief Judge Kaye, honorable members of the Court of Appeals, Lieutenant Governor Donohue, Attorney General Spitzer, Comptroller Hevesi, Majority Leader Bruno, Speaker Silver, Leader Nesbitt, Leader Paterson, r

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.

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.

New York State of the State Address 2005

ALBANY, New York - Jan. 5 - Following is the text of Gov. George Pataki's 2005 state of the state address: Chief Judge Kaye, honorable members of the Court of Appeals, Lieutenant Governor Donohue, Attorney General Spitzer, Comptroller Hevesi, Majority Leader Bruno, Speaker Silver, Leader Nesbitt, Leader Paterson, r

New York Court Upholds Same-Sex Marriage

A New York state judge ruled Friday that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry but suspended her decision for 30 days to allow city officials to appeal. The ruling embroils New York in the contentious gay marriage debate set off in 2003 by a Massachusetts high court ruling legalizing same-sex weddings in the Bay State. Also see Stateline.org's 50-state rundown on same-sex marriage laws.

States Challenge New Mercury Rules

Several Northeastern states are mounting legal and legislative challenges to new federal rules on mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, charging that relaxed standards ignore serious health hazards and undermine their own environmental efforts.

States Start Building Hydrogen Highway

Three states are racing to make hydrogen the clean-car fuel of the future and to attract the high-tech companies developing that emerging auto technology. Building on federal efforts and funding, California, Florida and New York are pledging state money and partnering with major automakers to test electric automobiles powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

State Lawmakers Bag Online Hunting

Lawmakers in 11 states jumped on the bandwagon to outlaw online hunting this year, and California may soon do the same. Why all the fuss? It's over a single website that briefly offered Internet users a chance this spring to shoot live animals on a Texas ranch and that netted a single customer.

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.

New York State of the State Address 2006

Following is the text of Gov. George E. Pataki's (R) 2006 state of the state address: Chief Judge Kaye, honorable members of the Court of Appeals, Lieutenant Governor Donohue, Attorney General Spitzer, Comptroller Hevesi, Majority Leader Bruno, Speaker Silver, Leader Tedisco, Leader Paterson, distinguished members

Rising revenues spur tax cuts, spending

From Massachusetts to Hawaii, signs abound that the immense pressure placed on state budgets by the fiscal crisis early this decade has eased, opening the door for a wave of fresh tax cuts and new spending.

New Law Pushes Long-Term Care Coverage

Thanks to a new federal law, states will be able to reward senior citizens who buy long-term care insurance by letting them hang on to assets while Medicaid pays for their nursing home care.

New York Wants a Better No-Fault Divorce Law

New York lawmakers are considering reforms to state divorce laws that would make it easier for wedded couples to split up -- a move all other states made in the 1970s. But the Empire State may go from laggard to leader in divorce reform, legal experts say, because its lawmakers are considering first-of-a-kind proposals that would set guidelines for alimony and ensure that both spouses are represented by legal counsel in a no-fault divorce. Meanwhile, other states are pushing policies designed to reduce climbing divorce rates.

Marches spark state migrant debates

While aimed at federal legislation, recent pro-immigration marches could influence state elections and provide a tipping point for nearly 400 immigration measures pending in statehouses across the country. In Arizona, Colorado and New York, state lawmakers used the demonstrations to rally their own bills and campaigns.

Incumbent AG, Comptroller Lose in Primaries

Wisconsin's attorney general, Peg Lautenschlager, and Maryland's comptroller and former governor, William Donald Schaefer, were two big-name incumbents who were defeated Tuesday (Sept. 12) as nine states held primaries to decide candidates for the Nov. 7 election.

New York State of the State Address 2007

ALBANY, N.Y., Jan. 3 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Eliot Spitzer's (D) 2007 state of the state address: To the members of the Legislature of the state of New York: To my colleagues and partners in government - Lieutenant Governor Paterson, Attorney General Cuomo, Speaker Silver, Majority Leader Bruno, Le

Govs set innovative agendas

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) wants to recruit 1000 volunteers to work on community projects across the Bay State. His proposal is among a long list of new initiatives unveiled by governors in announcing their agendas for 2007.

NYC Ban on Trans Fats Spreads to States

HARTFORD, Conn. -- State lawmakers nationwide want to trim the fat, and they aren't talking about budgets this time. Following the lead of New York City, 12 states have proposed bans on the use of trans fats in restaurants or schools.

Some Rookie Governors Fumble

From Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) indulging in $12,000 drapes for his office to Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) enraging labor supporters with his first veto, some of this year's freshmen governors have gotten off to a wobbly start.

More Govs Boost Stem Cell Research

As Congress and the Bush administration remain deadlocked over funding for stem cell research, Democratic governors in New York, Massachusetts and Iowa have joined other state leaders in supporting the controversial science.

What will lawmakers think of next?

The Florida Legislature tackles toilet paper. Wisconsin lawmakers give beer lovers reason to cheer. And New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's political steamroller runs into a roadblock. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Govs Start to Back 2008 Candidates

Eleven governors have made endorsements in the 2008 presidential race so far, and the leading beneficiaries of early skirmishing for support from state leaders are Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton and Republican hopeful John McCain.

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.

New York Senate's Top Democrat Eyes Realignment

New York Sen. Malcolm A. Smith (D)New York Senate Minority Leader Malcolm A. Smith (D) is accustomed to drama. Actor Denzel Washington was his roommate when both were students at New York's Fordham University. These days, Smith has a front-row seat at a political drama between Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

Live from New York, uh, Jersey!

New Jersey lawmakers fume that their state does the work but New York gets the glory. A bubblegum-rock song inspired by a North Carolina bureaucrat gives new meaning to the term "elevator music." And preschoolers make fun of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D). In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Power Cos. Get Incentive to Save Kilowatts

Environmentalists have long touted conservation as the cheapest way to cut energy pollution, but power companies usually have little or no incentive to sell less electricity. This year, Idaho, Maryland and New York approved plans that allow utilities to preserve their expected profits while selling less electricity.

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.

Illinois gov a fan of Hannah Montana

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he's seen every episode of "Hannah Montana." Idaho is the best place for vegetarians who happen to also be criminals. And Texas Gov. Rick Perry supports Huckabee, uh, Giuliani for president. In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

New Year ushers in new laws

At least 31 states will enforce new laws that take effect New Year's Day. So as you ring in the New Year, expect some facet of life to change, ranging from where you can smoke in Illinois to how much it costs to enter a strip club in Texas.

New York State of the State Address 2008

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Jan. 9 -- The following is the prepared text of Gov. Eliot Spitzer's (D) 2008 state of the state address: Click here to access the governor's web site to view the address. To the Members of the Legislature of the State of New York : To my partners in government: Lieutenant Governor Paterson

Bond Crisis Already Crimping States

Michigan just suspended a state loan program for 8,500 students, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is facing a four-fold jump in interest rates on one of its loans. Both are signs of a new bond-market crisis that is threatening to hurt other cities and states if left unchecked.

Spitzer, 22nd Disgraced Gov to Leave Office

See Stateline.org's complete roundup of related news storiesNew York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D), who earned a national reputation fighting white-collar crime, on Wednesday (March 12) became the 22nd governor in U.S. history to leave office early under a cloud of scandal.

WORTH NOTING: Lt. Governors May Pass on New York

Can New York host a lieutenant governors' shindig without a lieutenant governor? Some New England residents want to air their laundry - the clean kind. And a New Jersey man sues for a bribe that went bust. In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Who Will Be the Next David Paterson?

The dramatic downfall of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer that catapulted David Paterson to the governor's mansion shined a spotlight on the succession of the state's second-in-command - the lieutenant governor - a position that eight states don't even have. This year's statewide elections provide a snapshot of the quirky arrangements that determine who is next in line after the governor.

WORTH NOTING: What not to joke about

An April Fool's Day gag falls flat in Arizona. Pennsylvania's governor is polled about ... Pennsylvania's governor. And several states compete for subway cars to be dumped in the ocean. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Turf Wars Rage Over Fake Grass

State legislators are used to political turf wars. Now, debates in a handful of states really are about turf, pitting those who back the artificial variety against supporters of natural grass for playgrounds and athletic fields.

States Wager on Racetrack Slots

States are betting that adding slots to racetracks will help get them through a faltering economy and dwindling cash reserves