Stateline Headlines

Mileage fee now: Opposing view

After Years of Defeats, Immigrants Win Big State Victories in 2013

Arizona’s immigration crackdown is a fresh memory for many, but now many states are passing immigrant-friendly laws. Find out what is driving the change.

Best of #StateReads: Why New Jersey’s Trains Flooded but New York’s Stayed Dry

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

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.

Best of #StateReads: Dangerous Times in New Jersey Halfway Houses

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

Digital Billboards Get Green Light

LOS ANGELES - As the federal government gives the go-ahead for digital billboards, states consider their safety and visual impact. Industry advocates support the new technology, while critics say the signs distract drivers and "clutter" the landscape.

States make gift cards friendlier to consumer

Pleased with that $30 gift card you got for Christmas? Not so fast. Some cards come with expiration dates or maintenance fees that can make using them a hassle. But some states have made life a little easier by limiting those fees and expirations.

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.

Tracking the Recession: Stimulus Helps Revive Summer Youth Jobs programs

With many low-wage jobs snatched up by college graduates, senior citizens and laid-off workers of all ages, young job seekers have a less-than-30-percent chance of finding work this summer. But thanks to $1.2 billion in federal stimulus funds, states are revitalizing summer job programs to give disadvantaged youths a shot at finding a career.

Cheers! All 50 States Embrace the Home Brew Boom

As of July 1, all 50 states will allow aspiring brewers to make their own beer at home. But states are still figuring out how to regulate the popular hobby.

Seizing Medicaid Expansion as a Means to Reform

Alabama aims to make its Medicaid program more efficient, before expanding it. Under consideration is a regional care plan developed in Oregon.

Nasty Judicial Races Renew Complaints

Another bruising campaign season in judicial elections has spurred calls for reform from advocacy groups, lawyers and others in the legal community, but fierce debate persists over how exactly state judges should be chosen.

Western Governors University Improves Its Grade

Western Governors University, an online academic institution established by 19 states in 1997, has more than doubled its enrollment in the past year to 3,000 students. The surge in enrollment came as e-learning at colleges and universities across the country recorded a dramatic rise. While the number of students taking courses on the Internet is increasing, academics and entrepreneurs disagree over whether the trend is good or bad.

Medical Marijuana Use Uncertain Despite Referenda

Nearly one person in five in this country lives in a state that exempts patients who use marijuana under a physician's supervision from prosecution for illegal drug use. But advocates say residents of Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and California should think again if they believe their state's law assures people ready access to medical marijuana. The White House Office of Drug Control Policy says federal authorities will not sanction pot-smoking until scientific evidence establishes that medical benefits outweigh risks

Medical Marijuana Report Shows Pot Helps Some Patients

Voters who supported medical marijuana initiatives in six Western states now know that science stands behind their vote, based on a government-ordered report on the effectiveness of pot in easing unpleasant side-effects of certain illnesses. The study, conducted at the request of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, was released today by the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine. It says a review of all relevant scientific evidence found that marijuana's active components are potentially effective in treating pain, nausea, the anorexia of AIDS wasting, and other symptoms, and should be tested in clinical trials.

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.

States, feds try to keep up with wildfires

With major wildfires burning in more than a dozen states and officials on high alert for more, authorities are scrambling to contain the blazes and keep new ones from igniting, despite unfavorable weather and strained resources.

Despite Debt Fears, Voters OK Most State Bond Measures

Where borrowing was on the ballot Tuesday, voters usually said yes. Meanwhile, Colorado affirmed its ability to issue debt.

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.

Term Limits Hit Lawmakers In 11 States

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

State Health Programs Largely Spared In Budget-Cutting

State budgets are tight this year, but most health programs have escaped cutbacks. Arizona has agreed to hefty increases for the mentally ill, Oregon is considering a new voluntary screening program for newborns and Maine just okayed a small cigarette tax increase to expand health insurance for adults without kids.

Fear of Terror, Fraud Dogs Vote-By-Mail

Holding elections through the post office rather than the polling place is becoming popular in Western states. But fears of violations of privacy, widespread voter fraud, a failure to follow instructions and even terrorism are appearing to grow just as quickly, casting doubt on the future of vote-by-mail.

State Health Experts Cite Budget Woes As Major Concern

Prescription drugs, tobacco prevention, rising health care costs and Medicaid are high priority areas for health officials across the country. But revenue shortfalls remain the over-arching concern, policymakers from five states said Sunday (11/18) at a forum in Seattle, Washington. The forum, sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures, featured health-related officials from Arizona, Connecticut, Maryland, Oregon and Washington State.

Education On The Ballot In Several States

November 7 isn't just about electing the next President, Congress, governors or state legislature. It is also the day Americans vote on ballot initiatives that often show what issues have priority among citizens. In at least seven states, education is on the ballot.

Education Measures Get Pass or Fail Grades

Ballot measures dealing with education got a mixed reception from U.S. voters on Nov. 7. In some of the most closely-watched contests, far-reaching school voucher initiatives were defeated in California and Michigan, while a ban on bilingual education was approved in Arizona.

Arizona Vote Muddies Anti-tax Narrative

TODAY'S TAKE: Voters in Oregon and Pennsylvania chose their major-party candidates for governor on Tuesday (May 18), while Arizona's electorate handed Governor Jan Brewer a significant victory by approving a temporary hike in the state sales tax. Paradoxically, the outcome in Arizona marked the second time this year - a year in which the Tea Party has become a potent political force - that a state's voters have opted for higher taxes.

Minimum Wage Set to Rise in Eight States

TODAY'S TAKE: Workers in eight states will see slightly larger paychecks beginning January 1, thanks to laws requiring minimum wages to rise with inflation.

In New Year, Seven States to Hike Minimum Wage

Nine to twelve cents isn't a lot, but those small, automatically triggered increases in the minimum wage will provide a modest New Year's present for workers in a minority of states that automatically increase their minimum wage levels at the start of every year.

At Last, a State Budget Year When the Sky Is Not Falling

PART FIVE OF FIVE: After four years of epic budget woes, states are ready for an improved 2012. Some are even poised to add dollars back to programs they wish they never had to cut.

Petition Drives to Ban Gay Marriage Succeeding

A state-by-state push for constitutional bans on same-sex marriage has met with success in Arkansas, Michigan, Montana and Oregon, where ballot initiative groups appear to have collected more than enough signatures to place amendments before voters in November. If validated by state election officials in these states, the number of states that will vote on constitutional gay marriage bans this fall will increase to 11.

Election Officials Report Mixed Success on Reform

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

Arkansas Asks Voters for Highway Money

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: Arkansas voters will get a chance to decide whether better roads are worth a tax increase ... Florida's decision to give back federal high-speed rail money has other states scrambling for the funds … Officials in the Northwest and Midwest explore public-private partnerships for new projects, and other transportation news.

States Budget Crunch Forcing Mid-Year Tuition Hikes

State budget crunches are forcing public universities across the country to take the rare step of hiking tuition midway through their academic years. Tuition hikes range from 4.6 percent at the University of Connecticut to 13 percent at Virginia Tech.

States Lose Track of Sex Offenders

A child rapist could become your neighbor, and youd never know it. Thats because many state laws requiring sex offenders to register for inclusion in databases arent working. California has lost track of more than 30,000 sex offenders, and Wisconsin, Minnesota and Oregon can't account for more than 10 percent of their registered sex offenders.

Six States Miss Budget Deadlines

California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oregon and Rhode Island all missed budget deadlines as of 12:01 AM Tuesday because of partisan bickering over taxing and spending. A handful of other states, including Missouri, New Jersey and North Carolina, flirted with blown deadlines but reached budget agreements before July 1, the dawn of the new fiscal year in all but four states.

States Make Strides on Medical Marijuana Programs

The U.S. Supreme Court's first-ever opinion on medical marijuana two months ago hasn't put a dent in state efforts to help seriously ill patients, as critics hoped it would. State medical marijuana programs in Alaska, Hawaii and Oregon are moving ahead despite the ruling.

Enron Helped Push Electric Deregulation

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

State Money Key to Fixing Nursing Crisis: Experts

Thirty of the 50 states are experiencing nursing shortages, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services predicts it is only a matter of time before most of the others face the same headache. The nursing shortage is worsening at a time when the countrys aging population is placing ever greater demands on the nations healthcare system. Stateline.org talked to three experts about solutions to the problem.

Officials Doubt Election Holiday Would Have Impact

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

Eco-Terrorists Targeted By Get Tough State Laws

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

Budget Deadline Looms Large in 10 States

The clock is ticking in 10 states that still have not adopted budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1, with an eleventh-hour showdown threatening a partial government shutdown in Minnesota. Some - but not all - of those states are expected to wrap up their budget process this week.

Calif., Ore. Voters to Decide Parental Notice

Voters in California and Oregon will decide Nov. 7 whether to join 35 other states in preventing teenage girls from getting abortions without a parent's knowledge. Oregon voters are expected to approve the measure, but California's electorate is split over the emotionally charged issue, according to recent polls. If either state adopts the initiative, it will be the first law restricting abortion in those states in more than a decade.

Violence in Sudan Pushes States to Act

Sudan's bloody crackdown on African tribesmen in the Darfur region has inspired six states to enact laws they hope will stem the attacks by cutting off financial backing for the Sudanese government. And lawmakers in at least 15 more states plan to propose similar bills when their legislatures convene in January.

Three Western Governors Float Tax Hikes

Frequently the option of last resort, tax increases are on the table in California, Nevada and Oregon as more states try to confront budget problems and the ailing economy.

Paris pleads for a pardon

Socialite Paris Hilton appeals to the California governor's vanity to get a "stay out of jail" pass. Wisconsin declares one of its towns the birthplace of the hamburger. And a teenager is bombarded with calls meant for Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D). In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Sex Ed Landscape Shifting in States

While most states still stress abstinence in sex education, lately there has been a movement toward a comprehensive approach that also teaches about contraception.

Odd-year elections a preview for '08?(2)

What typically is a quiet, off-year election is anything but this year. Voters in Kentucky today (Nov. 6) will decide whether to oust their sitting governor. In three states, both parties have a fighting chance to wrest control of statehouse chambers. And school vouchers and stem cells are among 34 measures on the ballot.

Furloughs Cut Into State Services

With states facing a $121 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year, a growing number of them have turned to squeezing their workforce for savings, and effects both great and small will be felt.

Weekly Wrap: States, Locals Have Spent a Quarter of Stimulus Funds

A new federal report shows states and localities spent a quarter of their federal stimulus dollars. A budget-cutting to release prisoners in Oregon questioned. And credit-rating agencies draw harsh criticism from states but may escape new federal regulations.

Big States Staring at Big Corrections Cuts

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: California and Texas consider major changes to their prison systems … Illinois could join New Mexico and New Jersey as the only states to repeal the death penalty legislatively … the Massachusetts parole board resigns, and other public safety news.

Wildfire Epidemic Leaves States Searching for Answers

The West is getting hotter and drier and stoking more destructive fires. They have left fire control officials looking for ways to fight them more effectively with fewer dollars.

A Marijuana Revolt?

Colorado, Oregon and Washington voters will decide this November if they want to decriminalize and regulate marijuana production and possession, which could generate millions in state revenue. But any of these initiatives would put the states in conflict with federal law, which classifies marijuana as a controlled substance with no acceptable medical use.

Ten states Identified as Legislative Battlegrounds

Political control of legislative bodies in 10 states could change in the November election, the National Conference of State Legislatures said in an analysis that identified the battleground states as Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

Oversight Lax Among Lawmakers, Study Shows

State legislatures that pride themselves on being portrayed as bastions of integrity often are in reality political bodies where hidden conflicts of interest and personal gain often win out over the public good, a new study concludes.

Several States Quick to Opt for No Child waivers

TODAY'S TAKE: Connecticut, Oregon, New Mexico and Wisconsin immediately said they would seek waivers from key requirements of the No Child Left Behind law, an option announced by the president on Friday (September 23).

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.

Medical Malpractice Fights Go to Voters in Four States

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

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.

Alien Species: Another Costly State Headache

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

States Showcase Successes, Pitch New Vision

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

States Act to Stem Foreclosure Scams

The rise of home foreclosures has spawned an increase in scams that prey on people's desperation to save their homes. At least 18 states have enacted laws to target such schemes.

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.

State School Superintendent Hopefuls Hit Campaign Trail

Voters in eight states will be electing a new state school superintendent this November. Although the job entails sparing public education from the sharp blade of the budget scythe and being responsible for revamping schools to meet new federal demands, the field is full of hopefuls from major and minor political parties.

Five Ex-Governors on Ballot in November

TODAY'S TAKE: Voters' choice of Roy Barnes in the Democratic primary for Georgia governor on Tuesday (July 20) means that all five former governors who are running for their old jobs this year will be on the ballot in November. What is less certain is how they will fare.

Lawmakers Chew on Weighty Issues: ‘Whose shad fry is the best?’

Photo Slideshow: Lawmakers call time out to weigh delicious legislation.

After Election Day Confusion, Hawaii Gov Pushes Full Mail-In Voting

On the heels of an Election Day plagued by long lines and mass confusion, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie says he’s pushing for major changes to voting on the islands —mainly, the elimination of the traditional Election Day altogether.

Sunshine Overruns: Hawaii’s Solar Tax Credits Carry Soaring Price Tag

The widespread popularity of Hawaii’s solar energy incentive — and mass confusion over how to implement it — have dealt a blow to the state’s treasury and become a major topic in state politics.

Jobless Benefit Gap Opens Even As Recession Eases

Despite recent indications the national economy is pulling out of its nearly yearlong slump, unemployment is a continuing problem in the states, as more than a million laid-off workers have exhausted their jobless benefits in recent months.

As Washington Gridlock Persists, States Get Creative in Funding Renewable Energy

The federal government has drastically reduced its funding for renewable energy. States have come up with some unusual ways to try and replace it.

State Budget Gaps Balloon to $97 Billion

Still reeling from high gas prices this summer and plummeting retirement savings this fall, Americans will soon be feeling the pinch in other ways - from increased tuition to potentially higher taxes, as states try to close some $97 billion in budget gaps over the next two years.

State Brownfields Programs Take National Stage

When Kentuckys Democratic-controlled House and Republican-led Senate both voted unanimously to expand brownfields programs last week, they committed the Bluegrass State to a decade-long push to make investment in cleaning up abandoned industrial sites more attractive to private redevelopers. They also signed on to one of the few nationwide environmental causes to generate real interest in both major political parties since Congress first acted to protect natural resources and public health and set up the Environmental Protection Agency over 30 years ago.

After Standoff, Illinois Road Construction Continues

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: Illinois senators agree to back off in a budget fight that threatened to halt the state's summer road building season … Nevada clears the way for its first and only tollroad … Digital billboards could soon be legal in Missouri and Oregon, and other transportation news.

State Medicaid Budgets Start To Squeeze

During the last five years, policymakers expanded Medicaid with a flourish. Armed with hearty surpluses and federal funds to boot, states launched the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), pharmacy assistance programs for the elderly and community-based health services for the elderly and disabled. But budget bliss is fading fast. Numerous states, from Oregon to Tennessee, New Mexico, Kentucky, Indiana and Washington State, are now complaining about Medicaid's skyrocketing price tag.

Indiana Legislature Approves Sweeping School Voucher Bill

EDUCATION BEAT: Pupil vouchers on the way in Indiana ... Georgia cuts pre-kindergarten programs ... Oregon House considers new high school graduation requirements, and other state education news.

White House Objects to Indiana Planned Parenthood Law

HEALTH BEAT: Obama administration concerned about new Indiana Medicaid law… Texas cost-cutting proposal attracts federal scrutiny… Oregon raises hospital taxes, and other health care news.

Governors

What would a Kerry administration mean for states? Heres a sampling of responses collected by Stateline.org from governors attending the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

State Health Officials Concerned About Vaccine Shortage

On the surface, a nationwide tetanus and diphtheria vaccine shortage may not seem like such a big deal. How many people will step on a rusty nail this year? Doctors in states such as Wisconsin say the shortage is serious due to flooding in the state and related accidents, but in Kentucky, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington, health experts say it's not yet a problem. But the shortfall is resulting in higher prices for states and potential problems for patients.

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.

State Voters Face Range of Critical Issues Tuesday

On Tuesday, Nov. 2, off-year elections will decide if Maine bans late-term abortions, if St. Paul, Minnesota, tries to steal the Twins baseball club from Minneapolis and if Texas will provide $400 million in loans for college students. Kentucky and Mississippi will choose a governor, and voters in Virginia will determine if their legislature goes Republican for the first time since Reconstruction.

Weekly Wrap: Recession Forcing Government Overhaul

Oregon, Louisiana launch review of government; Utah's four-day work week saves on energy costs; new pension report released.

Universal Health Foes Linked To Drug Industry

In a twist on a publicity stunt popularized by proponents of health care reform, a Canadian doctor and 12 of his patients recently traveled from New Brunswick to Maine, warning Americans not to adopt a Canadian-style universal health system. But a closer look at the group reveals ties to the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.

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.

How Many Ex-Governors Will Win?

TODAY'S TAKE: In a campaign season marked by an anti-establishment mood, five former governors with a combined 40 years in office will be on the ballot next week, potentially bucking the trend. But at least one, Maryland Republican Robert Ehrlich, has substantial ground to make up. The others appear to be ahead or are locked in close contests.

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.

A New Battleground in 'Right to Die' Debate

Advocates of physician-assisted suicide are taking on entrenched opposition as they seek a high-profile victory in Massachusetts.

Study Grades States On Higher Education

Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, Minnesota, Kansas and Massachusetts get the highest grades in a new state-by-state report card that measures performance in higher education. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, these six states do the best job of preparing students for post-high school education, providing academic opportunities, making them affordable, attaining a high graduation rate and reaping the benefits of an educated workforce. The lowest grades in the report entitled Measuring Up 2000 went to Arkansas, Louisiana, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and West Virginia.

State Programs Named Finalists for Innovation Awards

Five state-run programs are among finalists in the competition for Innovations in American Government Awards.

Mega-Donors Get Mixed Election Results

The power of personal fortunes to sway political outcomes was put to the test in state races across the country last year. With help from billionaire activist Jon Stryker, an heir to a medical products fortune, Democrats captured control of the Michigan state House for the first time in 12 years. But other super-rich donors got less bang for their buck.

The Buying and Selling of Legal Marijuana

Of the 14 states with medical marijuana laws on the books, half of them leave unresolved the question of how patients are supposed to get the seeds to grow their plants. Some state governments, which once were reticent to allow dispensaries, have started to reconsider.

Mississippi Faces Special Session; Oregon, North Carolina Near End

With legislators in Oregon and North Carolina working feverishly to wind up their 1999 sessions and Mississippi's governor calling back lawmakers for what promises to be a contentious special session on taxes, the count of legislatures still working remains at ten.

Watch Your (Official) Language

Missouri, a key presidential swing state and home to one of the most hotly contested gubernatorial races, will test what some see as voters' attitudes toward immigrants with a ballot measure to make English the only language of state government.

Early and Absentee Voting Erode Election Day Tradition

Polling day at the court house may be a revered institution of American democracy, but it's one that is steadily fading away.

Speakers get schooled in statesmanship

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Interested in a quick course on how to excel as a state legislative leader? Here's what you would learn: Be involved and inclusive; stay focused on your goals and personal values; be humble.

Easter egg flap fries Wyoming artists

A White House Easter tradition leaves Wyoming out, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III (D) disses New Jersey and "The Donald" provokes a fight over Old Glory in the Florida Legislature. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Gubernatorial Candidates, Ohio - Wyoming

For a comprehensive list of gubernatorial candidates in Ohio through Wyoming.

A Three-Year College Degree in Ohio?

EDUCATION BEAT: Ohio governor wants colleges to offer three-year degrees ... Idaho ends its legislative session after approving three controversial education bills ... Oregon lawmakers want the governor to double as school superintendent and other education news from state governments.

Are 'Charter Universities' the Future of State-Funded Higher Ed?

With more budget cuts on the horizon, many flagship universities are warming to a new bargain with state government: In exchange for less state funding, they would get more say in running day-to-day operations as well as the ability to impose some tuition increases.

Oregon is first in nation with official state microbe: brewer's yeast

Oregon Senate approves easing regulations on natural hair care