Stateline Stories

How Did States Create Jobs?

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

Best of #StateReads: Roots of a Voting Rights Challenge

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

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.

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.

Best of #StateReads: Kentucky Judges Review Child-Abuse List

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

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.

Heat Wave, Budget Cuts Strain Utility Safety Net

Budget cuts and a blistering hot spell wave left states short on cash this summer while tackling high energy demand. Now many worry about having enough heat when winter comes.

Post-Recall Wisconsin Open for Business, Governor Says

The recent recall election in Wisconsin that let Governor Scott Walker keep his job was apparently also good for businesses in the state, or so says the governor.

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.

States chart their own foreign policy

From boycotting companies that trade with Sudan to buying oil from Venezuela, the nation's state lawmakers are becoming more assertive on the international stage. While a boon to economies from California to Maine, statehouse diplomacy could undermine federal power abroad and expose states to international lawsuits, foreign policy experts warn.

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.

Bright Ideas Compete for Cash

Six state programs, ranging from Maine's comprehensive health care reform to Wisconsin's environmental program for businesses, are competing for $100,000 grants in one of the nation's premiere good government competitions.

Best of #StateReads: Why Louisiana Leads the World in Imprisonment

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.

Economy Could Imperil State Readiness

Budget cuts could undermine the progress states have made to respond to public health emergencies and natural disasters, such as the recent wildfires in California and outbreaks of Salmonella on tainted vegetables that sickened more than 1, 440 people in 43 states, says a new report released Dec. 9.

With Crisis as Catalyst, Govs Push Big Changes

Governors are using the economic crisis to sell big changes in how state and local jurisdictions operate, promising overhauls that could alter the face of government around the country. Their proposals range from sharing state helicopters between Minnesota and Wisconsin to shrinking Pennsylvania's system of 500 school districts to just 100.

States Applaud New Stem Cell Funding

President Obama's March 9 move to allow federal funding for stem-cell research is expected to greatly benefit states such as California that already have invested in the controversial science. But the decision - which lifts an eight-year-old ban by the Bush administration - will give nearly all states a shot at job-creating new grants in the multi-billion-dollar emerging biomedical field.

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.

Is Telephone Regulation Obsolete?

Phone companies think now is the time to end regulation of the dwindling number of traditional landline phones still in use. Critics say doing that would lead to higher rates, especially for seniors and those who live in rural areas where cell phone service can be erratic.

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.

WORTH NOTING: Ala. Attorney General Sings With a Legend

Alabama's top law enforcer sings with "The Man in Black." North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley (D) recommends regifting Christmas cards. And a freshman lawmaker takes the slow road to Denver. In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

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.

Alabama Ethics Law Angers Teachers Union

TRANSITION WATCH: Alabama Republicans restrict payroll deductions used to boost a leading teachers' group, Wisconsin Democrats' last gasp at contracts for public workers fails and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

New Federal Rules Force Action In Alaska, Wisconsin

New federal regulations that arrive with the onset of the fiscal year, Friday, October 1, forced decisions by lawmakers in Wisconsin and Alaska this week. In Alaska, lawmakers let a deadline imposed by the U.S. Department of the Interior pass, letting the federal government assume control of fisheries. In Wisconsin, where the Assembly and Senate are still divided over a budget for the state fiscal year that began July 1, Gov. Tommy Thompson prompted lawmakers to appropriate $46 million in welfare money.

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.

Tobacco Settlement Pits Health Advocates Against States

State lawmakers are spending tobacco settlement dollars wisely and health programs are raking in a hearty amount of the money, says a new analysis from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Legislatures have dedicated a full 46 percent of tobacco money for programs that aim to stop people from smoking and to shore up Medicaid, prescription drug programs for older Americans, children's health insurance plans and biomedical research. But if you look a little closer at the numbers, the percent of money being spent to stop smoking is measly and has dropped significantly from last year, anti-tobacco advocates say.

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.

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.

Nine States Hold Primaries Today

Voters in nine states participate in primaries today, with some of the most closely watched races for state office taking place in Arizona, Minnesota and Wisconsin, where gubernatorial and attorney general races will be decided.

Evangelical Law Firm at Front of Culture War

A conservative Christian advocacy group called the Alliance Defense Fund is an increasingly powerful player in America's culture wars, taking on progressive groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union on gay rights, school prayer, abortion and other issues. Now, Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature have invited the group to represent them in a legal battle over state employment benefits.

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.

Arizona's Brewer to Request Federal Waiver to Cut Medicaid

TRANSITION WATCH: Arizona's governor seeks new limits on Medicaid eligibility to balance the budget, Chet Culver's alternative energy program could be eliminated in Iowa and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

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).

Mussel Invasion Moves West

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

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.

States Mull Borrowing to Bolster Pension Plans

A handful of cash-strapped states plan to borrow to put money into their state employee pension systems, an idea that analysts say is a gamble that might not pay off. New Jersey first tried the approach in 1997, but California, Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin and West Virginia might be next.

Governors Races Break The Bank

This year's gubernatorial races were the costliest in history and defied conventional wisdom that mid-term elections are less expensive than elections in years the White House is at stake. Spending tallies wont be final for several more weeks but the 2002 campaign shattered many records for money spent and candidate self-financing.

Same-Sex Couples Seek Marriage Rights

The battle over legal benefits for same-sex relationships will be fought in at least seven state legislatures next spring with supporters and foes of recognizing gay relationships planning to introduce opposing legislation.

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).

Economic Slump Has States Tightening Belts

The slowing national economy has many states facing budget deficits and shrinking account balances for the first time since the early 1990's, according to a report released this week by the National Conference of State Legislatures. NCSL surveyed the 46 states that have passed budgets for fiscal year 2002 -- which began July 1 for all but four states -- and found that 20 states took "extraordinary actions" to pass balanced ones.

California Advances Gun Control, Two States Still Without Budgets

While lawmakers in Wisconsin and Massachusetts remain stalemated over the state budget, the California Legislature, in its second week back in session, has turned its attention to gun control -- again. Earlier this summer, the legislature completed work on two gun control measures, which Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, has already signed.

Mega-Stores Hitting Political Flak In Several States

Preventing mega-stores such as Wal-Mart and Costco from chewing up competitors is on the agenda of more than just anti-growth groups and environmentalists these days. Policy makers in states and communities are considering restricting so-called "big-box" stores. California Gov. Gray Davis last week vetoed a bill aimed at limiting the growth of these stores. The issue has also been joined in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Vermont and Wisconsin.

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.

Sick Leave Tops State Labor Agendas

Now that a majority of states have boosted wages above the federal minimum, lawmakers in at least seven states want to guarantee workers paid sick days. Buoyed by overwhelming approval of a San Francisco ballot initiative that would allow workers at least nine sick days per year, lawmakers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Vermont, Maine, Montana, Michigan and Maryland are expected to propose similar measures.

Budget Woes Dominate Governors' Inaugural Speeches

TODAY'S TAKE: New governors were sworn in Monday (January 3) in California, Minnesota, Nevada, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Most of them warned of painful fiscal choices ahead.

California Looks to Current Workers' Pensions for Savings

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Pension commission argues for tough choices in California … Republican governors back off opposition to collective bargaining … No more "SWAG" in California, and other government management news.

California Republicans Riled by Brown's Union Deals

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Limitless payouts for unused vacation time in California … A crackdown on using union dues to purchase magazine subscriptions … A comprehensive audit of Missouri state government, and other management news.

Why Summer Jobs Are Getting Harder to Find

Last summer, the federal stimulus helped put nearly 320,000 disadvantaged teens and young adults to work. As this summer approaches, most of the stimulus dollars are gone and temporary jobs are harder for young people to find.

Poor to Get Less Help with Heating Bills

State programs that help low-income residents pay their heating bills expect to spread less money among more needy recipients this winter due to higher jobless rates and heating fuel costs.

Govs' Travel Makes People Talk

Want to dodge congested airline ticket counters and long security lines? Fly on government aircraft or corporate jets? You might -- if you get yourself elected governor.

Bush Leaves States Holding Environment Bag, Critics Say

President Bush's new budget gives states more responsibility to protect the environment and conserve natural resources, but state officials say it fails to give them much new cash to get the job done. State officials say theyd like more support from an administration that would scale back the federal regulatory role if Bush has his way.

Parents Turn to States for Autism Help

(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs.

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.

Online Tax Filing An Option In Many States

For millions of Americans, the April 15 deadline for filing tax returns used to mean a last minute rush to the post office. Now, for many taxpayers, it increasingly means logging on to a PC, surfing to a tax preparation Web site and hitting the send button.

Shifting Economy Keeps States Guessing

A month from the start of many legislative sessions, state leaders still don't know how much money they will have to cut from budgets.

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).

States Buying in Bulk to Stretch Rx Dollars

A growing number of states are using an age-old bargain shopping strategy buying in bulk to save money on prescription drugs. States are looking within and beyond their borders for ways to leverage the combined buying power of consumers, such as state employees, retirees and Medicaid patients, to negotiate better prices from drug makers.

Dems Take Full Control in 3 More States

(Updated 5:00 p.m. EST, Nov. 10, 2008)Democrats emerged from Election Day gaining control over more state governments, and they now dominate both the legislature and governor's office in 17 states, compared to just eight for Republicans. With both Democrats and Republicans scoring historic victories, big policy changes could be on the way.

For Some States, Medicaid Expansion May Be a Tough Fiscal Call

GOP governors appear poised to leave federal dollars on the table.

More GOP Officials Vow to Decline Medicaid Expansion

Republican state leaders say they’d rather forfeit federal money than dip into state coffers to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

Few States Regulate Outside Campaign Money

Out-of-state money is pouring into Florida to influence the outcome of the race for governor in the Sunshine State, which political experts regard as a a bellwether for the 2002 election and possibly the 2004 presidential race. It's a phenomenon that occurs in most states in election years.

Don't Pin Me Down: Candidates Avoid Budget Specifics

It's a priorities issue. No new taxes. I won't touch education. These are nice campaign slogans, but they don't close budget gaps, despite what some candidates for governor would have you believe.

Private-School Vouchers Return to Education Agenda

In several states, newly elected Republican governors are reviving the idea of using taxpayer money to send students to private schools.

Conservation Cutbacks Force States to Pass on Buyers' Market

With the housing bust driving down land prices, this is the perfect time for states to boost their conservation efforts. But the recession has forced states to cut funding for land acquisition and to pull back from bond sales. The cutbacks point to a dilemma that often bedevils state land programs: Conservation is easiest to fund when times are good but when land prices are the highest.

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.

Rx Cost-Cutting Puts Governors at Odds with Federal Government

Several governors are sparring with the federal government over their cutting-edge tactics to lower prescription drug costs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has branded efforts by Minnesota and other northern tier states to help their residents buy less expensive medicines from Canada illegal and unsafe. And in a separate case, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) is complaining about a bureaucratic delay of federal approval of a multi-state prescription drug purchasing pool.

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.

States Vary in Addressing Power Plant Construction

Putting an addition on your home can bring more regulatory hassles than building a power plant in many states. But in a few states like Minnesota, new generating facilities must meet a tough "needs test" to enter today's new electricity market.

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.

Salt Prices Put States in a Pinch

Cold-weather states across the country will need hundreds of thousands of tons of salt to keep roads and highways safe this winter. But prices are running two and three times higher than last year, forcing some states and municipalities to make do with less.

Midwest Vies For Stimulus Aid For Fast Rail

The race is on for states that want to build high-speed rail routes to whisk passengers hundreds of miles from city to city without the hassle of flying. Midwestern states hope federal stimulus funds will help them build a 3,000-mile network for trains that can reach up to 110 mph.

Spotlight Shines on Illinois Concealed Carry Law

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: Wisconsin now allows residents to carry concealed firearms in public, leaving Illinois as the only state that does not. Second Amendment advocates are stepping up their pressure to legalize the practice.

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.

Best of #StateReads: Iowa Felons Struggle for Voting Rights

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

State Governments Grow Despite Recession

Despite the worst revenue shortfalls in a decade, most state governments continued to grow this year, and many are approving even larger budgets for next year. The tendency is all up in most states, says fiscal analyst Nick Jenny of the Rockefeller Institute of Government, a university-affiliated think tank in Albany, NY.

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.

Study Finds Disparity in Corrections Spending

States spend seven times more money on prisons than on probation and parole, even though the vast majority of the 7.3 million people now under correctional supervision are not behind bars, according to a Pew Center on the States report, the first detailed survey of state corrections spending since 2002.

Why Rainy Day Funds Can’t Always Be Used on Rainy Days

Nearly all states put aside money for tough fiscal times. But the rules for using the money are dramatically different from state to state.

State Lawmakers Bag Online Hunting

Lawmakers in 11 states jumped on the bandwagon to outlaw online hunting this year, and California may soon do the same. Why all the fuss? It's over a single website that briefly offered Internet users a chance this spring to shoot live animals on a Texas ranch and that netted a single customer.

Delegates Speak: Issues Facing the States

Aug. 27, 2008, 4:00 p.m. EDT Q. What serious issue in your state would you like the next president to address? Wisconsin on jobsKeeping jobs in America. It is so important. We are losing jobs in Wisconsin. We have a GM plant (in Janesville) that is going to close down. And those are thousands of jobs. We also have a paper factory who has left us. We have another one that planning on closing. We also have small cheese factories that have closed. We don't have jobs for these people to go to. You can retrain them on jobs … skills and things. But where do they go for jobs? The jobs are not there. They are going to either overseas, or just gone... That is the biggest concern. Because if you don't have a job, you have nothing. You can't go the store and buy the bread and milk that we need to survive, or the food. And you can't, of course, afford mortgages. ... You can't even rent if you don't have a job. ... You have to have a job to survive in life. -Wisconsin delegate Mary Goulding of Greenbay, 57, secretary with the public school district interviewed by Barbara Rosewicz, Stateline.org Maine on energy Energy costs are a strong issue for me because obviously we have cold winters and not a lot of people. There's the whole discussion about being on the energy grid and how we can leverage that and get our money's worth, but the good side is that we are uniquely positioned for wind energy and tidal energy, and I really believe Barack Obama is committed to renewable energy and not just drilling and trying to find more oil in our oceans.-Maine delegate Jennifer DeChant, 35, of Bath interviewed by Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org New Mexico on health careI have four children and six grandsons.Seniors need help. If they don't get it, they are burdens to their families. In New Mexico, jobs aren't good enough for employers to pay employees adequate health insurance. -New Mexico delegate Mary Gail Gwaltney of Las Cruces, 73, retired interviewed by Stephen C. Fehr, Stateline.org AFTER THE JUMP: Audio and photos from the interviews Comments

GOP Takes the Reins in Maine

TODAY'S TAKE: Maine is one of two states - along with Wisconsin - that flipped from all-Democratic to all-Republican rule on Election Day. On Wednesday (December 1), the state's new GOP-dominant Legislature begins work.

Maine Republican Legislators Contemplate End to Labor Committee

TRANSITION WATCH: Maine Republicans seek to fold historic panel, Connecticut's pension gap gets bigger, and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

States Push Flexibility At Environmental Policy Forum

State and local leaders who hope to expand their influence over environmental policy and get more flexibility in meeting national standards for protecting the air, water, land and public health are receiving encouragement from key members of Congress and the Bush administration. At a Washington, DC policy summit Thursday (3/8), top administration officials promised that states would have more input from now on.

Incumbent AG, Comptroller Lose in Primaries

Wisconsin's attorney general, Peg Lautenschlager, and Maryland's comptroller and former governor, William Donald Schaefer, were two big-name incumbents who were defeated Tuesday (Sept. 12) as nine states held primaries to decide candidates for the Nov. 7 election.

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.

Mass. Health Connector, Other Innovations Honored

As the Obama administration and Congress debate the details of a national health care plan, the state that paved the way for universal coverage was honored in Washington, D.C.

Massachusetts, Wisconsin Vie For Dubious Fiscal Distinction

For all the shouting and self congratulation about the states' record budget surpluses, broad-based tax cuts and overflowing revenue streams, Massachusetts and Wisconsin are the unwilling finalists for an ignominious distinction: being last in the nation to pass a budget. In both cases, political skirmishing about how to spread surplus money around is a big reason for the fiscal tardiness.

Alabama, Tennessee In Special Session, Massachusetts Budget Okayed

Alabama and Tennessee legislators are in special session dealing with tax issues, while Massachusetts lawmakers cleared the way for adjournment by finally passing a budget. For more information, click on

Massachusetts Speaker Reluctant to Reprise Gambling Debate

TRANSITION WATCH: Democrats in Massachusetts look to get along by turning their attention away from gambling, Florida's new governor faces a choice on high-speed rail and other news of the historic shift in power in the states.

In Michigan and Wisconsin, Some Lawmakers Want to Go Part-Time

Should lawmakers in Michigan and Wisconsin cut their work hours? That’s what some hope to do, as they push constitutional amendments that would convert their states’ full-time legislatures into part-time bodies.

States Teaming Up to Combat Rx Drug Costs

Theres strength in numbers. At least thats the rationale of freshmen governors in Michigan, Vermont, Wisconsin and South Carolina who are mounting a joint attack on the soaring cost of prescription drugs for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Mining Boom in Great Lakes States Prompts Environmental Concern

PART ONE OF TWO: Mining is a thriving industry again in the upper Midwest. But there are questions about whether current state regulations can handle the environmental impact.

Democratic Governors May Join Obama Team

TODAY'S TAKE: An announcement last week by outgoing Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm that she has a "good idea" of what her next job will be has heightened speculation that she will join the Obama administration in the new year. Other outgoing Democrats, including Ohio's Ted Strickland and Wisconsin's Jim Doyle, also may move to Washington.

Snyder's Detroit Outreach Could Include New Office

TRANSITION WATCH: Michigan's Republican governor looks to strengthen a troubled Democratic city, revolving door rules could trip up a Rhode Island appointment, and other news of the historic shift in power in the states.

Govs' Gaffes Sometimes Overshadow Policies

When Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican, recently told a group of high school girls its about time a woman became governor of the Sunshine State, he apparently forgot about Janet Reno, a leading contender for the Florida Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Its not the first time a governor has put a proverbial foot in his or her mouth. And it wont be the last.

Minnesota's Welfare Program Shows Dramatic Results

A report released Wednesday shows that Minnesota's plan for weaning long-term recipients off welfare has led to one of the largest drops in poverty among single-parent families ever recorded. Minnesota's program also increased the proportion of recipients that got or stayed married, "the first hard evidence" that a welfare program can promote two-parent families, the report says.

Twenty-Seven States Win Awards For Welfare Successes

Twenty-seven states will share $200 million in performance bonuses from the federal government for successfully moving welfare recipients into work. President Clinton announced the awards Saturday. Minnesota showed the best performance, ranking in the top ten in three out of four categories.

Stem Cell Debate Goes to Voters

Voters are being asked to weigh job creation and potential life-saving cures against moral concerns over the destruction of human embryos in an impassioned battle over a Missouri ballot measure supporting the science. While the Show Me state is the only one with the question on the Nov. 7 ballot, the controversy over stem cell research is playing prominently in the Wisconsin governor's race and cropping up in state races scattered across the country.

Racial Profiling Laws Yield Data but Few Changes

Lawmakers and police have struggled to handle traffic stop data that is supposed to help identify racial profiling. In many places, the data is collected but not used. In others, the results are subject to challenge.