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Archive of Mississippi on Tuesday May 13, 2008
States, locals swamp immigration program
Sudden demand by state and local police to join the federal 287(g) initiative, which lets local police start deportation proceedings for suspects and criminals who are illegal immigrants, is overwhelming the federal government. That means long waits and alternative programs offered to police departments that want to join. Read More
Mississippi's rainy day fund will be full -- but does it matter?
Mississippians can expect to hear plenty of bragging about the next few months about the healthy condition of the state's "rainy day fund." Read More
Ethics bill OK'd
Mississippi officials say a new state ethics law should make government more open and accountable by expanding the scope of information available to the public. Read More
Barbour signs most bills
Gov. Haley Barbour has signed into law the final batch of bills passed by the 2008 Legislature. Read More
Give the Coast a few more years
Perhaps the most common misconception about the Mississippi Gulf Coast is that rebuilding is over. The Coast, it seems, fell off the media's radar screen when the levees broke the next state over. The spotlight lasted a couple of days. And occasionally, it swings back over. This is one of those occasions. Read More
Barbour vetoes metal theft bill
Gov. Haley Barbour has vetoed bills to increase the number of local prosecutors and investigators and to toughen penalties for metal theft. Read More
Mississippi high court asked to reconsider Berry execution
Lawyers for condemned inmate Earl Wesley Berry have asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to reconsider its setting of a May 21 execution date. Read More
Barbour signs utility rate bill
Gov. Haley Barbour signed bills Monday to allow utility companies to raise rates to pay for new power plants before they are built, as well as measures to strengthen ethics laws and protect waterways. Read More
Childers tours district with state lawmakers
Congressional candidate Travis Childers made a final appeal to voters Monday in a whirlwind tour of the district he hopes to represent in Washington. The road-weary Booneville native held news conferences in Batesville, Oxford, Holly Springs and Tupelo. In each stop, he appeared with Mississippi political leaders who are backing Childers. Read More
Gov. OKs measures on ethics, ID theft
Mississippians will find public officials' sources of income on a Web site. A training school for troubled teens will close its doors in seven weeks. A conviction for identity theft committed through a violent crime will mean more prison time. Read More
State high court gets wind-water case
The Mississippi Supreme Court should follow federal precedent and rule out insurance coverage for hurricane damage caused by a combination of wind and water, the USAA insurance company argues. Read More
Barbour says Toyota delay good for state
Toyota's decision to delay the startup of manufacturing at its $1.3 billion plant near Blue Springs will be beneficial to the state, Gov. Haley Barbour said Monday. Read More
Scandal clouds W.Va. court race as 3 states vote
Photos of West Virginia's top jurist vacationing with the chief executive of a massive coal producer have transformed an otherwise run-of-the-mill election into that state's most closely watched race, while voters in two other states prepared to cast ballots on key congressional seats. Read More
In school sports, who makes the call?
A shot at the buzzer of a high school championship game — was it in time or not? — led the South Carolina Legislature to consider a bill to require referees to watch video replays. It was hardly the first example of armchair quarterbacking by lawmakers.
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WORTH NOTING: Illinois treasurer shows his knowledge of charges
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) endures a bruising charge from Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). A new Utah law stirs Salt Lake City bartenders to create a new drink. And Louisiana prison guards get outside help to prevent escapes. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in. Read More
Neutral govs to remain on sidelines
 In the homestretch of an unprecedented presidential primary season, spinning with competing sound-bites and endless rhetoric, voters still heading to the polls in four states can’t look to their governors for any pre-election advice. These governors plan to wait until after their states vote to make their own endorsements.
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Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
(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. Read More
At-risk gubernatorial seats increase
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Will states fix 2012 primary process?
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
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. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
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. Read More
Parents turn to states for autism help
(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. Read More
Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
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. Read More
With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
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. Read More
Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
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Gay marriage decisions ripe in Calif., Conn.
More than four years after its historic court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, Massachusetts stands alone in blessing gay marriages — more than 10,000 to date — and its example has spurred no imitators but lots of backlash. All eyes now are on the highest courts in California and Connecticut. Read More
'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
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Governors pitch ambitious programs
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.
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Summary of the State of the State Address
With the economy entering an uncertain period and federal Hurricane Katrina money ebbing, Gov. Haley Barbour (R) called for legislators to show fiscal discipline in his Jan. 21 speech before the politically split Legislature. Lawmakers will have to make tough choices, he said, and some good programs will be unfunded. Read More
Commentary: Govs beat White House hopefuls as agents of change
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Iraq casts shadow on 2008 state races
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Democratic mid-term gains affecting policy
So complete was the Democratic rout in the 2006 midterm elections that the party even gained legislative influence in Alaska, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming – states long dominated by the Republicans. And those gains, though small, are translating into policy achievements. Read More
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
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 |
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