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.

Supreme Court Rejects Texas’ Claim to Oklahoma Water

The unanimous decision rejects a Texas water district’s efforts to tap water on Oklahoma’s side of the border.

Report: In Energy Giant Texas, Natural Gas Won’t Push Out Renewables

Natural gas and renewables can complement each other on Texas’ stressed energy grid, even as they jockey for larger market shares, according to a new report.

Q&A: Will Consumers Find Bargains on Health Insurance Exchanges?

Some states are beginning to roll out their plans for health insurance exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

In Thirsty Texas, Voters Will Decide Water Plan’s Fate

Will drought-pummeled Texas finally pay for its water plan? Lawmakers have approved it, but now voters must decide.

Drones, Fences and Sensors Influence Immigration Debate

Border security is a big part of the immigration overhaul. But who will define it?

Safety Net Hospitals Won’t Be Docked in States That Don’t Expand Medicaid

Hospitals in non-expansion states feared they would be hit with bigger federal funding cuts than those in expansion states. HHS says that won’t happen – at least for the first two years.

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.

States That Skip Medicaid Expansion May Favor New Immigrants Over U.S. Citizens

The law of unintended consequences will strike states that decline to expand Medicaid.

Red River Showdown: Texas-Oklahoma Water War Could Reverberate Across US

Where Texas and Oklahoma’s showdown over the Red River Compact has huge implications for how states across the country manage their water. The case centers on questions of state sovereignty and interstate commerce.

Lawmakers Chew on Weighty Issues: ‘Whose shad fry is the best?’

Photo Slideshow: Lawmakers call time out to weigh delicious legislation.

Registry Finds More Exonerations in 2012

Since 1989, at least 1,089 people convicted of crimes have been officially cleared based on new evidence of their innocence, according to the National Registry of Exonerations annual report released Wednesday.

Sequester Cuts at Justice Department Threaten Local Drug Investigations

The partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C. threatens to curb drug investigations in rural communities.

Supreme Court Will Review Michigan’s Affirmative Action Ban

The nation’s highest court will decide whether a Michigan affirmative action ban passed by voters in 2006 can prevent colleges and universities from using race when they decide which students to admit.

In Drought Ravaged Plains, Efforts to Save a Vital Aquifer

The Ogallala Aquifer, which feeds some of the world’s most productive croplands, is running dry.

Why Tax Revision Is an Inexact Science

Several governors are talking about major change in their state tax structures this year. How do they know how much money a revised tax system will bring in? Often, they don’t.

Can Texas Beat Its Fund-Balance Addiction?

To balance the budget, lawmakers rely on money they can’t spend. Will that change this year?

Will Moderation Win in Texas?

The budget has improved dramatically in Texas, but spending more isn’t necessarily an easy sell.

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.

Texas State of the State Address 2013

AUSTIN, Texas -- Jan. 29 -- Following is the prepared text of Gov. Rick Perry's (R) 2013 State of the State Address:

Issue To Watch: School Testing

A number of states are pushing to up the stakes on reading tests for younger students and assign letter grades to schools.

Hard Realities on the Environmental Disaster Front

After another year marked by expensive and deadly disasters, states all over the country are still picking up the pieces from what Mother Nature wrought in 2012. But they confront equally sobering expectations for 2013.

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.

Governors Kick Off Legislative Sessions

Two of the country’s most prominent Republican governors opened their states’ legislative sessions with state of the state speeches from different fiscal vantage points. One day after a strong revenue projection for the upcoming two years, Texas Governor Rick Perry was somewhat optimistic, but warned lawmakers aga

State School Funds On Trial, Again

Texas, Colorado, Kansas and others will see action on school finance lawsuits next year, but it could be years before they make a difference in the classroom.

States Begin Giving Driver’s Licenses to Young Immigrants

The federal government thrust states back into dealing with the contentious issue of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants, after years when the practice had become rare and the issue dropped off most legislative agendas.

Best of #StateReads: United States of Subsidies

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

Texas Cancer Agency Fights Controversy

The state’s $3 billion effort to attack cancer is under fire for the way some awards have been made.

Best of #StateReads: Washington State Loses Women and Latino Lawmakers

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

Forensic Science Falls Short of Public Image (First of Two Parts)

Many juries depend on lab evidence to make a decision in a criminal trial. They don’t often realize how fragile the crime lab process actually is.

Next Elections: Races for Legislative Leadership

For aspiring legislative leaders, the elections aren’t over yet. Even as the final counts from last week’s votes are still being tallied, lawmakers who hope to be house speakers or senate presidents are courting their colleagues.

In Redistricting Appeal, Texas Challenges Part of Voting Rights Act

Texas is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate its recently tossed out redistricting map, its attorney general announced on Friday, likely setting up a case with major implications for the role of minorities in elections nationwide.

Texas Awaits Ruling on Franchise Tax’s Fate

The Texas Supreme Court is expected within days to decide whether the state’s franchise tax, designed to cover more businesses and raise more revenue, is constitutional.

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.

Affirmative Action Gets a Hearing

In 2003, the Supreme Court upheld using racial preference in college admissions. A more conservative court may decide differently.

States Still Resisting National Sex Offender Law

A 2006 federal law calls on states to create a national sex offender registry. But most have not complied, and some have stopped trying.

Federal Court Strikes Down Texas Voter ID Law

A federal court struck down Texas’ voter identification law on Thursday, calling it the “most stringent” of any in the country and saying it would disproportionately burden the state’s minorities and poor as they tried to cast their ballots this fall. “That law will almost certainly have retrogressive effect,” t

How Governors Govern Higher Ed

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett are the latest governors to play a role in resolving crises at their state universities.

Best of #StateReads: N. C. Regulators Miss Catching Cheating Businesses

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

Federal Court Dumps Texas Political Map

A federal court on Tuesday tossed out Texas’ redistricting plans, saying the state’s new political boundaries undercut the political influence of Latinos and Blacks.

Performance Pay Comes to Campus

Leaders in the University of Texas System will be paid, in part, on whether they meet several performance goals.

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.

Best of #StateReads: Ex-Parks Official Had Criminal Past

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

Florida Poised to Elect First Openly Gay State Lawmaker

With a narrow victory in the Democratic primary, a Miami Beach CPA is set to become Florida’s first openly gay state legislator.

Safety Net Hospitals Imperiled by High Court Ruling

Hospitals that serve the poor thought they would be helped by the Affordable Care Act. Now it looks as if they will be hurt by it.

State Test Results Questioned

Minnesota education officials this week credited tougher standards and a new online testing system as part of the reason 5 percent more students passed the state’s math test this year than last. Brenda Cassellius, the state’s education commissioner, predicted that those tougher standards, adopted in 2007, will lead to

Best of #StateReads: California Mental Health Money Spent Elsewhere

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

Best of #StateReads: California Parks Director Resigns After Budget Revelations

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

Best of #StateReads: Florida Closes TB Hospital as Outbreak Spreads

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

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

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

Courts Struggle to Maintain Safety

No one is sure why, but courthouses are becoming more dangerous every year. Better security is needed, but security isn’t cheap.

Medicaid Fraud Busters Learn From Experience

For years, it’s been relatively easy for dishonest doctors to squeeze extra money out of Medicaid programs. Now it’s getting harder.

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

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

State Courts Replacing Paper with Electronic Record-Keeping

State courts have been slow to computerize, but they are gradually replacing stacks of paper with electronic documents.

Best of #StateReads: Wyoming Depends on Business to Reduce Workplace Deaths

This week’s collection of #StateReads covers on the job fatalities in Wyoming, secrets in Alabama’s execution protocol and the far reaching effects of drought in Texas. These examples of extraordinary journalism about state government were recommended in tweets using the #StateReads hashtag on Twitter.

Perry Says State Will Maintain Women's Services

TODAY'S TAKE: Texas Governor Rick Perry told the President Obama that the state will find its own money to pay for women's health services if federal funding is cut off in a dispute over Planned Parenthood.

What Do Record Low Natural Gas Prices Mean for States?

Newly abundant and cheap natural gas has slashed home heating bills for many Americans. But in some states, the continued price drop has thinned state budgets and shifted energy production.

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.

What Will Perry's Retreat to Austin Mean for Texas?

TODAY'S TAKE: Texas Governor Rick Perry dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination Thursday (January 19), but it is unclear what the retreat will mean for Texas' longest-serving chief executive.

Disappointment in Iowa for Only Current Governor in Presidential Race

TODAY'S TAKE: The only current governor in the Republican race for president, Rick Perry of Texas, is re-evaluating his candidacy after a fifth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses.

With Revenues Rising, Texas Sees $1.6 Billion Surplus on Horizon

TODAY'S TAKE: While California and New York face significant budget deficits, Texas is projecting a considerable surplus by the end of the next fiscal year. The state comptroller credits rising sales taxes and natural gas revenues.

Romney, Perry Draw Fire for Use of State Resources

TODAY'S TAKE: Two Republican presidential hopefuls who have served as governor face questions over the use of state equipment for political aims.

In Nebraska, a Pipeline Reprieve and Some Lessons Learned

Many lawmakers in Nebraska don't want oil flowing past the state's scenic Sand Hills. They've persuaded the federal government and the company behind the pipeline to reconsider the proposed route.

In Texas, Proposition 6 Would Tap Trust Fund for More Education Dollars

Facing $4 billion in cuts to their schools over the next two years, Texas voters will decide next week whether to authorize dipping deeper into the state's $25 billion education trust fund to make up some of the difference.

States Retool Food Stamp, Benefits Systems

A number of states used to make food stamp recipients pass a fingerprint test. Now all but one has stopped, to save on staff time and ease the burden on the clients.

Biggest States Face New Budget Gaps

TAX & BUDGET BEAT: Recent reports have delivered gloomy fiscal news for the nation's five most populous states, making clear that budget problems in California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois aren't over yet.

Persistent Drought Threatens Texas Oil Industry

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Many energy producers in Texas are dependent on the drilling technique called fracking, which uses vast amounts of water. Right now, it's water that much of the state doesn't have.

Governors Skip Border Conference

TODAY'S TAKE: For the second straight year, governors from three of the four states that neighbor Mexico are skipping an annual conference of border leaders intended to foster better relations.

Texas Saves Big Money Through Effective Child Support Enforcement

The Lone Star state may know more than any other about collecting overdue child support. And in a tough budget year, the state managed to increase funds for a novel program that gives noncustodial parents who are behind on child support a choice: a job or jail.

Public Schools Chase Charters

EDUCATION BEAT: As support for charter schools builds in the states, in Congress and in the Obama administration, a number of traditional public schools are trying to emulate their chartered competitors.

Schools Fill Budget Holes With Fracking Revenues

Dozens of school districts, especially in Pennsylvania and Texas, have leased their mineral rights to natural gas companies. Those agreements have bolstered sagging school budgets, but come as concerns grow about the safety of natural gas extraction.

Texas Governor Rick Perry Poised to Join Presidential Race

TODAY'S TAKE: Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Republican who has long railed against Washington and the federal government, is expected to launch his bid for the presidency this weekend. He would be the only sitting governor in the contest, but as former governors already in the contest can attest, his record as executive will come under close scrutiny.

Texas Law Seeks to Keep College Students on Four-Year Path

Millions of college students are taking extra time and extra courses on the road to graduation. One state is seeking to cut down on that practice - for the sake of the students and the state budget.

Texas Governor Defends New York's Right to Pass Gay Marriage Law

TODAY'S TAKE: Hundreds of same-sex couples got married in New York State on Sunday, when a law legalizing the unions took effect. Just days earlier, Texas Governor Rick Perry, a conservative who may pursue the Republican presidential nomination, backed New York's right to pass the law, saying "that's their business."

States Hope to Win on New District Maps in Federal Court

For a generation, states have been taking their legislative district maps to the U.S. Justice Department for clearance on issues of racial fairness. There's another route to approval, however, and several of the states are using it.

States Save by Moving Vets From Medicaid's Rolls to VA's

A federal database intended to track welfare cheats is helping states find veterans whose health care could be paid for by the federal government rather than the state.

Health Care Law is Bigger Challenge for Some States

TODAY'S TAKE: Eight states will face the greatest difficulties in handling the influx of new Medicaid patients expected after the federal Affordable Care Act goes into full effect in 2014, a new study says.

After Standoff, Illinois Road Construction Continues

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: Illinois senators agree to back off in a budget fight that threatened to halt the state's summer road building season … Nevada clears the way for its first and only tollroad … Digital billboards could soon be legal in Missouri and Oregon, and other transportation news.

Christie Proposes to Slash Medicaid in New Jersey

HEALTH BEAT: Governor's plan would drop 23,000 adults who are currently receiving coverage. The federal government would have to approve the change in eligibility rules.

Texas Governor Rejects Ban on Texting While Driving

TODAY'S TAKE: Texting while driving is "reckless and irresponsible," but it should not be banned by the government, Texas Governor Rick Perry said in vetoing a measure that 33 other states have adopted.

On-Campus Gun Bills Stumble

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: Pro-gun Republicans enjoy overwhelming legislative majorities in Arizona and Texas. So why did proposals to allow guns on college campuses fail in both states?

Can Nonprofit News Survive?

Online startups such as Minnesota's MinnPost, The Texas Tribune, the Connecticut Mirror and California Watch have established themselves as must-reads among aficionados of statehouse news. The question is whether they can raise enough money to keep going.

Perry Invites Governors to Christian Rally

TODAY'S TAKE: With the media watching his every move for hints about a possible presidential run, Texas Governor Rick Perry has invited his counterparts around the country to Texas in August for a Christian prayer rally.

Several States Crack Down on Human Trafficking

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: California, Massachusetts and Texas are among the states going after human traffickers, who pressure teens, runaways and others into the sex trade or forced labor.

Political Class Watches Perry During Texas Special Session

TODAY'S TAKE: Will Texas Governor Rick Perry run for president? Political analysts are looking for clues in a special legislative session that began in Austin on Tuesday (May 31).

White House Objects to Indiana Planned Parenthood Law

HEALTH BEAT: Obama administration concerned about new Indiana Medicaid law… Texas cost-cutting proposal attracts federal scrutiny… Oregon raises hospital taxes, and other health care news.

In Texas, School Growth Clashes With a Shrinking Budget

AUSTIN, Texas - As Texas schools enroll 500 new students a day, state leaders are lopping billions of dollars from the education budget. The courts may get the final say on an issue that could force Texas to reexamine its entire fiscal system.

Republicans Score More Victories on Voter ID

TODAY'S TAKE: South Carolina and Texas are the latest states to approve GOP-backed measures requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. Similar bills are moving forward over Democrats' objections in Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Abuses in Delaware Weatherization Program Revealed

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT BEAT: Delaware's troubled energy efficiency efforts ... a deal to remove protections for wolves ... Iowa leads in wind power and other energy and environment news.

As Enrollments Soar and State Aid Vanishes, Community Colleges Reconsider Their Role

Two-year schools are crucial to training a workforce that can lead an economic recovery. But states are cutting back support just when community colleges are needed most.

Where Labor is Weak, State Workers Face Huge Cutbacks

As the nation debates collective bargaining in Wisconsin, public workers in Alabama, Texas and many other states are fighting over massive pay cuts, huge increases in health premiums and basic civil service protections.

Foreclosure Aid Program Gets Underway in Florida

SOCIAL POLICY BEAT: Florida rolls out a program to help homeowners avoid foreclosure … A GOP plan to turn food stamps into a block grant gets mixed reviews … Texas experiences a child boom, and other social policy news.

Thousands Protest Possible Texas Education Cuts

TODAY'S TAKE: AUSTIN, Texas - Protesters came out in droves to the Texas Capitol over the weekend to oppose proposed cuts in state school funding that could cost more than 100,000 teachers their jobs. At the same time, tens of thousands packed the streets of Madison, Wisconsin to protest a law stripping state workers of collective bargaining rights.

Texas Struggles to Fill a Texas-Sized Budget Hole

AUSTIN, Texas - Cutting billions of dollars in spending for public programs is tough in a state that was stingy with them even in the good years.

Texas Likely to Allow Guns on Campus

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: There appears to be broad political support in Texas for allowing guns on campus at public colleges and universities … Critics deride Nebraska and South Dakota abortion bills as "legalized murder"… Prison visitations limited due to budget cuts, and more public safety news.

Amazon Blasts Texas Over Sales Tax Grab

TODAY'S TAKE: Texas Governor Rick Perry has sold his state nationally as a close friend of business. But now Amazon, the online retailer, is closing a suburban Dallas distribution center and canceling plans to expand in Texas because of what it sees as an "unfavorable regulatory climate."

Texas State of the State Address 2011

AUSTIN, Texas - Feb. 8 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Rick Perry's (R) 2011 state of the state address: Thank you, Speaker Straus and thank you, Governor Dewhurst for your leadership and service to our state. The three of us are bound together by shared duties, shared responsibilities, and, most importan

Movement to Shrink Class Size Falters Amid Budget Austerity

A decade ago, it was an article of faith around the country that pupils learn better in less crowded classrooms. That idea is proving to be a casualty of the recession.

Big States Staring at Big Corrections Cuts

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: California and Texas consider major changes to their prison systems … Illinois could join New Mexico and New Jersey as the only states to repeal the death penalty legislatively … the Massachusetts parole board resigns, and other public safety news.