Oklahoma on Wednesday May 07, 2008

Archive of Oklahoma on Wednesday May 07, 2008

Voter ID bill fails to pass
By Ron Jenkins, The Associated Press, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)
A bill to require voters to show identification at polling sites was defeated along party lines Tuesday in the Oklahoma Senate.
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Oklahoma families feeling financial pinch
By The Associated Press, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)
An increasing number of Oklahoma families are already suffering difficult economic times, with poverty rates rising as costs go up for necessities, a report said Tuesday.
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Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
When an elderly person with dementia is lost, seven states can trigger a Silver Alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states.
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Fire-safe cigarette bill on Henry's desk
By The Associated Press, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)
Legislation that would require retailers to sell only "fire safe" cigarettes in Oklahoma is awaiting Gov. Brad Henry's signature.
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House speaker wants to study state autism bill costs
By Michael McNutt, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)
A state senator who could not get the House of Representatives to hear his measure to require insurance companies to cover autism diagnosis and treatment costs said Tuesday he is disappointed the issue appears dead this session.
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Senator - State unable to regulate credit card companies
By Janice Francis-Smith, The Journal Record
State Sen. Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, wanted to draft legislation to prohibit credit card companies from abusing Oklahomans. But when consulting with Senate staff, he learned that federal law prohibits him from doing so.
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Foster parents rally for children at state Capitol
By Tim Talley, The Associated Press, The Journal Record
Thousands of children's shoes covered the steps outside the state Capitol Tuesday to symbolize the state's 12,000 foster children and the struggles they face to find a loving home.
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State economy is healthy but not for the poor
By Michael McNutt, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)
The state's economy continues to be robust, but low- and middle-income households in the state aren't faring as well because of stagnant wages and rising fuel, food and health care costs, a study released Tuesday shows.
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Senate honors oldest OHP trooper
By The Associated Press , The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)
Ed Vandergriff, among the first members of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, was honored by the Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday as the oldest retired state trooper. He is 97.
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Get ready - utility hikes on horizon
By Amanda Gire, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)
Shawnee, Okla. - Shawnee residents may have less jingle in their pockets in the near future because of a projected deficit the Shawnee Municipal Authority is expected to face.
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Will states fix 2012 primary process?
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

While voters in Indiana and North Carolina go to the polls today (May 6) to help Democrats pick Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as their nominee and Republicans rally behind John McCain, party insiders and state election officials are in informal talks to improve the presidential nominating contests for 2012 and beyond.
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
By Kim Mendelsohn, Special to Stateline.org
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state.
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Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
By John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writer
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views.
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WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer
An Oregon voters’ guide lists a very wrong number. California’s governor insults rural legislators. And Pennsylvania considers selling wine in vending machines. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in.
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Parents turn to states for autism help
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs.

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With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
By Daniel C. Vock and John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writers
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say.
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Legislators prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer
As some states tumble into what they fear is a recession, state lawmakers from across the country are pushing Congress for relief from impending federal rules that would force states to pick up more Medicaid costs and spend billions to make drivers’ licenses more secure.
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More states offer choice in long-term care
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
More states are poised to offer a successful alternative to traditional Medicaid plans that allows elders and the disabled to avoid moving to a nursing facility by hiring friends, neighbors or family members to look after them in their own homes.
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Credit crunch hits states' college loans
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer

(Updated 11:55 a.m. EDT, April 23, 2008)

The credit crisis has led some state lending agencies to suspend their federal and private student loan programs, forcing thousands of students to search elsewhere for money to pay for college.

Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

For the past several election cycles, the Democrats have been on a roll in legislative elections. This year, the party is well-positioned to hold its majority of chambers — but greatly expanding Democratic control may not be in the cards.

'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The national polls point to a tight presidential race in November. But Democrats have a bit more to cheer about than Republicans do, regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, according to the latest state-by-state electoral-vote projections by “Out There.”
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Governors pitch ambitious programs
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Billion-dollar deficits in California, New York and Arizona haven’t stopped governors there and elsewhere from proposing big-ticket items for 2008. Stateline.org looks at proposals from governors’ 2008 "state of the state" speeches and provides an exclusive summary of all the addresses so far.

Partisan mix in R.I., Conn. poses challenges
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The blue states of Connecticut and Rhode Island have had a long tradition of electing Republican governors. But in both states, the combination has led at times to difficult — even chaotic — policymaking.
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Seeds of social issues dot 2008 elections
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

With a sagging economy and a divisive war occupying Americans’ minds, will social issues be overshadowed in state elections in 2008?
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Summary of the State of the State Address

As Oklahoma celebrates its Centennial year, Gov. Brad Henry (D) laid out his proposals to boost public education by adding five days to the school year, raising teacher pay and adding graduation coaches to lower high school dropout rates.
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Commentary: Govs beat White House hopefuls as agents of change
By Gene Gibbons, Stateline.org Executive Editor

This column was published simultaneously by The Politico.

It took a while for most of the presidential candidates to figure out that voters want “change” and action on a variety of issues that affect their lives. They might have gotten it sooner if they had noticed the way that many states, led by innovative governors, are moving forward in areas like health care, immigration and global warming.
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Iraq casts shadow on 2008 state races
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

Not a single governor or state legislator wields authority over the conduct of the Iraq War, yet a broad range of party strategists and political analysts agree that state races in 2008 will be shaped, mostly indirectly, by public attitudes towards that conflict. Unless there’s a sea change in public opinion, that’s bad news for Republicans.
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WORTH NOTING: Illinois gov runs up travel tab
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
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. California corrections officials install “flushometers” to control wasteful toilet flushing in prisons. In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.
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Visit the Stateline.org Oklahoma Page

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