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Archive of Politics on Wednesday July 01, 2009
CO: Colorado Senate returns $627,000 in unspent funds
State Senate President Brandon Shaffer, pointing to his restrictions on travel, bonuses and salaries, said Tuesday that the Senate was returning to the general fund an expected $627,000, more than twice as much in unspent funds as last year. Read More
NY: State Senate begins passing bills
A Republican senator's walk through the back of the Senate chamber Tuesday as 31 Democrats were convening a regular session was used by them to establish a quorum and begin passing bills. Read More
AK: Palin e-mail hacker asks for dismissal
A Tennessee college student charged with hacking into former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's e-mail was in court Tuesday asking for a dismissal. Read More
AK: Pro-Palin Web site attacks Fairbanks Rep. Jay Ramras over BP stock
A pro-Palin Web site is crying foul over Rep. Jay Ramras' ownership of BP stock, prompting the Fairbanks Republican to defend his holdings and his integrity. Read More
AK: Palin -- I'd come out ahead in a run against president
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she'd come out ahead if she went one-on-one with fellow jogger President Barack Obama in a long run, according to an interview published online Tuesday. "I betcha I'd have more endurance," she told Runner's World magazine. Read More
AK: Sarah Palin story sparks Republican family feud
A hard-hitting piece on Sarah Palin in the new Vanity Fair has touched off a blistering exchange of insults among high-profile Republicans over last year's GOP ticket -- tearing open fresh wounds about leaks surrounding Palin and revealing for the first time some of the internal wars that paralyzed the campaign in its final days. Read More
AL: Priscilla Dunn wins runoff for Alabama Senate 19 seat
State Rep. Priscilla Dunn of Bessemer is heading to the Alabama Senate. On Tuesday, she defeated state Rep. Merika Coleman of Hueytown in the Democratic primary runoff to fill the state Senate District 19 seat vacated by the federal conviction of E.B. McClain. Read More
AL: Siegelman seeks new trial in bribery case
Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman has asked for a new trial in his bribery case, citing claims by a whistleblower in the federal prosecutor's office that a key government witness was heavily coached. Read More
AL: Riley hails A&M president choice
Gov. Bob Riley praised the Alabama A&M University trustees Tuesday for selecting Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. as the university's president. Read More
AL: Ford embraces 'opportunity' to run in Senate District 28
Former Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford launched a bid to return to the Alabama Legislature on Tuesday. Read More
AL: Ex-governor of Alabama seeks retrial
Lawyers for Donald E. Siegelman, the former Alabama governor convicted on corruption charges in 2006, have asked for a new trial based on "newly discovered evidence" of prosecutorial misconduct in the case. Read More
AR: Prison director explains escape, other problems, to lawmakers
The director of state prisons told lawmakers Tuesday he was "embarrassed" over recent serious incidents in the system, but that they were isolated and not part of a bigger problem. Read More
AZ: Legislature approves budget plan; Brewer's stance unclear
Legislators gave final approval to a 2010 state-budget plan early Wednesday morning and now await word on whether Gov. Jan Brewer will accept it or force budget negotiations to begin anew. Read More
AZ: Arizona Legislature misses deadline, but passes budget
State lawmakers finally approved a $8.4 billion budget early Wednesday morning — three hours after their midnight deadline and without the sales tax ballot referral Gov. Jan Brewer wants. Read More
AZ: Democrats offer budget support in exchange for concessions
Democrats, who have been trying to get to the budget-negotiating table for weeks, offered their support for the budget compromise plan in exchange for certain concessions. Read More
AZ: Future of dozens of bills uncertain in budget wake
With lawmakers scrambling to resolve the budget crisis, they left many of the more than 70 bills on Tuesday's agendas untouched. Read More
AZ: Ariz. state workers to report to work as scheduled
Gov. Jan Brewer's administration is telling state workers to report to work as scheduled though the governor has not yet acted on budget bills approved by the Legislature overnight. Read More
AZ: Many agencies brace to close; public safety will be top priority
Without a budget resolution late Tuesday, there was widespread uncertainty about how state government would function today. Read More
AZ: Budget struggle down to the wire
A testy and divided Legislature battled into the night Tuesday, preparing to send Gov. Jan Brewer a budget plan for fiscal 2010 that would cut more than $600 million from state spending but keep government doors open. Read More
CA: No deal as state budget deadline nears
With only hours to go before a midnight deadline, California's historic fiscal crisis remained unresolved Tuesday as lawmakers were trying to negotiate an agreement to prevent the $24.3 billion deficit from growing. Read More
CA: Brown leads Newsom in fundraising race
Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown, who has yet to call himself a candidate for governor, is leading a critical race: He's attracting more high-end donors than San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, the only declared candidate for 2010, according to the latest campaign reports. Read More
CA: Cracked streets in Santa Ana at stake in budget debate
SANTA ANA, Calif. – If you want to get a feel for what the state budget crisis could mean on the street, take a drive through Santa Ana. Read More
CA: Lawmakers, governor remain at impasse despite deadline
For weeks, lawmakers and the governor said Tuesday was the deadline to do something about California's $24.3 billion deficit or else the state would face financial ruin. But once the day arrive, little happened. Read More
CA: Feds may take possession of some California parks, if they close
The federal government is threatening to take possession of several of California's most prominent state parks — including Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, the top of Mount Diablo and four miles of beaches at Fort Ord Dunes near Monterey — if Sacramento lawmakers close them to balance the budget. Read More
CA: Frantic budget talks fall short
A frantic rush to close California's daunting deficit before a July 1 deadline fell short at midnight, when Senate Republicans refused to back billions in cuts to public education — not out of concern for schools but because they believed the reductions did not go far enough. Read More
CA: Different paths to top of state's GOP, same hard-line resolve
One is a dairy farmer's son who once sold bull semen to pay for college. The other is a music professor's son who once researched earthquakes for Exxon. The farmer's son, Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Temecula, is a darling of the right wing of the Republican Party. Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo, the music teacher's son, is a favorite among environmentalists. Read More
CA: Number of school districts on brink of financial trouble, bankruptcy rises
Unless drastic budget cuts come at the local level, many California school districts may be unable to pay the bills in the next two years, state schools chief Jack O'Connell said Tuesday. Read More
CA: Governor, lawmakers blow deadline as budget hole deepens
California is on the brink of issuing IOUs and state workers will take a third unpaid furlough day in July after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers failed to strike a budget compromise late Tuesday. Read More
CA: Board trims per-diem pay, cars, benefits for California legislators
As legislators battled over the state budget Tuesday, an independent commission voted to slash lawmakers' per-diem payments, car allowances and medical and other fringe benefits by 18 percent. Read More
CA: Opposition to death penalty in California voiced at hearing on lethal injection
Corrections officials heard overwhelming condemnation of proposed new lethal injection procedures Tuesday at the first-ever public hearing on execution methods in the state. Read More
CA: 11th-hour votes on state budget fail
With a day to go until a cash crisis would force the state to stop paying its bills, lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger worked into the night Tuesday but failed to reach a budget agreement. Read More
CA: To solve deficit, Schwarzenegger turns to a Democrat
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his effort to end the partisan bickering that is pushing California to the brink of insolvency, is deploying Susan Kennedy, his cigar-smoking, paintball-playing Democratic chief of staff, to get the job done. Read More
CO: As new laws kick in today, Colorado auto fees to rise
Starting today, Coloradans will pay more to register their vehicles. They'll face criminal charges if they possess someone else's passport, Social Security card or driver's license without that person's permission. And adults will be in big trouble if they're caught "sexting" to a child. Read More
CO: Colorado welcomes stimulus-funded jobs
Alison Barber did something unexpected this month: She found a job. Although Barber, who graduated from Colorado State University this year, says the employment rate at her construction management program dropped from 99 percent to below 50 percent this year, she was able to land a foreman position at Castle Rock Construction Co. Read More
CO: Designated beneficiary rules grant unmarried pairs decision-making power
In April, Gov. Bill Ritter signed a bill that gives unmarried couples the right to enter into "designated beneficiary agreements," which guarantee many of the rights usually reserved for husbands and wives. Read More
CT: Legacy of the Rowland scandal, five years later
It's the kind of anniversary no one wants to commemorate: Five years ago today, on July 1, 2004, Gov. John G. Rowland resigned amid a corruption scandal that would send him to prison and scar a state. Read More
CT: No budget deal to start fiscal year
Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Tuesday that she has signed an executive order to keep state government running when the new fiscal year begins today without a new budget enacted. Read More
CT: State faces a new fiscal year with no budget deal
Hours of last-minute talks failed to produce a deal Tuesday, and Connecticut prepared to enter the new fiscal year today without an adopted budget for just the third time since 1991, when the state adopted its income tax. Read More
DE: Law gives public access to Adult Abuse Registry
Gov. Jack Markell signed legislation Tuesday that provides greater protections for senior citizens and residents with disabilities. Read More
DE: State budget passes in marathon session; taxes, fees to jump $206 million
Completing a marathon session that lasted until 4 a.m. today, the General Assembly passed a $3.09 billion budget, $206 million in tax and fee increases and eliminated an unprecedented $800 million revenue shortfall. Read More
DE: Bill would reform handling of sex crimes in prisons
State Rep. James "J.J." Johnson, D-Jefferson Farms, introduced legislation Tuesday that would change the law regarding how sexual crimes inside state detention centers are handled. Read More
DE: In budget, 2.5% cut with 5 days off
The General Assembly was heading into an early-morning special session today after taking up a $3.09 billion budget and passing $206 million in tax and fee increases. Read More
DE: Bill to boost film industry in Del. fails to get vote
A bill that would have helped bring film production to Delaware by providing loan guarantees for certain types of projects did not make it on the General Assembly's agenda by the end of the session Tuesday. Read More
DE: Republicans tap Booth in race for Adams' seat
Republicans have tapped state Rep. Joe Booth, a former Georgetown mayor, to run for the Senate seat of the late Thurman Adams. Read More
FL: Crist signs controversial water bill
Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday signed a bill that, among other things, strips public access from state decisions about who controls Florida's precious water resources. Read More
FL: Motorists fees taking big bumps
For Floridians already suffering from recession-pinched pocketbooks, add another dose of unwelcome news: Driving is getting a lot more expensive. Read More
FL: Many of the new companies in Florida are unregulated
The influx of new property insurance companies that have added $4.3 billion to the pool of capital available on the Florida market, consists mostly of so-called surplus insurance lines that typical homeowners can't use. Read More
FL: Prescription drug overdose deaths soar in Florida
Florida continues to see a rapid rise in fatal overdoses caused by prescription-drug abuse -- a trend fueled by a cottage industry of cash-only pain clinics -- while deaths from illegal drugs wane, according to a report from the state's medical examiners released Tuesday. Read More
FL: 65 new Florida law changes take effect today
Sixty-five new state laws go into effect today. They include an electronic tracking system to reduce the illicit sale and abuse of prescriptions drugs; requiring felony suspects to provide DNA samples; a limit to lawyer fees in workers' compensation cases; and allowing state universities to put up columbaria for the ashes of deceased alumni. Read More
GA: Perdue to nominate next high court justice
Possibly as soon as Wednesday, Gov. Sonny Perdue will have a short list of nominees who want to be Georgia's next Supreme Court justice. Read More
GA: Tight budget only latest challenge for new chief justice
Carol Hunstein says her mantra is: Equal justice for all litigants, be fair and impartial and treat everyone with dignity and respect. Read More
HI: Lingle discloses potential vetoes
Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday gave state lawmakers a list of bills she may veto, including proposals to restructure public hospitals, raise a tax on petroleum products to fund food and energy security programs, and tighten high-technology investment tax credits. Read More
HI: GOP chairman supports governor's fiscal strategy
Jonah Ka'auwai says he understands the fear and confusion facing thousands of state workers on this first day of Gov. Linda Lingle's controversial furlough plan for state workers. Read More
HI: Lawmakers assess vetoes for overrides
The state Legislature's Democrats meet today to decide which of the 65 possible vetoes that Gov. Linda Lingle revealed yesterday they would override. Read More
HI: Hawaii state workers rally at Capitol to protest furloughs
State workers flooded the Capitol yesterday afternoon for a rally protesting Gov. Linda Lingle's furlough plans, accusing the governor of trying to wipe out the state's budget deficit at their expense. Read More
IA: Butter King of Pop will join cow at State Fair
This summer, the Iowa State Fair's famous butter cow will share its 40-degree refrigerated glass case with a sculpture of Michael Jackson. Read More
IA: Rod Roberts moving toward run for governor
State Rep. Rod Roberts said he's sending Iowa Republicans a message that he's seriously considering a run for governor in 2010. Read More
IA: Experts confident Iowa budget will balance
Gov. Chet Culver's budget experts expressed confidence Tuesday the state's fiscal 2009 budget will end with a positive balance even in the face of eroding tax revenues. Read More
IA: Fong to run against Culver in 2010
Cedar Rapids businessman and flood recovery leader Christian Fong joined the race for governor Tuesday as a candidate for the Republican nomination. Read More
IA: C.R. flood leader enters GOP governor race
Christian Fong, a 32-year-old Cedar Rapids businessman and flood recovery leader, joined the race for the Republican nomination for governor Tuesday, saying Democratic Gov. Chet Culver's taxing and spending were placing an unfair burden on Iowa families. Read More
IA: Merit, step raises to add $121 million to state wages
Merit raises and other perks will pump up Iowa's state employee salaries by an average of 4.3 percent in the fiscal year that begins today, despite the largest unions agreeing to a 0 percent across-the-board salary increase. Read More
ID: New open meeting law takes effect
Idaho has a new set of rules to ensure government officials do their business in public. Read More
IL: As new fiscal year begins, Illinois remains without budget
The clock ran out on Illinois' fiscal year Tuesday without a new state budget in place, raising the specter of mass state service cuts in the coming weeks or days. Read More
IL: Quinn wants tax hike -- even if it takes months
State government limped into a new budget year Wednesday without a solid spending plan and rookie Gov. Pat Quinn threatened to drag the fight out all summer until he gets an income tax increase. Read More
IL: Illinois budget still in limbo
With time running out on the state's fiscal year, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn threatened Tuesday to veto any budget sent to him by lawmakers that is unbalanced. Read More
IL: Quinn -- Adults don't 'put off decisions'
Like a parent scolding misbehaving children, Gov. Pat Quinn admonished lawmakers Tuesday for putting off the state's problems and warned them a long, hot summer awaits in the capital city if they don't vote to raise taxes. Read More
IL: Budget ball bounces into Quinn's court
Now it's up to Gov. Pat Quinn. Illinois lawmakers left Springfield Tuesday without voting to raise taxes and after giving Quinn a budget that he's strongly indicated he finds unacceptable and will veto. Read More
IL: Q & A -- Will state government shut down?
State lawmakers and Gov. Pat Quinn were heading into Wednesday's start of the new budget year without an agreement. Read More
IN: Budget brings good, bad news for state schools
Indiana's lawmakers passed a $27.8 billion two-year budget Tuesday that supporters touted as a triumph in a recession but critics said came at the expense of students in urban and rural districts. Read More
IN: State budget approved, signed into law
Indiana lawmakers departed the Capitol early Tuesday evening relieved they averted a state government shutdown with hours to spare, but few were happy with the two-year, $28.5 billion budget that Gov. Mitch Daniels promptly signed into law. Read More
IN: CIB gets OK to raise taxes on hotel stays
State lawmakers passed a plan Tuesday to bail out the Capital Improvement Board, though Mayor Greg Ballard's administration said the mix of tax increases and loans will not be enough to overcome a projected $47 million deficit. Read More
KS: Kansas agriculture secretary taking USDA job
Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky has been tapped to head the Farm Service Agency in Kansas for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a position he held during the Clinton administration. Read More
KS: Kansas revenue shortfall hits $126 million
Kansas is ending the 2009 fiscal year with its tax collections $126 million below estimates. Read More
KS: State cuts DUI program's funds by 70%
State money to treat repeat drunken driving offenders has been cut by 70 percent, even as a new law calls for the program to expand. Read More
KS: Cuts may mean end to assistance
Christy Tatum moved four times in two months and is praying for a fifth move to a place she can really call home. Read More
KS: New Kansas laws kick in today; how do they affect you?
You can get wine delivered to your home, but you can't linger in the left lane of rural highways under state laws that take effect today. Many of the 144 bills signed into law after the 2009 legislative session become law today. Read More
KS: School officials dread state budget decisions as new fiscal year starts
Public school officials are dreading the start of the state's fiscal year like some students worry about the first day of school. Read More
LA: Fireworks use OK in some areas, not all
HAMMOND, La. — Even with a statewide burn ban in place, residents in Tangipahoa and Livingston parishes will be able to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks where they are legal. Read More
LA: State budget year begins with cuts
The new state fiscal year starts today with far less drastic budget cuts than Gov. Bobby Jindal originally proposed. Read More
LA: Regents finalize La. college cuts
Louisiana's colleges can now start cutting more than 8 percent from their state budgets for the fiscal year that begins today. Read More
LA: Jindal signs sex predator bills into law
Gov. Bobby Jindal signed nine bills into law Tuesday to crack down on sexual predators in Louisiana. Read More
LA: Board asks for veto of lobbyist bill
The Louisiana Board of Ethics asked Gov. Bobby Jindal to veto legislation that would expand opportunities for lobbyists to bust a $50 cap when they are wining and dining legislators and other public officials. Read More
LA: Funds to help create oyster reefs off La. coast
A Louisiana environmental group received $4 million in stimulus money from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for creation of oyster reefs for shoreline protection purposes. Read More
MA: Tim Cahill slams Deval Patrick for budget trickery
Blasting Gov. Deval Patrick for practicing "budgetary sleight-of-hand," Treasurer Timothy Cahill yesterday urged lawmakers to override a gubernatorial veto that slashed $20 million from the budget. Read More
MA: Deval Patrick's dismal poll showings a boon to challengers
Gov. Deval Patrick has only himself to blame for an embarrassing poll showing a narrow win for Republican rival Christy Mihos, opposing strategists and potential challengers charged yesterday. Read More
MA: State draws zones for coast wind farms
Dozens of wind turbines could sprout within sight of the Massachusetts shoreline under a first-of-its-kind state blueprint with the promise of generating both electricity and controversy. Read More
MA: Pension laws pare police, fire rolls
This week's rash of retirements by Boston firefighters seeking disability pensions is but one part of a wave of such departures across Massachusetts, as a pair of new state laws that could greatly diminish the pension benefits of public safety workers take effect today. Read More
MI: State reps urge quick action on failing schools
Three state representatives today called on the Senate to act quickly on legislation targeting failing schools. Read More
MI: Riddle -- FBI probed $50K deal with Dems
Political consultant Sam Riddle says federal investigators have questioned $50,000 he received in 2006 from the Michigan Democratic Party-- payments he described as election year "hush money." Read More
MN: At last, a second senator for Minnesota
Al Franken, a satirist known for his biting political humor, is headed to the U.S. Senate, the survivor of an epic legal struggle that opponent Norm Coleman finally conceded he couldn't win. Read More
MN: Franken wins Senate battle
The Minnesota Supreme Court yesterday declared comedian-turned-politician Al Franken the winner of the state's U.S. Senate race, ending an eight-month-long election saga and giving Democrats a 60-seat majority that theoretically would allow them to block GOP filibusters. Read More
MO: Missouri Republicans criticize plan to use bonds for buildings
Top Missouri Republicans say a proposal to finance construction projects with bonds would raise the state's debt without helping the economy. Read More
MS: Miss. lawmakers finish most of $6B budget, not PSC
Bleary-eyed Mississippi lawmakers approved most of the $6 billion budget before the state fiscal year started early Wednesday, addressing Medicaid and public safety while leaving only the state's utility regulatory agency unfunded. Read More
MS: Bill to hike wind pool goes to gov.
Legislation to put an additional $20 million into the state wind-pool insurance fund has been sent to the governor. Read More
MS: Hundreds of laws take effect in Miss.
Most teens now will need their parents' permission before using a tanning facility, 16-year-olds can donate blood, and Internet pharmacies face stricter regulations. Read More
MS: Medicaid bill goes to gov
Lawmakers sent a Medicaid reauthorization plan to Gov. Haley Barbour hours before the new fiscal year began today, along with dozens of other funding bills intended to keep state government running smoothly. Read More
MT: Lawyer appointed to state environmental board
Gov. Brian Schweitzer has filled a state Board of Environmental Review position vacated through action by the Montana Senate. Read More
NC: Beach Plan bill gets nod in House
A bill to alter a state-created insurance plan known as the Beach Plan has passed its first legislative hurdle in the state House. Read More
NC: N.C. gets an extension on its deadlocked budget
North Carolina got an extension. The legislature did not pass a new state budget by the end of the fiscal year at midnight last night, but lawmakers did approve a temporary spending bill to keep government operating. Read More
NH: Judge freezes $9 m contested NH funding
A superior court judge has frozen $9 million in surplus funding the state and New Hampshire's nursing homes both claim. Read More
NH: NH increasing some court fees, creating new ones
An increased fee for records research and new fees for certain petitions, motions, and other matters are going into effect in the New Hampshire court system. Read More
NH: $11.5b state budget given OK by Lynch
Gov. John Lynch signed an $11.5 billion state budget Tuesday as one judge threatened to blow a $110 million hole in it and another put at risk a $9 million state government money grab. Read More
NH: No new contract for SEA
A midnight deadline came and went last night and most state employees still don't have a new contract, leaving unresolved a looming question of whether budget-mandated personnel cuts will come through widespread unpaid furloughs, benefits cuts or hundreds of additional layoffs. Read More
NJ: Poll finds Christie leading Corzine
A new poll finds Republican challenger Chris Christie ahead of Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in New Jersey's race for governor. Read More
NM: Field of GOP gubernatorial candidates grows
The number of Republicans interested in being New Mexico's next governor is growing. The latest to consider a run is Doug Turner of Albuquerque, owner of DW Turner public-relations and strategic communications firm, who helped guide Gary Johnson's successful campaigns for governor. Read More
NV: Montandon takes aim at Gibbons
Red in the face and drenched in sweat, the man who would be governor trotted into his campaign headquarters Tuesday evening. Read More
NV: Judge green-lights suit against Gibbons
Chief U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt is refusing to toss out Chrissy Mazzeo's civil rights lawsuit. In a 27-page decision this week, Hunt dismissed some of Mazzeo's claims, but allowed her to move forward with the suit. The former cocktail waitress alleges that several people conspired with Jim Gibbons on a cover-up after his encounter with Mazzeo outside a Las Vegas restaurant less than a month before his gubernatorial election. Read More
NV: How state furloughs will work, for now
With state employees set to take their first furlough days this week, the Personnel Department adopted emergency regulations governing the unpaid time off. Read More
NY: Bd. of Ed. is rising from dead
Mayor Bloomberg yesterday prepared to reconvene the old city Board of Education after the law that gives him control of the schools expired at 12:01 a.m. today. Read More
NY: Senate Democrats shoot down mayoral control of schools, city sales tax hike
State senators Tuesday night defied Gov. Paterson and Mayor Bloomberg by failing to extend mayoral control over the schools and rejecting the city's sales tax plan. Read More
NY: NY Senate Dems claim quorum, start passing bills
Democrats claimed control of the split New York Senate on Tuesday, declaring a quorum after a Republican took a short cut through the chamber because an exterior parlor had been blocked by Democrats for a press conference they never held. Read More
NY: Dems grasp at quorum loophole
Senate Democrats contended they found a way Tuesday to vote on bills: A Republican senator unknowingly gave them a quorum when he walked through the chamber to get a cup of coffee as Democrats were convening their own session. Read More
NY: Senate goes 0 for 3
Just when it seemed as if the three-week-old battle for control of the state Senate was turning into a cold war, Tuesday brought a new escalation -- replete with fresh legal threats, a salvo of dueling affidavits and a senator who might have picked the wrong moment to get a cup of coffee. Read More
NY: New York Senate Democrats claim quorum, start passing bills
ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York Senate Democrats have begun voting on a host of bills and declaring them passed after claiming that a Republican lawmaker walking through the chamber gave them the required quorum. Read More
NY: Blame panic in G.O.P. for standoff in Albany
Why can't New York's feuding senators act like grown-ups? Nearly a month into the Senate's bitter leadership struggle, there are few signs that the Republican and Democratic voting blocs, deadlocked in a 31-to-31 tie, are close to a deal to get back to work. Read More
NY: Glimpsing a G.O.P. passer-by, Senate Democrats grab the gavel
The latest attempt to break the State Senate's three-week-old stalemate began with a quest for caffeine. Read More
OH: Strickland signs week's budget as slots fight rages
A temporary, one-week budget cleared the Ohio House and Gov. Ted Strickland's desk Tuesday with another in the pipeline - just in case. Read More
OH: Stalemate continues as interim budget is signed
Like many Ohioans, state government now is living paycheck to paycheck. Read More
OH: Ohio House passes seven-day temporary budget extension while slots plan remains blocked
One state budget extension might not be enough. As the standoff over slots continued between Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Republican Senate President Bill Harris Tuesday, the Ohio House passed a seven-day temporary budget while queuing up a second stopgap measure for a possible vote if needed. Read More
OK: Oklahoma House Speaker, AT&T announce CNG vehicles
TULSA, Okla.— AT&T is rolling out a fleet of at least 30 compressed natural gas vehicles this year in part because of tax incentives approved by the Oklahoma Legislature. Read More
OK: Oklahoma senator Tom Adelson announces Tulsa mayoral candidacy
Democrat State Sen. Tom Adelson announced Wednesday that he will run for Tulsa mayor. Read More
OR: Oregon governor blasts Democrats for job program failure
Gov. Ted Kulongoski praised accomplishments by the Legislature on Tuesday, but he had harsh words for fellow Democrats who let his favorite job-creation bill languish. Read More
OR: Kulongoski ready to fight for approved tax increases
Even though he didn't propose either of them to balance the state budget, Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Tuesday he'll campaign aggressively for the tax increases that lawmakers approved on corporations and higher-income households if opponents are successful in forcing a statewide vote on either. Read More
OR: Voters may end up deciding fate of tax increases
Lawmakers' actions affecting the economy this session are frequently viewed through the prism of the major budget-balancing tax increases. Read More
PA: 'I'm hopeful we don't have a car repair'
Earlier this year, Gov. Ed Rendell warned state workers they might have to work without pay if a budget wasn't passed by June 30. That possibility is now near, and some state workers are worried they might be forced into a tough financial spot. Read More
PA: What's ahead? Rendell sees no quick end
State budget negotiations dragged on Tuesday during the final hours of Pennsylvania's recession-plagued budget year, as Gov. Ed Rendell and Republican leaders each signaled no breakthrough was in sight. Read More
PA: Lawmakers miss deadline, pay; workers next?
State lawmakers are paid on the first of each month, but not today. The new fiscal year begins with no state budget deal in sight, and the impasse has put their monthly paychecks on hold until an agreement is reached. Read More
PA: Bill to expand Pa. health insurance sparks debate
Democratic leaders in Pennsylvania hope to double the number of residents who receive state-sponsored health insurance, known as adultBasic, but Republicans fear the costs may be too high. Read More
PA: Another fiscal year ends, another Pennsylvania standoff ensues
As Pennsylvania missed its budget deadline for the seventh year, Senate Republicans on Tuesday presented united opposition to Gov. Ed Rendell's proposed state tax increases and demanded the Democrat-controlled House vote on a spending plan. Read More
PA: Pa. state budget battle continues
Once again, state officials are stumbling into a new fiscal year without having enacted a new state budget. "We will be graded poorly by the people," said Rep. Mario Civera, R-Delaware County. Read More
RI: Carcieri OKs $7.8-billion R.I. budget
Governor Carcieri on Tuesday reluctantly signed into law a $7.8-billion budget package that raises Rhode Island's gas tax by 2 cents per gallon, cuts millions of dollars from cities and towns, and trims pension benefits for thousands of state workers and teachers. Read More
RI: $3 million in stimulus money to be used for fish ladders
For years, a consortium of government agencies and advocacy groups has struggled for funding to knock down dams and build fish ladders to help restore local fish migrations. That work was jump-started on Tuesday when the federal government came forward with $3 million in stimulus money for six projects on the Ten Mile and Pawcatuck rivers. Read More
RI: R.I. Senate recesses with bills in limbo
Just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed banged her gavel and sent the Senate into extended recess for at least part of the summer, capping a chaotic month on Smith Hill that ended with both chambers on indeterminate breaks and major legislation still up in the air. Read More
RI: School's now in session for state's new education chief
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Deborah A. Gist, Rhode Island's new commissioner of elementary and secondary education, is so excited about her new job that she began a day early, attending a news conference Tuesday morning to announce the launch of five summer learning programs in urban districts. Read More
RI: EPA lets R.I., 13 other states impose tougher auto emission standards
The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday granted California, Rhode Island and 12 other states the authority they had sought for years to impose automobile tailpipe emissions standards that are stricter than those promulgated by the federal government. Read More
RI: R.I. Supreme Court holds Department of Corrections liable for contaminated food
The state Supreme Court on Tuesday, vacating a lower court decision, ruled that the Department of Corrections is not shielded from liability for distributing a potentially contaminated product just because it was doing so as a part of a program for the public good. Read More
RI: R.I. hospitals agree on safety protocol for surgeries
All the hospitals and outpatient surgical centers in Rhode Island have agreed to follow the same process to prevent errors in surgery. Read More
RI: Carcieri pushes for expanded R.I. Ethics Code
Governor Carcieri on Tuesday urged the General Assembly to give voters a chance to extend the state's Ethics Code to cover legislative votes and other official actions taken by Rhode Island lawmakers. Read More
SC: SC gov gambles to 'lay it all out' about affair
After days of assuring the public he was firmly in control after admitting a scandalous affair, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford detailed other encounters with his Argentine "soul mate," dalliances with women before her, and his struggle to salvage his 20-year marriage. Read More
SC: SLED chief sees no evidence of crime
SLED director Reggie Lloyd said Tuesday he is worried his criminal investigative agency is being pulled into a new realm — political inquiries. Read More
SC: Man who would succeed Sanford has own baggage
With every word South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) utters about his extramarital affair, his would-be successor leaps closer to a job that he wants dearly but that many leaders in the state's fractured Republican Party have been scheming to keep from him. Read More
SC: Criminal probe darkens Sanford's political prospects
Just as South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford seemed to turn the corner on surviving a scandal that threatened to unseat him, an official criminal investigation will probe whether the governor broke any state laws while conducting a transnational tryst with an Argentinian mom and former TV reporter. Read More
SC: New sex revelations fuel calls for resignation
Six of 27 members of the conservative Senate Republican Caucus Tuesday night issued a letter calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to resign. Read More
SD: New open records law takes effect Wednesday in S.D.
PIERRE, S.D. - South Dakotans will get more access to government records under a new law that follows the lead of most other states in presuming that documents are open unless there's a good reason to keep them secret. Read More
TN: Gubernatorial hopefuls pull out all stops for cash
Tennessee gubernatorial candidates hosted last-minute fundraisers and made final pleas for online contributions Tuesday, hoping to plump up campaign war chests before one of the 2010 race's first real tests — results from first-quarter fundraising. Read More
TN: Ethics-finance merger becomes law
Gov. Phil Bredesen has signed into a law a merger of the Tennessee Ethics Commission and the state Registry of Election Finance. Read More
TN: New Republican group woos Latinos
A new Republican group is eyeing Tennessee's growing number of Latino voters, attempting to organize them in time for the 2010 gubernatorial election. Read More
TN: Tennessee drivers beware: Texting is a crime
Rachel Nichol says reading or sending cell phone text messages while driving isn't such a good idea — she's had five fender benders, including one in a fast food drive-through. Read More
TX: Perry insists on short special session agenda
Gov. Rick Perry is being pressed to add issues ranging from children's health care to voter identification to the agenda of the special session that begins Wednesday, but his answer is still no. Read More
TX: Senate could conclude business in two days
With a special legislative session scheduled to begin this morning — either a short one that Gov. Rick Perry wants or a longer one as some critics predict — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Tuesday predicted the Senate could get its business done in only two days. Read More
TX: Transportation leads agenda for session
The special legislative session that starts today includes measures to allow private companies to build more toll roads across the state — an idea opponents have dubbed "the largest tax increase in history." Read More
TX: Texas only state yet to apply for stabilization funds
When the federal government started dangling billions of stimulus dollars for education in front of states, many snapped up the money right away. Read More
TX: Kirk Watson raised money AT Perry's, not WITH Gov. Perry
An array of state officials, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus, were squeezing in political fund-raisers this week in advance of the special legislative session starting Wednesday. Read More
TX: All ready for the special session? Lawmakers introduce bills responsive to Perry's call
The Legislature meets tomorrow (Wednesday) to kick off the special session called last week by Gov. Rick Perry, and transportation will dominate the agenda. It could be a quick ride, or a bitter fight -- depending on how willing lawmakers are to push their differences down the road, until they return for the 2011 regular session. Read More
US: Abortion foes try again on 'personhood' amendments
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Abortion opponents in Colorado and Montana want to try again to pass amendments giving human rights to embryos. Read More
US: Tax hikes and cutbacks -- States crunched
NEW YORK -- It's not a happy new year for the states. States are carrying their financial woes into the new fiscal year, which for most started on Wednesday. Some had yet to pass their fiscal 2010 budgets. For others, tax hikes and draconian spending cuts went into effect. Read More
US: Budget deadline ticks down for states
INDIANAPOLIS and DENVER -- Across the country, state legislators and governors struggled Tuesday night to agree on spending cuts and tax hikes as they ran up against a midnight deadline to approve a budget. Read More
US: Term saw high court move to the right
For the Supreme Court, it was the year of living on the verge. Read More
US: States struggle to meet budget deadlines
Indiana lawmakers beat their deadline and passed a state budget early Tuesday evening, but in five other states, budget deals for the 2010 fiscal year remained in limbo, as legislators made last-minute efforts to avert shutdowns. Read More
US: The Roberts court, tipped by Kennedy
WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. emerged as a canny strategist at the Supreme Court this term, laying the groundwork for bold changes that could take the court to the right even as the recent elections moved the nation to the left. Read More
UT: Utah faith leaders urge repeal of SB81
Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Protestant leaders gathered Tuesday evening in a Lutheran Church to pray, preach, plead and lament the passage of an immigration bill. They even called for it to be repealed. Their words cannot stop Senate Bill 81 from taking effect today, but they hoped to provide comfort and express solidarity with Utah's undocumented immigrants. Read More
VA: Prohibition on texting by drivers starts in Va.
Virginia drivers will face new restrictions today, when hundreds of laws take effect, including a ban on sending or reading text messages and e-mails. Read More
VT: Today is first day for new state laws
All new statutes that don't have other specified effective dates go into law today. That means everything from new tax increases to new programs to new rules for citizens, regulators and businesses. Read More
VT: State hires bankruptcy firm for FairPoint case
The state of Vermont hired a law firm with experience in corporate bankruptcy cases this week as FairPoint Communications, one of its largest telephone and Internet companies, flounders financially. Read More
VT: Vt. awaits $94M in stimulus funds
Vermont has met the deadline to apply for $94 million in education stimulus funding from the federal government — now it's a waiting game to see when that money will come. Read More
VT: VA secretary touts new vets' benefits
Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth toured Vermont on Tuesday with a double dose of good news for the state's veterans. Read More
VT: Guard troops get marching orders
After spending much of the last year preparing for a potential mission in Afghanistan, soldiers with the Vermont National Guard learned Friday that the deployment has been made official. Read More
VT: Chancellor optimistic about state colleges
Tim Donovan ascends to the top job in Vermont State Colleges at what might seem a perilous time for higher education. Read More
VT: State asks for hospitals' plans
This week the Department of Mental Health queried every hospital in the state and Dartmouth Hitchcock in Lebanon, N.H., about their interest in providing psychiatric acute care services that would replace care now provided at the Vermont State Hospital -- which state officials want to close. Read More
VT: Vermont air -- Clean, but not perfect
Breathing in the air in Chittenden and Rutland counties slightly increases the risk of developing cancer compared to the rest of Vermont, according to the government's latest snapshot of air pollution across the nation. Read More
WA: State will use emergency funds to buy flu medication
Gov. Chris Gregoire on Tuesday authorized emergency funds to purchase flu medication to prepare for a busy flu season. Read More
WA: State Fire Marshal's Office warns of fireworks dangers
With fireworks season and dry weather upon us, the state Fire Marshal's Office on Tuesday urged South Sound residents to be safe with their Fourth of July celebrating. Read More
WA: Cell phone law a year old, but problems persist
A year ago, a top research official at the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety made a prediction about Washington's law prohibiting drivers from using hand-held cell phones in most cases. Read More
WA: State budget year begins with 3,200 jobs on the block
Many state agencies are keeping employees on the payroll a bit longer as Washington's government starts a new budget year today with 3,200 jobs on the chopping block. Read More
WA: Wash., feds to discuss Yakima water
YAKIMA, Wash. — State and federal officials plan to meet with other stakeholders in the Yakima River basin to talk about how to improve water supplies there. Read More
WI: Some budget gains for immigrants
Children of parents in this country illegally will be able to pay in state UW tuition, under a provision of the budget signed by Governor Jim Doyle Monday. Read More
WI: 'Frankenstein' veto returns from the grave
So, voters, you thought you banned the "Frankenstein" veto last year? Not so fast. Read More
WI: Republican Neumann filing for guv's race
A spokesman for Republican Mark Neumann says he intends to file for governor on Wednesday. Read More
WI: Many promises broken in Wisconsin budget process
Many promises were made and broken during the nearly five-month process of passing Wisconsin's new two-year budget. Read More
WI: New right to unionize bothers many in University of Wisconsin System
The new right to unionize for University of Wisconsin System faculty and staff has set the stage for a fight at the state level, as thousands of System employees could get assigned into specific unions without getting a chance to vote. Read More
WI: Doubts about Michigan offer to GM
Governor Doyle is questioning how Michigan beat out Wisconsin in a bid to have General Motors build a new line of small cars in Janesville. Read More
WI: Revolving door bill is back
New, yet familiar, legislation passes one hurdle at the state capitol. Read More
WI: Doyle's veto of committee might have been unconstitutional
One of Gov. Jim Doyle's 81 vetoes of the Legislature's budget bill appears to have violated a constitutional limit adopted in April 2008, the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee was told Tuesday. Read More
WI: Neumann to make GOP gubernatorial bid official
Former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann is to make official Wednesday his Republican bid for governor in 2010, touting his private-sector experience as the necessary antidote to high state taxes and spending. Read More
WI: Doyle's veto hasn't solved UW union controversy
Gov. Jim Doyle used his veto pen this week to weigh in on a dispute over whether some University of Wisconsin System staff can be absorbed - without an opportunity to vote - into existing labor unions. Read More
Financial crisis torments states
(Updated 11:29 a.m. EDT, July 1, 2009) California may begin issuing IOUs this week because of the state’s unresolved budget crisis. But government disruptions were averted at least temporarily in five other states that missed a July 1 deadline for closing billion-dollar budget gaps. Read More
Furloughs cut into state services
With states facing a $121 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year, a growing number of them have turned to squeezing their workforce for savings, and effects both great and small will be felt. Read More
Tracking the recession: Budget deadline looms
Unlike the federal government, states have to balance their budgets. But several states still have not completed spending plans for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Read More
Weekly wrap: Feds release long-awaited stimulus job guidelines
The Obama administration tells state officials to take "a simple headcount" of jobs saved or created by the stimulus program. Meanwhile, the demand for some special jobs is soaring. Officials also warn states not to shortchange education when balancing budgets. Read More
New section follows stimulus spending
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Reports: State income levels plunge
States racing to cobble together new budgets for their July 1 deadline could find themselves sinking back into red ink sooner than they think, as Americans’ income and the taxes they pay on it shrink, new data show. Read More
Weekly wrap: Sales tax fight splits GOP in Arizona
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) sues her own party over the budget. The U.S. labor department releases May unemployment data, and Illinois says it can’t afford to pay for indigent burials. For a quick update on the top recession news in the states, read Stateline.org's "Weekly wrap." Read More |
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