The Pew Charitable Trusts

PUBLIC SAFETY BEAT: Pennsylvania's former governor plans a statewide initiative to pair stray dogs with prisoners … Arizona weighs upping corrections spending even as it dramatically slashes funding elsewhere … Michigan considers allowing guns in hospitals, casinos and stadiums, and other public safety news. more

Religious groups that help members pay for medical treatment are exempt from key provisions of the new federal health law. As their popularity grows, some state officials are warning consumers to be wary of these unlicensed operators, while others see them as a welcome alternative to traditional health insurance. more

ATLANTA, Georgia - Jan. 12 - Following is the prepared text of Gov. Nathan Deal's (R) 2011 state of the state address: Lt. Governor, Mr. Speaker, President Pro Tem Williams, Speaker Pro Tem Jones, Members of the General Assembly, Constitutional Officers, Members of the Judiciary, my fellow Georgians: The addre

TODAY'S TAKE: Texas executed more than twice as many inmates in 2010 as the next-closest state, Ohio, according to a new report. Nationally, states executed 46 prisoners this year, a 12-percent decline from last year. more

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. more