Tennessee on Thursday May 08, 2008

Archive of Tennessee on Thursday May 08, 2008

State of Tennessee will shed 2,000 jobs
By Theo Emery, The Tennessean (Nashville)
State workers welcomed news from Gov. Phil Bredesen on Wednesday that his administration hopes to use voluntary buyouts rather than layoffs to trim the payroll by about 2,000 employees.
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Bredesen offers state jobs buyout
By Richard Locker, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)
Citing record declines in state revenue, Gov. Phil Bredesen proposed a voluntary state-employee buyout incentive Wednesday with a goal of cutting 2,011 jobs by mid-summer.
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Tennessee - Bill would exclude churches from 'no smoking' signs law
By Clint Cooper, Chattanooga Times Free Press (registration)
Every church in Tennessee without a "no smoking" sign at each outside entrance is in violation of state law. But don?t look for pastors and church officials to be dragged off to jail.
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Around the region - High court weighs state's 'crack tax'
By Press Services, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)
The fight for Tennessee's so-called "crack tax" program has reached the Tennessee Supreme Court, where state lawyers say drug dealers should be taxed like any other merchants.
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Nashville - Bredesen to cut 2,011 jobs, higher education and reduce BEP improvements
By Andy Sher, Chattanooga Times Free Press (registration)
Gov. Phil Bredesen said Wednesday he will ask lawmakers to approve voluntary buyout packages for 2,011 workers, and he also plans to cut $86.5 million in new funding to continue reforms to the state's Basic Education Program K-12 funding formula.
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Bill requiring more disclosure from for-profit colleges moves forward
By Colby Sledge, The Tennessean (Nashville)
A bill requiring more disclosure from for-profit schools in Tennessee passed in the House Education Committee on Wednesday, setting it up for a possible vote on both sides of the legislature next week.
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Lawmakers still split on lottery scholarships
By Colby Sledge, The Tennessean (Nashville)
Lottery scholarship requirements could be up for another battle in the legislature after a House committee voted to approve different grade standards than the Senate wants.
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At-risk gubernatorial seats increase
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

After a pair of hard-fought primaries, North Carolina joins Missouri, Washington and Indiana on Out There's list of states where partisan control of the governorship could flip this fall.
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Bredesen says state can't afford DUI bill
By Erik Schelzig, The Associated Press, The Tennessean (Nashville)
Budget concerns have caused Gov. Phil Bredesen to withdraw a bill to immediately revoke the driver's license of anyone arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
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Tennessee House, Senate differ on Hope GPA
By Lucas L. Johnson II, the Associated Press, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)
House Democrats are sticking with a proposal for an across-the-board reduction in the cumulative grade point average needed to maintain a lottery scholarship.
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Attorney says he will oppose new trial
By Rose French, the Associated Press , Knoxville News Sentinel (registration)
An attorney for a Tennessee death row inmate says he will ask a federal judge not to give prosecutors more time to retry Paul House, who's been imprisoned over 22 years and could be released later this month.
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Tennessee - BEP freeze no surprise to area educators
By Staff Reports, Chattanooga Times Free Press (registration)
Southeast Tennessee school budget officials said they weren?t surprised Gov. Phil Bredesen decided not to add $85.6 million in new BEP 2.0 money to the 2009 budget.
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Tennessee - Increased tuition rates eyed to offset higher education cuts
By Joan Garrett, Chattanooga Times Free Press (registration)
Proposed cuts to Tennessee's state budget may force higher education officials to renege on a commitment to keep tuition increases in the single digits, university officials say.
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Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(Updated 9:30 a.m EST, May 8, 2008)

When an elderly person with dementia is lost, eight states can trigger an alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states.
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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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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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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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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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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.

WORTH NOTING: Phantom voter stalks Ala. State House
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
An Alabama lawmaker says someone’s been using his voting machine. Florida’s House Speaker locks the doors and turns off Internet access to make legislators pay attention. And Mayberry’s Sheriff Taylor endorses a North Carolina gubernatorial candidate. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.
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'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.

Summary of the State of the State Address

Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) compared running state government during a national economic slowdown to being the captain of a ship in stormy waters in his address Jan. 28.
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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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