Cancer Research, Vouchers on ’07 Ballots
Proposals on cancer research and school vouchers are among the questions that voters in seven states will take up during this fall’s quiet election season.
Just how bad are things in Springfield?
Democrats hold full sway in the Illinois Capitol but their infighting is paralyzing the legislature and blocking important programs.
States Scramble for Gambling Jackpot
Fed up seeing their residents dole out millions of dollars at out-of-state casinos and tracks, more than a dozen states this year worked on dramatically expanding gambling within their own borders.
Craig Scandal Highlights Governors’ Appointment Powers
The sudden departure from office of a U.S. senator — or the threat of a departure — often thrusts governors into the national spotlight, highlighting the sometimes murky and often politicized process of how states choose congressional replacements.
States Seek to Dampen Text Book Sticker Shock
Returning college students may get some pocketbook relief at campus bookstores as states and university officials take aim at some publisher and faculty practices blamed for raising prices.
Minnesota Takes the Lead in E-Cycling
Five state legislatures took steps this year to curb the threat of toxic waste created by the proliferation of discarded computer gear and other digital junk, making 2007 a banner year for passage of electronic recycling laws.
States Let Adult Kids Stay on Parents’ Insurance
Legislatures in eight states voted this spring to require insurers to let adult children stay on their parents’ health insurance, even after the traditional cut-off dates on a child’s 18th birthday or college graduation.
States Forge Ahead on Immigration, Global Warming
From the Iraq war to illegal immigrants to global warming, states are showing impatience with Washington, D.C., and are blazing new policies often contrary to the feds.
States Work to Plug ‘Brain Drain’
States in the Midwest and Northeast are struggling unsuccessfully to keep educated young people from moving elsewhere. In response, some states have mounted tourism-like marketing campaigns while others consider giving hefty tax breaks to in-state college students who stay after they graduate.
Florida is Test Bed for Medicaid Overhaul
Halfway through a two-year test run, Florida’s nationally acclaimed pilot program to introduce competition to its Medicaid program has met mixed success.
