Stateline Stories

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?

Foreign Law Bans: Political Statement or Unconstitutional?

State lawmakers are focused on keeping U.S. courts away from the influence of foreign law. But does banning all foreign law go too far?

After Expanding Coverage, Health Care Pioneer Seeks to Tame Costs

The Affordable Care Act will extend health care coverage to almost everybody. Now states are moving on to the next frontier in health care reform: containing costs. Once again, Massachusetts is taking the lead by putting its health care industry on an annual budget and requiring all insurers and medical providers to make detailed price lists available to the public.

In Drought Ravaged Plains, Efforts to Save a Vital Aquifer

The Ogallala Aquifer, which feeds some of the world’s most productive croplands, is running dry.

Maryland Repeals Death Penalty, Sixth State in Six Years

Maryland became the sixth state in as many years to repeal the death penalty. But the fate of the state’s five remaining death row inmates is up to Governor Martin O'Malley.

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.

Hard Realities on the Environmental Disaster Front

After another year marked by expensive and deadly disasters, states all over the country are still picking up the pieces from what Mother Nature wrought in 2012. But they confront equally sobering expectations for 2013.

Issue To Watch: Immigration

Long-bottled-up bills that address state policies on whether to offer in-state tuition to undocumented students could become law this year, because of changes in party control of legislative chambers and changes in federal policy.

GOP Lawmakers Look to Abolish Income Taxes

Republican lawmakers in several states are taking aim at something no state has done in more than three decades: eliminate income taxes.

Kansas State of the State Address 2013

TOPEKA, Kansas -- Jan. 15 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Sam Brownback's 2013 State of the State Address:

Kansas Cuts to Education Unconstitutional, Court Rules

A three-judge panel on Friday said the state was shortchanging its students about $400 million each year — money it must find to comply with the constitutional mandate.

Brownback's Dilemma: How to Balance the Kansas Budget After Massive Tax Cuts

Kansas made a big gamble last year that huge income tax cuts would eventually bring prosperity. Right now, though, they’re causing painful decisions.

State School Funds On Trial, Again

Texas, Colorado, Kansas and others will see action on school finance lawsuits next year, but it could be years before they make a difference in the classroom.

Oklahoma Among States Limiting Property Taxes

Lowering property taxes is always popular, and results from the November 6 elections show this year was no exemption

As Layoffs Mount, Governors Seek Support on Wind Tax Credit

With election season politics behind them, several governors are reapplying pressure on Congress to extend a tax credit whose looming expiration is stirring angst within the wind industry.

U of Kansas Turns to Legacies to Boost Enrollment

As the University of Kansas contends with four straight years of declining enrollment, school leaders and the alumni association hope to attract more “legacy” students, whose parents or grandparents attended the school.

Dam Inspectors Fear the Deluge

Each year, more dams in the United States show signs of disrepair. Meanwhile, the money to fix them grows harder to find.

Kansas Attorney General Wants Return of “In Cold Blood” Evidence

Kansas Attorney General Derek Smith on Monday called for the return of the case file records, investigative reports and gruesome crime scene photographs related to the 1959 murders of Holcomb, Kansas farmer Herb Clutter, his wife and two children, the subject of Truman Capote’s classic book “In Cold Blood.”

Wind Subsidies Raise a Storm in Heartland States

Wind-energy has been a booming industry in many states the past few years. But the federal tax credits that have helped fuel that growth is likely to disappear in a few months.

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

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

Farmers, Frackers and Scarce Water

Hydraulic fracturing by energy drillers may not be the heaviest consumer of water on parched land. But environmentalists and some farmers are starting to worry about it.

Even in Hard Times, States Find It Difficult To Recruit Talent

As state government hiring picks back up, competing with the private sector for highly skilled workers is becoming a challenge for some agencies.

In Kansas Primary, Results Could Advance Governor’s Agenda

On a busy primary day in four states, conservatives in Kansas are looking to oust moderate Republicans, freeing up room for the governor to push his ambitious agenda.

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

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

Art for the Economy’s Sake

After years of budget cuts, state funding for the arts is making a comeback.

Kansas and Oklahoma Income Tax Cuts Won’t Reach Zero

Kansas may soon finish a large tax cut and Oklahoma is likely to approve a smaller one, but both will be short of some lawmakers’ initial aspirations: ending the income tax entirely.

Q&A With Outgoing Colorado Pension Chief: ‘The 401(k) Experiment Is a Failure’

After more than two decades heading public employee pension systems in Colorado and Kansas, Meredith Williams says Americans are woefully underprepared for retirement.

In Kansas, a Redistricting Battle Like No Other

While nearly every other state is done with the once-a-decade redrawing of its political districts, Kansas Republicans can’t seem to come to an agreement.

Labor Shortages Lead Businesses to Support Help for Undocumented Workers

Business groups, especially in agriculture, are pushing several state measures to aid immigrant laborers who are in the country illegally. But many of those efforts are treading on uncertain legal ground.

Busy Brownback Agenda Running Into Problems in Kansas

TODAY'S TAKE: Legislative leaders from both parties are expressing doubts about Republican Governor Sam Brownback's proposals to cap state spending, overhaul the tax code and revamp school financing.

In Kansas, Governor Sam Brownback Drives a Rightward Shift

TOPEKA, Kansas - Republican Sam Brownback is pushing what may be the boldest agenda of any governor this year. In the process, he is setting up a showdown with moderates in his own party.

Kansas State of the State Address 2012

TOPEKA, Kansas — Jan. 11 — Following is the prepared text of Gov. Sam Brownback's (R) 2012 state of the state address Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Legislators, Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court leaders of Kansas sovereign Native American Nations,

Governors Preview Their 2012 Priorities

TODAY'S TAKE: From a constitutional amendment to expand gambling in Kentucky to creation of a health insurance exchange in Idaho, some governors are not waiting until 2012 to declare their agendas.

Protests Mark Child Poverty Forums in Kansas

SOCIAL POLICY BEAT: Holding town hall meetings on ways to reduce childhood poverty might seem unlikely to offend anyone. But don't tell that to the folks in Kansas.

Medicaid Directors to Feds: Give States Flexibility

HEALTH BEAT: In a new report, the leaders of state Medicaid programs say federal rules discourage them from experimenting with ideas that could save money and improve care.

Only Kansas Defunded the Arts, National Group Finds

TODAY'S TAKE: States took a variety of steps to cut their budgets this year, but Kansas was the only one to eliminate all state support for the arts, according to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.

Report: Six States Changing the Way Health Care is Governed

HEALTH BEAT: Fiscally strapped states are using more managed care, cutting doctors' fees and limiting drugs and medical services to contain rising Medicaid costs. A few are taking a broader approach to health care spending.

Abortion Laws Blocked in Indiana, Kansas and South Dakota

SOCIAL POLICY BEAT: States enacted a record number of restrictions on abortion this year, but some of the most-closely watched new laws are on hold until the courts determine if they are legal.

Maryland Bridge Tolls Could Double

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: Maryland officials are considering higher bridge tolls for the first time since 1975 ... Michigan revisits its motorcycle helmet law … Connecticut's governor finds out that the public loves highway rest stops, and other transportation news.

Budget Cuts Hitting Poor in Unusual Ways

SOCIAL POLICY BEAT: As more legislatures finish their budgets, programs that help the poor in Kansas and Florida are among those getting scaled back or eliminated altogether.

New Governors Drive to Reorganize Agencies

An unusually high number of states are debating merging the functions and offices of state government. But consolidation is often easier to do on the organizational chart than it is in real life.

Planned Parenthood Fight Shifts to States

TODAY'S TAKE: Governor Mitch Daniels will decide within the next week whether Indiana will become the first state to cut off all government funding for Planned Parenthood. Kansas could approve a similar measure soon.

Road Funding a Big Issue in Contest for Governor of West Virginia

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: Highways emerge as a crucial topic in West Virginia's Democratic gubernatorial primary … Atlanta area officials have a long wish list of transit projects … Kansas and Texas move forward with plans for higher speed limits, and other transportation news.

Where Labor is Weak, State Workers Face Huge Cutbacks

As the nation debates collective bargaining in Wisconsin, public workers in Alabama, Texas and many other states are fighting over massive pay cuts, huge increases in health premiums and basic civil service protections.

Health Exchange Head Start Reaps Dollars

Every state must have a health insurance exchange in operation by 2014. A few have received rewards for running ahead of schedule.

State Officials Try to Redefine 'Adequate' Education

EDUCATION BEAT: Kansas and New Hampshire look for a new definition of "adequate" public education ... An Indiana Senate committee advances a bill limiting collective bargaining for teachers ... Nevada's governor proposes cuts to higher education and K-12 budgets, and other education news.

Kansas State of the State Address 2011

TOPEKA, Kansas - Jan. 12 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Sam Brownback's (R) 2011 state of the state address: "Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Minority Leaders Hensley and Davis, Mr. Chief Justice, legislators, justices, cabinet officers, elected officials, honored guests and my fellow Kansans: I understa

Secretaries of State Up the Political Ante

In most American states, the job of secretary of state has long been seen as a largely non-partisan post, invested for the most part with administrative and caretaker duties. A new crop of activists is working hard to change that.

Kansas' Brownback Hopes to Have a Charity Inaugural Ball

Kansas' incoming governor is stymied in efforts to hold a charity fund-raiser for his inaugural ball, California's new governor wants to scale back the state's Washington, D.C. office, and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

New Year Brings Slew of New State Laws

New laws for 2011 include further state bans on the practice of texting while driving.

Republican to Advise Democrat Kitzhaber on Oregon Health Policy

TRANSITION WATCH: Oregon's new governor picks a Republican for a key post, Florida's incoming governor faces delays filling his administration, and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

LePage Struggles to Fill Maine Cabinet Due to Salary Concerns

TRANSITION WATCH: Maine's governor-elect says top choices for key roles have turned him down, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell promises a fight with the feds over Medicaid funding, and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

New Budget Cuts Threaten School Funding Settlements

Education advocates have had success in court winning more money for K-12 expenditures. But now they could lose much of what they have gained.

GOP Right Flexes Muscles in State Legislative Maneuvering

The 2010 election did more than bring a big influx of Republicans to the nation's legislatures. It shifted power to conservatives within the Republican Party at the state level.

Alaska's Governor Shakes Up Gas Pipeline Team

TRANSITION WATCH: Alaska's Sean Parnell dismisses cabinet members working on a massive infrastructure project, Ohio's incoming House Speaker calls for Medicaid cuts, and other news of the historic shift in power in the states.

Kansas to Aspiring Journalists: No More State Money

TODAY'S TAKE: Several states have reduced the financial assistance they provide to journalists as part of broader cuts to publicly funded broadcasting. But Kansas is putting a new twist on the trend. The state is eliminating funding for high school journalism studies, saying the profession is no longer viable going forward.

Arizona Fame Propels Kobach's Kansas Hopes

The most exciting statewide race in Kansas this November may be the campaign for secretary of state. The interest in the normally obscure contest comes largely because of the candidacy of Kris Kobach, a TV-friendly law professor who helped craft Arizona's controversial immigration law this spring.

Three More Governor's Races Set

TODAY'S TAKE: It was a busy week on the gubernatorial campaign circuit, as voters in three more states chose their major-party nominees for November. Tennesseans on Thursday (Aug. 5) selected Republican Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam to face Democrat Mike McWherter, the son of a former governor.

Higher Revenues in Kansas, Indiana

TODAY'S TAKE: A faint but steady drumbeat of positive economic news has emerged from state capitals in recent weeks. Tax revenues are inching upward in states that had seen month after month of decline. Indiana and Kansas are the latest examples.

Weekly Wrap: Govs Seek to Prop Up Budget Reserve Funds

Depleted rainy day funds prompt review; Toyota's temporary sales suspension could impact state revenue; Ohio loses an iconic employer; and new studies released on recession, state stimulus web sites.

Health Care Wrangling Could Delay State Aid

TODAY'S TAKE: Federal health care reform has been a divisive issue for states, but for some governors seeking immediate budget relief from Capitol Hill, the wrangling over the legislation is causing uncertainty.

Weekly Wrap: States Could Hand Off Liquor Stores

Three states weigh privatizing liquor sales; Lawmakers take aim at shorter, fewer sessions.

Summary of the Kansas State of the State Address

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson (D) appealed to lawmakers Jan. 11 to increase cigarette and sales taxes to help close the state's current $400 million budget gap and prevent deeper cuts to schools and social services.

Kansas State of the State Address 2010

TOPEKA, Kan. - Jan. 11 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Mark Parkinson's (D) 2010 state of the state address: Click here to access the governor's Web page and view or hear the address. Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Minority Leaders Hensley and Davis, Mister Chief Justice, legislators, justices, cabinet

More States Announce Mid-Year Cuts

As new holes emerge in their budgets, more and more states are making spending cuts well before their legislatures reconvene next year. Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts and Missouri are the latest.

Weekly Wrap: Tax Panels Focus on States' Long Term Fiscal Health

States are creating commissions to examine the future financing of government. A new Census report highlights foreclosure rates, median housing values in states.

Weekly Wrap: Doing the Math on State Jobs

State and local governments are not gaining employees recently; officials worry about revenue loss from tax breaks; Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell discovers 40 pounds of fat to cut.

At Least 26 States Spend Less on Prisons

The recession is taking a dramatic toll on what had been one of the fastest-growing areas of state government spending: prisons. A new survey says corrections budgets are down in at least 26 states, with prison officials laying off workers or reducing their pay, eliminating vocational and other programs for inmates and granting some prisoners early release.

Weekly Wrap: Bullet Point Dramatizes Crisis

Mississippi's "down budget times" have led to the rationing of highway patrol ammo. Fallout from the recession is likely to mean higher fees for would-be Cal State students. It's delaying tax refunds in several states. Vermont had some good news - it ended the budget year that ended June 30 in the black. For a quick update on how the economic crisis is affecting states, read Stateline.org's "Weekly wrap."

Tracking the Recession: Stimulus Police Funds Catch Legislators Off Guard

The influx of more than $4 billion in stimulus funding for state and local law enforcement initiatives has raised concerns among some state lawmakers who want a say in how the money is allocated and worry about what will happen when it runs out.

Kansas State of the State Address 2009

TOPEKA, Kan. - Jan. 12 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' (D) 2009 state of the state address: Good evening. As we gather again to assess the state of our State, I want to welcome the new members of the House and Senate and our new House leadership. On behalf of all Kansans, I thank yo

Delegates Speak: Kansas on Energy, Education

Kansas delegate,state Rep. Valdenia Winn Aug. 28, 2008, 5:00 EDTQ. What serious issue in your state would you like the next president to address?Based on last year's legislative session, energy was a divisive issue. So we've got to do something with renewables (energy made from renewable natural resources), because (energy) affects the price of everything else.HUD is not working in the urban core in my district. I also tutor after school, and it's frightening how our kids are not educated. And then, of course, health care....But because of our really contentious session, energy has to be first. AFTER THE JUMP: Audio from the Stateline.org interview with Winn -Kansas delegate, state Rep. Valdenia Winn, 57, of Kansas City, history professor at Kansas City, Kan., Community College, interviewed by Barbara Rosewicz, Stateline.org Comments

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

WORTH NOTING: South Carolina's Shampoo Specialists

The Palmetto State cleans up a law requiring hairstylists to get more training than cops. Frog legs are frowned upon by Florida health officials. And an aide to Utah's lieutenant governor gets way ahead of his boss. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Kansas State of the State Address 2008

TOPEKA, Kan. - Jan. 14 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius's (D) 2008 state of the state address: Click here to visit the governor's web site to view the address. Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Madam Chief Justice, legislators, justices, cabinet officers, elected officials, leaders of Indian n

WORTH NOTING: Lawmaker Loses to a Cockroach

A Kansas lawmaker settles a lawsuit for accosting a cockroach-costumed protester. An Oklahoma official tries to stop Christmas gifts for juveniles in state custody. And the South Dakota Legislature schedules a more work-friendly session. 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.

Report: Women govs get high marks

Women running for governor still have to work harder than men, but once elected, voters think female governors are better at getting things done and solving problems than their male counterparts, new research released Nov. 29 shows.

Governator has whale of a time

California's governor hugs a giant sea creature. Kansas' governor slams her state's wine industry. And add an asterisk to Louisiana Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal's place in the record books. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

States Scramble for Gambling Jackpot

States are aggressively tapping into one of the easiest ways to bring cash to their coffers: Let gamblers lose on slots, poker and roulette - and carve out a big take for state treasuries. Kansas is taking that approach one step further with a plan to own and operate its commercial casinos.

States Seek Alternatives to More Prisons

Swelling inmate populations are cutting into state budgets, and lawmakers are exploring new ways to ease overcrowding and save money.

Lawmakers Want to Pump Kids Up

Florida's school children next fall will be part of a trend reversal in which state lawmakers are starting to bring back physical education classes to combat childhood obesity.

Spending Data Soon a Click Away

Kansas plans to launch a first-of-its-kind Web site where users can type in simple questions to unearth hard-to-find details about state expenses. The idea - championed by taxpayer rights groups - also is gaining traction in Oklahoma and 15 other states.

Kan. Tornado Unleashes Guard Supply Furor

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

Two Govs Seek Inquiry Into Women in Military

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

Kansas State of the State Address 2007

TOPEKA, Kan., Jan. 9 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius's (D) 2007 state of the state address. Click here to access the governor's Web page and hear the address. Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Madam Chief Justice, legislators, justices, Cabinet officers, elected officials, leaders of Indi

Crime Lab Backlogs Extend Beyond DNA

State and federal lawmakers are trying to reduce backlogs in unanalyzed DNA evidence even as more common forms of forensic data are being neglected, crime lab directors say.

Tourism Incentives Get Tri-State Tryout

Maryland hopes to reel in visitors with a million-dollar fish. Iowa and South Dakota hope free gas vouchers will attract more tourists. It's all part of the annual summer scramble to pump travel dollars into state economies.

Lawmakers Set New Ages for Marriage

Legislators in Georgia and Kansas changed their marriage laws this spring to prevent teens from marrying so young. But raising the legal age for marriage for teens too young to vote or even drive proved challenging as lawmakers wrestled with possible effects on abortion rates, welfare rolls, citizens' privacy and the nature of marriage itself.

States Promote Nursing, Protect Moms

Mississippi, the state with the lowest breastfeeding rate in the country, has passed a broad new law allowing mothers to nurse at work and in public. In addition, five other states - Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas, South Carolina and Alabama - passed laws protecting mothers from charges of indecent exposure when they nurse in public places.

Mumps outbreak tests pandemic plans

State officials in the Midwest are using an outbreak of mumps to test emergency health plans. The real-life exercise is critical for health officials, who have struggled to ready their systems for a possible flu pandemic in the near future.

State Parks Reeling From Budget Drought

State parks across the country suffered years of cutbacks so states could balance their budgets after the 2001 recession. Now, all but a handful of states are running surpluses, but state parks are still hurting. Park visitors in Kansas find more potholes, less cleanly campground bathrooms and higher admission fees. In East Texas, a 110-year-old railroad and key park attraction is threatened.

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.

Kansas State of the State Address 2006

TOPEKA, Kan., Jan. 9 - Following is a transcript of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' 2006 state of the state address: Click here to visit the governor's Web page and listen to the address. Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Madam Chief Justice, legislators, justices, Cabinet officers, elected officials, leaders of Indian nati

Kansas State of the State Address 2005

TOPEKA, Kansas - Following is the text of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' 2005 state of the state address: Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Madam Chief Justice, members of the Legislature, members of the Court, Cabinet officers, elected officials, leaders of Indian nations, honored guests, and fellow Kansans. I am plea

New Governors Spell Change - Road Sign by Road Sign

The transition to a new governor is about more than handing over the reins of power or even the keys to the executive mansion. Sometimes its about pesky issues, such as what to do with 4,000 boxes of salt-water taffy that carry the name of New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, who left office unexpectedly this year. Nine states face such delicate dilemmas as they adjust to new governors taking office.

Ten States Lose Federal Education Money for Poor Children

Federal money to educate poor children is increasing, but 10 states and more than half of the nation's school districts will see a drop in their share of the dollars in the next school year, according to a report released June 15. Overall, nearly 56 percent of school districts will get less federal money, despite a $647 million increase in the Title I program that allocates money for low-income students.

Governors Stress School Spending

Governors in Arizona and Kansas both recommendend new education spending in their 2004 state of the state speeches

Kansas State of the State Address 2004

TOPEKA, Kansas - Jan. 12 - Following is the text of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' 2004 state of the state address: Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Madam Chief Justice, members of the Legislature, members of the Court, Cabinet officers, elected officials, leaders of the Kansas tribes, honored guests, and fellow Kansans. I a

On the Record: Kansas Budget Director Duane Goossen

One of a handful of holdovers from Kansas Gov. Bill Graves' Republican administration, budget guru Duane Goossen is in charge of managing state fiscal matters for new Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). In an interview at a Harvard University conference, Goossen said more flexibility in the Medicaid program would be nice, but more federal funds would be even better.