Stateline Headlines

Wyoming asks federal judge to continue wolf suit

Groups seek tighter flaring rules from Wyoming regulators

Wyoming Gov. Mead, first lady announce anti-DUI campaign

Hill asks Wyoming Supreme Court to overturn law that removed her powers

How much does it cost Wyoming to hate Obama?

Aftermath of a drilling boom: Wyoming stuck with abandoned gas wells

Early entries start 2014 governor's race

Wyoming governor signals support for homeless help

Former Wyoming lawmaker prepares for MMA bout

Federal report: Wyoming work safety inspectors lack experience, pay raises

Environmentalists drop 1 of 2 wolf lawsuits

Interior issues new public land fracking rule

A new economic power for Wyoming?

Wyoming's job market soft in last quarter 2012

Wyoming's investment returns likely to help budget

Tight budgets limit Wyoming school safety options

2-year college grads get easier path to UW

Wyoming wind for sale?

Wyoming lawmakers grappling with 1,200 orphaned coalbed methane wells

State of Wyoming oil and gas lease auction brings in $10.4 million

University of Wyoming to automatically accept in-state community college graduates

Wyoming Dept. of Revenue head retires July 1; replacement named

Water testing rules for Wyoming oil and natural gas drillers outlined

Hill campaigning

Hill says she is cooperating with governor's inquiry

Feds: Budget cuts to make wildfire season tougher; Wyoming braces for late-summer concerns

2 counties may lobby Wyo Legislature for airline aid

Wyoming extended unemployment checks to be cut

Wyoming: Where independent people rely on federal funds

Western lawmakers push to restore mineral funds

Gov. Matt Mead unveils Wyoming energy strategy

Wyoming legislative committee considers compensation for inmates exonerated by DNA evidence

Retiring dean says relatively low faculty salaries endanger University of Wyoming

Wyoming lawmakers take serious look at South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Program

Saving mineral funds is an uphill battle for Wyoming

Slow down on changing the speed limits

Mead appoints new Natrona County District Court judge

Legislators happy with Wyoming Department of Education progress

Wyoming workers make dramatic earnings gains

New Wyoming legislation allowing for betting on horse racing reruns seen as economic boost

Wyo rig count drops by one

USFS looks at wrong year for cuts

Proposal for more liberal wolf hunt season draws praise, criticism

Legislation Would Take State Mineral Revenue off Chopping Block

Proposals in Congress would save tens of millions of dollars in mineral payments to states from sequestration’s sweeping cuts.

Lawmakers consider proposal to broadcast legislative sessions

Wyoming U.S. Sen. Enzi pushes back release of mineral payments bill

More cuts to Wyoming Game and Fish on the way?

Wyoming Capitol undergoes equivalent of an MRI

New law eases access to hospice care in Wyoming

Export coal deal stalls as companies renegotiate

State parks face budget shortfall

State education panel to meet in Casper

Former Gov. Geringer to speak at Gillette College commencement

Wyoming goes slow on leasing 'potentially massive and lucrative' lithium find

Department of Energy gives University of Wyoming $200k for smart-grid technology

Wyo. Sen. Enzi: Bill protects states' cash from feds

Wyoming Game and Fish gets new deputy director

Wyoming urges preparation for insurance changes

Senators from Wyoming, New Mexico seek to restore minerals payments

Wyoming goes slow on leasing 'potentially massive and lucrative' lithium find

New Health Exchanges Unlikely to End Insurance Monopolies in Some States

The new health insurance exchanges are supposed to lead to lower prices by spurring competition between carriers. But what if insurers stay away?

Alaska Gambles With Major Oil Tax Cut

A multi-billion dollar tax experiment could make or break Alaska’s economy and provide a lesson for other states.

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.

Gas Tax Loses Favor as Governors Look for New Transportation Money

In the search for more transportation money, governors and state lawmakers are largely avoiding one of the most obvious and straightforward funding sources: state gasoline taxes.

Wyoming Lawmakers Seek to Block Federal Gun Restrictions

Wyoming lawmakers proposed legislation this week that would block federal restrictions on guns — any of them.

Wyoming State of the State Address 2013

CHEYENNE, Wyoming -- Jan. 9 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Matt Mead's (R) 2013 State of the State Address:

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.

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.

Safety Net Hospitals Imperiled by High Court Ruling

Hospitals that serve the poor thought they would be helped by the Affordable Care Act. Now it looks as if they will be hurt by it.

Western States Wary of Federal Fracking Regs

Representatives from several Western states say draft federal rules on hydraulic fracturing on public lands would stymie natural gas development across states that largely depend on the industry for revenue.

Best of #StateReads: Years After Immigration Law’s Passage, Much Has Changed in Arizona

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

Coal States Fear for Future of the Industry

This is an unsettling time for states whose economies revolve around coal. But the future may not be as bleak as doomsayers predict.

Best of #StateReads: Wyoming Depends on Business to Reduce Workplace Deaths

This week’s collection of #StateReads covers on the job fatalities in Wyoming, secrets in Alabama’s execution protocol and the far reaching effects of drought in Texas. These examples of extraordinary journalism about state government were recommended in tweets using the #StateReads hashtag on Twitter.

Water a Concern in Western Oil Shale Expansion

As the Obama Administration moves forward on a scaled-down plan to lease Western lands for oil shale development, some still worry about the industry’s impacts on water supplies.

Wyoming Governor to Decide on Cap for ATM Fees

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead must decide whether his state will remain the only one in the nation to impose a cap on ATM fees, the Casper Star Tribune reports. Mead is deciding whether to sign or veto legislation that would

What Do Record Low Natural Gas Prices Mean for States?

Newly abundant and cheap natural gas has slashed home heating bills for many Americans. But in some states, the continued price drop has thinned state budgets and shifted energy production.

Congressional Wrangling Leaves Sales Tax Deduction in Question

TODAY'S TAKE: Residents of seven states without an individual income tax are watching the budget debate on Capitol Hill to see whether they will be able to keep writing off state sales taxes on goods they purchase.

Wyoming State of the State Address 2012

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Feb. 13 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Matt Mead (R) 2011 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the 61st Wyoming Legislature, Secretary Maxfield, Auditor Cloud, Treasurer Meyer, Superintendent Hill, Chief Justice Kite and

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.

'Sovereign Citizens' Make Noise in Wyoming

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: A fringe political group that considers the U.S. government illegitimate is something the FBI would rather not talk about ... Michigan's governor asks for major concessions from a correctional officers' union ... Democrats see a chance to gain Pennsylvania's top law enforcement job for the first time in decades, and other public safety news.

Abuses in Delaware Weatherization Program Revealed

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Delaware's troubled energy efficiency efforts ... a deal to remove protections for wolves ... Iowa leads in wind power and other energy and environment news.

Oklahoma's Ban on Sharia Law Gains Traction in More States

TODAY'S TAKE: In the wake of a controversial ballot measure last year that banned Oklahoma courts from applying Sharia law, at least seven states are considering similar legislation.

Wyoming State of the State Address 2011

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Jan. 12 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Matt Mead (R) 2011 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the 61st Wyoming Legislature, fellow elected officials, Chief Justice and members of the judiciary, and to you, the citizens of Wyoming, including those in our sch

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.

The Not-So-Dependable Sales Tax

In a recession, people cut back on buying things they don't really need. States that depend heavily on sales tax revenue for their budgets have been hit hard as a result.

Wind Tax Debate Not Over in Wyoming

TODAY'S TAKE: A first-in-the-nation tax on wind energy production in Wyoming is being cited by the industry as one reason why it is looking elsewhere to do business.

Wyoming Governor Explains Threat to Sell Grand Teton Land

In a Stateline Q&A, Governor Dave Freudenthal discusses why he thinks the U.S. Interior Department should agree to exchange state-owned land inside the famous national park for federal land elsewhere in the state to help finance public education. Also: See Stateline's series on developing state lands.

Fresh Air in Wyoming

Outgoing Governor Dave Freudenthal and the Wyoming Legislature have agreed on a bipartisan plan to enact the nation's first tax on wind-energy production. So why don't other wind-state governors agree?

States Tackling Public Employee Retirement Benefits in 2010

Since legislatures convened last month, at least 16 states are weighing changes to their worker pension plans. Employees, retirees and unions say they will contest some of the proposals.

Wyoming State of the State Address 2010

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Feb. 8 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Dave Freudenthal's (D) 2010 state of the state address: Good morning to the members of the Sixtieth Legislature, special acknowledgment to Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, also to the Chief Justice and the members of the Wyoming Judiciary, but mo

Summary of the Wyoming State of the State Address

Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat, called on the Republican-led legislature to use a "conservative" approach while drafting this year's budget.

'As States, We Compete,' Wyo. Governor Says

Gaining the competitive edge seems to be on the minds of state officials more than usual.

Wyoming State of the State Address 2009

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Jan. 14 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Dave Freudenthal's (D) 2009 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the 60th Legislature, and the citizens of Wyoming, I appreciate this opportunity to speak with you today. Yesterday I came up through the back way to

Slumping Economy Hits Prosperous States

With the fall in energy and farm prices, many well-off states are finding they can't escape the national recession.

Delegates Speak: Health Care, Vetetans' Assistance

Aug. 29, 2008, 9:00 a.m. EDT Q. What serious issue in your state would you like the next president to address? Wyoming on health careHealth care is number one still. We still have a lot of people who don't have adequate health care in this nation. Someone has to do something…The cost and price of energy, although helping our state tremendously as far as giving us surpluses, but still causing a lot of heartache for the people of Wyoming. So those are the two issues: energy costs and health care. (As president, Barack Obama) will push forward some kind of national health care… I think we are going to see some additional help with health care dollars and getting people covered. -Wyoming delegate, State Sen. John Hastert, 50, of Green River, interviewed by Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Virginia on veterans' assistanceI served one year in Vietnam and three years in the military and then went to school on the GI Bill after that. The veterans from the war in Iraq are coming home and have no place to go …I'm thinking about these GIs now, after 12 months, ready to come home and then (their tour) is extended for another six months. You don't know how much pressure that is on a young GI. I was 19 in Vietnam and most of the vets in the volunteer Army are between 18 and 25 years old. They may say they love it ….but the reason they go in the first place is because they are looking for a better life for themselves. They are not going to war because they want to kill and maim someone else, and they don't want to be killed or maimed themselves. When they get out of there, we don't take care of them. -Virginia delegate Willie L. Brown, 62, of Chesapeake, Army veteran, interviewed by Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org AFTER THE JUMP: Audio from Stateline.org's interviews with Hastert and Brown Comments

In Northern Rockies, Wolves Raising Howls

A recent decision by the federal government to lift protections for gray wolves living in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming means the three states now are responsible for managing the animals - and inherit a years-old debate between conservationists and ranchers over what should be done with them.

Wyoming State of the State Address 2008

CHEYENNE, Wyo., Feb. 11 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Dave Freudenthal's (D) 2007 state of the state address: Thank you. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you. Thank you. Please. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the 59th Legislature, thank you for this opportunity to appear here today. I convey

A sagebrush state shows its spirit

Idaho's governor this month has drummed up support for a statewide, citizen-led volunteer effort to rehabilitate vast areas of wildfire- scorched earth - double what has burned in California this week - by replanting the land with millions of seeds of a native shrub.

No double-spacing? No funds for you!

First Dog Jag Iowa's Department of Education punishes state school districts for not following instructions. Michigan's Republican Party struggles with the German language. And Montana's first dog releases a tell-all memoir. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Craig Scandal: All Eyes on a Governor, Again

For the third time in less than a year, the sudden departure from office of a U.S. senator - or the threat of a departure - has thrust a governor into the national spotlight, calling attention to the sometimes murky and often politicized process of how states choose congressional replacements.