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Archive of Politics on Wednesday July 11, 2007
Spitzer plans major push to extend health care
Gov. Eliot Spitzer's administration is poised to begin an ambitious and potentially expensive push to expand health coverage to nearly three million more residents, aiming to fulfill Mr. Spitzer's campaign promise to ultimately provide universal insurance. Read More
Richards - 'This session is over'
Speaker Jody Richards said yesterday that House members will walk out again if Gov. Ernie Fletcher calls legislators back to Frankfort on July 30 as he has promised. Read More
How the Pa. budget deal was sealed
State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo bounded down a Capitol hallway late Monday night, fresh from a news conference during which Gov. Rendell praised him as the key envoy who made budget peace. Read More
Corrections company says lobbyist acted on his own
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Cornell Cos., whose lobbyist became the federal government's chief witness in the corruption case against former Anchorage Rep. Tom Anderson, wants it known it had nothing to with the bribery scheme. Read More
Anderson's attorney discusses trial
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Paul Stockler, the lawyer who represented former Rep. Tom Anderson in his federal corruption trial, said a loss like yesterday's is not something a client or an attorney gets over quickly. Read More
Sen. French promotes health bill
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The next regular legislative session is six months away, but Sen. Hollis French already has launched a Web site touting his bill for universal health care. Read More
Lawmakers express support for McGuire
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- They were the only husband-wife team in the recent history of the Legislature. So, now that former East Anchorage Rep. Tom Anderson has been found guilty of seven felony charges, how might that affect the legislative career of his wife, Sen. Lesil McGuire? Read More
Palin's legislative director steps down
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- John Bitney, Gov. Sarah Palin's legislative director, resigned yesterday. Read More
Bibb follows Bibb as governor
It was 187 years ago that Alabama's first governor died and was succeeded by his brother. Read More
Group of lawmakers going to Williamsburg
More than 30 of Alabama's 140 legislators have received permission to attend at state expense the Southern Legislative Conference's annual meeting in Williamsburg, Va., which starts Saturday. Read More
Attorneys compare Worley, Ivey letters
Attorneys for former Secretary of State Nancy Worley have compared a letter that got her in trouble to a fundraising letter that State Treasurer Kay Ivey wrote on behalf of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Read More
August hearing set for appeals judge in conduct case
The state commission that disciplines judges has set aside two days next month for a hearing to determine whether Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge Wendell Griffen violated the code of judicial conduct by making public statements critical of the Bush administration, the Iraq war and other issues. Read More
ACLU writes letter supporting judge facing disciplinary hearing
Accusations that an Arkansas Appeals Court judge has been too outspoken on political issues are "a violation of the First Amendment," according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas. Read More
Sonora chief -- No hard feelings on entrant law
HERMOSILLO, Sonora ? The governor of Sonora said he does not blame his Arizona counterpart for signing what is probably the toughest law in the U.S. to crack down on employment of undocumented workers. Read More
Family of slain Chino prison guard settle suit for $1.2 million
LOS ANGELES -- The family of a Chino prison guard stabbed to death by an inmate in 2005 will get a $1.2 million settlement from the state. Read More
With gambling compacts ratified, foes could push for referendums
With little to symbolize the magnitude of the moment, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday signed legislation ratifying Indian gambling agreements that would open the door to the next big wave of casino expansion in Southern California. Read More
Report -- CSU campuses successful with efforts to reduce drinking
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- A new report finds that officials at the California State University system are having some success in persuading students not to drink too much. Read More
Governor signs Indian slot deals
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Tuesday that will allow four of California's richest casino gambling tribes to add up to 17,000 slot machines. Read More
Budget countdown -- fiscal year enters 2nd week without a deal
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders met for almost two hours Monday in hopes of starting stalled budget talks as the state begins the second week of the new fiscal year without an approved spending plan. Read More
Possibility of lightning keeps firefighters on guard
SAN FRANCISCO -- Clouds rolling over California taunted firefighters Tuesday, promising hope for moisture but sparking worries of "dry lightning" that could ignite more parched vegetation. Read More
Controversial pet measure up today
It's perhaps the Capitol's fiercest political battle this year. Read More
Senate panel OKs election legislation
Legislation that opponents said would eviscerate local governments' ability to limit the size of campaign contributions was approved Tuesday by a state Senate committee. Read More
Calif's Nixon library loses Watergate whitewash, gains fed status
YORBA LINDA, Calif. -- For nearly 20 years, visitors to the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace were told the Watergate scandal was really a "coup" by Nixon's rivals and the investigative reporting team of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein offered bribes for their nation-shaking scoops. Read More
Lawmaker champions anti-smoking efforts
One key to containing exploding medical costs, health care advocates say, is convincing more Californians to quit smoking. Read More
State's economy still 8th in world
For the second year in a row, California was home to the world's eighth-largest economy in 2006, according to statistics released Tuesday. Read More
Panel favors closer eye on health
A legislative committee approved a bill Tuesday that would put a measure before voters to bring chiropractors under tighter control of the governor and the Legislature. Read More
Spay-neuter bill in big trouble
Legislation to require mandatory sterilization of kittens and puppies in California has sparked grave concerns among lawmakers and is likely to be killed today by a Senate committee. Read More
Prison-building plan hit
Federal receiver Robert Sillen came to Sacramento on Tuesday and blasted the recently enacted bipartisan prison construction package, saying it will set back by five years his efforts to bring constitutional medical care to the state prison system. Read More
Crews pushing back against Colo. wildfires
Fire crews were making progress on a number of Colorado wildfires Tuesday. Read More
Top Hispanics seek probe of college chief's ouster
Some prominent Hispanic leaders on Tuesday called for an investigation into the dismissal of Community College of Denver President Christine Johnson, seeking assurances her ouster was not politically motivated. Read More
Entering college will be tougher
Higher education commissioners rejected pleas Tuesday from school districts and college admissions officials to delay the start date for increased math and foreign-language courses required for entrance into four-year public colleges. Read More
Henderson Mine loses bid for lab
Despite four years of lobbying by Colorado scientists and politicians, a $300 million federal underground science laboratory will not be built in the Henderson Mine near Empire. Read More
Doubts rise with welfare reserves
The amount of unspent welfare aid in Colorado has ballooned to about $120 million, according to estimates, prompting some advocates for the poor to question whether too much of the money is sitting in bank accounts instead of going to help needy families. Read More
Farms get help from inmates
Pulling at band-aids wrapped around her blistered fingers, Linda Buckham remembered how elated she had felt seeing a peacock and hearing cattle. Read More
Conn. reduces pension shortfall
HARTFORD, Conn. - Governor M. Jodi Rell yesterday signed legislation that authorizes the borrowing of money to reduce a $6.9 billion shortfall in the state teachers' pension fund. Read More
Fee hikes at DMV begin; License, ID costs raised Monday
Fee increases for the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles were approved by the General Assembly at the end of June and have already taken effect in some areas. Read More
Child sex-abuse victims cheer law
With several strokes of several pens, Gov. Ruth Ann Minner on Tuesday made Delaware the last state a pedophile would want to be in. Read More
Crist to sign strict emissions orders
Florida will adopt California's car-pollution standards -- the toughest in the nation -- and become the first state in the Southeast to enact targets for reducing greenhouse gases, under executive orders Gov. Charlie Crist plans to sign Friday in Miami. Read More
$1 million raised to fight gay marriage embargo
The face of the opposition to a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage is an unmarried Sunrise couple. Wayne Rauen and Helene Milman, together for 23 years, worry that the amendment could wipe out their domestic partner benefits they get under Broward County law. Read More
Law to protect images of fallen soldiers
Hucksters preying on the patriotism of Floridians by hawking images of military heroes could be fined up to $1,000 for each bootleg item they sell under a new law named for a Tallahassee soldier who died in Iraq. Read More
Governor is confident in acting hurricane center director
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida's governor and state emergency management officials are expressing confidence in the new, acting director of the National Hurricane Center. Read More
Tuition power struggle heats up
The board that governs Florida's public universities decided to increase undergraduate tuition by up to 5 percent next spring and freeze freshman enrollment starting in fall 2008. Read More
Universities board joins lawsuit against legislature
The board governing state universities joined a lawsuit Tuesday against state lawmakers that claims the board, and not the legislature, has the power to set tuition rates. Read More
Group touts $1M to fight ban on same-sex marriage
A group battling a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in Florida said Tuesday that it has raised more than $1 million in the past two months for what could be a vigorous ballot fight next year. Read More
Insurance company defends rate boost
Gov. Charlie Crist and Florida lawmakers are getting the big insurance savings they sought - but not necessarily for homeowners. Read More
Ceremony marks military-friendly laws
Surrounded by members of the armed forces and military veterans, Gov. Charlie Crist paid tribute to the military services today with the ceremonial signing of four new laws passed in the 2007 legislative session. Read More
Gay-marriage-amendment opponents ready for fight
A bipartisan group fighting a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage announced Tuesday that it has raised more than $1 million and signaled that it will focus next year's ballot campaign on straight voters. Read More
State board proposes college tuition increase
ORLANDO -- Sparking a showdown with the Florida Legislature and Gov. Charlie Crist, the board that oversees universities voted Tuesday to freeze freshman enrollment, raise student tuition up to 5 percent and join a lawsuit that aims to wrest control over tuition and fees from state lawmakers. Read More
Board approves freshmen enrollment freeze, tuition hike
The Board of Governors on Tuesday instituted a three-year freeze on freshmen enrollment at the funded level, meaning they will not increase the number of freshmen admitted to public universities. Read More
FAMU instructor sails through hot water
Florida has had its share of political Houdinis, but Bill Proctor may best them all. Since 1996, Proctor, a Leon County commissioner, has represented a thick slice of the state capital in Tallahassee despite repeated dives into political hot water. Read More
Crist unveils greener future
Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday he plans to sharply reduce Florida's emissions of greenhouse gases, triggering sweeping changes that could affect every industry in the state. Read More
Supporters push to spare convicted killer
Human rights advocates armed with evidence they say has been ignored gathered near the state Board of Pardons and Paroles office Tuesday to ask the panel to spare the life of a convicted cop killer set to be executed next week. Read More
Letters seek clemency in killing
Human rights activists and supporters for convicted killer Troy Anthony Davis turned in 4,000 letters Tuesday asking state officials to grant clemency for the Savannah man scheduled for execution next week. Read More
Taylor family helps fund Democrats
Former Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor may be out of office, but his family still helps keep the Georgia Democratic Party in the black. Read More
Lingle clashes with Democrats over 'flawed' bills
Over issues ranging from the fate of Hawaii felons, elderly pedestrians and unwanted newborns, Gov. Linda Lingle and the Legislature's Democratic majority are at war. Read More
Investigator in probe of Hawaii bureau resigns
The lead investigator for a state House and Senate committee looking into problems at the state Bureau of Conveyances has resigned, saying he strongly stands by his previous work involving the bureau but did not want allegations that he was biased to taint the committee. Read More
Guilty plea in attempted extortion of Hawaii official
An Indian national pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to extort $35,000 from Gov. Linda Lingle's former chief of staff, Bob Awana. Read More
$3 million for Hawaii pedestrians in limbo
The state Legislature yesterday overrode a veto of a bill that directs $3 million over two years for pedestrian safety, but Gov. Linda Lingle vowed not to release the money because it would come out of the state highway fund instead of the general fund. Read More
Man confesses extorting former Lingle aide
A man from India admitted in federal court yesterday that he extorted $35,000 from Gov. Linda Lingle's former chief of staff, Bob Awana. Read More
11 vetoes overridden
A tense day of partisan sniping ended yesterday with Republican Gov. Linda Lingle vetoing 27 bills, the Democrat-controlled Legislature overriding 11 and both sides accusing the other of irresponsibility. Read More
Tightening of state's rules irks some landfill groups
The future of Iowa landfills and their impact on the environment is likely to be influenced by a debate over proposed state rules intended to provide greater protection from groundwater contamination. Read More
Two sue Boy Scouts under Idaho's new sex abuse law
Two men who say they were abused by a Boy Scout leader in the 1970s and 1980s are suing the Boy Scouts of America, claiming the organization was repeatedly warned that the Scout leader was molesting children and failed to act. Read More
Wildfires keep fire crews busy across Idaho
Crews are battling wildfires in forests and rangeland across the state, but officials say Idaho has managed to avoid the big blazes testing firefighters in neighboring states. Read More
Micron says it's cut 'less than 10 percent' of Idaho work force
Micron Technology Inc., a maker of computer memory chips, said Tuesday it's cut less than 10 percent of its 11,000-person work force in Idaho, though it indicated more cuts are possible as the company attempts to recover from losses fed by falling prices for its products. Read More
More Idaho inmates bound for private Texas prison
More Idaho inmates are slated to move to a private Texas lockup in the latest effort by state prison officials to relieve overcrowding at facilities here. Read More
Micron warns of further job cuts
The Treasure Valley's economy should be strong enough to withstand the effects of roughly 1,000 layoffs at Micron Technology. Read More
Lawmaker calls governor 'blithering idiot'
Tensions are high in Springfield, and a suburban lawmaker got caught up in it Tuesday when she called Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich a "blithering idiot." Read More
Illinois Democrats both govern and oppose
The Democrats who dominate Illinois state government face a major problem. Each other. Read More
GOP looks to rookie trustee to run for House seat
A newly elected Streamwood trustee appears to be the Republican Party?s first choice to try to recapture the 44th House District lost to Hoffman Estates Democrat Fred Crespo last year. Read More
Illinois House reacts cooly to ammo limits
The Illinois House is poised to hand Gov. Rod Blagojevich another setback, this time over the issue of gun control. Read More
Party-switching lawmaker gets new post
It didn?t take long for House Speaker Michael J. Madigan to reward his newest party member, former Republican state Rep. Paul Froehlich of Schaumburg. Read More
Waiting on the leaders
For their 30th wedding anniversary later this month, state Sen. Larry Bomke and his wife, Sally Jo, planned to journey to California, where they would visit their daughter and tour the coast. But thanks to the budget impasse, Sally Jo might be taking the trip by herself. Read More
Thorny questions distract governor
As Gov. Rod Blagojevich walked into church to deliver a political sermon, he grinned at a reporter and joked, "How are those subpoenas doing?" Humor has emerged as the latest way for Blagojevich to deflect questions since the Tribune disclosed nearly two months ago that federal prosecutors have subpoenaed records from his campaign committee. Read More
Thompson bids to face Daniels
Former northeast Indiana congresswoman Jill Long Thompson labeled herself the ?non-insider politician? Tuesday as she officially entered the race for the 2008 Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Read More
Thompson promises new direction for state
Less than 12 hours into her campaign for governor, former U.S. Rep. Jill Long Thompson waded right into controversy, promising to revisit Indiana's controversial time zone debate if elected. Read More
Daniels to take on property taxes
School and other construction projects could be halted and next year?s local government budgets could be trimmed as Gov. Mitch Daniels works aggressively to curb spending that is affecting property tax rates. Read More
Tax bills flaring tempers in Indy, but region still in dark
Exorbitant property tax bills are flaring tempers around Indianapolis and sparking calls for legislative action. But in Northwest Indiana, epicenter of the state's last property tax crisis, homeowners have little idea what to expect, and they won't see a tax bill until at least September. Read More
State's charter schools still get mixed reviews
Indiana's publicly funded charter schools first opened five years ago, but debate over their performance continues. Read More
Animosity in House continues
It certainly didn't take long for a statehouse cooling-off period to heat up in a partisan slugfest. Read More
House lawmakers upset over automated calls by Republicans
Democrats and Republicans sparred throughout the day Tuesday, casting blame on each other for a stalled special session of the General Assembly, and even calling for people's jobs. Read More
House hasn't decided on reconvening
The Democratic-controlled House has not yet decided if it will return July 30 to Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher's special law-making session, but it will not take up any proposed legislation even if it does, House Speaker Jody Richards said. Read More
Insurance discount bill signed
Gov. Kathleen Blanco has signed legislation requiring insurance companies to give discounted rates to homeowners who build or renovate their homes to meet the new statewide building code or retrofit the structures to lessen the chances of storm or hurricane damage. Read More
State ethics board advised to back off
An ethics complaint against the House Republican Caucus chairman should be dismissed, according to a recommendation to the Louisiana Board of Ethics from its staff attorneys. Read More
La. senator may avoid charges
Louisiana Board of Ethics lawyers recommended dropping ethics charges against Republican leader Jim Tucker, according to documents released Tuesday. Read More
Conduct board accuses judge of behavior unbecoming after libel verdict
The state's Commission on Judicial Conduct took the rare step of filing formal ethics charges against Superior Court Judge Ernest B. Murphy yesterday, accusing him of "willful misconduct" for sending letters on court stationery to Herald Publisher Patrick J. Purcell in the wake of a 2005 libel verdict against the paper. Read More
Collapse of Big Dig ceiling in Boston is tied to glue
WASHINGTON - The ceiling collapsed in one of Boston?s Big Dig tunnels a year ago, killing one woman, because builders used the wrong epoxy to hold the anchor bolts in place, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday. Read More
Epoxy a major factor in Big Dig death
WASHINGTON - The fatal Big Dig tunnel collapse in Boston could have been avoided if authorities had considered that the epoxy securing tons of ceiling panels could slowly pull away, federal investigators concluded Tuesday. Read More
Wide risk, wide blame
WASHINGTON - Federal investigators blamed multiple Big Dig contractors and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority yesterday for last summer's fatal tunnel collapse, concluding that the wrong kind of glue was used to hold up part of the concrete ceiling and that project oversight was inadequate to detect the problem. Read More
Md. budget may pinch counties
Despite Gov. Martin O'Malley's pledge to spare local governments, legislative leaders say cuts in aid to counties and cities will likely have to be part of the state's effort to resolve its $1.5 billion budget shortfall. Read More
O'Malley unveils $280M in cuts
Gov. Martin O'Malley this morning proposed $280 million in cuts to begin staving off Maryland's money mess, including chopping 147 state government positions. Read More
O'Malley rolls out cuts in spending
A proposed $153 million in spending cuts formally unveiled yesterday by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley drew barbs both from a state employees union, which said the reductions went too far, and from Republican lawmakers, who said they did not go far enough. Read More
Granholm plans international trip in August
For the fifth time since becoming Michigan's governor, Jennifer Granholm will travel overseas to try to bring business back home. Read More
Granholm plans foreign trade trip
Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced Tuesday she will embark next month on a five-day trade mission to Sweden and Germany with the goal of luring European alternative energy and automotive businesses to locate in Michigan. Read More
Northstar line's funding prospect is encouraging
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters stared Tuesday into a construction pit, future home of the downtown Northstar commuter rail station. She was ready to walk the line in her high heels, but not ready to jump on board. Read More
Parties look to Sviggum's seat
Republicans and DFLers made their picks for longtime state Rep. Steve Sviggum's House seat in southeastern Minnesota. Read More
Feds take closer look at Northstar
Local officials proudly showed off the spot near downtown Minneapolis where the proposed $320 million Northstar commuter rail is slated to stop, but they're still waiting for the feds to get on board. Read More
Blunt names parole board chair
Gov. Matt Blunt named a corrections official as chairman for the state parole board Tuesday. Read More
Plan to fix 800 bad bridges delayed
Gov. Matt Blunt could help state transportation officials solve a financial problem if he calls a special session this year and asks lawmakers to address the Missouri Department of Transportation's (MoDOT's) problem as one of the session topics. Read More
Abortion issue dangles over Blunt and Nixon
The opening advertising salvo in the seemingly never-ending race for Missouri governor focuses on the radioactive issue of abortion rights. Read More
New chief -- Vote won't affect plan
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- Beasley Denson, the new chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, says the outcome of a nonbinding vote in Jackson County later this year will not determine whether the tribe continues with its plans to develop a casino there. Read More
Miss. governor travels to Japan to meet with auto suppliers
Gov. Haley Barbour is in Japan this week to try to lure automotive suppliers to Mississippi. He says the northern part of the state should be an attractive location for companies that want to make parts for auto assembly plants in the region. Read More
Eaves spending own money, says not beholden
Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Arthur Eaves, whose fundraising efforts are being dwarfed by those of Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, is trying to make the campaign about the incumbent's money. Read More
Lott promotes ideas in first statewide race
Mike Lott says the Mississippi Legislature should resolve several issues about how the secretary of state's office operates and how people register to vote. Read More
Barbour still leading field with $7.7M in war chest
Republican Gov. Haley Barbour continues to lead the pack with more than $7.7 million in his re-election bid. His leading opponent, Democrat John Arthur Eaves Jr., kept his campaign kitty roughly the same size as last month, totaling $1.2 million. Read More
Denson inaugurated as Choctaw chief
CHOCTAW, Miss. ? Beasley Denson, new chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, said Tuesday he will review all tribal operations, move 200 families into quality housing and assist tribal members who want to become entrepreneurs. Read More
GOP senator says he would vote for Baucus over Lange
A Republican state senator said Tuesday he will cross party lines and vote for Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Baucus next year if state Rep. Michael Lange is the GOP nominee. Read More
Legislative panel examines menu of state energy options
Faced with the options of "a banquet, a cheeseburger or some fries" in terms of studying energy issues during the next couple of years, a legislative panel longingly eyed the banquet before opting mostly for cheeseburgers on Tuesday. Read More
Democrat announces bid for state superintendent
Democrat House representative and longtime teacher Holly Raser announced her candidacy Tuesday in Billings for Montana State Superintendent of Schools. Raser has been in education for 26 years and teaches first grade at Target Range Elementary in Missoula. Read More
Lottery money to be redistributed in bill
A school district's financial needs and attendance growth would be taken into account when distributing state lottery money for school construction in a bill that cleared the N.C. House Finance Committee yesterday. Read More
Black's quest for power was all-consuming
Publicly, Jim Black was North Carolina's powerful House speaker, courted by corporate chiefs, university presidents and governors. Read More
Doctor fights bill that would change end-of-life care
A doctor representing North Carolina's Catholic Medical Association charged Tuesday that workers in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices often pressure families to let dying relatives go without treatment. Read More
Ex-Speaker Black arrives for sentencing
Former House Speaker Jim Black arrived at U.S. District Court this morning to be sentenced on a federal corruption charge. He could learn whether he will go to prison for accepting $29,000 from chiropractors while pushing legislation that favored them. Read More
Black got $500,000 from lobbyist
Former House Speaker Jim Black accepted a $500,000 check from a lobbyist in 2000, deposited the check into his campaign account and then misrepresented the transaction as a personal loan, federal prosecutors say. Read More
Families back bill on killing unborn baby
The families of two slain pregnant women joined Republican legislators yesterday to urge a hearing on bills that would make killing an unborn baby a separate crime, apart from any attack on the mother. Read More
State could take over county Medicaid costs
An N.C. Senate committee agreed yesterday to have the state assume the Medicaid expenses that counties currently pay for their residents by mid-2009 while keeping sales-tax rates steady. Read More
Group pushing ballot measure submits paperwork
A group that wants to cut North Dakota's individual and corporate income tax rates filed paperwork with the secretary of state's office on Tuesday to begin collecting petition signatures for an initiated measure. Read More
Boutin wins Hooksett House seat
When results of yesterday's special election to fill the vacant District 9 seat in the state House of Representatives were announced last night, former U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley let out a whoop, grabbed the hand of Republican Party candidate David Boutin and held it up in victory. Read More
Corzine questioned on use of campaign e-mail accounts
The chairman of the state Republican Party yesterday demanded that Gov. Jon Corzine ex plain why he and a top aide have been using campaign e-mail accounts to conduct state business, and whether the public record is being properly preserved. Read More
Lawmakers want Wal-Mart tax probe
Twenty state legislators Tuesday sent a letter to Gov. Bill Richardson asking him to investigate Wal-Mart's tax records in New Mexico to make sure the corporate giant is paying its fair share of state taxes. Read More
Treppid lawsuit -- Governor says truth coming out
Gov. Jim Gibbons said Tuesday the "truth is starting to come out" about allegations by a Reno software developer accusing him of improperly steering millions in military contracts to a Reno-based company. Read More
Board OKs settlements for claims by ex-inmate, suicide victim's father
A state panel voted Tuesday to settle two claims against the state worth a total of $314,000, one by an injured inmate and another by a father whose son committed suicide while in state care. Read More
2 lawyers seek to quit representing eTreppid plaintiff
LAS VEGAS -- Two lawyers have asked a federal judge to let them withdraw from representing a software developer who has accused Gov. Jim Gibbons of improperly steering military contracts to a Reno-based company. Read More
Searing temperatures plague Nevada firefighters
RENO, Nev. -- Weather in the form of searing temperatures in the triple digits and a threat of renewed thunderstorms was becoming as much of a bane to hundreds of firefighters on Tuesday as the lightning-sparked fires they were battling across northern Nevada. Read More
Spitzer OK's Bruno to use state planes - sometimes
Gov. Eliot Spitzer said yesterday that Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno could continue to use state planes despite the controversy over his recent trips, and calls by both men for investigations of the other's conduct Read More
Key Republican official flew with Bruno
The Senate Republicans' political director accompanied Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno on a state taxpayer-paid helicopter trip to Manhattan, state records show, but Bruno's staff won't say why. Read More
A mellower Spitzer emerges, playing down Bruno feud
It was not quite the display of a kinder, gentler governor. But Eliot Spitzer continued to show something faintly resembling a softer side on Tuesday. Read More
No leeway in Washington on traffic plan, mayor says
WASHINGTON - Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg warned on Tuesday that federal officials had set Monday as a "hard and fast" deadline for the State Legislature to formally approve his congestion pricing plan, even as Assembly lawmakers remained deeply conflicted on the issue. Read More
Spitzer plans major push to extend health care
Gov. Eliot Spitzer?s administration is poised to begin an ambitious and potentially expensive push to expand health coverage to nearly three million more residents, aiming to fulfill Mr. Spitzer?s campaign promise to ultimately provide universal insurance. Read More
CAPITAL NOTES
Ohio prisoners won't be doing the bump -- the fist bump that is -- that has replaced handshakes in prisons in Indiana and Oklahoma. Read More
Anti-bullying policy OK'd
The State Board of Education adopted a model anti-bullying policy yesterday after removing reference to "taunts based on ethnicity, gender, religion (and) sexual orientation." Read More
Nominees ready for BWC oversight panel
A committee settled on a list of 43 people yesterday for Gov. Ted Strickland to consider for the new board being formed to oversee the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Read More
State education board adopts anti-bullying policy
The State Board of Education adopted a model anti-bullying policy Tuesday after deciding that it should not specifically reference students' religion or sexual orientation. Read More
Eminent-domain bill Ohio law
Gov. Ted Strickland signed legislation Tuesday giving Ohioans more protection from having government take their land. Read More
State prepares to enforce new child-school safety law
CLEVELAND-- A state law enacted after a 6-year-old boy was killed at a school goes far beyond protecting students from the kind of folded cafeteria table that fell on the boy. Read More
Strickland gets nominees for BWC
Forty-three names are headed for the governor's desk for 11 seats on a revamped, stronger panel to lead the troubled Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Read More
Republicans raise money during `clear majority' drive
Oklahoma Republicans raised about $125,000 during a fundraising reception on Tuesday to kick off their drive to take over the state Senate for the first time. Read More
State ends fiscal year with $151 million surplus
Oklahoma ended the 2007 fiscal year with a $151 million surplus thanks to a strong economy that brought record revenues to state government, officials said Tuesday. Read More
State revenues rise again
For the third consecutive year, Oklahoma has money to spare after filling its savings account, state Treasurer Scott Meacham said Tuesday. Read More
Lobbyists' disclosure sought
Pharmaceutical sales representatives should register with the state Ethics Commission, publicly reporting how much money they spend lobbying doctors in Oklahoma, a state lawmaker said Tuesday. Read More
Doyle has not paid imposed penalties of campaign-finance crimes
Twenty-one months after former Salem lawmaker Dan Doyle told a judge he'd take responsibility for his campaign finance crimes "in any way I can," he has failed to pay a dime toward his $127,185 in civil penalties. Read More
Conditions fuel Oregon fires; most contained
Hot, dry and windy conditions fed many fires in the state Tuesday. Read More
Wildfires echo scare of '90
BURNS, Ore. -- As a light rain of ash blew in from a smoky brown pall to the west, Roy Montgomery recalled a similar afternoon 17 years ago when winds stoked a stubborn range fire into a racing wall of flames that nearly swept through two eastern Oregon towns. Read More
Senate Republicans stall bill to shift presidential primary
The state House yesterday passed a bill to change Pennsylvania's presidential primary from April 22 to Feb. 12, but the legislation and primary appear unlikely to move. Read More
State budget deal goes under lawmakers' microscope
The lengthy and sometimes chaotic process of negotiation that resulted in a tentative state budget deal has cleared the way for an even tougher challenge for legislators: getting an affirmative vote by the General Assembly's rank-and-file by this weekend. Read More
Energy program still source of debate
Parts of Gov. Ed Rendell's energy program are included in the budget compromise announced late Monday night, but other parts will be fought over another day. Read More
Education agenda survives
Gov. Ed Rendell claimed many victories in Monday's $27.4 billion state budget deal, but the first he mentioned at his news conference was his declaration that "all of the funding is intact" for two key educational initiatives. Read More
Buxton lauded for budget work
Rep. Ron Buxton, D-Harrisburg, played a bigger role in breaking the state budget impasse than any other rank-and-file member of the General Assembly. Read More
In the end, Rendell will get most of what he wanted
t wasn't exactly as Ed Rendell proposed, but it was pretty darn close. By the time state Senate Republicans finished congratulating themselves for holding the line against new taxes and spending, the details sank in, and the glow began to wear off. Read More
Deal close on film tax breaks
A dramatic increase in state tax credits to help film and television productions in Pennsylvania was still on the drawing board yesterday, and final approval by lawmakers was still unclear. Read More
Big cut frees dollars for cleanup programs
As many Pennsylvanians breathed a sigh of relief over the tentative budget deal, some parties were left disgruntled. Read More
Pa. House approves '08 primary on Feb. 12
State Rep. Harry Readshaw admitted he was a bit surprised that his bill to move the state's 2008 presidential primary to Feb. 12 won so easily in the House yesterday. But the earlier-primary proposal still has a tall mountain to climb -- the state Senate. Read More
State budget satisfies both sides
The best part about the new $27.3 billion state budget proposal is that it lets everybody consider themselves winners. Read More
Sanford -- Tax break is unfair advantage for big retailers
While some local officials hope a Bass Pro Shops comes to Greer as the centerpiece of a new major development, Gov. Mark Sanford says tax breaks being offered to lure the retailers are poor public policy. Read More
Treasury staff gets ethics law refresher
The state treasurer's office staff is being reminded that they can't use agency computers for outside interests, including work on presidential campaigns, interim Treasurer Ken Wingate said Tuesday. Read More
Public gets chance to talk about tax breaks
For a year, Gov. Mark Sanford has been at odds with lawmakers over special tax breaks for big retailers such as the Bass Pro Shops store that a developer is said to be trying to bring to Greer. Read More
TennCare still negotiating waiver with federal government
TennCare officials say they're still working on a federal waiver that would continue the state's expanded Medicaid program but hope to have a resolution by the end of the week. Read More
TEA inspector general got raise at end of Neeley's tenure
The inspector general at the Texas Education Agency received a 6 percent pay increase in the days after he finished a report that questioned contracting practices at the agency. The decision to increase the salary came from Shirley Neeley, whose resignation as state education commissioner took effect July 1. Read More
State employees to receive raise
State employees will get 2 percent raises in each of the next two years after Comptroller Susan Combs said Tuesday that the state will have enough money. Read More
State auditor to probe TEA
Amid all the confusion surrounding an internal investigation at the Texas Education Agency, the state auditor's office has decided to take its own look at how the agency hands out lucrative contracts. Read More
Firefighters gain a bit
KANOSH, Utah -- By Tuesday night, the 5-day-old Milford Flat fire had grown to 329,100 acres but fire crews had achieved 30 percent containment, said Vince Mazzier, spokesman for the Type 1 National Incident Management Team. Read More
Warning -- Hot, dry conditions ripe for more wildfires
In his 34 years as a state forester, Dick Buehler has never seen conditions this bad. Read More
Some LDS in Utah following McCain
Of course, it's not true that everyone in Utah supports Mitt Romney for president -- but it sure does seem that way sometimes. Read More
School-district splits debated
DRAPER, Utah -- As three east-side cities agreed Tuesday night to move forward with a split from Jordan School District, a handful of state legislators were furiously working on a bill that would allow students in Draper's Suncrest neighborhood to continue attending schools in Utah County. Read More
Utah legislators get invitation to 'Sicko'
Dr. Clark Newhall wants to take Utah's 104 legislators to the movies. Read More
Climate change options range from nuclear energy to retiring coal power plants, planting trees
A panel appointed by the governor to chart state policy on climate change took a Chinese restaurant menu approach Tuesday, choosing from a lengthy list of options that left some hungry for more and others worried they had bitten off too much. Read More
Lt. Gov's office says law to rein in lobbyists is so full of loopholes it's senseless
Lawmakers rushed in the last days of the session to pass a new law governing lobbyists, claiming it would usher in a new level of clarity on gifts and meals provided to Utah's elected officials. Read More
Kaine resolute on pre-kindergarten
Despite slowing revenues, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said yesterday that he still plans to offer a universal, but not mandatory, pre-kindergarten program in Virginia without raising taxes. Read More
Virginia gives Navy 10 airfield options
Virginia has come up with 10 possible locations for a new outlying landing field for Oceana Naval Air Station. Read More
Panel reviews smoking ban effort
A state legislative commission on Tuesday waded into the debate over banning smoking in restaurants, seeking consensus on an issue that has divided lawmakers for the past two years. Read More
Kaine puts schools front and center for lawmakers in 2008
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will focus on education during the next legislative session, he told several hundred s chool b oard members and education officials from across Virginia on Tuesday. Read More
Virginia proposes 10 potential sites for Navy landing field
WASHINGTON - Virginia officials pitched 10 potential sites to Navy brass Tuesday in an effort to entice the service away from its preferred but problematic choice for a jet practice landing field in northeastern North Carolina. Read More
Special veto session to start in a stalemate
When lawmakers return to the Statehouse today for a one-day meeting they will be greeted by an energy activist in a polar bear costume ? and by a decision about whether to make an energy efficiency bill into law over Gov. James Douglas' veto. Read More
Energy-bill compromise falters; little hope for veto override
The Legislature's signature energy bill will likely die today for lack of votes to override the governor's veto after a possible compromise fizzled Tuesday between Republican Gov. Jim Douglas and Democratic legislative leaders. Read More
State Web site compares drug prices
Attorney General William Sorrell on Tuesday unveiled a new Web site where people can compare prices offered by Vermont pharmacies for their prescription drugs. Read More
Fire marshal -- Check for defective fire sprinkler heads
There are roughly half a million potentially defective fire sprinkler heads in homes, apartments and other buildings across Washington, the state fire marshal's office said Tuesday, urging people to sign up for a massive free replacement program before an Aug. 31 deadline. Read More
iPods a lure for WASL test prep
Attention Seattle high-school students: Want an iPod? Did you fail reading or math on the 10th-grade Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)? Read More
Final phase of cleanup set at fuel terminal
The state Department of Ecology will move forward this summer with what it hopes will be the final phase of cleanup at the former Unocal fuel terminal in Edmonds. Read More
$1.2 million to stem youth suicides
Youth suicides in Washington outpace the national average, so state health officials plan to use a $1.2 million federal grant to try and change that. Read More
Prison chief plans amid criticism
Washington's prison system intends to open two large treatment centers for hundreds of parole violators, state prison chief Harold Clarke said Tuesday. Read More
Canine removed from voter rolls
Duncan M. McDonald, the Australian shepherd-terrier mix, has been disenfranchised at last. Eight months after the first of three elections for which King County officials sent ballots to an Australian shepherd-terrier mix, he's finally off the voter rolls. Read More
Assembly OKs its version of budget
Nearly $10 billion -- that's the likely difference in spending and taxes between a version of the state budget passed by Senate Democrats last month and one that Assembly Republicans have pledged to pass today. Read More
Legislature TV not yet on the air in Wausau
As state representatives debated the budget bill at noon Tuesday, digital cable television viewers tuned in to watch. Read More
Producers bitter on liquor bills
On Tuesday's hot, humid afternoon, Milwaukee Ale House owner Jim McCabe wasn't just drinking beer - he was having it sprayed from a pressurized keg to publicize objections to legislation that Wisconsin's small brewery operators say could hurt them. Read More
Capitol catching on to Web
The state Capitol belongs to the people of the state, yet most Wisconsin residents can't regularly trek to Madison for hearings or to catch legislators in action. Read More
Gronemus to leave state Assembly
WHITEHALL, Wis. ? State Rep. Barbara Gronemus announced Tuesday she will leave office when her current term ends in 2008, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Read More
Assembly approves pinching taxes
The Republican-run Assembly passed a budget late Tuesday that avoids tax increases by funding education, the University of Wisconsin System and local governments with much less than what Democratic legislators insist is needed to protect programs for two years. Read More
Republican budget relies on massive cuts to avoid tax increases
A Republican budget proposal that rejects Democratic-backed tax increases relies on deep cuts to education and state government operation in order to balance. Read More
Byrd brings money to prisons, FBI lab, forensics
It?s been a busy week for Sen. Robert C. Byrd in corralling federal tax dollars for a number of West Virginia projects. Read More
Senate leader's move raises residency question
Senate Majority Whip Billy Wayne Bailey says he plans to run for secretary of state in 2008 instead of for re-election, but his decision to move out of his home county has made his residency status an issue. Read More
State council to tackle homelessness
The homeless are receiving new attention as Gov. Joe Manchin works to bring people together from agencies across the state to aid this segment of the population. Read More
Program helps pregnant women put out cigarettes
More women smoke while they are pregnant in Wyoming than in almost any other state in the nation. But a new program in Laramie County will seek to persuade those here to quit. Read More
Restrictions for Wyoming's state parks have been a long time coming
About one year ago today, a fight broke out at Glendo State Park. Read More
Amid funding dispute, districts write budgets
The five school districts embroiled in a funding dispute with the Wyoming Department of Education have one more week to write their budgets and possibly set a course for spending the money they're refusing to give to the state. Read More
Wyoming reporting gun sales to the FBI
Wyoming is one of 22 states that currently provide data to the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning the buying of firearms by people who are mentally ill. Read More
Child care center gets on track
Plans for a Riverton child care center billed as a prototype for other facilities built with state funding are back on track after a period of uncertainty. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Money can't buy good press
New York's top Republican state senator lashes back after a newspaper scorches him over travel expenses. Kentucky's first dog has her own Web site, Internet video, and now a book deal? Visits to Internet porn sites cost an Iowa state employee his $84,500-a-year job monitoring other employees’ computer usage. In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Tear down this wall -- in Bismarck
North Dakota legislators flip-flop on a pricey partition. Indiana inmates trade handshakes for fist bumps. And Oregon lawmakers weigh in on the NBA draft. In case you missed any of these stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in.
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WORTH NOTING: Illinois gov runs up travel tab
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s commuting costs start to add up. South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds settles a dispute with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over a cranky game warden. Read More
Governors are fair-weather Facebook friends
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Feds pushing states on gun database
Following the deadliest mass shooting in Read More
La. passes new partial-birth abortion ban
Louisiana lawmakers this week unanimously approved a ban on a medical procedure known as partial-birth abortion, passing the first in what could be a spate of similar state laws next year. Read More
Rookie rep. calls 'em like he sees 'em
Former Major League Baseball umpire Dale Ford once tossed manager Earl Weaver from a game during the national anthem. This year, he got plenty of practice with the art of compromising as a rookie lawmaker in the Tennessee General Assembly. Read More
Govs win greater flag powers
(Updated 1:40 p.m. EDT, July 2) Governors now enjoy new authority to order the Stars and Stripes lowered on federal buildings – including the White House – under a law just approved by President George W. Bush. Read More
New state laws bring changes July 1
Come Sunday, it will be a felony in Iowa to dismember a body to conceal a crime. New York City will have to stop sending undercover investigators to Virginia to buy guns in sting operations. And even Rip Van Winkle will have to show some ID if he wants to buy beer in Tennessee. Read More
Ethanol demand outgrows corn
Corn is king of renewable auto fuels, for now. But federal and state governments already are racing to find alternatives to corn as they look for ways to use ethanol to help break the nation's dependence on foreign oil. Read More
Embryonic stem cell research divides states
President Bush’s second veto of a bill to allow federal funding of stem cell research puts the ethical issue squarely in states’ hands. So far, seven states have moved to fund the research, six have banned it, three have affirmed its legality but do not fund it and a handful of others continue to debate the issue. Read More
States outpace feds on minimum wage
When the new federal minimum wage takes effect July 24, 30 states will require employers to pay hourly workers more than federal law requires. Read More
Iraq war, gas prices, surpluses mark 2007
Stateline.org compiled state-by-state highlights from the first 29 legislatures to adjourn or wrap up their budgets — plus a 50-state calendar charting adjournment dates and special sessions. Read More
South Dakota poised to be last in '08 primary schedule
South Dakota has no problems being dead-last in the 2008 presidential primary sweepstakes. Read More |
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