Stateline Headlines

Clock ticking on full Medicaid expansion funds

Gosnell's crimes are not uncommon: Column

Black pastors demand broader probe after Kermit Gosnell abortion trial

States Struggle To Keep Online Schools Accountable

As concerns grow about performance in the booming online education sector, some states are working to define their oversight role.

Should Judges Be Forced To Retire?

Judges in 33 states are forced to retire at a certain age. State legislators are not so sure this is a good idea.

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.

Best of #StateReads: Special Interests, Politics Delay Changes After Sandusky Scandal

This week’s collection of #StateReads includes an examination at what derailed child advocacy improvements in Pennsylvania following the Jerry Sandusky scandal, an investigation into the 15 percent of homicides in Washington, D.C. that have gone unsolved and a look at a region in Utah that contains as much as 80 percent of the state’s homeless population.

Federal Court Clears South Carolina Voter ID Law

A federal court has cleared the way for South Carolina’s voter ID law to be in place in 2013, despite the Justice Department’s decision to oppose the law.

Are Voter ID Opponents Winning the Battle but Losing the War?

Voter ID opponents have won high-profile court battles, but may be losing ground on the longer-term legal fight against the laws.

Amid Lawsuits and Controversy, States Prepare for Voter ID

Identifying and verifying hordes of extra voters will be a daunting task for many states ahead of Election Day.

Best of #StateReads: Getting Aggressive With Pension Investments

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

Parties Battle for Control of Statehouses

Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are in the national spotlight as states that could swing either Republican or Democrat in November's presidential elections. But they are also among the top 10 battleground states where political control could turn over in at least one chamber of the state legislature, according to a new analysis.

Federal Spending Plan Slashes Anti-Crime Grants

Law enforcement officials across the country are lambasting the federal spending plan approved by President Bush on Dec. 26, warning that a 67-percent decrease in funding for targeted state and local criminal justice initiatives imperils public safety.

Alabama’s Largest County Faces Bankruptcy Without State Help

History, a fear of raising taxes, dissuaded Alabama from helping its largest county avoid insolvency

States Reconsider Juvenile Life Sentences

The Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole for juveniles convicted of murder is unconstitutional. But the court left little guidance for states on what to do next.

Winter Heating Prices Scare States

Sticker shock at the gas pump isn't the only energy problem confronting states after Hurricane Katrina. The fear of a natural gas spike is spurring officials to seek more money to help low-income residents pay for heating this winter, while others are encouraging energy efficiency, and in the case of Connecticut, challenging the way that utilities charge customers.

WORTH NOTING: Idaho kids get a new state history book

Idaho's first lady publishes "Ida Visits the Capitol." Wine drinkers have mixed feelings about a syrah named Palin. And Marylanders are urged to take a walk after eating the state cake. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Battles for gavels kick off 2007 sessions

The newly elected Democratic majority in the Pennyslvania House chose a speaker from the minority party for the first time in state history. Majority Republicans in the Tennessee Senate banded together to oust their Democratic leader, a 36-year veteran and the longest-serving presiding officer in the nation. Those are just two of the bruising leadership battles fought as all 50 state legislatures launch their lawmaking sessions.

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 Lead Push for Paid Sick Days

In the midst of this year's flu epidemic, nearly half of all U.S. workers who fall ill or have sick kids must decide whether to stay home and lose wages or go to work sick and expose others, a choice many say no one should have to make. Lawmakers in 12 states and the District of Columbia are considering bills that would make paid sick days a minimum labor standard.

Newest States in the Union Get top Billing

With Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's addition to the Republican national ticket, all of the last three states admitted to the Union - Hawaii, Alaska and Arizona - can boast of being the home to major party candidates in this presidential election.

Technology Helps States Boost Efficiency

More and more states are using electronic tools ranging from web portals to interagency data sharing to make delivery of government services all a taxpayer could hope for, according to two recent studies on the use of digital technologies.

Western Cities Most Efficient With Land, Sprawl Report Says

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

States In South, West Big Winners In 2000 Census

The historic movement of Americans away from the northeastern states to the west and southwest continued over the last decade, the Census Bureau reported Thursday, and as of 2003, the make-up of the U.S. House of Representatives will be adjusted to reflect the population shift.

Immigration Roils States

States took the lead on immigration reform in 2006 enacting a record 78 immigration-control laws in 33 states. Immigration will continue to dominate state politics this year even as a new Democratically-controlled Congress considers taking up the issue.

WORTH NOTING: What not to joke about

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

State Leaders Struggle With Tough Cuts

The recession is forcing governors and legislators to cut services and raise taxes and fees. They'd rather make a difference in other ways.

Weekly Wrap: Streamlining State Government

State leaders warn that the recession may force fundamental changes in state government. Louisiana and Virginia prepare to lay off more than 1,100 state workers. And two months into the current fiscal year, Arizona and Connecticut pass budgets, leaving only Pennsylvania without a 2010 spending plan.

Talk of Tax Hikes Grows Louder

TODAY'S TAKE: Election-year tax hikes are usually the last thing politicians want to consider, but that's just what officials in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Washington state are talking about this week.

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.

States Limit Sweeping Tax Hikes — So Far

TODAY'S TAKE: While much of the nation may be focusing today (May 18) on key U.S. Senate primaries in Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, a special statewide election in Arizona could gauge voters' temperature on the question of whether or not to raise taxes. Arizona voters will decide whether to endorse Republican Governor Jan Brewer's proposal to raise the state sales tax by a penny to 6.6 percent.

Electricity Deregulation Deadline Nears In Some States

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

Report: States Seeking Prison Solutions

State governments, facing leaner budgets this year as the national economy struggles, are exploring strategies to contain surging prison populations without building costly new correctional facilities, according to a report released Wednesday (Jan. 23).

Jurors on the Internet: A Dilemma for Courts

Most jurors are warned not to use electronic media to discuss a case while they are trying it. But some just ignore the warnings.

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

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

Education Initiatives Take New Approach

Vouchers are out. After-school programs are in. Education reform is a perennial at the ballot box, but the initiatives that voters will examine Nov. 5 go beyond the standard subjects.

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).

Census Releases Data on Homeless

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

California Lawmakers Adjourn, Others Face Special Sessions

As California wrapped up its legislative season, lawmakers in Missouri, Alaska and Delaware were preparing for special sessions. In California, landmark legislation was approved that will lead to sweeping nursing home reforms.

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.

Inmates Gladly Take on Odd Jobs for Low or No Pay

Gone are the days of the chain gang. Today, states are finding more creative uses for felons, from saving retired thoroughbreds in Kentucky to growing poinsettias for state buildings in Iowa to fighting mudslides in California. The work saves millions for states and gives inmates something worthwhile to do.

On Health Care, Govs Are Tightening Belts

While still charting a course toward universal health insurance, governors this year are increasingly trying to keep just their current health programs afloat. They are reacting to a souring economy and new Bush administration policies that are threatening budgets for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Weekly Wrap: Frustration Mounts

In some of the states hit hardest by the recession, frustration among voters and in the media over the way state government works - or doesn't work - seems to be boiling over.

With Drillers at the Door, Some Towns Say ‘Keep Out’

As oil and gas development moves into more populated areas, many municipalities are trying to exert control over where drilling takes place. State regulators and energy companies aren’t happy.

WORTH NOTING: Scout Takes a Hike from Maryland Mansion

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley evicts Scout, one of his family's dogs, from the governor's mansion. The Colorado Lottery turns to scratch-and-sniff to attract customers. And a Florida prisoner launches a bid for the state House. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

WORTH NOTING: Washington Dems Sing a Different Tune

The Washington state Democratic Party gets criticized for an attack ad linking an Italian-American politician to the Sopranos. The Pennsylvania Senate considers a bill to expand bathroom access to people with bowel disorders. And North Carolina's motor vehicle department is embarrassed by a sample license plate on its Web site. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Voters in Pa, Colo., and NM Could Have Trouble at Polls

Sept. 3, 2008, 4:15 p.m. EDTMINNEAPOLIS - Which states will see problems at the polls in November? Some advocates expect voting glitches in a few key swing states where tight contests are expected between presidential candidates Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R). The battleground states of New Mexico, Colorado, Wisconsin, Ohio and south Florida all have a history of problems administering elections and are the states to watch in 2008, said Mike Slater, executive director of Project Vote, a Washington, D.C.,-based group that aims to get more low-income and minority Americans to vote. "All of this counts when the votes are very close," Slater said. As Stateline.org reported in a story earlier this summer, this year's presidential primaries showed that the problems that made headlines in the past - with voter registration rolls, identification requirements and voting machines - have been upstaged by a new difficulty. The huge turnout during the primaries overwhelmed some states and counties. "I think Pennsylvania is the real sleeper," said Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting, which advocates for voter-verified paper ballots for all U.S. elections. She said that while Florida last year added paper trails to electronic voting machines and Ohio is addressing security issues, only about a dozen counties in Pennsylvania have systems that allow votes to be verified. Slater and Smith made their comments during a Sept. 1 panel session here convened by electionline.org, a project of the Pew Center on the States that tracks election reform efforts. Both electionline.org and Stateline.org are funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. - Pamela M. PrahComments

Report: Voting Glitches Could Disrupt Election

In two weeks, the American voting system will be stressed as never before with record voter registration and expected large turnouts. But the greatest pressure will fall on 11 battleground states whose stars are aligned for an election debacle: tight races coupled with radical changes in their voting systems.

Toothless in Kentucky

Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) sounds off about an American Idol episode. A Florida law lets people take their pets with them to the grave. And New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) pays a fine for failing to wear a seat belt. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Business Moves to Center of School Policy Debate

Long counted on mainly as a funder and promoter of K-12 education, corporate America is immersing itself in discussion about the way school systems should be organized and operated.

Northeastern States Seek Terrorist-Intelligence Sharing

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

Lawmakers Press Solicitor General on Maine Rx Case

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

Connecticut Tops in Teacher Pay, Educators' Union Says

Teachers in Connecticut continue to earn more than their peers in other states, a survey by the American Federation of Teachers, a union that represents more than one million educators, shows. The average Connecticut teacher's salary during the 1997-1998 school year - the latest time period for which there are figures - was $51, 727. South Dakota had the lowest average teacher salary -- $27, 839. The national average teacher's salary was $39,347, the AFT said.

States Challenge New Mercury Rules

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

Connecticut Governor Seeks to Avoid Public Employee Layoffs

MANAGEMENT BEAT: The struggle over public employee concessions in Connecticut ... the prospect of salary cuts in Pennsylvania ... arguments about a pro-worker mural in Maine, and other government management news.

Even in this Economy, States Struggle to Recruit IT Personnel

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Qualified IT staff remain difficult for states to recruit … Legislators eye state websites for ad revenue … A defined contribution plan may raise pension costs in Kentucky, and other government management news.

Drought Worsens, States Take Emergency Measures

The governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware have ordered water rationing and other mesaures to deal with the drought. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman this week designated West Virginia and other parts of the eastern seaboard disaster areas due to excessive heat and lack of rain, making farmers in those areas eligible to apply for emergency loans when drought-related losses are calculated at season's end. For more information, click on

Delaware River Basin Commission Postpones Vote on 'Fracking' Plan

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: A vote over whether to allow a controversial drilling method in a key East Coast watershed has been postponed. Energy companies say thousands of jobs are on the line. But environmentalists fear the drinking water for millions of people could be threatened.

In Some States, Election Season Could Linger Long After Tuesday

Here’s a look at several states whose elections may remain undecided long after Tuesday night.

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 Ask Hospitals to Come Clean

Faced with a modern-day medical challenge, states increasingly are taking steps to track the number of patients who acquire serious infections while hospitalized. Eight states -- including four with new laws this year -- now require hospitals to tally their infection rates, amid indications that the cost of these medical complications -- in both dollars and lives -- is mounting.

Delegates Speak: On the Pocketbook

Aug. 28, 2008, 6:00 p.m. EDT Q. What serious issue in your state would you like the next president to address? Florida on the mortgage crisisI live in Florida, so where should I start? The mortgage crisis, the insurance crisis, the lack of confidence in FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) being there to help people in an emergency … It just doesn't seem like McCain gets it, that these are real problems, that they affect real people. I guess if you have seven houses and one of the mortgages get foreclosed on, you just go to one of your other ones. I don't think (McCain) has thought through the mortgage crisis and the ramifications it has. If people are foreclosed, then neighborhoods go into decline. Just because I still have my job and my house is occupied and my neighbor loses his, suddenly the yard isn't cut and it becomes a haven for crime. It affects everybody and everything. It affects the schools in the area. I just don't think he gets that. -Florida delegate Lisa King, 45, of Jacksonville, interviewed by Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Pennsylvania on the economyWe come from a rural area mainly, in Adams County, Pennsylvania. We have farmlands etc. and working families struggling to pay for gas, food, clothing for their children and health care. Most people don't have health care in this region. We need to fix the economy and Barack Obama has promised us, and we have the faith that he will do this for us. -Pennsylvania delegate Patricia Manning, 66, Hamilton Township, interviewed by Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org AFTER THE JUMP: Audio from the Stateline.org interviews with King and Manning Comments

Lawsuit Limits Find Success in Two More States

TODAY'S TAKE: Florida and Pennsylvania are the latest in a string of Republican-led states making it harder on plaintiffs who file lawsuits against doctors and businesses.

States Roll Out Plans for 'Smarter' Roads

Nearly half the states plan to use some of their federal stimulus funds to pay for high-tech gadgets that will reduce congestion, help the environment and create jobs quickly.

The Squeeze on Big Bird

Idaho Reports is a weekly news program about politics that appears all over the state on public television. Normally it's quite civil. But one recent show took an awkward turn when the host asked about Governor Butch Otter's proposal to eliminate the program's funding. "Can you give us an update," moderator Thanh Tan asked, "on where we stand in terms of the agencies that face a possible phase-out…which includes the agency that produces this program?" Guest Wayne Hammon, the state budget director, replied that "the governor felt he had no other choice." The challenges that Idaho Public Television is facing are emblematic of the decisions that public television agencies and stations around the country will have to make if states decide that public television is no longer a business they can afford to be in. According to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), state and local funding for public television stations nationwide declined by $36 million between 2008 and 2009. CPB forecasts an additional $45 to $49 million in state and local cuts for the upcoming fiscal year.

The Semi-Private Lottery

With budgets still tight, states are asking lotteries to bring in more money. In some cases, that means hiring a private operator to reinvent them.

State Lawmakers Form Great Lakes Caucus

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

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.

Dogfight Looms over Air Guard Units

In July, the governors of Illinois and Pennsylvania sued to stop the Pentagon from eliminating Air National Guard units in their states. At risk are jobs and security, the governors contend. But legal experts said the outcome of these lawsuits could alter something bigger: how federal and state officials share the National Guard.

WORTH NOTING: Illinois Treasurer Shows His Knowledge of Charges

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) endures a bruising charge from Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). A new Utah law stirs Salt Lake City bartenders to create a new drink. And Louisiana prison guards get outside help to prevent escapes. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in.

Judge calls Illinois Statehouse feud 'ridiculous'

A judge throws out the Illinois governor's lawsuit against the House speaker. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) gets hit with a blizzard of information requests from the GOP. And Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) and his wife prepare to move into a $9,900 per month temporary residence while the governor's mansion is being renovated. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

AAA Criticizes Higher Fees for Out-of-State E-ZPass Drivers

The national drivers’ group wants tolling agencies to treat E-ZPass users the same, regardless of where they bought their transponders.

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

Great Lakes States Protect Their Water

Congress begins work Wednesday (July 30) on the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement among eight states designed to preserve their drinking water and promote shipping, electric power and tourism by restricting water diversion from the lakes.

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.

Democratic Governors Push Agenda

Seeking to play a larger role in the national political arena, Democratic governors met in Washington, DC, Monday to weigh in on the debate over economic stimulus, saying the economy needs greater public investment in roads and schools and not just more tax cuts.

Seven States Lead in Budget Transparency

TODAY'S TAKE: A report released Tuesday (April 13) finds that seven states - Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Texas - lead the nation in budget transparency, providing the public with comprehensive and easily searchable information about government spending. Eighteen states flunked the scorecard created by U.S. PIRG, a Boston-based research and public-interest advocacy group.

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.

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.

As States Debate Medicaid Expansion, Maine Governor Looks to Cut Rolls

Maine Governor Paul LePage appears poised for a head-on collision with the Obama Administration over the issue of Medicaid eligibility. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s health care ruling last month — the federal government cannot take away existing Medicaid funds to penalize states that refuse to expan

State DOTs Hope Drivers See Dots

Test programs in Maryland, Minnesota and Pennsylvania aim to curb tailgating by using road markers that alert motorists to distances between vehicles. The markers serve as a tangible reminder of commonly taught driving guidelines such as the "two-second rule," which urges drivers to stay at least two seconds behind the car ahead.

More States Consider Diverting Foreclosure Money

TODAY'S TAKE: Officials in a growing number of states are considering diverting money from a $25 billion foreclosure settlement between big banks and attorneys general to help pay for programs that have nothing to do with housing.

States Eye License Plate Cameras as Source of Cash

States have used license plate readers to catch car thieves and toll cheats. Now, some are looking at using them to raise revenue by finding - and fining - uninsured drivers. Millions of dollars are at stake, but critics say the idea takes the use of surveillance cameras too far.

Massachusetts Vote Reverberates in Other States

TODAY'S TAKE: Republican Scott Brown's surprise victory in the special election to fill the late Ted Kennedy's U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts is prompting worries for Democrats and confidence among Republicans. But Tuesday's lessons may be more nuanced than that.

Do You Want a Tax With That?

The funeral home director in Pennsylvania and hair dresser in Michigan may soon have something in common with the yoga instructor in Missouri and limo driver in New York. Their customers may have to pay a state sales tax. With tax revenues at a historic low and federal stimulus dollars drying up, states are eying adding a sales tax to some of the 180 services that states could be taxing but most don't, ranging from pet grooming and dating services to dental and legal services. The change would be a fundamental shift in states' tax systems, but the proposals are running into stiff opposition from the business community.

Bridge collapse points to national problem

The Minnesota bridge that collapsed this week is just one of 73,518 "structurally deficient" bridges across the country that state and federal inspectors have deemed in need of significant repairs.

Missouri is Toughest on Crack Cocaine

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: Missouri punishes crack dealers more severely than those who sell the powder version of the same drug… Police are stretched thin in one of the nation's most dangerous cities… The Colorado probation agency comes under scrutiny, and other public safety news.

States Ask Colleges to Perform for Money

More and more states are doling out some of their higher education funds based on graduation rates and other measures of classroom achievement. The effort revives an earlier movement that had mixed success and raises some concerns about whether it will encourage professors to lower standards.

Interior issues new public land fracking rule

Toll Roads Hit Speed Bumps

As states increasingly look to toll roads and leases for quick road-funding fixes, the public, consumer advocates and motorist and trucking associations are putting up barriers to pay-as-you-drive proposals.

Ohio gov defends LeBron in a big way

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) stops efforts to take down a 10-story banner of basketball star LeBron James in Cleveland. Nevada lawmakers blow a deadline, but just barely. And Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) skips town after telling legislators to stay. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

States' Casino Tax Revenue Tops $7 Billion

Gambling expansion meant a sizeable amount of extra money for some states last year - but it meant a declining take for others.

Mystery Web Site Tracks New Jersey Politics

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

With New Fiscal Year Looming, Government Shutdowns Unlikely

A year after Minnesota’s three-week shutdown, New Jersey is the state that appears at greatest risk of starting the fiscal year without a budget.

New Jersey E-ZPass System A Financial Debacle

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

New Jersey Learns From Other States On Electric Deregulation

On Aug. 1, New Jersey became one of a handful of states to begin implementing electric utility deregulation. Before opening their borders to competition, officials in the Garden State studied how California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island implemented deregulation, then sought to replicate successful policies and avoid those that bombed.

Lame Ducks Ruffle Feathers in 3 Statehouses

Lame-duck legislators are feeling some heat in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where some groups are calling for changes to post-Election Day legislative sessions that let departing lawmakers cast key votes just before their replacements take over. In Utah, legislative leaders have banned lame ducks from taking taxpayer-sponsored trips.

Cash-Strapped N.J.: Pay up for State Police

Facing tough times financially, New Jersey recently started billing some of its smallest communities for a service they have enjoyed free for nearly 90 years: regular state police patrols that help towns without local police respond to crime, car accidents and other emergencies. Pennsylvania is considering doing the same.

States Prepare Timelines for Missed Debt Deadline

TODAY'S TAKE: States are calculating how long it will take before a political impasse over the federal debt ceiling begins to affect their bottom lines. Some are preparing backup plans, including the furlough of thousands of workers.

States On Guard For West Nile Virus

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