Stateline Headlines

Who failed the children? 407-pound teen, sister die within 4 months

Haslam plans ceremonial bill signings

Corporate, PAC cash left off campaign reports

Gov. Haslam signs bill allowing armed personnel in schools

DCS files: Older siblings' neglect may signal risk

Sen. Stacey Campfield sees liberal bias on Tennessee campuses

Judge should let public guardian go

TN Labor Department loses ruling in reverse discrimination case

DCS files raise more questions

TN Sen. Douglas Henry looks back on his long political journey

IRS report details Chattanooga Tea Party probe

Lax recordkeeping can be deadly issue

Kerry Roberts joins District 25 Senate field

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam inclined to sign whiskey distillery bill

Linchpins of Liberty says IRS targeted it for political reasons

Davidson County election review that led to chief's firing is approved by state

DCS files outline abuse, death of youths

Tennessee Ethics Commission to meet on Ingram lobbying case

Democratic leader Roy Herron is tired of Tennessee politics being the go-to joke on TV

Tennessee legislators vow to try again after 'ag gag' veto

Governor, citizenry say no to 'ag gag'

Attorneys General Seek Warning Label Cautioning Pregnant Women Against Using Pain Pills

State attorneys general are hoping to protect the littlest victims of prescription drug abuse.

More Tennessee newborns have drug dependencies

Sen. Thelma Harper confirms she will run for re-election

TN distillery bill raises ethics queries

Donation reporting divides Tennessee GOP

Downward pressure on health care costs

Media groups challenge DCS' fee

Davidson County election chief fired

Holleman, Yarbro primary race is likely after Sen. Douglas Henry's departure

Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper calls 'ag gag' bill 'constitutionally suspect'

Police are heroes on our streets

DCS records for eight children who died aren't available

Tom Ingram faces heat over lobbying pay

Tennessee's Web sales tax bill stalls in House

Nuclear plant is no place for overconfidence

TN taxpayers spending more than $500K to keep lights on

State Sen. Douglas Henry will not seek re-election

Middle TN Boy Scouts council to vote against allowing openly gay members

DCS says it followed its rules in supervision of teen before homicide case

Teens, violence, no supervision

Sen. Alexander's allies can't back his tax on Internet sales

TN Republican leaders end joint fundraising efforts

DCS to appeal ruling that limits fees for records

Obama Administration Poised to Approve Arkansas-style Medicaid Expansions

The Obama Administration is inviting states to apply for Arkansas-style Medicaid expansions in an effort to woo those balking at traditional Medicaid expansion.

After Expanding Coverage, Health Care Pioneer Seeks to Tame Costs

The Affordable Care Act will extend health care coverage to almost everybody. Now states are moving on to the next frontier in health care reform: containing costs. Once again, Massachusetts is taking the lead by putting its health care industry on an annual budget and requiring all insurers and medical providers to make detailed price lists available to the public.

Backlash for Red-Light Cameras Hasn’t Slowed Spread

Throughout the country, state legislatures are considering how broadly to use traffic cameras, but the number of communities using them keeps growing.

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.

Tennessee State of the State Address 2013

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Feb. 1 -- Following in the prepared text of Gov. Bill Haslam's (R) 2013 State of the State Address:

Voter ID Rulings Vex Administrators Ahead of Election Day

Recent court rulings and ongoing lawsuits have prompted widespread concerns about whether election laws can work smoothly next Tuesday.

Tennessee Plan Would Help Medicaid Families Keep Health Coverage

Low-income families will have more health insurance options starting in 2014, but income fluctuations and other circumstances could switch their subsidized plans. Tennessee is one of a handful of states developing ways to help people maintain coverage and keep seeing the same doctors.

Best of #StateReads: Michigan Confronts Crime by Parolees and Probationers

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

Wisconsin Voter ID Law Unlikely to Apply in November

Wisconsinites this November won’t likely need to show photo identification at the polls. That’s because the state Supreme Court says it won’t immediately consider whether to reinstate a voter ID law blocked in a lower court.

State Scholarship Changes Could Cost Students

Legislators in Arkansas are considering tying scholarship levels to academic progress.

Religious Liberty Emerges as Sensitive Political Issue

Freedom of religion is a universal American ideal, but there is growing disagreement about just what it means.

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.

With ‘Facts’ Website, California Looks to Thwart Opposition to Climate Change

California Governor Jerry Brown has unveiled a new website seeking to quiet climate change skeptics. The move comes as conservative legislators in some states are pushing back against efforts to address the impacts of a climate shift.

Tennessee Governor Follows Middle Road to Success

Without attracting or even seeking national attention, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has compiled an impressive record in Tennessee. But vocal elements in his Republican Party don’t think he’s conservative enough.

Will Happier Adjuncts Mean More Graduates?

A proposal presented this week at a national gathering of university professors in Washington suggests that providing career paths for adjunct, or contingent, faculty could ultimately improve graduation rates. The “Contingency Plan,” developed by several professors at Middle Tennessee State University, would create

Tennessee Republicans See Threat in U.N. Plan

Republicans in the Tennessee House of Representatives say a 20-year-old United Nations program for sustainable development is “destructive and insidious.”

States Push to Shake Up Personnel Practices

Civil service rules that haven't changed in decades are being re-assessed by several governors bent on major changes in the system.

Congressional Wrangling Leaves Sales Tax Deduction in Question

TODAY'S TAKE: Residents of seven states without an individual income tax are watching the budget debate on Capitol Hill to see whether they will be able to keep writing off state sales taxes on goods they purchase.

States Struggle with Prescription Drug Abuse

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: Legislators are looking for ways to deal with a problem that keeps getting worse. Physicians in some states are starting to work with them.

Haslam Asks For Overhaul to 'Broken' Civil Service System

TODAY'S TAKE: Governor Bill Haslam wants to make it easier to hire, fire and promote state workers. His plans would overturn longstanding rules intended to fight patronage.

Tennessee State of the State Address 2012

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - January 30 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Bill Haslam's (R) 2012 state of the state address: Lieutenant Governor Ramsey, Speaker Harwell, Speaker Pro Tem Watson, Speaker Pro Tem Matheny, Members of the 107th General Assembly, Justices, Constitutional Officers, friends, g

Legislators Attempt to Strip Courts of Power

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: In an effort to rein in "activist justices," legislators in New Hampshire and Tennessee are attempting to get rid of judical review of legislation.

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.

Infographic: Southern Strength

Republican dominance in the South started with presidential elections and only later came to statehouses.

Amazon Cuts Another Deal, Will Collect Tax in Tennessee

TODAY'S TAKE: A month after the nation's largest online retailer agreed to collect sales taxes in California, it struck a deal to do the same in Tennessee, adding pressure on Congress to come up with a national law governing online sales.

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.

Ratings Agencies Sharpen Focus on States

TODAY'S TAKE: The threat of a credit downgrade is not over for some states that rely heavily on the federal government. Tennessee, for instance, has been asked to show it can handle deep cuts in federal aid.

States Seek Waivers From No Child Left Behind law

EDUCATION BEAT: The No Child Left Behind law has given some state school systems targets they know they can't meet. They are asking the federal government to relax the rules.

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.

Tuition Hikes of 15 Percent Coming in Two States

TODAY'S TAKE: Higher education officials in Florida and Tennessee agreed Thursday (June 23) to raise tuition at public colleges and universities by up to 15 percent. In Florida's case, it's the third straight year of a 15-percent increase.

Tennessee State of the State Address 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - March 14 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Bill Haslam's (R) 2011 state of the state address: Lieutenant Governor Ramsey, Speaker Harwell, Speaker Pro Tem Jamie Woodson, Speaker Pro Tem Judd Matheny, Members of the 107th General Assembly, Justices, Constitutional Officers, friends, guests

How a Small Town's Bond Bust Led to a Model State Debt Policy

Lewisburg, Tennessee, got tangled up in an interest rate swap deal gone bad. As the town of 11,000 wrestles with the fiscal fallout, the state comptroller is forcing local governments to think hard before they engage in exotic investment deals.

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.

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.

Rhee is Possible Education Commissioner for Florida's Scott

TRANSITION WATCH: Florida's governor may offer a job to one of the best-known figures in public education, Colorado's new governor pledges apolitical appointments and other news of the historic shift in power in the states.

Trickle of Democratic Legislators Become Republicans

TRANSITION WATCH: Fewer state-level Democrats are becoming Republicans than in 1994, new Speakers of the House are elected in Montana and Tennessee and other news of the historic shift in power in the states

Conservatives Battle for Tennessee House Speakership

TRANSITION WATCH: The Tea Party becomes involved in the race for Tennessee House speaker, Arizona contemplates a flat tax and other news of the historic shift in power in the states.

Tennessee's Bold Leap in Care for the Aged and Disabled

A determined governor has rallied his state behind long-term health care reform. As more people begin to receive care in their homes - instead of in costly nursing facilities - Tennessee is betting on managed care organizations to keep costs in check.

Should Hunting, Fishing Be Constitutional Rights?

TODAY'S TAKE: Four states have measures on the ballot this year that would enshrine the right to fish and hunt in their state constitutions. Some question whether the proposals are necessary.

National Parties Hone in on Legislative Races

TODAY'S TAKE: Legislative elections will be particularly important this year in states such as Tennessee, where Republicans control the House of Representatives by only three seats. Democrats hope to flip the chamber in time for redistricting.

Three More Governor's Races Set

TODAY'S TAKE: It was a busy week on the gubernatorial campaign circuit, as voters in three more states chose their major-party nominees for November. Tennesseans on Thursday (Aug. 5) selected Republican Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam to face Democrat Mike McWherter, the son of a former governor.

Victory Laps in Delaware, Tennessee

TODAY'S TAKE: Delaware and Tennessee officials rejoiced on Monday (March 29) after they were proclaimed winners in the first round of the Race to the Top, a federal program intended to revamp the nation's K-12 schools by handing out billions of dollars in grants. Delaware will receive about $100 million; Tennessee will get about $500 million.More than 40 jurisdictions applied for a slice of the federal money, and the fact that only two states won stunned many education experts.

Tennessee State of the State Address 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Feb. 1 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Phil Bredesen's (D) 2010 state of the state address: Lieutenant Governor Ramsey, Speaker Williams, Speaker Pro Tem DeBerry, Members of the 106th General Assembly, Justices, Constitutional Officers, friends, guests and my fellow Tennesseans. Once

Summary of the Tennessee State of the State Address

Term-limited Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) unveiled a new budget plan that would cut state spending and use up about $200 million in rainy day funds during his final state of the state address Feb. 1.

State Police Not Immune to Budget Cuts

TODAY'S TAKE: State police agencies have been propped up with the help of federal stimulus money, but that doesn't mean they are immune to budget cuts. In Tennessee, 13 small counties soon could have no state troopers at all. Pennsylvania is worried that it will not be able to replace retiring officers.

State Officials Weigh in on Health Care

TODAY'S TAKE: The deeply partisan debate over health care legislation working its way through Congress is breaking down along similar lines in the states, which will be tasked with carrying out much of the plan.

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.

Tennessee State of the State Address 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Feb. 9 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Phil Bredesen's (D) 2009 state of the state address: Lieutenant Governor Ramsey, Speaker Williams, Speaker Pro Tem DeBerry, Members of the 106th General Assembly, Justices, Constitutional Officers, friends, guests, and my fellow Tennesseans. Her

Tracking the Recession: A Pier to Nowhere

The economic stimulus package includes about $30 billion for "shovel-ready" projects, but what does that mean? Tennessee has an answer.

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.

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.

State Jobless Funds Are Running Dry

As claims for benefits rise because of the economic downturn, many states are trying to figure out how to pay unemployed workers.

Fairness of Death-Penalty Panels Questioned

Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views.

WORTH NOTING: Let the Basketball Betting Begin!

Iowa's governor gives new meaning to the phrase "pork-barrel spending" as the NCAA men's basketball tournament begins. The next U.S. senator from Idaho literally could be "Pro-Life." And the Texas judicial system considers whether ankles really exist. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.

Tennessee State of the State Address 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Jan 28 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Phil Bredesen's (D) 2008 state of the state address: Click here to visit the governor's web site to hear the address. Lieutenant Governor Ramsey, Speaker Naifeh, Speaker Pro Tem DeBerry, Members of the 105th General Assembly, Justices, Constituti

Rookie Representative Calls 'Em Like He Sees 'Em

Former Major League Baseball umpire Dale Ford once tossed manager Earl Weaver from a game during the national anthem. This year, he got plenty of practice with the art of compromising as a rookie lawmaker in the Tennessee General Assembly.