Stateline Headlines

Legislative Scorecard: West Virginia Set For Special Session

West Virginia legislators return to Charleston Tuesday for a special session that will consider measures to help the state's drought-stricken farmers. California lawmakers resume deliberations Monday after a brief summer recess.

Advocates for Climate Action Urge Insurers to Join Up

Some are pushing the insurance industry to not only to crank up the volume on its longstanding calls for hardier building and safer land use in disaster-prone areas, but also to push for cuts to the carbon emissions.

Marijuana Bills Tempt Cash-Starved States

A history of marijuana laws This has been a bumper year for marijuana legislation, according to state policy observers. Crushing state budget deficits gave advocates in California, Washington, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York and elsewhere an opening to pitch marijuana as a new source of tax revenue. At the same time, the Obama administration gave users and distributors some breathing room by signaling in October that it would scale back on prosecuting them as long as they comply with state law.

States Struggle to Update Toxic Chemical Regulation

Unchanged for 35 years, the U.S. Toxic Chemicals Safety Act has left federal regulators without the tools to investigate many chemicals that could endanger human health. That burden has fallen to states, which have enacted a patchwork of regulations that environmentalists, policymakers and industry leaders all consider inadequate.

Terror Insurance: A New, Risky Business

Book lovers understand that the J. Willard Marriott Library and its three million-volume collection at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City are, in a sense, priceless.

Party Switch Gives Texas House Republicans Supermajority

TRANSITION WATCH: Two-thirds control of the House means Texas Republicans can overcome Democratic delaying tactics, outgoing governors issue their final pardons, and more news of the historic shift in power in the states.

Budget Picture Brightens in New Fiscal Year

TODAY'S TAKE: State revenues are a long way from catching up to where they were before the recession started, but reports out of Massachusetts, New York, Tennessee and Virginia show that they are climbing back.

States Tackle School Safety After Sandy Hook Shootings

At least 20 states are considering bills that would allow some teachers to be armed. Others are focusing on emergency plans and mental health checks.

Locals Take Losses in State Budget Cuts

TODAY'S TAKE: The trickle-down effect of state budget problems is on display this week in New York and Rhode Island, where governors announced plans to cut aid to localities.

After Sandy, Some Homeowners Spared from Costly Hurricane Deductibles

Governor Tom Corbett added Pennsylvania to the growing list of states — including Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and New York — where governors and insurance regulators have told insurers to spare homeowners from the costly deductibles after the superstorm whirled across the East Coast, causing heavy wind and flood damage to property and leaving millions without power.

Lame-Duck Session Scheduled in Pennsylvania

TODAY'S TAKE: The Democratic-led Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which will fall under Republican control in January, will convene for a special voting session on Monday (November 15). The lame-duck meeting will give outgoing Democrats the chance to pass legislation before Republicans take over state government, including the governor's office, next year.

As Their Terms End, Governors Show Mercy to Lawbreakers

TODAY'S TAKE: Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania both will leave office next month having granted clemency to hundreds of prisoners.

Penn State Case Spurs Movement for New Child Abuse Reporting Laws

TODAY'S TAKE: The Penn State sex abuse scandal has lawmakers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and elsewhere considering new reporting requirements for those who learn of crimes against children.

Several U.S. States Deemed Best Global Oil and Gas Investments

Oklahoma is the best place on earth to invest in oil and gas development, according to a survey of energy executives. Six other states joined it in the top 10.

The 'Amazon Tax' War Escalates

Colorado and North Carolina tried a new approach to taxing the sales of internet retailers like Amazon.com. But Amazon is fighting back, both in the courts and by shutting down a key marketing program in those states. How far will the tax war go?

No public office for Vito Lopez

Community must support police efforts to stop disruptive youths

The shame of New York

Recognizing 'master teachers'

Sheriffs: Cuomo asked for silence

New York divorce law moves closer to overhaul

Push comes to gov on full Shelly probe

Assembly should vote on Silver's leadership

How about just a plain good NYRA?

Gillibrand proposes student loan refinance plan

Sampson earmark missing

IG report: Work of rogue tax squad sloppy at best

Cuomo deals LI out

School budgets felt outside class, too

Speaker to seek New York legislator’s expulsion

You can do better, R-C-S

Oneidas to settle land, tax disputes

Lopez helped to get top state post

Cuomo finances detailed in report

Cuomo to Lopez: Quit or be expelled

Archbishop clarifies remarks about Cuomo

State said to be reviewing pay for fast-food workers

Report finds lawmaker was shielded by leaders

Pension predators

N.Y. Assembly shielded Lopez from sex claims, report says

Cuomo threatens subpoenas in bid for public campaign financing

Albany's next challenges

File form, or waive right to gun privacy

Bill: Ban fracking pollutants for treatment or dumping in state

NanoCollege chief assigned to develop 'innovation hot spots' at state universities

Paterson hears ‘House’ call

Why so quiet, Mr. Adams?

Cuomo proposes 3-year rate freeze in LIPA takeover

Cities to petition panel for more aid

Archbishop presses Cuomo over abortion

Big forum? For Cuomo, it's always a 'summit'

Deadline for gun opt-out form arrives Wednesday

End judges' license plates

Seeking help for cellphone thefts

Property buyouts to cost $48.5M

Assembly acts to extend farm workers' rights

NYRA seeks $1.2M refund

Sampson crony eyed in 400G pay probe

Gov staffers elect to quit

Albany cleanup overdue

New York seeks to boost upstate tourism

Rail? Trail? Decide, N.Y.

Pot's risks, payoffs argued

Is yours more corrupt than mine?

This town took on fracking and won

Cities, States Face Off on Mandatory Paid Sick Leave

Stateline - NYC and Portland will require businesses to provide paid sick leave. But many states are less than enthusiastic.

Your Senate, your money

N.Y. court upholds ethics commission subpoena power

NYC weighs allowing many immigrants to vote

Tribal settlements in the casino mix

Empty upstate prison is sold

Is bias a factor in probe of state lawmakers?

N.Y. Senate fracking backer tied to firm with gas lease

Lawmaker’s secret recordings aid federal probe of politicians

Corruption cases swell in New York Legislature

And now, Mr. Sampson

Deadlines set by state for NYC teacher evaluations

Paid sick days are right, not a privilege

Tourism gets $60M lift

U.S. revives Medicaid error audit

Survey: Taxes sky high in state

In a letter, state lawmakers demand edits to a sex-scandal report

For officials on tape, legislator’s invitation was ruse

Honor veterans with legitimate assistance

Medley Centre received largest tax break in state

Report: More than 103K campaign finance violations in NY since 2011

Mr. Cuomo's big blind bet

Protesters shut out of election finance hearing pitch dollar bills

Names of wire targets due out

Funds aid vacant school 'adaptive re-use'

New York State investigating pension-advance firms

Public hearing in Albany is held without the public

Corruption case to add six more taped officials

For Democrats, corruption arrest is one more barrier to control of the state Senate

New York to sue BofA, Wells Fargo over mortgage practices

N.Y. to sue Bank of America, Wells Fargo over alleged violations of mortgage deal

Corruption in Albany

Report: Fracking would boost income levels upstate

The DEC's murky waters

CSEA seeks ethics probe