House OKs school building legislation
The Arkansas Legislature on Thursday approved five bills that provide the framework for the court-ordered improvements to public school buildings statewide. [The Log Cabin Democrat (Conway)]
Read More
|
|
|
|
Archive of Stateline.org RSS - State by State Roundup on Saturday March 26, 2005
House OKs school building legislation
The Arkansas Legislature on Thursday approved five bills that provide the framework for the court-ordered improvements to public school buildings statewide. [The Log Cabin Democrat (Conway)] Read More
Senate to weigh eminent domain
When the City of Alabaster wanted to buy Carrie Spence's land for a shopping mall and city hall site, she didn't have to think long. [The Birmingham News] Read More
Soldiers making return to state through Tuesday
Starting today, hundreds of soldiers with the Arkansas Army National Guard's 39th Brigade are scheduled to depart Fort Sill, Okla., every day through Tuesday to return to Arkansas. [The Log Cabin Democrat (Conway)] Read More
Bishops join anti-death penalty campaign
Catholic bishops in Birmingham and Mobile are leading outreach and education efforts in Alabama - the state with the largest per capita Death Row - in support of a campaign launched this week by U.S. Catholic bishops to end the death penalty. [The Birmingham News] Read More
Riley picks O'Dell to fill judge seat
After a month of jumping every time his telephone rang, Huntsville lawyer Dennis O'Dell received the call Thursday he had been antsy about. [The Huntsville Times] Read More
White House expert - Pot is dangerous
A White House official on Wednesday testified to marijuana's dangers during the second hearing of a bill that aims to criminalize Alaskans' possession of more than an ounce of the drug. [The Juneau Empire] Read More
Measure would halt corporate income tax cuts
Gov. Frank Murkowski on Wednesday filed a bill to eliminate new tax breaks for oil and gas, fishing, mining and other industries operating in the state. [The Juneau Empire] Read More
State's TB rate continues to outpace nation
Alaska had 43 cases in 2004. [The Juneau Empire] Read More
House OKs pesticide bill; Senate will decide next
Spraying pesticides near parks, government buildings and other public places would require public notification under a proposal in the Legislature. [Anchorage Daily News] Read More
Legislator told to quit
In a historic move, the Citizens Clean Elections Commission voted Thursday to oust state Rep. David Burnell Smith from office for overspending his public campaign limits by more than $6,000. [The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)] Read More
Senate votes to keep DEQ
The Senate reversed itself Thursday, voting to preserve - not kill - the agency that protects the state's land, air and water. [The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)] Read More
U.S. judge OKs school tax credits
A federal judge rejected efforts to void the dollar-for-dollar state income tax credits available to individuals who donate to organizations that provide scholarships to private and parochial schools. [Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)] Read More
Parents support state takeover
A state plan to remove the principal of Craycroft Elementary School drew support from a small group of parents Thursday, but others still want more details about the change. [Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)] Read More
Kids' advocates lobby for CPS funds
Children's advocates and foster parents called on the Legislature on Thursday to protect the state's children by increasing funding in next year's budget for Child Protective Services. [The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)] Read More
Official English gets House OK
The House of Representatives on Thursday narrowly endorsed a referendum to declare English the state's official language, with some critics and supporters expressing their opinions in Spanish and other languages. [The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)] Read More
Bill allowing guns in bars passes hurdle
A bill to allow patrons to carry guns in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol cleared a key hurdle in the House on Thursday. [The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)] Read More
Migrant legislation march set for April
Hundreds of Hispanics from around the state will walk 25 miles from Mesa to the state Capitol next month to protest proposed legislation that targets undocumented immigrants, advocates said Thursday. [The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)] Read More
Bill to cut migrant benefits
The state House of Representatives agreed Thursday to build on Proposition 200 by denying undocumented immigrants child-care subsidies, adult classes, public housing and other government-funded benefits. [The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)] Read More
Bill to keep 4% tax on mixed drinks clears Legislature
The Arkansas Senate easily passed a bill Thursday that would continue the state?s 4 percent tax on mixed drinks that raises about $1.5 million a year for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)] Read More
Bill outlawing sexual orientation bias fades out in panel
A bill that would broaden Arkansas' civil rights protections to include sexual orientation stalled in a state House committee Thursday, but the sponsor and supporters insisted they've advanced their cause just by initiating legislative discussion of the idea. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)] Read More
Water bill defeated, then buried
A bill to allow more development in Lake Maumelle's watershed was defeated and then buried in the House City, County and Local Affairs Committee on Wednesday. [Arkansas News Bureau] Read More
School-facilities bills build up steam, sail through the House
With little debate, the Arkansas House of Representatives approved Thursday key elements of the state?s plan to improve public school facilities, taking a major step toward resolving one of the largest single issues facing the 85 th General Assembly. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)] Read More
Huckabee slices $210 million thinly for pet local projects
Gov. Mike Huckabee proposed Thursday to use the bulk of the $210 million General Improvement Fund to improve school facilities and meet state agency needs, leaving only about $15 million for legislators? pet local projects. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)] Read More
Bill banning smoking around state buildings endorsed
A measure that would prohibit state employees from taking their smoking breaks outside state office buildings was endorsed by a House panel Wednesday. [Arkansas News Bureau] Read More
Unexpected problems raising cost of education
Arkansas lawmakers learned Wednesday that staying the course on court-ordered education reforms will be difficult if not impossible because of new budget problems. [Arkansas News Bureau] Read More
State watchdog agency defends campaign contribution limits
The state's political watchdog agency defended campaign contribution limits to committees promoting ballot measures as a protection against corruption in the court battle over Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's efforts to raise unlimited campaign cash. [The Orange County Register] Read More
Walkouts won't affect state funds
The student walkouts across East Side Union High School District this week likely will not cause the district to lose state funding, though administrators told students differently in order to squelch the protests. [Mercury News (San Jose)] Read More
In the Golden state, leaden school scores
LOS ANGELES - When she looks out at the classes she teaches at Los Angeles High School here, Cynthia Augustine, sees students from Russia, Mongolia, Ghana, Sudan, Korea, Philippines, and Thailand. [The Christian Science Monitor] Read More
Schwarzenegger names homeland security adviser
An official with the federal Department of Homeland Security was tapped Thursday to be Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's new anti-terror and disaster preparedness adviser. [The San Diego Union-Tribune] Read More
Bootheel farmers gain allies in rice war
WASHINGTON - The food industry and environmentalists joined Missouri rice growers this week in their fight to prevent a California company from sowing genetically modified rice in the Missouri Bootheel. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch] Read More
Churchill keeps his job
A committee investigating controversial University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill found enough questions about his research and whether he misrepresented his Native American heritage to refer the matter to the university's Standing Committee on Research Misconduct. [Denver Post] Read More
In deal's defense, Owens dismisses follies of youth
Ah, 2004. Remember it? A guy named Bush ran for president, the Red Sox hadn't won a title since 1918 and a "young and irresponsible" Colorado governor named Bill Owens called a plan to divert taxpayer refunds to balance the budget a "tax increase." [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Colorado packs on pounds
DENVER - For years, Colorado has been ranked the leanest state in the country with a reputation as a magnet for hard bodies who love the outdoors. [The Olympian] Read More
Owens christens disaster center
CENTENNIAL, Colo. - From terrorist attacks to freak blizzards and forest fires, Colorado will be better prepared to handle future disasters with a new high-tech operations center in the south metro area, Gov. Bill Owens said Thursday. [Denver Post] Read More
Panel moves HOA bill forward
The right to fly a flag, post a political sign or grow native grasses in covenant-controlled neighborhoods moved a step ahead Thursday. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Reforms for voter fraud unveiled
Colorado Secretary of State Donetta Davidson on Thursday outlined a package of voting reforms designed to fix problems that surfaced during last year's elections. [Denver Post] Read More
New budget avoids big cuts
The legislature's budget writers were able to patch together enough money to avoid deep cuts to state programs next year in a spending plan they finished drafting Thursday. [Denver Post] Read More
Water d'tente favored over dispute
Colorado's water warriors might spend more time in conference rooms than courtrooms in the future if a bill that won preliminary approval in the House on Thursday becomes law. [Denver Post] Read More
Critics glad fraud allegations on table
Some of Ward Churchill's harshest critics at the state Capitol celebrated the news that the University of Colorado will be scrutinizing the controversial ethnic-studies professor for his alleged academic fraud. [Denver Post] Read More
Schools using many lessons of Columbine
When teens in Marshfield, Mass., started fantasizing about a massacre in their high school, a few began to have doubts. Fortunately, there was an adult they trusted, a school resource officer, who was alerted to details about the plot last fall. [The Christian Science Monitor] Read More
A GOP division on civil unions
Gov. M. Jodi Rell and her hand-picked Republican state chairman, William A. Hamzy, aren't exactly on the same page when it comes to civil unions for same-sex couples. [The Hartford Courant (registration)] Read More
Leaders hail McCain plan to review tribal policy
Reacting to charges of incompetence at the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Sen. John McCain will hold a hearing on the longstanding controversy over the tribal recognition process - prompting praise Thursday from Gov. M. Jodi Rell and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. [The Hartford Courant (registration)] Read More
North Haven taxpayers question state law
Two residents believe taxpayers were unfairly shut out from deciding whether revaluation could be delayed, and they've appealed to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal about the issue. [New Haven Register (registration)] Read More
State drops co-ed centers
An investigation into the alleged sexual assault of two females at an alternative incarceration center in Waterbury has ended the practice of maintaining such overnight co-ed facilities. [The Hartford Courant (registration)] Read More
House OKs gay rights bill
A bill adding sexual orientation to Delaware's anti-discrimination protections is again headed to the Senate after clearing the House in a close vote Thursday - just as it did in 2001 and 2003. [The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)] Read More
Bill relaxing residency rules for stalls
A plan to reduce the residency requirement for Wilmington municipal employees to five years stalled Thursday in the Senate, but Democratic leaders say the issue is close to resolution. [The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)] Read More
Surface Water Task Force finishes job
Gov. Ruth Ann Minner may have in hand next week a blueprint for legislation to manage surface water issues statewide, particularly to lessen flooding problems in New Castle County. [The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)] Read More
Gov. Bush frustrated by Schiavo roadblocks
It's not often Gov. Jeb Bush is frustrated pursuing his goals. [ABCNews.com] Read More
Governor pressured to take action
The legal wrangling that has consumed Terri Schiavo's family for seven years neared its end Thursday as courts continued to rebuff desperate attempts by her parents and the state of Florida to keep her alive. [The Palm Beach Post] Read More
Options, time running out
As protesters prayed and picketed in Capitol hallways, the Senate debated Terri Schiavo's fate with biblical citations and constitutional arguments Wednesday. In the end, it defeated a bill that would have restored her life-sustaining food and water. [Tallahassee Democrat] Read More
FAMU wants to fix own finances
TAMPA, Fla. - Despite her insistence that Florida A&M University doesn't need state help to fix its troubled financial systems, Interim President Castell Bryant said Thursday that lawmakers are trying to force their goodwill. [Tallahassee Democrat] Read More
Slots idea faces long odds in House
A House proposal that would allow only bingo-style slot machines in Broward County and require local pari-mutuels to ante up nearly double what they expected in taxes was dubbed a loser Thursday by slot proponents and is facing tough opposition from members of the committee that will vote on it next week. [The Orlando Sentinel (registration)] Read More
Schiavo parents' options dwindle
PINELLAS PARK, Fl. - Barring any unprecedented action by Gov. Jeb Bush, it appears that no person, no court and no law stands in the way of Terri Schiavo's death. [The Orlando Sentinel (registration)] Read More
Lawmaker fires first shot to limit slots
For voters who may have thought approval of slot machines at Broward County parimutuels would mean Las Vegas-style gambling: Think again. [St. Petersburg Times] Read More
TB cases in Florida rise by 3 percent
After years of decline, the number of tuberculosis cases in Florida increased by 3 percent last year, state health officials said Thursday. Read More
Court requires safeguards on public beaches
On Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court said when Miami Beach made that place attractive to swimmers, it also had an obligation to warn them of known dangerous conditions. [St. Petersburg Times] Read More
Lured employers now tax Medicaid
Wal-Mart Corp., which is getting millions of dollars in state incentives to create jobs in Florida, has more employees and family members enrolled in Medicaid than any company in the state. [St. Petersburg Times] Read More
Case proves politically touchy
WASHINGTON - After Congress' high-profile entry into the Terri Schiavo case, most lawmakers responded in a low-key manner to Thursday's Supreme Court decision not to intervene in the dispute, underscoring the delicate political nature of the controversy. [Los Angeles Times (registration)] Read More
Supreme Court rebuffs appeal in Schiavo case
PINELLAS Park, Fla. - The U.S. Supreme Court turned aside the case of Terri Schiavo on Thursday, dimming her parents' hope of keeping her alive, while religious activists made a final appeal to Gov. Jeb Bush to defy the courts and intervene. [Los Angeles Times (registration)] Read More
Few options for Schiavo's parents as they return to U.S. court
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - The Supreme Court declined on Thursday to hear the case of Terri Schiavo, and a state judge rejected Gov. Jeb Bush's effort to intervene, prompting a last-ditch legal scramble by Ms. Schiavo's parents as her death grew more imminent. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
Girl's death raises questions about tracking of sex offenders
The arrest of a convicted sex offender this week in the kidnapping, rape and murder of a 9-year-old Florida girl underscores a national problem, experts say: Authorities don't have enough money to identify, treat and monitor the sex offenders most likely to repeat their crimes. [USA Today] Read More
In a polarizing case, Jeb Bush cements his political stature
WASHINGTON - Gov. Jeb Bush's last-minute intervention in the case of Terri Schiavo, even after the president had ended his own effort to keep her alive, may have so far failed in a legal sense, but it has cemented the religious and social conservative credentials of a man whose political pedigree is huge and whose political future remains a subject of intense speculation. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
Federal judge nixes Schiavo's feeding tube
TAMPA, Fla. - A federal judge on Friday refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, yet another setback for the parents of the brain-damaged woman in their battle against her husband to keep her alive. [St. Petersburg Times] Read More
Schiavo court battle goes on, but options run low
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - As Terri Schiavo's health waned, her parents pushed on to restore the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube after the nation's highest court and judges in Florida defeated their latest legal appeals. [USA Today] Read More
Child support bill falls short in Senate vote
The biggest overhaul to Georgia's child support laws in nearly three decades fell one vote short in the Senate on Thursday. [The Macon Telegraph] Read More
House dilutes development bill
The Georgia House took the strong brew of a Senate measure to allow development in the face of neighbors' protest and watered it down to a mild tea. [The Macon Telegraph] Read More
Secrecy bills advance in Senate
Republicans pushed two secrecy bills through the Georgia Senate on Thursday. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (registration)] Read More
Republicans split over budget negotiations
Legislative budget negotiators returned to the bargaining table Thursday over the state's $17.4 billion budget for next year after a day that saw tempers elevated in both chambers over the apparent lack of progress. [The Macon Telegraph] Read More
Opponents rally against photo ID
A coalition of civil rights activists, labor unions, Democratic lawmakers, college students and others descended on the state Capitol on Thursday to loudly protest proposed legislation that would require voters to show picture identification at the polls. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (registration)] Read More
Duwamish take issue with history bill
The idea came out of a tribal education summit two years ago: It was high time to make Native American history a requirement in Washington's public schools. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer] Read More
Child support payment bill fails
An overhaul of the way child support payments are calculated in Georgia failed by one vote Thursday in the Senate. But the proposed legislation could gain passage next week. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (registration)] Read More
Hawaiian programs gain $2.1M in grants
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has approved community grants totaling more than $2.1 million, allotments benefiting a range of programs to strengthen the health, culture and welfare of Native Hawaiians. [Honolulu Advertiser] Read More
Bill seeks bequests for pets
Should your loyal dog be able to live out his life in the manner to which he is accustomed if you should meet your end first? Under a bill scampering through the Legislature, he will. [Honolulu Advertiser] Read More
Senate passes Micron incentive tax break bill
The Senate voted unanimously Thursday to give Micron Technology a major property tax break. [The Idaho Statesman (Boise)] Read More
Local lawmaker aims to reign in school subsidy
A promise the Legislature made to public schools to subsidize construction interest costs could change because of a bill Rep. Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, is pushing. [The Times-News (Twin Falls)] Read More
Baby Tamia comes home
The touchdown of Delta Flight 715 Thursday night at O'Hare Airport marked the end of a journey for an anguished family who simply wanted their baby - Baby Tamia - home safely. [Chicago Sun-Times] Read More
Special-ed law made big cuts
In his mysterious world of autism, 5-year-old Vincent Vazquez can't speak, but he is learning to communicate. He points to words and pictures to signal what he wants, from a scooter ride to a twirl around the school gym in his teacher's arms. A special education teacher by training, Mindy McGuffin works for a widely respected statewide autism program called the Illinois Autism/PDD Training and Technical Assistance Project, which is facing dramatic service cuts despite the rising incidence of autism in Illinois. [Chicago Tribune (registration)] Read More
State acts to close gap in taping law
The arrest of a Knox County minister accused of secretly videotaping his female tenant and other women has prompted legislation intended to close a loophole in state law. [Peoria Journal Star] Read More
Gaming Board prepares to take action
CHICAGO - The Illinois Gaming Board met for the first time in seven months Thursday, with its new chairman promising quick action on pending issues and independence from political influence. [The State Journal-Register (Springfield)] Read More
Statehouse rally makes statement
Hundreds of people gathered in the Statehouse on Thursday for a rally organized by The Arc of Indiana, an advocacy group for people with mental retardation or related disabilities. [The Indianapolis Star] Read More
State employees to promote drug imports
Gov. Rod Blagojevich has launched a new advertising strategy for his prescription drug import program with the help of 55,000 state employees. [The Daily Herald (Arlington)] Read More
State?s high court - custody law flawed
The state's highest court threw out an Illinois law Thursday that had barred two women from challenging the state in custody disputes solely because they had been convicted of serious crimes against their other children. [The Daily Herald (Arlington)] Read More
In Illinois, living wills not always decisive
Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman at the center of a firestorm, lost the chance to decide her own fate when she had a heart attack 15 years ago. Her case has shone a light on the importance of living wills and other legal documents through which individuals can make end-of-life decisions before they become incapacitated. [The State Journal-Register (Springfield)] Read More
SIU administrator appointed to African-American commission
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University Carbondale administrator Seymour Bryson has been appointed to the Illinois African-American Family Commission, a group the governor expanded last year to address black students' educational and family needs. [The Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale)] Read More
Tamia's mother is back with her baby in a tearful reunion
Baby Tamia - the child at the center of an interstate custody battle - was reunited with her mother in Chicago on Thursday night, four months after being given up for adoption in Utah. [The Salt Lake Tribune] Read More
Baby girl reunites with mother
Baby Tamia -- the 6-month-old child at the center of an interstate custody battle -- was reunited Thursday night at O'Hare International Airport with her mother who gave her up for adoption in Utah. [The Daily Herald (Arlington)] Read More
Justices restrict police searches of trash
Criminal investigators can't root through Hoosiers' garbage on mere hunches of finding evidence, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday. [The Indianapolis Star] Read More
Lawmakers debate higher gas tax
With gas prices topping $2 a gallon around Indiana, lawmakers Thursday opened an unpopular debate on raising the state?s gas tax to aid a transportation funding shortfall. [The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne)] Read More
License branch hours would change under bill
License branches would be open for additional hours at election time under a series of amendments approved Thursday by the Indiana House. The changes were proposed to help Hoosiers comply with an expected new requirement that all voters show a photo identification before casting a ballot. [The Indianapolis Star] Read More
Indy Works talks hush-hush
Closed-door negotiations are under way between the city and Senate Republicans in an effort to salvage Mayor Bart Peterson's local government consolidation plan, officials said Thursday. [The Indianapolis Star] Read More
Iowa gets approval to revamp Medicaid
Iowa officials have received the go-ahead from the federal government to retool the state's Medicaid program in a way that would avert a major loss of federal money and may mean thousands more low-income Iowans could get help with medical costs. [The Des Moines Register] Read More
House to take up raising speed limit
Stop-and-go efforts to raise the speed limit on Iowa's interstate highways will be put to a major test in the Legislature next week. [The Des Moines Register] Read More
Counties sort out meth ordinances after state passes law
About two dozen Iowa cities and counties, which adopted their own ordinances restricting access to a common cold medicine used to make methamphetamine, must now decide what to do before a new state law takes effect. [Sioux City Journal] Read More
Compromise sought in Values Fund debate
Sides in the Iowa Values Fund debate still have big differences, but are inching toward a compromise, legislative leaders said Thursday. [Quad-City Times] Read More
Bills let track keep sales taxes
The owners of a proposed $70 million racetrack in Newton would be allowed to keep the sales tax revenue the facility collects over the next 10 years under bills introduced Thursday in the Iowa Legislature. [The Des Moines Register] Read More
University of Iowa lands $6 million deal for cancer treatment
The University of Iowa said Thursday it expects to earn about $6.75 million from drug companies for a new cancer treatment developed in part by its researchers [Sioux City Journal] Read More
Agreement reached on school finance proposal
Public schools would receive up to a $127 million funding increase under an agreement reached Thursday by key legislators. [Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
Plan aims at guardian power
Acting in the shadow of the Terri Schiavo case, Kansas lawmakers on Thursday night endorsed changes to state law to make it harder for guardians to end life-prolonging measures. [Kansas City Star (registration)] Read More
Senate set to vote on abortion clinic bill
A sharply divided Senate gave tentative approval Thursday to a bill that would impose numerous regulations on abortion clinics. [Wichita Eagle (registration)] Read More
House advances bill to curb abuse of development bonds
Responding to perceived abuses by Wyandotte County officials in building the area around Kansas Speedway, the House is taking steps to restrict the use of bonds for economic development. [Kansas City Star (registration)] Read More
Transportation, health officials discuss highway deaths at forum
WICHITA, Kan. - Many of the 456 people killed in Kansas highway accidents last year could have survived if they were wearing a seat belt, a state health official said at a forum on traffic safety. [Kansas City Star (registration)] Read More
Sebelius unveils state plan to fight cancer
More education, early detection, higher cigarette taxes and better diet are the best ways to reduce the incidence of cancer in Kansas, according to a partnership of private and public health agencies working to curb the disease. [Wichita Eagle (registration)] Read More
House advances bill to prevent methamphetamine production, use
With the family of slain Greenwood County Sheriff Matt Samuels watching from the floor, the House gave first-round approval Thursday to a bill restricting the sale of a key ingredient in manufacturing methamphetamine. [Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
Schiavo case prompts Kansas proposal on guardianship change
Terri Schiavo's case has prompted a response from Kansas House members, a proposal that would make it more difficult for court-appointed guardians to withhold food and water from incapacitated people in their care. [Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
Negotiators to draft final version of proposed budget
Legislative negotiators will draft the final version of an $11 billion state budget, with senators having largely followed Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' spending plan and House members having rewritten large parts of it. [Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
House advances 'Lew Perkins' open records bill
Any public employee's total compensation must be fully disclosed under legislation before the House. [Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
School funding deal heads to a vote
Legislative negotiators reached a compromise Thursday on a bill to increase education funding by up to $127 million annually in an attempt to satisfy an April 12 Kansas Supreme Court deadline. [Wichita Eagle (registration)] Read More
Senate advances Sunday liquor bill
Liquor stores could open their doors on Sundays and holidays under the terms of a bill that won tentative Senate approval Thursday. [Wichita Eagle (registration)] Read More
Fletchers announce schedule for Derby events
Gov. Ernie Fletcher is making slight changes to his Kentucky Derby celebration events while trying to keep costs down. [Lexington Herald-Leader] Read More
Murder suspect can't use state fund
GEORGETOWN, Ky. - A man accused of stabbing to death his girlfriend's mother will not have access to a state fund used to help pay trial expenses for indigent defendants. [Lexington Herald-Leader] Read More
Lawyers, students to fight drugs
University of Kentucky law students will team up with law professionals to help combat a growing drug problem in rural Kentucky. [Lexington Herald-Leader] Read More
Blanco sees double on cigarette tax
The state cigarette tax could be doubled to 72 cents under a plan being considered to pay for teachers' pay raises, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Thursday. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
State, ACLU argue in fight over abstinence program
Despite a civil-liberties group's claims to the contrary, Louisiana is not using taxpayer funds to promote religion on its sexual-abstinence program Web site in violation of a 2002 court agreement, an attorney for the state argued before a federal judge Thursday. [The Advocate (Baton Rouge)] Read More
Blanco calls for bill to cure 'epidemic' of rail fatalities
Calling 10 recent rail-crossing deaths in the state "an epidemic," Gov. Kathleen Blanco on Thursday called for legislation that would allow the state Department of Transportation and Development to close dangerous railroad crossings on parish and city roads when local officials fail to do so. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Richmond can't run for City Council
State Rep. Cedric Richmond, the choice of New Orleans' political establishment to fill the District D seat on the City Council, was disqualified Thursday by the Louisiana Supreme Court, which ruled that he did not meet the two-year residency requirement. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Despite changes, support for budget remains shaky
Facing stiff opposition back home, majority Democrats in the House of Representatives plan to scale back proposed fines for seat-belt violations and abandon registration fees for canoes and kayaks. [Portland Press Herald] Read More
Panel sends equality bill to Senate
Democrats kept the momentum moving on the governor's anti-discrimination bill Thursday, voting it out of committee and sending it to the Senate, where it may come up for a vote next week. [Kennebec Journal] Read More
Closing of Maine shipyards likely, Rep. Tom Allen warns
There is a good chance that two of Maine's three major military and shipbuilding installations will close over the next few years, U.S. Rep. Tom Allen said Thursday. [Portland Press Herald] Read More
Court urged to overturn school voucher ban
Eight families from southern Maine urged the state's highest court Thursday to overturn a law that prohibits the use of public funds for religious-school tuition, continuing a challenge that began six years ago. [Portland Press Herald] Read More
A global challenge to Maine forestry
Maine's forest-products industry faces unprecedented challenges and must invest in new technologies to remain an economic cornerstone, according to a wide-ranging report on the future of the state's forest economy. [Portland Press Herald] Read More
Bill proposed to limit racino hours
The majority leader of the Maine House said Thursday he will offer a bill to restrict the operational hours for Bangor's proposed racino slot machine parlor in an effort to bring the facility more in line with the traditional character of the city's business district. [Bangor Daily News] Read More
Ehrlich alleges 'blackmail' by former state employee
Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. accused a former state employee yesterday of trying to "blackmail" him. The woman involved said she was trying to protect herself against a retaliatory "whisper campaign" by the administration that could cost her a job. [The Washington Post (registration)] Read More
Ehrlich wants to determine if rivals exposed former aide
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said yesterday he wants to determine whether Democratic rivals were behind exposing a former administration aide who participated in Internet rumor-mongering about Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley that the governor says he knew nothing about. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
Md. delegates favor raising minimum wage $1
The Maryland House of Delegates yesterday voted to lift the minimum wage by $1 an hour, all but ensuring that legislation aimed at helping thousands of the state's lowest-paid workers will reach Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s desk in coming weeks. [The Washington Post (registration)] Read More
Stem cell research bill moves closer to passage
A measure to devote millions in state funds to stem cell research passed its second committee Thursday and is close to getting the votes it needs to pass the Senate, a key lawmaker said. [Capital News Service] Read More
Senate dispatches slew of bills to make deadline
The Maryland Senate passed a long slate of bills Thursday in a scramble to make sure its proposals make it to the House before a Monday deadline. [Capital News Service] Read More
Third of lawmakers tested show elevated mercury levels
On the eve of a vote by the state Senate on a bill to reduce power plant pollution, environmental groups yesterday said tests show almost a third of state legislators who submitted to hair sampling have elevated levels of mercury - one perhaps high enough for impaired memory. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
Senate rejects 'morning-after' contraception bill
In a close vote, the Senate defeated a bill yesterday that would have permitted pharmacists to dispense so-called "morning-after" emergency contraception without a prescription. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
Ex-state employee admits she took bribes
A former purchaser for the state prison system pleaded guilty yesterday to taking bribes from a company that systematically dangled gift certificates as bait to get public employees to buy its cleaning supplies at exorbitant prices. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
State courts to videotape judges' actions on bench
Massachusetts will soon begin videotaping trial court judges in action, part of an ambitious ''judicial enhancement" program for jurists deemed to need help with their demeanor and other aspects of the job. [The Boston Globe] Read More
Roe v. Wade omitted from proclamation
Governor Mitt Romney removed a reference to Roe v. Wade in a proclamation he signed this week, raising eyebrows among abortion rights advocates who say the move corresponds with a rightward shift by Romney as he mulls a presidential bid. [The Boston Globe] Read More
UMass to revise bid on school
University of Massachusetts officials must quickly revamp their plan to acquire a small private law school in a last-ditch effort to meet state Board of Higher Education requests, stated in an eight-hour meeting yesterday, for greater consideration of in-state students and more details on the cost of improving the law school. [The Boston Globe] Read More
Romney fund-raising cited as proof he's eyeing re-election
Gov. Mitt Romney tried to beat back rumors he won't run for re-election last night, collecting $300,000 at a one-night fund-raiser that allies said shows he's running for re-election. [Boston Herald] Read More
Gov dumps on DCR but digs rec techs
Gov. Mitt Romney has ripped the state Department of Conservation and Recreation for poor management, but that hasn't stopped him from using its staffers as roadies for gubernatorial events. [Boston Herald] Read More
Contract awarded for bridge removal
The state awarded a $59.6 million contract Thursday to two Massachusetts-based companies for the demolition of the two existing Cooper River bridges. [The Post and Courier (Charleston) (registration)] Read More
House OKs religious law's public display
The Michigan House voted Thursday to allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed on public property in places such as the state Capitol and public schools. [Lansing State Journal] Read More
Dove hunting could get spot on 2006 ballot
A coalition to stop dove hunting in Michigan says it will submit enough petition signatures Monday for a statewide vote to reinstate a ban on shooting mourning doves. [Detroit Free Press] Read More
U. of Michigan grad assistants conclude 12-hour strike
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Unionized graduate student employees at University of Michigan struck for 12 hours Thursday to call attention to their contract dispute. [The Detroit News] Read More
Senate approves bill to let diners take home unfinished wine
Diners in Michigan soon could add another item to their doggy bag of restaurant leftovers: unfinished wine. [The Ann Arbor News] Read More
Michigan House poised to act on helmet law
A bill that would repeal Michigan's 36-year-old motorcycle helmet law has passed the Senate and is expected to pass the House. But the state's governor is opposed to the bill and could veto it. [Toledo Blade] Read More
Legislature takes further steps to balance budget
The state Legislature on Thursday took further steps toward officially balancing the budget for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. [The Ann Arbor News] Read More
Tax on Vikings sale proposed
Senate Minority Leader Dick Day said Thursday that he would introduce legislation to impose a tax on the upcoming sale of the Minnesota Vikings and any eventual sale of the Minnesota Twins. [St. Paul Pioneer Press (registration)] Read More
Pawlenty heading to 3 Red Lake funerals
Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has held off traveling to the Red Lake Indian Reservation out of respect for the privacy and sovereignty of the community, said Thursday he will fly there Saturday to attend the first of the funerals for the shooting victims. [Minneapolis Star Tribune (registration)] Read More
Gambling drew most lobbying cash
Indian tribes and three gambling companies spent more than $2.8 million in high-profile lobbying campaigns aimed at persuading the Minnesota Legislature to change the state's gambling laws in 2004, according to a new report. [St. Paul Pioneer Press (registration)] Read More
Schools using many lessons of Columbine
When teens in Marshfield, Mass., started fantasizing about a massacre in their high school, a few began to have doubts. Fortunately, there was an adult they trusted, a school resource officer, who was alerted to details about the plot last fall. [The Christian Science Monitor] Read More
Veterans Affairs Dept. head named
Clark Dyrud, a longtime veterans service administrator who received a Purple Heart for his combat wounds in Vietnam, was named state commissioner of Veterans Affairs on Thursday by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. [Minneapolis Star Tribune (registration)] Read More
Schools smaller part of Barbour's budget
GULFPORT, Miss. - The state's revenue may be increasing faster than officials predicted, but that doesn't mean public school districts will get all the money they've asked for. [The Sun Herald (Biloxi)] Read More
Senate moves to cover rising liability to retirees
The Mississippi Senate took a small step Thursday toward reducing the state's swelling $5 billion liability in the retirement system that serves 230,000 current and former public employees. [The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson)] Read More
Senate split on tax hike, survey says
Half of Mississippi's 52 senators say they would vote for a 50 cents-a-pack cigarette tax increase if given the chance, according to a survey conducted Thursday by the Capitol press corps. [The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson)] Read More
Barbour speaks at Judge Clark's swearing-in
GULFPORT, Miss. - South Mississippi's legal community filled Circuit Courtroom 2 in the Harrison County Courthouse on Thursday to welcome the newest member of the bench to its family. [The Sun Herald (Biloxi)] Read More
Blunt details plans for $240 million in cuts
Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt spelled out Thursday how various agencies would cut nearly $240 million from their budgets for the coming fiscal year, with social services taking the hardest hit. [Jefferson City News Tribune] Read More
Refusal to give gun permits may end
The blast from the 38 mm handgun produced a surprisingly strong kick, one that caused Audrey Sementilli to shake her head as she placed the pistol back on the counter in front of her. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch] Read More
Bootheel farmers gain allies in rice war
WASHINGTON - The food industry and environmentalists joined Missouri rice growers this week in their fight to prevent a California company from sowing genetically modified rice in the Missouri Bootheel. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch] Read More
Bill would change taxi panel's makeup
A bill moving through the Missouri Legislature aims to change the makeup of the Metropolitan Taxi Commission - a nine-member group that often butts heads with airport taxi drivers. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch] Read More
Proposed cuts in Medicaid decried
Proposed cuts to Missouri Medicaid would leave the state with one of the stingiest health insurance programs for the poor in the nation, advocates for the uninsured said Thursday. [Kansas City Star (registration)] Read More
Democrats add funds for schools
Democrats engineered a surprise school-funding coup on the Senate floor Thursday, stuffing $80 million into an obscure bill that could be the final word on increased money for schools. [Great Falls Tribune] Read More
GOP uses silver bullet on hunting bill
House Republicans used one of their 12 silver bullets Thursday to shoot a controversial bill out of committee that would supplement funding for the state's hunter access program. [Billings Gazette] Read More
Agency defends land usage fees
Public land usage fees proposed by the Bush administration could be what keep recreational facilities open, a top Montana Bureau of Land Management official said Wednesday in defending the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. [Billings Gazette] Read More
Senators asking for double their pay
Although term limits soon will end the careers of many, an overwhelming majority of Nebraska state lawmakers say now is the time to raise legislative pay. [Omaha World-Herald] Read More
Opponents can't stop funds for Leigh dam
COLUMBUS, Neb. - Boosters of a proposed recreational reservoir near Leigh in northeastern Nebraska won a victory Thursday when a state agency approved $3.5 million for the project. [Omaha World-Herald] Read More
Agency head criticized for using employee as chauffeur
A state audit released Thursday said that state funds were used by the head of the Nebraska Foster Care Review Board to have an employee chauffeur her on personal business. [Lincoln Journal Star] Read More
Local meth laws are in limbo in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa - About two dozen Iowa cities and counties that adopted their own ordinances restricting access to a common cold medicine used to make methamphetamine must now decide what to do before a new state law takes effect. [Omaha World-Herald] Read More
Property tax increases - Lawmakers crunch numbers
Lawmakers working on a solution to the state's property tax crisis said Thursday they are close to an agreement that would rely primarily on the state constitution's economic hardship provision to provide relief to thousands of Nevada homeowners. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
'Potential hazard' - State challenges Yucca rail action
WASHINGTON - The Energy Department rushed to begin developing a Nevada railroad line to carry nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain without completing environmental studies required by a federal law, the state charged in court documents filed Thursday. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Democrats take early swing at GOP's likely candidate for governor
Democrats came out swinging Thursday, attacking the presumptive Republican nominee for governor a full year and a half before the election. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Panel backs money for DMV security
A Senate panel committed its support Thursday to buying security equipment to prevent break-ins of Department of Motor Vehicles offices such as the one that occurred earlier this month in North Las Vegas. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Bill would kill taxes on some utilities
Lawmakers are considering doing away with franchise taxes on utilities and telecommunications, a move that would save Clark County residents tens of millions of dollars a year. [Las Vegas Sun] Read More
Berkley would support effort to remove McCarran statue
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said Thursday she'd support a move by the state Legislature to get the late Nevada Sen. Pat McCarran's statue out of the U.S. Capitol given new disclosures of his racist, anti-Semitic views. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Assembly hears bills concerning doctors' issues
Two Nevada residents fought back tears Wednesday as they remembered family members who died while undergoing routine outpatient procedures in doctor offices. [Las Vegas Sun] Read More
Airport land deals face new scrutiny
State legislators are considering launching their own probe into controversial land deals overseen by McCarran International Airport, focusing on property acquired through condemnation or eminent domain. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Ban on obesity lawsuits among proposals filed
A bill that would bar gaming officials from challenging legal but risque casino advertising and another that would ban obesity lawsuits against restaurants such as McDonald's were among measures introduced Thursday in the Legislature. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Reno judge to review decision on Web stings
RENO, Nev. - A Reno judge will review a court decision that could end Internet sting operations deigned to protect children from cyberspace predators. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Study pans physical fitness of Nevada children
Nevada's children are some of the least fit in the country, and not mandating physical education classes in elementary school is a primary reason for that, according to a report in April's issue of Child magazine. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
For 24th time, proposal for state lottery goes nowhere
The Senate Judiciary Committee, fearful a lottery would compete with the gaming industry for players, voted 5-2 Thursday to scuttle a proposal that would have put the legalization of a state lottery before voters. [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Read More
Senate approves ethics reform bill
Without debate, the Senate on Thursday approved expanding state ethics rules to cover the governor and other elected members of the executive branch. [The Telegraph (Nashua)] Read More
Senate OKs Lynch-backed insurance bill
The state Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation banning insurance companies from pricing health coverage based on the individual risks of employees. [The Telegraph (Nashua)] Read More
School voucher proposal passes
A plan to subsidize tuition for children to attend private or religious schools passed in the Senate on Thursday but without any provision for funding. [The Telegraph (Nashua)] Read More
Emissions bill OK'd; deadline worries PSNH
Environmentalists praised the state Senate?s decision Thursday to require Public Service of New Hampshire to go beyond federal regulations in reducing toxic mercury emissions from its two coal-fired power plants. [The Telegraph (Nashua)] Read More
N.H. Senate votes down proposal to ban junk food
The Senate voted down a proposal Thursday to ban the sale of junk food and sugary drinks in schools, saying local schools should make those decisions. [Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover)] Read More
Committee votes to up NH minimum wage to $6.15
The minimum wage could be going up if lawmakers agree with the recommendations of the House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee. [The Union Leader (Manchester)] Read More
Bill gives motorists a reprieve on emissions testing
New Hampshire motorists would be given a one-year reprieve from the requirement that their 1996 and newer vehicles pass an on-board diagnostic emissions test (OBD II) under proposed legislation passed 9-0 yesterday by the House Transportation Committee. [The Union Leader (Manchester)] Read More
Codey expects new era in mental health care
Acting Gov. Richard Codey said yesterday a task force report he will receive next week promises to mark a "fundamental turning point" in the state's mental health system. [The Star-Ledger (Newark)] Read More
State to seek leeway on special ed
Next month, when state and federal education officials sit down to discuss the progress that New Jersey's teachers have made becoming "highly qualified" under the No Child Left Behind Act, the state is expected to do well -- except for special education teachers. [The Star-Ledger (Newark)] Read More
Jersey partisans split over 'pay-to-play' gap
The Democratic State Committee's attempt to exploit a loophole before the ink was dry on the state's "pay-to-play" ban set off a political tempest yesterday, with top Democrats split on whether it violates the spirit of the law while Republicans called it flatly illegal. [The Star-Ledger (Newark)] Read More
Hard cases and tough choices
A day after Assembly Democrats promised to have auditors dissect state spending -- starting with the Department of Human Services, a $5.2 billion behemoth -- lawmakers held a seven-hour hearing where advocates made their pleas for yet more money for social services. [The Star-Ledger (Newark)] Read More
Women's caucus honors Whitman, Legreide
PLAINSBORO, N.J. - Former Gov. Christie Whitman and Diane Legreide, a key member of Acting Gov. William Codey's administration, accepted the 2005 Barbara Boggs Sigmund Awards yesterday at the Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey fund-raiser, "Leaders with Vision - Women in Politics." [The Times (Trenton)] Read More
Winter moisture has officials floating
This winter?s bumper crop of snow will bring New Mexico a fine rafting season and go a long way toward filling reservoirs depleted by years of drought, state officials say. [New Mexican (Santa Fe) (registration)] Read More
State shopping for corporate jet or turboprop
The Legislature has approved $5 million for Gov. Bill Richardson?s administration to buy an aircraft, and the state?s shopping list includes a business jet plane. [New Mexican (Santa Fe) (registration)] Read More
As April 1 date grows near, doubts on budget grow, too
New York's Senate and Assembly on Thursday left undone some of the major work on a legislative counterproposal to Gov. George E. Pataki's budget, casting doubt on whether a budget could be adopted by the April 1 deadline for the first time in two decades. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
Oops! More uncounted ballots in a hotly contested election
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Remember the seemingly endless Senate race in Westchester County last year that came down to only 18 votes, the one that took more than three months and teams of lawyers to decide? [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
9/11 tapes ordered open, with limits
New York City's Fire Department must release audiotapes and transcripts of interviews conducted with firefighters who responded to the 2001 terrorist attacks, except for portions that could cause serious pain or embarrassment, the state's highest court ruled Thursday. [Times Union (Albany)] Read More
Fate of $150M energy tax debated
Environmental advocates and research companies are up in arms over a deal between the Senate and Assembly to control the use of hundreds of millions of dollars from consumer taxes on energy bills. [Times Union (Albany)] Read More
Budget deals race deadline
The Legislature finished its last of 10 budget conference committees Thursday, but Gov. George Pataki said he's seen just "dribs and drabs" of agreements reached by the Senate and Assembly. [Times Union (Albany)] Read More
Nursing home raises question
A state Health Department committee has given a company linked to the Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel permission to build a 120-bed nursing home in Rockland County, even as the state had denied other similar applications. [Times Union (Albany)] Read More
Bill would phase out exotic pets
In response to attacks by "pet" tigers that killed a boy in Wilkes County and maimed a girl in Surry County, legislation filed this week would ban new exotic animals statewide and require current owners of such animals to get permits. [The Winston-Salem Journal (registration)] Read More
Easley halts donation of uptown building
Gov. Mike Easley squelched a legislative deal Thursday to give the James K. Polk building in uptown Charlotte to Johnson & Wales University and instead arranged to sell the building to a Charlotte firm for $5.3 million. [The Charlotte Observer (registration)] Read More
4 counties to get storm aid
WILMINGTON, N.C. - Gov. Mike Easley has declared a state of disaster for four eastern counties that suffered storm damage seven months ago. [The Charlotte Observer (registration)] Read More
Black to choose lottery committee
The speaker of the state House said yesterday that if House members approve a state lottery in the next two weeks, he wants the money to go for education: school construction, reductions in class size, help for poor school systems, prekindergarten, and college scholarships. [The Winston-Salem Journal (registration)] Read More
Small schools win big
Small school districts can let out a sigh of relief now that a bill they fought hard was defeated in the House. Senate Bill 2333 was killed by a vote of 62-32 on Thursday. The bill would have required school districts with less than 100 students that also don't have a high school, to consolidate with a high school district. [The Bismarck Tribune] Read More
House votes to help child
Legislators helped out a Bismarck 2-year-old battling an extremely rare disease by passing Senate Bill 2395 on Thursday. The bill was introduced specifically to help Laikyn Zietz, who has Russell-Silver Syndrome, an extremely rare disease that is believed to only inflict one or two children statewide. [The Bismarck Tribune] Read More
Bismarck armory opens firing range to legislators
House Majority Leader Rick Berg is an experienced legislator, but he needs a lot of work at the gun range. Since the Legislature began, the North Dakota National Guard has been opening its indoor firing range, located in its armory on the east side of town, for legislators to relax by doing some target shooting once a week. [Grand Forks Herald] Read More
For some, it's worth it in the long run
Relatively few North Dakota taxpayers use the state's long income tax form, but the state Senate concluded there were enough to make it worth keeping. [Grand Forks Herald] Read More
Subcommittee removes Heritage funds
A proposed $5.5 million addition to the North Dakota Heritage Center was shunned by a legislative committee on Thursday, dampening prospects that the expansion will happen this year. [The Bismarck Tribune] Read More
Does ruling invalidate gay-marriage ban?
CLEVELAND - A judge's ruling that Ohio's new constitutional ban on gay marriage conflicts with the state's domestic-violence law hasn't convinced amendment backers that the divisive measure should be repealed as opponents had hoped. [The Cincinnati Enquirer] Read More
Gambling advocates plan poll
Horse track lobbyists, casino developers and Indian gaming representatives want to bring more gambling to Ohio but agreed Thursday to survey the public before getting behind specific proposals. [Dayton Daily News] Read More
Feds investigate abuse allegations at Ohio's prison for girls
The Justice Department plans to investigate allegations of abuse and civil rights violations at Ohio's state prison for girls. [The Beacon Journal (Akron)(registration)] Read More
Meeting itself was accomplishment, organizer says
That a meeting took place at all among varying pro-gambling factions makes it a success, its organizer says. Lawmakers, local government officials, racetrack owners, Indian tribe officials and representatives of the gambling industry held an unprecedented three-hour meeting Thursday to air their views on the best way to get voters to approve expanded gambling in Ohio. [The Beacon Journal (Akron)(registration)] Read More
Ethics panel recommends charges against lawyers in liquor-board case
State ethics investigators recommended criminal charges against two lawyers accused of giving cash and gifts to state employees who regulate liquor licenses for businesses the attorneys represented. [The Beacon Journal (Akron)(registration)] Read More
Teachers want cap kept on charters
Education groups and teachers' unions say they will lobby to keep the cap on the number of charter schools in Ohio and do more to hold them accountable for test results. [The Cincinnati Enquirer] Read More
Taft names Lima, Perrysburg men to advisory group
Steven Cotner of Perrysburg and Patrick Wainscott of Lima were among 11 appointees announced yesterday by Gov. Bob Taft to the Ohio Private Investigation and Security Services Commission. [Toledo Blade] Read More
Oil industry seeks funds for House energy chairman
The president of the state's independent petroleum association is urging its leadership to donate thousands of dollars to the campaign accounts of the House Energy and Utility Regulation Committee's chairman. [The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)] Read More
Legislators challenge labor inquiry
The lead contractor on a troubled $12.8 million state bridge project in Southern Oregon may have underpaid workers by about $250,000, according to an ongoing investigation by the state Bureau of Labor and Industries. [The Oregonian (Portland)] Read More
Bills stir emotions on abortion
Oliver Thornton of Eugene set his alarm for 5:30 a.m. and put on a bright pink Planned Parenthood T-shirt Thursday to let everyone know he supports a woman's right to choose abortion. [The Oregonian (Portland)] Read More
Bill would change investigation of police shootings
A wide-ranging bill that would change the way counties across the state investigate police use of deadly force drew fervent supporters and harsh critics at a hearing Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. [The Oregonian (Portland)] Read More
Rendell, Street go after guns in response to recent violence
Gov. Rendell and Mayor Street said yesterday that they would step up efforts to toughen gun laws and add eight state troopers to a city antigun unit, but they stopped short of promising new spending to reduce the violence that has claimed more than one life a day this year. [The Inquirer (Philadelphia) (registration)] Read More
E-ZPass nets half of tolls
Monthly revenue from the prepaid E-ZPass toll system accounted for about half of all Pennsylvania Turnpike collections for the first time in January. [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review] Read More
State budget cuts could leave counties in lurch
BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa - Reductions in the state welfare budget could shift the cost of operating public nursing homes to county taxpayers, administrators from Lehigh and Northampton counties told area legislators Thursday. [The Express-Times (Easton)] Read More
Taxes foot bill for board members' cars
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board member Jeffrey W. Coy cruises across the state in a beige Cadillac DeVille sedan. Taxpayers are paying the $650-a-month tab. [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review] Read More
Political squabble stalls panel review of foster child's death
Six months after 3-year-old Thomas J. Wright was beaten to death while in state custody, the commission assembled to review his death has not held a single meeting. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Carcieri declares deadlock with unions
After a year of failed negotiations, Governor Carcieri has declared a deadlock in contract talks with the largest state employee union. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Indians' lawsuit going to jury
State police detectives Ken Bell and Staci Shepherd were working undercover inside the Narragansett Indian smoke shop July 14, 2003. They wore jeans and T-shirts, and carried guns. They asked workers about cigarette brands and when the next shipment would come in. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Lawmakers question Brown's job focus
Members of the House Finance Committee yesterday put a representative of Secretary of State Matt Brown on the hot seat, questioning whether Brown was focusing too much on politics at the expense of the office's core functions. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Lynch urges communities to fight any LNG terminal
Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch gathered municipal officials at his office last night to rally them for a fight against proposals for liquefied natural gas terminals in Providence and Fall River. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Contract awarded for bridge removal
The state awarded a $59.6 million contract Thursday to two Massachusetts-based companies for the demolition of the two existing Cooper River bridges. [The Post and Courier (Charleston) (registration)] Read More
Transportation authority chief indicted
CONWAY, S.C. - The former executive director of the Wacca-maw Regional Transportation Authority has been indicted on charges of public corruption and fraud. [The Post and Courier (Charleston) (registration)] Read More
Average S.C. gas price hits $2
Gas prices in South Carolina hit a record high average of $2.006 a gallon Thursday, but the state still has some of the lowest prices in the nation, according to AAA Carolinas. [The State (Columbia)] Read More
Most video lottery machines too old
Most of South Dakota's video lottery machines soon will be declared obsolete. [Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)] Read More
Tuition to increase 5% at S.D. universities
RAPID CITY, S.D. - A typical student at a South Dakota public university will pay 5 percent more in tuition and fees next fall, an additional cost of about $244 for the 2005-06 school year. [Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)] Read More
Grandma's visitation rights denied
A Mission woman's bid for visitation rights to see her 5-year-old grandson was rejected Thursday by the state Supreme Court in a ruling that stressed parents' rights to decide how their children are raised. [Rapid City Journal] Read More
TennCare chief says contractor's own investigation skimpy
A TennCare contractor's investigation of its connections to state Sen. John Ford was disturbingly short on solid information, TennCare's director said yesterday. [The Tennessean (Nashville)] Read More
Attorney general joins Senate's Ford investigation
The chief special counsel in the Tennessee attorney general's office will lead a newly widened probe into possible ethics-rules violations by state Sen. John Ford. [The Tennessean (Nashville)] Read More
House bill gets tough on ethics
The House voted 95-0 Thursday to ban state and local officials from accepting consulting fees from entities doing business or trying to do business with the governments they represent. [The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)] Read More
Few disputes foreseen here
Tennessee officials believe a 2004 state law will make it easier for residents to avoid the kind of dispute that's torn apart the family of a severely brain-damaged Florida woman. [The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)] Read More
'We all want to know what happened and why'
TEXAS CITY, Texas - The roiling black smoke that erupted from BP's stricken Texas City refinery was gone Thursday, seemingly vanquished by a sun-filled azure sky. But as federal inspectors began probing the nation's deadliest refinery blast in a decade and authorities worked to identify the 15 dead, this Galveston Bay city still seemed wrapped in a bitter cloud of tragedy. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
House bill aimed at 'mega-donors'
A proposal to place a $100,000 limit on a person's political contributions to all state candidates in each two-year election cycle is aimed at curbing the unhealthy influence of a few wealthy "mega-donors," according to its sponsors. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
An old campaign promise might weigh on Hutchison
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's decision on whether to challenge Gov. Rick Perry in the GOP primary next year may rest heavily on whether she keeps a promise she made 13 years ago: to serve no more than two full terms in the Senate. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Deficit growth prompts bills
When talking about Texas state employee pension funds, House Pensions and Investments Committee Chairman Craig Eiland likes to cite "the first rule of holes." That, of course, is stop digging when you're in one. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Texas A&M system to increase tuition this fall
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Students attending Texas A&M University System schools face higher tuition rates for the fall semester, though the amounts haven't been determined. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Business group suggests possible Medicaid savings
A business group on Thursday outlined $5.2 billion in potential Texas taxpayer savings to the Medicaid program. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
Senator questions heavy charter school transfers
A state senator wants to know why more than 400 Houston-area charter school students moved to traditional schools in a four-month period leading up to February's state testing. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Turner urges stronger telecommunications bill
State Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, said Thursday that he hopes the Senate will consider more consumer-friendly improvements to a telecommunications bill tentatively approved by the House. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
White urges state to let county regulate fireworks
Mayor Bill White sent letters this week urging state lawmakers to give Harris County Commissioners Court the authority to regulate the sale and use of fireworks in the county's unincorporated areas. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
With condolences, Perry offers government resources
Texas Gov. Rick Perry expressed his condolences Thursday to the families of the blast victims and said state government resources have been offered to aid in relief and rescue efforts in Texas City. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
House Republicans blast Dallas over public nuisance law
A House committee chairman is threatening to subpoena the Dallas mayor, police chief and city attorney over the treatment of a carwash owner, who lawmakers believe was harassed for trying to operate a business in a neighborhood overrun by drug dealers, prostitutes and the homeless. [The Dallas Morning News (registration)] Read More
Governor opposes Yucca N-dump, wants to keep the waste where it is
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Thursday he does not support dumping the nation's radioactive waste at Nevada's Yucca Mountain - a position that separates the new governor from Utah's two U.S. senators [The Salt Lake Tribune] Read More
Tamia's mother is back with her baby in a tearful reunion
Baby Tamia - the child at the center of an interstate custody battle - was reunited with her mother in Chicago on Thursday night, four months after being given up for adoption in Utah. [The Salt Lake Tribune] Read More
Game board OKs tighter controls on travel, spending
Responding to criticism of mismanagement, the Department of Game & Inland Fisheries board on Thursday approved tighter spending controls on travel and state charge cards. [The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) (registration)] Read More
Baby girl reunites with mother
Baby Tamia -- the 6-month-old child at the center of an interstate custody battle -- was reunited Thursday night at O'Hare International Airport with her mother who gave her up for adoption in Utah. [The Daily Herald (Arlington)] Read More
Baby Tamia comes home
The touchdown of Delta Flight 715 Thursday night at O'Hare Airport marked the end of a journey for an anguished family who simply wanted their baby - Baby Tamia - home safely. [Chicago Sun-Times] Read More
Home-health choice recommended
By a vote of 8-2, a state oversight committee has recommended that Vermont allow more competition into the home-health market [Burlington Free Press] Read More
Senate OKs prison legislation
The Senate unanimously gave preliminary approval to legislation Thursday that is designed to help reduce the state's prison population, although the governor and victims' advocates hope for changes to the bill when it reaches the House. [Burlington Free Press] Read More
GOP objects to missing Medicaid plan
House Republicans objected Thursday to the budget bill offered by the House Appropriations Committee because it postponed all decisions on the multi-million dollar Medicaid program, including how to make up a projected $52 million shortfall [Burlington Free Press] Read More
Abenaki incensed over omission
Revisions to a state contract with the University of Vermont prompted representatives to a state-appointed commission on American Indian affairs to claim the state is trying to "erase" the Abenaki community. [Burlington Free Press] Read More
Legislators seek clarity in burial rules
A bill pending in the Legislature would untangle seemingly conflicting state laws that regulate both approved burials in Vermont and religious freedom in burying the dead. [Burlington Free Press] Read More
Virginia supports bay cleanup
Gov. Mark R. Warner said yesterday that the recent legislative session was a blockbuster success for the cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay and the protection of natural resources. [Richmond Times-Dispatch] Read More
Offshore drilling issue pits energy against tourism
The prospect of plumbing the Atlantic Coast for natural gas has pitted two of the region?s major industries with contrasting views of the waterfront. [The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) (registration)] Read More
On way out, official backs leaders
Daniel A. Hoffler has left the building. [Richmond Times-Dispatch] Read More
Rulings focus on state rights
WASHINGTON - The contrast between the emotional request from Terri Schiavo's parents and the terse rejection from the Supreme Court on Thursday was striking - but in character. [The Olympian] Read More
93 more voting felons found
Prosecutors identified 93 more felons yesterday who cast illegal votes in King County in the November election, bringing the total to 192 so far. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer] Read More
Colorado packs on pounds
DENVER - For years, Colorado has been ranked the leanest state in the country with a reputation as a magnet for hard bodies who love the outdoors. [The Olympian] Read More
Wife can keep share of pension in divorce
A woman's decision to seek court protection from her husband should not have been held against her in her divorce from the King County sheriff's deputy, the state Supreme Court ruled yesterday. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer] Read More
99 felons purged from voter rolls
King County election officials purged 99 felons from the voter rolls yesterday as prosecutors announced they would challenge an additional 93 felons they claim are illegally registered to vote. [The Seattle Times] Read More
Citizens' spill group touted
A proposal to establish a citizen Oil Spill Monitoring and Oversight Council similar to the one established at Prince William Sound after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill faced stiff opposition at a House hearing yesterday. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer] Read More
Court sides with TV station in man's defamation suit
In a case that raised concerns about courts becoming "supereditors," the state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a businessman can't sue a Spokane television reporter for omitting facts that might have made him look better in a critical story. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer] Read More
Bad-faith bill passes in Senate
State senators voted overwhelmingly Thursday to end bad-faith lawsuits against insurance firms and to change the way joint and several liability claims are handled in state courts. [Charleston Gazette (registration)] Read More
Hotel-motel tax hike finally reaches panel
A bill that would give cities the option of raising their hotel-motel occupancy taxes from 3 percent up to 6 percent (SB236) is finally scheduled to be on the Senate Finance Committee agenda this morning. [Charleston Gazette (registration)] Read More
Racetrack table gambling heads to Senate
Legislation to authorize local-option elections to legalize casino-style table gambling at the state?s four racetracks remained on a hot streak Thursday. [Charleston Gazette (registration)] Read More
Senate panel OKs abortion notification
With Wednesday looming as the last day for a bill to emerge from the chamber where it was introduced, lawmakers began the big push in committees to get bills to the floor for consideration. [Charleston Gazette (registration)] Read More
Senate nears OK on bill to require uniforms in schools
Moving to avoid social clashes and possibly outbursts of violence in the classroom, the Senate agreed Thursday to make uniforms mandatory in West Virginia by the 2008 school term. [The Register-Herald (Beckley)(registration)] Read More
Judge orders insurance data to be released
The West Virginia Insurance Commission must reveal which companies and organizations it consulted for a study that recommended eliminating a certain form of insurance lawsuit, a Kanawha Circuit judge said Thursday. [Charleston Gazette (registration)] Read More
Manchin on Hand for Big Win; Predicts Louisville Will Fall
Gov. Joe Manchin said the rest of the country has learned what the state already knows -- that the West Virginia Mountaineer basketball team is easy to admire. [Charleston Daily Mail] Read More
Delegate's attempts to get name on bill irk sponsor
The issue prompted nearly an hour of debate, name-calling, a midsession recess and a tension that lasted all afternoon. Table game legislation? No. Third-party bad faith? Huh-uh. Another ATV bill? Guess again. No, what had lawmakers up in arms Thursday and made a marathon House session even longer was a bill that would allow municipalities to appoint three to seven members to parks and recreation commissions. [The Register-Herald (Beckley)(registration)] Read More
Thompson pleased with 'mutual respect' at 27th
To hear people talk, this week's back-and-forth between Monongalia County Delegates Nancy Houston and Cindy Frich is just the latest ill will between the two women. [The Register-Herald (Beckley)(registration)] Read More
Third-party lawsuits closer to extinction
Third-party bad faith lawsuits came a step nearer to extinction Thursday in West Virginia, and now it's up to the House to act on a key element in Gov. Joe Manchin's legislative package. [The Register-Herald (Beckley)(registration)] Read More
Lawmaker takes aim at Web hunting
Forget the camouflage clothing, Sorel boots and bug spray, hunters can now take aim in their pajamas with a computer joystick. But a Texas-based Web site that allows folks, for a fee, to hunt animals over the Internet has sparked outrage in Wisconsin's Legislature, which is moving to head off any attempts by game farm owners who may want to offer Web hunting in America's Dairyland. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
State workers' beneficiaries not entitled to interest, court says
MADISON, Wis. - A state appeals court Thursday threw out a class-action lawsuit brought by beneficiaries of dead state workers seeking interest on their benefits. [Duluth News Tribune] Read More
Businesses targeted for tax credits
ASHWAUBENON, Wis. - Gov. Jim Doyle wants to put $120 million in unused tax credits for economic development into the hands of small- and medium-sized businesses. [The Post-Crescent (Appleton)] Read More
Many are rushing to create living will
MILWAUKEE - Hundreds across Wisconsin are taking steps to ensure their wishes for their medical care are legalized in light of the contentious battle in Florida over whether Terri Schiavo should live or die. [The Capital Times (Madison)] Read More
Illegal immigration growing, study says
The estimated number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. climbed to 10.3 million last year, according to a new study that indicates Wisconsin's share of that population is also growing fast. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
Minerals push state revenues ahead of forecasts
Buoyed by higher mineral tax income and interest on investments, Wyoming's revenues are running 12 percent ahead of projections, according to a state report. [Casper Star-Tribune] Read More
State seed lab's reputation grows
POWELL, Wyo. - Since lawmakers reopened the state seed lab in 2003, business has been steadily growing, including from out-of-state customers. [Casper Star-Tribune] Read More
Cheney attends Laramie memorial
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Vice President Dick Cheney and Gov. Dave Freudenthal were among mourners who turned out Wednesday for the funeral of former state Sen. David Nicholas, who died last week of an apparent heart attack. [Casper Star-Tribune] Read More
Wyoming revenue ahead of estimates
CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Buoyed by higher mineral tax income and interest on investments, Wyoming's revenues are running 12 percent ahead of projections, according to a state report. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Amtrak board wary of Bush's overhaul plan
WASHINGTON - The chairman of Amtrak, David M. Laney, has signaled for the first time that the independent board that runs the railroad objects to significant parts of President Bush's plans to overhaul the passenger rail system, especially the idea to reorganize the company through bankruptcy [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
Election commission urges finance rules for online politics
WASHINGTON - The Federal Election Commission on Thursday proposed new ways to apply campaign finance rules to online political activity, inviting members of the public to comment on how the agency should regulate things like online advertising and e-mailed political messages. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
Reserves, Guard get extended coverage
WASHINGTON - The more than 400,000 National Guard and Reserve members mobilized since September 2001 will be offered the choice of military healthcare coverage for as long as eight years after they return to civilian life, officials said Thursday. [Los Angeles Times (registration)] Read More
Youth gamblers on the rise
NEW YORK - For the first time, experts and treatment centers that deal with problem gamblers across the country are seeing an increasing number of adolescents who have developed serious gambling problems. [The Christian Science Monitor] Read More
Schools using many lessons of Columbine
When teens in Marshfield, Mass., started fantasizing about a massacre in their high school, a few began to have doubts. Fortunately, there was an adult they trusted, a school resource officer, who was alerted to details about the plot last fall. [The Christian Science Monitor] Read More
Cost-cutting Medicare law is a money loser for states
WASHINGTON - In passing the new Medicare law, Congress intended to relieve states of prescription drug costs for low-income elderly people. But as states do the arithmetic, many find that they will lose money, because they will have to give back most of the savings to the federal government. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More |
Powered by