Stateline Stories

Governors Talk Energy with Obama

TODAY'S TAKE: President Obama on Wednesday (Feb. 3) told a group of 11 governors - including those from coal-friendly states - that the United States must move aggressively toward a clean energy economy.

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.

Washington State of the State Address 2013

OLYMPIA, Washington -- Jan. 16 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Jay Inslee's (D) 2013 State of the State Address

Bipartisan Coalition Takes Washington Senate From Democrats

Two Democrats teamed up with the chamber’s 23 Republicans to form a new “Majority Coalition Caucus,” the second time as many weeks that Republicans have claimed a share of power in a legislative chamber where they are in the numerical minority.

School Ruling Roils Race for Washington Governor

School funding is playing an outsized role in the Washington gubernatorial race, but it may be a while before new money comes from Olympia.

Washington State of the State Address 2011

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Jan. 11 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Christine Gregoire's (D) 2011 state of the state address: Thank you, Bill Robinson. Your kind and guiding words are appreciated. Thank you, Kyra Smith, for that beautiful performance of the national anthem. Your voice and talent are truly inspiring.

Washington State of the State Address 2010

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Jan. 12 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Christine Gregoire's (D) 2010 state of the state address: Thank you, Brian Cladoosby. Your words are appreciated. Thank you, Ashley Romero, Marlynn Marok and Mercy Samuel for that wonderful performance of the national anthem. I first heard these t

Washington State of the State Address 2009

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Jan. 14 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Christine Gregoire's (D) 2009 state of the state address: Thank you, Father Ryan, for that beautiful prayer and blessing. And thank you, Kate Elwanger, for your wonderful performance of the National Anthem. Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ch

Washington State of the State Address 2008

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Jan. 15 -- Following is the text of Gov. Chris Gregoire (D)'s 2008 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, distinguished justices of the court, honored officials, members of the Washington State Legislature, Former Governors, Tribal leaders, Local Government offici

Washington State of the State Address 2007

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Christine Gregoire's (D) 2007 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, distinguished justices of the court, honored officials, members of the Washington State Legislature, Governor Rosellini, Governor Gardner, Governor Lowry,

Washington State of the State Address 2006

OLYMPIA, Wash., Jan. 10 - The following is the prepared text of Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire's (D) 2006 State of the State address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, distinguished justices of the court, honored officials, members of the Washington State Legislature, former Governors Rosellini an

Washington State of the State Address 2005

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 12 - Following is the text of Gov. Christine Gregoire's 2005 state of the state address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, distinguished justices of the court, honored officials, members of the Washington state legislature, members of the Consular Corps, and fellow

Washington State of the State Address 2004

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 13 - Following is the full text of Gov. Gary Locke's (D) 2004 State of the State Address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Honorable Chief Justice, distinguished Justices of the Supreme Court, statewide elected officials, members of the Washington State Legislature, members of the Consul

Washington State of the State Address 2003

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 14 - Following is the text of Gov. Gary Locke's 2003 State of the State Address: Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Honorable Chief Justice, distinguished Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Consular Association, statewide elected officials, members of the Washington State Legislature,

Washington State of the State Address 2002

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 15 - Following is the full text of Gov. Gary Locke's 2002 State of the State Address: Mr. President; Mr. Speaker; Honorable Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court; distinguished Justices of the Supreme Court; statewide elected officials; members of the Washington State Legislat

Washington State of the State Address 2001

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 10 - Following is the full text of Gov. Gary Locke's 2001 State of the State Address: A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE Mr. President, Mr. Speakers, Honorable Chief Justice, distinguished Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Consular Association, statewide elected officials,

Washington State of the State Address 2000

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 11 - Following is the text of Gov. Gary Locke's 2000 State of the State Address: Mr. President, Mr. Speakers, Honorable Chief Justice, distinguished Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Consular Association, statewide elected officials, members of the Washington State Legislatur

State Officials Inclined to Go Slow on Mad-Cow Legislation

The recent case of so-called mad cow disease found in a cow in Washington state last month is prompting state lawmakers to scrutinize their policies on livestock health, but most are taking a wait-and-see approach to any new state-level legislation.

Few in Northwest Neutral on Eyman Initiatives

People who live in the state of Washington either love or hate Tim Eymans political involvement. Supporters say he's fighting for taxpayers and keeping the legislature in check. Detractors say Eyman is a hired gun for special interests who abuses the initiative process.

Rossi's Strategy is Key in Cliff-Hanger Governor's Race

Unless an impending mandatory recount reverses the result of Washingtons closest-ever governors race, Dino Rossi will become the state's first Republican chief executive in 24 years. If that happens, hell have bucked not only recent history but also a strong Democratic showing in the Evergreen State in defeating the favored Democratic candidate, Christine Gregoire. Stateline.org looks at Rossis strategy.

Washington's Eileen Cody Mixes Nursing, Politics

The title "union leader" evokes an image of a big, beefy man building cars in Detroit or driving a truck across the country. Eileen Cody, a member of the Washington state House of Representatives, doesn't fit that stereotype. A tall, scholarly-looking woman with short brown hair, Cody, a Democrat, is co-founder of a health care union in Seattle, where she works as a registered nurse.

Initiative 695 Haunts State Government In Washington

Election year for Washingtons part-time Legislature normally means a short session, just enough time to tweak the biennial budget, pass a few bills, and create an issue or two for the campaign. But this year would hardly qualify as normal.

States Coach Welfare Recipients In How To Keep Their Jobs

As welfare to work programs become more deeply rooted, states are trying to assure that people who used to be on public assistance are able to keep earning a paycheck. The state of Washington is a pioneer in tracking the success of former welfare recipients, but a number of other states also have follow-up programs. For more information, click on

Western State Reporters Say Taxes, Education Top 2000 Agenda

Reporters from eight Western states identified tax policy, education funding, health care reforms and apportionment of the states' tobacco settlement funds as the most pressing issues likely to be addressed by their states in the next legislative year. Over 50 journalists from Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming repeatedly mentioned those topics during a recent statehouse reporters' conference in Boise, Idaho.

Legal Test Looms for Washington's Gov. Gregoire

As Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire basks in the glow of an impressive showing in her first legislative session, lawyers in this small agricultural town in Washington state will argue a Republican lawsuit seeking to toss her from office. Today they'll debate the burden of proof for overturning an election.

WORTH NOTING: Washington Dems want Republican on the Ballot

Washington state Democrats push to get 'Republican' on the gubernatorial ballot. Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas is ridiculed by Field & Stream magazine. And a Wyoming legislator snatches the last home run hit in The House that Ruth Built. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in.

Congress' Minimum Wage Vote: Prelude to a Better Politics?

Are we truly on a swing back to centrist and pragmatic politics? Like a first robin of spring, the House's fast vote to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 in a phased two-year process, up from the $5.15 figure at which the Republican-controlled Congress left it frozen for the past decade, is a good omen.

James Webb's Equity Challenge: What If We Got Serious?

Cheers for Sen. James Webb. His Democratic rejoinder to the State of the Union address provided a blast of fresh politics we hear all too rarely, either in Washington or the state capitals.

High Court to Examine 'Top-Two' Primary

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether to let Washington state voters use a "top two" primary-election scheme that, if upheld, could be a model for reformers looking to loosen political parties' grip on the nomination process. Louisiana's primary is similar.

Traffic Tickets Going Digital

Even the most maddening of life's minor irritants - getting a traffic ticket - is going digital as more and more states adapt computer technology to enforce the rules of the road.

Program Moves Vets From Medicaid

As states are forced to tighten their belts, some might look at a Washington state program that transfers the cost of eligible veterans' health care, particularly long-term care, from Medicaid to the federal VA system.

Washington State of the State Address 2012

OLYMPIA, Washington - Jan. 10 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Christine O. Gregoire's (D) 2012 state of the state address: Thank you. Let's observe a moment of silence for some who served Washington so well and who

Tax Dispute Heats Up in Washington

TODAY'S TAKE: A tax battle is brewing in Washington state, where Democrats have proposed the first general sales-tax hike in 27 years - suspending a voter-approved initiative in order to do so. Minority Republicans, unable to stop the plan, instead have used delaying tactics to shine an election-year spotlight on Democratic tax proposals, which are meant to address a $2.7 billion budget shortfall.

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.

Tim Eyman’s Signature Strategy

Anti-tax activists in Washington State love him. The state's legislative leaders wish he'd go away. The one thing everyone agrees on is that nobody knows how to run a ballot initiative campaign like Tim Eyman.

Rich and Famous Take Sides on Washington's Income Tax Initiative

TODAY'S TAKE: A ballot initiative that would create an income tax on top earners in Washington State is dividing some of its most famous - and wealthy - residents.

Washington Special Session: One Day, $600 Million Cut

TODAY'S TAKE: A one-day special session in Washington State on Saturday (December 11) resulted in nearly $600 million in budget cuts. But the reductions represent only about half of what is needed to close the state's $1.1 billion budget shortfall.

Changes to 2012 Election Calendar in the Works

TODAY'S TAKE: Washington state usually doesn't receive a lot of time and attention from presidential candidates during primary season, so Governor Chris Gregoire has suggested saving $10 million by canceling the primary election. Florida is already considering big changes to the 2012 presidential nominating calendar, too.

Tax Amnesty Pays Off in Washington State

TODAY'S TAKE: Lawmakers in Washington State face plenty of fiscal problems, but their job became a little easier Tuesday (May 3) with the announcement that a three-month tax amnesty program for businesses produced more than double the amount expected.

Washington State Braces for Bad News

TODAY'S TAKE: Lawmakers in Olympia are worried that a budget shortfall of $1 billion to $2 billion could emerge from a new state revenue forecast to be issued today (September 15).

Liquor Privatization Initiative Polls Well in Washington State

TODAY'S TAKE: Washington could become the first state since West Virginia in 1991 to sell off its retail liquor stores under a proposal facing the voters next week.

Washington Liquor Vote May Open Doors Elsewhere

TODAY'S TAKE: Washington voters removed their state from the liquor business on Tuesday (November 8), giving momentum to similar efforts in other places, including one just across the border in Oregon.

Revenue Increase on Table in Washington Special Session

TODAY'S TAKE: Lawmakers in Washington State return to Olympia today (November 28) to address a $1.4 billion budget gap. Among the proposals being considered is a sales tax hike pushed by Governor Chris Gregoire.

'Political Earthquake' in Washington State

TODAY'S TAKE: Republicans who are used to being the minority in the Washington Legislature are suddenly major players in state budget negotiations, scoring a victory that The Seattle Times calls "a political earthquake not seen in 25 years."

Hazardous Chemical Crackdown Gains Momentum in States

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: In the absence of up-to-date federal legislation, states are writing their own rules about which chemicals are safe when contained in common products.

Industry Lobbying Turns Soda Taxes From Fizzy to Flat

The beverage industry's fight against soda taxes shows how far an industry will go to keep its products from being lumped with alcohol, tobacco and others subject to so-called "sin taxes."

Medicaid: A Year of Excruciating Decisions

PART THREE OF FIVE: For state health officials, rising Medicaid rolls and declining federal support add up to only one scenario: a year of ever tighter budgets.

Gay Marriage Appears Set to Pass in Washington State

TODAY'S TAKE: Majorities in both houses of the Washington Legislature have endorsed gay marriage, but the final decision likely will rest with the state's voters.

Boeing and Microsoft Boom, but Washington State Busts

Lawmakers in Olympia are finding that a common narrative about their state's economy - the notion that airplanes and software will carry the day - masks a more complicated and frustrating reality.

Seattle Police Test Taking Drug Offenders Straight to Treatment

A new pilot program gives police officers an alternative to clogging up jails with low-level criminals. Will it save taxpayer dollars?

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.

Should a 'Green' State Ship Coal to China?

There's a huge demand for coal in right now in Asia, and states in the American West have plenty of it. But more use of coal anywhere in the world adds to greenhouse gas emissions. One state is arguing over whether to treat the concern about overseas coal shipping seriously.

Simple Ideas Improve Transportation Safety

A new study finds wide variation in how well states are keeping track of their transportation performance. Safety is the area in which they do the best job.

Summary of the Washington State of the State Address

"Jobs are the way out of this recession," Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) told the Democratic-led Legislature in her state of the state address Jan. 12, laying out a series of proposals she said would create as many as 40,000 new jobs this year.

Health Care Wrangling Could Delay State Aid

TODAY'S TAKE: Federal health care reform has been a divisive issue for states, but for some governors seeking immediate budget relief from Capitol Hill, the wrangling over the legislation is causing uncertainty.

In Seattle, a Tunnel Plan Sits in the Big Dig's Long Shadow

SEATTLE - As Washington State prepares to replace an elevated highway with an underground one, fear of cost overruns is widespread.

Billions on the Ballot

In November, voters in a number of states will consider ballot measures that, if passed, would have enormous fiscal consequences. Some would raise taxes, others would slash them, and still others would impact state spending in dramatic ways.

The Not-So-Dependable Sales Tax

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

Anti Car-Tax Sentiment To Be Tested In Washington State

Since Republican James S. Gilmore rode an anti car-tax pledge to the Virginia governor's mansion in 1998, the unpopular levy has become a political target in many states. The next big test of its continued viability as a revenue source will come on Nov. 2, when voters in the state of Washington will consider an even tougher anti car-tax initiative than the Gilmore proposal that started it all.

Weekly Wrap: States Could Hand Off Liquor Stores

Three states weigh privatizing liquor sales; Lawmakers take aim at shorter, fewer sessions.

Copper Thefts Trigger Widespread Crackdown

Copper is a hot commodity these days, leading 20 states this year to enact laws to protect homeowners and businesses from criminals stealing gutters, cables and other scrap metals.

Tough Times Bring Brazen Sales Pitches

TODAY'S TAKE: Governors are known to make friendly wagers with one another when their states' sports teams meet on the field. These days, they're also competing brazenly with each other for investors.

States Use Data To Wrestle With Racial Profiling

Six states trying to stamp out the controversial, alleged police practice of racial profiling - selectively stopping, questioning and searching people based upon arbitrary minor offenses and the color of their skin - have enacted laws requiring officers to police themselves by recording racial data and other pertinent information on all traffic stops. They are North Carolina, Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Washington.

Weekly Wrap: Washington State, South Carolina Clash in jobs Competition

Why Washington state did not offer Boeing new incentives; Questions about government transparency in Utah; Job-creating commission may not have generated jobs.

Should States Get Out of the Booze Business?

Pennsylvania is as close as it has ever come to privatizing liquor sales following a House vote in March. Tricky questions await the Senate as it considers whether to modernize or dismantle the state’s multifarious system.

Pennsylvania, Washington Take Different Paths To E-Government

Microsoft and Pennsylvania. Bill Gates and Gov. Tom Ridge. Their state web site development partnership is stirring up controversy in the Keystone State. Should states partner with private Internet companies to develop their web sites? Or should they follow the example of Gates' home state, Washington, and go it alone?

Should States Be in the Liquor Business?

Several states that tightly control liquor sales are debating whether to turn them over to the private sector.

A Growing Pile of Debt for State Unemployment Insurance Programs

A majority of states are borrowing more federal funds for their unemployment programs than ever before. With stimulus money set to expire, the consequences may be severe.

Openly Gay Lawmakers Selected To Lead Chambers

Oregon Representative Tina Kotek is poised to join openly gay lawmakers in Colorado and Washington as a leader of a state legislative chamber.

Mailbox Replacing Ballot Box In Many States

Oregon and Washington are known for allowing voting by mail, but the trend is growing -- 20 other states also allow voters to mail in ballots for any reason to make choosing elected officials more convenient.

How Two State Tax Systems Have (and Haven’t) Shaped Metro Portland

Washington has no income tax. Oregon has no sales tax. In some ways, that matters a great deal for the regional economy. In some ways, it doesn’t.

Oregon, Washington Mull Electric Car Fees

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Northwest states look to electric car drivers for transportation money ... Missouri loosens the rules on renewable energy ... The Green Bay Packers' other big win, and other energy and environment news.

A Crack in the Prison Door

The recession is forcing lawmakers in some states to search for savings in places that might have been unthinkable a few years ago, including in their prison systems. One of those states is Oregon, where lawmakers last year approved a measure that will result in about 3,500 inmates being released from prison earlier than scheduled.But a recent backlash over the law serves as a reminder of the political sensitivity surrounding "early releases" as a money-saving effort. California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin are among the other states that have recently accelerated prisoner releases or are considering doing so.

State Hiring Freezes Tend to Melt Away

It's easy for a governor to announce a halt to new state employment. It's very difficult to maintain it.

States Find Laws Against Sports Head Injuries Tricky to Enact

Everyone wants to reduce the number of head injuries suffered by young athletes. But deciding just how to do that is more complicated than it might seem.

Gubernatorial Candidates, Ohio - Wyoming

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

Legislators Barring Electronic Distractions

Since 1997, when North Dakota state senators pioneered a ban on the use of electronic devices when their august body was open for business, the parliamentary rules of more and more legislatures require cell phones, computers and other high-tech distractions to be turned off or left at the door. Maine's House of Representatives is the latest to join the legislative rebellion against the myriad intrusions of the Digital Age.

Cities, Counties Hurt By Budget Cuts

Starved for cash due to slumping sales tax revenues and rising Medicaid costs, North Carolinas Mecklenburg County needs another revenue hit like a fish needs a bicycle. But thats exactly what it got in February. Through April of this year, 10 states Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington have cut local revenue sharing dollars to balance fiscal year 2002 budgets.

Infographic: A Turning Point for Gay Marriage?

Gay marriage supporters have won big victories in state courts and state capitals in recent years. Now, they’re hoping to extend that success to the ballot box.

Debt Ceilings Without Drama

Most states have rules that limit how much they can borrow. Unlike Congress, however, state lawmakers have almost never used the limits to engage in high-stakes political confrontations – at least not yet.

More States Give Tax Credits to Working Poor

This tax season, even more low- and moderate-income taxpayers can look forward to a check from their states along with their federal refunds, thanks to new state laws that aim to put cash in the hands of the working poor.

Crackdown on Illegal Immigrant Drivers Now Nationwide

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: New Mexico and Washington, the last two states that still issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, both recently stepped up efforts to make sure that license holders actually live in their states.

Welfare Rolls Up, Benefits Down in Some States

SOCIAL POLICY BEAT: Some states are scaling back welfare benefits just as more of their residents are seeking them, a new report says.

Election Campaigns Enter 'Uncharted Waters'

Patriotism, not politics, has been on the minds of many since terrorist attacks last Tuesday. Now a week past, however, elections and campaigns are resuming, entering what both election officials and candidates have called "uncharted waters."

Four States Consider Income Tax; Four States Reject It

Facing education funding woes and a variety of budget shortfalls, lawmakers in New Hampshire and three other states that do not collect income taxes considered reversing course this year--and in each case defeated or abandoned those plans for fear of retribution from the voters. To read about this politically perilous policy issue, click on

Real ID Dropouts Leave Security Holes

Defying Uncle Sam, four states have passed laws refusing to comply with federal rules to make driver's licenses more secure, casting further doubt on the future of the 2005 Real ID Act.

State Choking Laws Signal New Attention to Domestic Violence

Advocates against domestic violence have long warned that the act of choking - a common method of domestic assault - can be among the most reliable predictors that a deadly attack will occur in the future. Hoping to crack down on batterers and prevent murders, New Hampshire and Delaware recently joined other states by increasing penalties for choking. The laws are part of a broader effort in the states to reduce domestic violence.

While Congress Stalls, States Worry About Highway Funds

A three-year standoff in Congress makes planning transportation projects harder for states.

States Dubious Of Federal Testing Plan

Nebraskas testing system is better for the Cornhusker State than the testing system mandated by the new federal school aid bill, state Commissioner of Education Douglas Christensen says. If that means bucking Washington, D.C. by failing to comply with new federal requirements to test every child in grades 3-8 annually, then Christensen is willing to do so.

Nursery Program Aids Jailed Moms in Four States

A small but growing number of states are using a new tool to keep women prison inmates from committing more crimes motherhood. In Ohio, Nebraska, New York and Washington, some women who give birth behind bars are allowed to keep their babies instead of giving up the child to a foster agency or a relative, as other states require. The programs appear to be helping women clean up their lives, although officials havent conducted major recidivism studies yet.

Republican AGs Probe Health Care Deal

TODAY'S TAKE: The Republican attorneys general of Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas and Washington State are threatening to challenge as unconstitutional a provision written into the U.S. Senate's national health care bill that cuts a special deal for Nebraska.

Democrats Win Montana Governor’s Race, Lead in Washington

Democrats have fended off at least one more Republican attempt to take back control of a governor’s office, and likely another.

Two States Lead Revolt Against Real ID

Updated 3:50 p.m. EDT, WednesdayMontana and Washington state defied the U.S. government this week, enacting the first state laws to reject the 2005 federal Real ID Act and ratcheting up pressure on Congress to amend or repeal national standards for driver's licenses.

States' Rebellion at Real ID Echoes in Congress

Two states leading a revolt against the Real ID Act have picked up new firepower in the U.S. Senate in their fight to roll back an unprecedented federal overhaul of state driver's licenses.

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.

Minnesota, West Virginia, Washington Adjourn; Alaska In Special Session

While Minnesota's governor and lawmakers celebrate the end of a legislative session that gave citizens the largest tax cut in state history, Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles has ordered his legislature to continue work in a special session until they forge a long-term budget plan. West Virginia and Washington lawmakers wrapped up special sessions this week by passing compromise bills on nagging issues, bringing to 27 the number of legislatures which have completed work for the year. For more information, click on

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.

State Programs Named Finalists for Innovation Awards

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

Managing Govt. Is Key in Fiscal Downturn

Utah, Virginia and Washington got top marks for managing a wide range of responsibilities - from fixing roads and schools to spending tax dollars and sharing public information - that carry a direct impact on their residents' lives, according to a national study that measured state governments' strengths and weaknesses.

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.