Stateline Stories

Some States Speed Up Death Penalty

The slow pace of the death penalty prompted states to fix it or quit it this year.

States Scramble to Attract Suddenly Hot Cybersecurity Firms

Good news from data leaks? Cybersecurity firms are hot in states.

How Did States Create Jobs?

States this year awarded tax breaks to businesses, touted worker-training programs and even poached jobs from each other to boost their economies and create work for the nearly 12 million Americans still unemployed.

States Prepare to Launch New Health Law

Debates over Medicaid expansion got most of the attention, but states enacted dozens of other laws that will affect how millions of Americans receive health care next year.

Q&A: Will Consumers Find Bargains on Health Insurance Exchanges?

Some states are beginning to roll out their plans for health insurance exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

State Tax Collections Up

State tax collections up; but how much is just income-shifting?

Drones, Fences and Sensors Influence Immigration Debate

Border security is a big part of the immigration overhaul. But who will define it?

Attorneys General Prepare to Defend Controversial Laws

State attorneys general are about to head to court to defend controversial state laws. Are they required to defend laws that might not survive legal scrutiny?

Safety Net Hospitals Won’t Be Docked in States That Don’t Expand Medicaid

Hospitals in non-expansion states feared they would be hit with bigger federal funding cuts than those in expansion states. HHS says that won’t happen – at least for the first two years.

States Unleash the Hounds! Sniffing Out Invasive Mussels

Minnesota officials hope man’s best friend will help the state quash its zebra mussel invasion.

Forest Service Tries to Claw Back Funds from States

The U.S. Forest Service thinks it has found a way to meet its sequester target – by asking states to return money to Washington.

Registry Finds More Exonerations in 2012

Since 1989, at least 1,089 people convicted of crimes have been officially cleared based on new evidence of their innocence, according to the National Registry of Exonerations annual report released Wednesday.

Sequester Cuts at Justice Department Threaten Local Drug Investigations

The partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C. threatens to curb drug investigations in rural communities.

Legislatures Consider Limits on Prisoner Deportations Through Secure Communities

As Congress considers major revisions to federal immigration laws, legislators in a few states are trying to curb the federal government’s power to deport immigrants who land in jail.

Higher Ed Cuts Mean Major Tuition Hikes

Tuition at public colleges in Arizona and California has spiked more than 70 percent over the past five years, the result of massive cuts to state higher education funding in those states and most others.

States in Recovery: Housing

The housing crisis that threw states into economic free fall is helping them climb back out.

Which State Will Be Next to Allow Fracking?

Hydraulic fracturing continues as a hot-button issue across statehouses, as lawmakers consider how much scrutiny to apply to oil and gas drillers looking to tap shale deposits stretching beneath 31 states. New York, Illinois, California and North Carolina are home to some high-profile debates.

Advocates for Climate Action Urge Insurers to Join Up

Some are pushing the insurance industry to not only to crank up the volume on its longstanding calls for hardier building and safer land use in disaster-prone areas, but also to push for cuts to the carbon emissions.

Governors Balance Pardons With Politics

Governors are more reluctant to use their pardon power in the face of heightened political scrutiny. But some still issue regular pardons.

Christie Vetoes Minimum Wage Hike, Offers Compromise

Governor Chris Christie has conditionally vetoed legislation that would have boosted New Jersey’s minimum wage. Instead, he proposed a compromise that New Jersey lawmakers appear unlikely to accept.

Issue To Watch: School Testing

A number of states are pushing to up the stakes on reading tests for younger students and assign letter grades to schools.

California State of the State Address 2013

SACRAMENTO, California -- Jan. 24 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) 2013 State of the State Address:

California Lawmaker Proposes New Controls on Bullet Sales

In an effort to curb gun violence, a California lawmaker has proposed legislation that would tighten oversight of bullet sales.

As Federal Immigration Overhaul Looms, California Schools Slash Adult English Classes

Requiring immigrants to learn English would likely be a key component of any federal immigration overhaul. But widespread cuts to English programs in California show that even that requirement may not be easy to roll out.

Report: Death Penalty Becoming “Irrelevant”

This year marked more decline in the usage of the death penalty, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

New York, California Seek Ways to Help Fiscally Fragile Cities

Top officials in two of the nation’s largest states have decided they need to do more to avert disaster in communities that are having budget trouble.

Best of #StateReads: California Leads U.S. Pay Giveaway

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

States Begin Giving Driver’s Licenses to Young Immigrants

The federal government thrust states back into dealing with the contentious issue of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants, after years when the practice had become rare and the issue dropped off most legislative agendas.

In the West, GOP Governors, Skeptical of Cap-and-Trade, Will Watch California

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.-- Stateline asked several Republican governors about the role of climate change in energy policy in the West, asking them to weigh in on California’s new experiment with large-scale carbon trading.

California’s High-Speed Rail Gains Momentum, But Doubts Remain

A project to whisk train passengers from L.A. to San Francisco in under three hours project keeps moving forward, despite critics who call it a pipe dream. But completion could be two decades away.

Courts Embrace Technology, Advocacy To Stay Afloat

Investing in technology has helped state courts to better weather the recession, according to a group of state chief justices, court administrators and legislators who met in Washington, D.C. on Thursday (November 15).

States Challenge ‘Secret’ Campaign Money

With the rise in undisclosed political spending by non-profit groups, officials in several states are trying to figure where the money is coming from.

Best of #StateReads: Why Colorado Children Die of Abuse and Neglect

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Super-Sized Majorities Shift Legislative Power

After he was reelected by a comfortable margin on Tuesday, Democrat Jay Nixon will serve four more years as governor of Missouri. Whether he’ll really be leading the state, however, is open to debate. Even as Nixon was winning, Missouri Republicans triumphed in enough legislative races to secure a veto-proof two-th

Unions Make Strong Showing at the Polls

Labor won big contests in Indiana, California and New Hampshire, while results were mixed in Michigan.

Best of #StateReads: Michigan Term Limits Encourage Politicians To Go Professional

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Best of #StateReads: Abuse Suits Against Scouts Hinge on State Laws

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Could a Recount of Prisoners Affect Elections?

Four states now count prisoners at their last known home address rather than where they’re incarcerated. Could this affect election outcomes?

Undocumented Immigrants to Get Driver’s Licenses in California

California may become the first U.S. state to grant driver’s licenses to some undocumented immigrants. On a mixed day for pro-immigrant advocates, Governor Jerry Brown late Sunday (September 30) signed into law legislation directing the state Department of Motor Vehicles to grant licenses to illegal immigrants w

States Still Resisting National Sex Offender Law

A 2006 federal law calls on states to create a national sex offender registry. But most have not complied, and some have stopped trying.

California Reconsiders “Three Strikes”

Voters in California will decide whether to revise the state’s “three strikes” law, largely considered to be the nation’s harshest on repeat offenders. Polling is strong for revision, but many police officers, victims’ advocates and district attorneys oppose the change.

California Overhauls Workers' Compensation

A new law in California is expected to reduce costs to employers while increasing payouts to some workers injured on the job.

Redevelopment in California: The Program That Disappeared

One of the oldest urban redevelopment programs in the country went out of existence this year. Cities in California have yet to recover from the blow.

Mussel Invasion Moves West

For more than two decades, mussel pests have threatened the water supply in the Great Lakes. Now they have crossed the Rocky Mountains.

California Scales Back Pension Benefits

A law signed by California Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday will scale back retirement benefits for public employees in an effort to rein in the costs of the state’s woefully underfunded pension systems.

School Budgets Are on the Ballot in California

Two ballot initiatives would raise taxes in California over the next several years to increase funding for schools.

Cost Concerns Lead California’s Death Penalty Repeal Debate

Opponents of California’s death penalty hope that highlighting the system’s $4 billion price tag will sway a majority of voters to repeal the death penalty this November.

Best of #StateReads: On Further Review, Georgia Dropout Rate Doubles

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

A Fight Over Food Labels in California

A ballot measure to require labeling of genetically modified foods has brought big money and prominent players to the table.

Best of #StateReads: Ex-Parks Official Had Criminal Past

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

With ‘Facts’ Website, California Looks to Thwart Opposition to Climate Change

California Governor Jerry Brown has unveiled a new website seeking to quiet climate change skeptics. The move comes as conservative legislators in some states are pushing back against efforts to address the impacts of a climate shift.

No Child Left Behind: Not Dead Yet

Most states have received waivers from the federal No Child Left Behind law, but some have found flexibility harder to come by.

Best of #StateReads: Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman's Political Career Ended with a 'Mighty Fall'

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Best of #StateReads: California Mental Health Money Spent Elsewhere

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

In Massachusetts, No Signature for ‘3-Strikes’

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick says he won’t sign into law a “3-strikes” bill for criminal sentencing unless judges are granted more flexibility.

Best of #StateReads: California Parks Director Resigns After Budget Revelations

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Infographic: S&P State Credit Ratings, 2001–2012

Private, independent credit rating agencies evaluate states’ financial health. States with the lowest grades typically have trouble keeping their spending in line with their tax revenues.

Best of #StateReads: Florida Closes TB Hospital as Outbreak Spreads

This week’s extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

California Drops Most For-Profit Colleges From Scholarship Pool

Facing a $15.7 billion budget hole, lawmakers cut the budget for college scholarships by knocking out schools with low graduation rates and high default rates.

Teach for America Alums Take Aim at State Office

Some alumni from the teaching program are making runs for state office. Many are facing opposition from teachers’ unions.

Dueling Tax Measures Added to California Ballot

As California struggles to dig itself out of a $16 billion hole, three initiatives up for a vote in November are asking taxpayers to bear more of the cost. But competition between the measures could challenge all of them.

Other Elections Besides Walker Recall

Voters will also decide ballot measures, five state legislative primaries and a gubernatorial primary in Montana.

Schedules Get a Makeover in Schools Across the Country

Tourism and budget cuts have dictated, and in some cases shortened, the school year in some states, but a growing movement thinks students need more time in school.

Critiquing Statehouse Reporters, 140 Characters at a Time

The ability to Tweet about the day’s news is changing the relationship between Statehouse reporters and the politicians they cover.

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.

Hawaii First State Where Plastic Bags Banned

Hawaii has become the first state where plastic bans at the checkout aisle are banned statewide, following the passage of laws in each of its four counties.

Former GOP Govs Show Rift in Party

Ideological rigidity is forcing Republicans to become independents, the former GOP governor of California says, while the former GOP governor of New Mexico wins the nomination to run for president under the Libertarian label.

Courthouse Costs Engender Controversy

Many courthouses around the country are in dreadful physical shape. But spending the money to replace them can be a politically dicey proposition.

California May Tap Cap-and-Trade to Fund High-Speed Rail

Cap-and-trade revenue could help California finance ambitious rail plans.

A Bill of Rights for State Workers?

California lawmakers are debating whether to enshrine a list of protections for state workers in state law. Some believe state employee unions already have more than enough power.

California Pension Move Could Cost Both State and Localities

The largest public pension fund in the United States is likely to lower its projection of investment gains today. If it does, agencies will pay more to support the fund.

Best of #StateReads: California Legislators Flip-Flop When the Voting's Done

This week's extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Best of #StateReads: Illinois' Busy Fundraising Circuit

This week's extraordinary journalism about state government, tagged to #StateReads on Twitter.

Fate of Ballot Measures Often Depends on the Wording

When a proposal comes before the voters, somebody has to produce the ballot language describing it. Sometimes, the people who write that language have other priorities than simply making it clear.

Stockton Tests New Municipal Bankruptcy Law in California

TODAY'S TAKE: Stockton, California, could become the largest city ever to declare Chapter 9 bankruptcy. But California officials hope a new state law will prevent that.

Feds Approve Ban on Dumping Along California Coast

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: The establishment of the nation's largest 'no discharge zone' will prevent millions of gallons of sewage from entering California waters each year, the EPA says.

Facebook IPO Could Bring Windfall for California

TODAY'S TAKE: Legislative analysts say California could see as much as $1 billion in new revenue after Facebook, the Menlo Park-based social networking giant, goes public.

California County Jails Coping With Bigger Inmate Population

Governor Jerry Brown ordered that California prisons deal with overcapacity by sentencing new inmates to county facilities. The counties are complying, but they are under a great deal of stress.

California State of the State Address 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Jan. 18 - Following is Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) 2012 state of the state address: As required by the state constitution, I am reporting to you this morning on the condition of our state. Putting it as simply as I can, California is on the mend. Last year, we were look

Brown's Tax Plan Comes With Double Dose of Uncertainty

TAX & BUDGET BEAT: The big question Californians are asking is whether Governor Jerry Brown's plan to increase taxes will pass. But an equally important question is how much money it will bring in if it does.

California Prisons Shedding Inmates Fast

TODAY'S TAKE: The state prison system in California has been dropping 900 inmates a week as it seeks to comply with a Supreme Court order to reduce chronic overcrowding. Most of the decline is due to a policy shift requiring low-level offenders to serve their time in county jails instead of state facilities.

California OKs Third-Party Slot on Presidential Ballot

TODAY'S TAKE: California elections officials have granted Americans Elect, a privately funded group hoping to upend the nation's two-party political system, a place on the state's presidential ballot next year.

Reality Catches Up With California's Optimistic Budget

TODAY'S TAKE: The budget that California Governor Jerry Brown signed in June assumed that a strong economic recovery would drive state revenues upward. That hasn't happened, and the result may be automatic spending cuts this week.

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.

Food Banks Drawing Statewide Attention

SOCIAL POLICY BEAT: Emergency food banks are attracting increased interest from state officials this year, but what many of them would like is more money.

Tax Talk Grows Louder in California, New York

TODAY'S TAKE: The governors of California and New York are considering a push for significant tax changes as their states struggle with ongoing budget deficits.

San Francisco Voters Approve Pension Cutbacks

A coalition of business and labor groups won passage of a ballot measure reducing pension benefits for San Francisco's public employees. The question is how far it will go in solving the city's serious long-term pension finance problems.

L.A. County Jails Are a Costly Resource, Study Says

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: The county facilities are not only overcrowded but expensive to operate, according to a new report. The study suggests possible ways to reduce inmate counts and save public money.

Why Layoff Notices From States Are More Common Than Layoffs

MANAGEMENT BEAT: The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is in the process of issuing 26,000 layoff notices. But far fewer workers are likely to actually lose their jobs.

States Retool Food Stamp, Benefits Systems

A number of states used to make food stamp recipients pass a fingerprint test. Now all but one has stopped, to save on staff time and ease the burden on the clients.

Hazardous Chemical Crackdown Gains Momentum in States

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: In the absence of up-to-date federal legislation, states are writing their own rules about which chemicals are safe when contained in common products.

Study: California Is Best at Retaining Skilled Workers

ECONOMY & BUSINESS BEAT: Despite its well-known fiscal and economic problems, California is best at preventing "brain drain," according to a new report.

Biggest States Face New Budget Gaps

TAX & BUDGET BEAT: Recent reports have delivered gloomy fiscal news for the nation's five most populous states, making clear that budget problems in California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois aren't over yet.

A Backlash Against Rising State Fees

Want to renew your driver’s license, go to a state park, or sue someone in civil court? Chances are you’ll pay higher fees for those and other government services than you would have just a few years ago. Raising fees

In California, a State and Local War Over Revenue and Responsibilities

PART THREE OF THREE: At a desperate fiscal moment, California's state legislators and city officials are barely on speaking terms. Governor Jerry Brown lacks the power to bring the feuding factions into line.

Infographic: How California Redevelopment Agencies Work

Under California law, when cities and counties declare an area blighted, a redevelopment agency takes responsibility for urban renewal.

Governors Skip Border Conference

TODAY'S TAKE: For the second straight year, governors from three of the four states that neighbor Mexico are skipping an annual conference of border leaders intended to foster better relations.

Amazon Deal With California May Set Precedent for Online Tax Collection

After years of refusing to collect sales tax from online purchases, Amazon.com has agreed to do it in California. Retailers and state governments elsewhere are hoping for similar treatment.

Teachers Increasingly Look to Mountain States for Jobs

States that have fared better than most in the recession, such as Wyoming and Montana, have seen a spike in applications from teachers outside their borders.

Cash-Strapped State Parks Struggle to Stay Open

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: States are turning increasingly to private money to keep their parks going, but the dollars they take in fall far short of replacing the public funding they have lost.