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.
New State Laws as of July 1
The start of a new fiscal year in 46 states has activated a host of new laws bringing bad news for body dismemberers in Iowa and brass-knuckle wearers in Mississippi, but good news for grocery buyers in Arkansas and flag-makers in Arizona along with a host of other winners and losers.
Embryonic Stem Cell Research Divides States
President Bush’s decision to again veto legislation allowing federal funding puts the issue squarely in states’ hands – and some states are already vying to lure scientists and investors.
Govs to Grads: Goodbye and Good Luck!
Like any graduating class, the crop of governors giving commencement addresses in 2007 had its own standouts.
Legislators Balance the Books, Head Home
In an exclusive roundup of legislation that has emerged from state capitols in 2007, Stateline.org finds — on issues ranging from civil unions to “living wages” — Democrats are making their mark now that the party is in control of 28 governorships and 23 statehouses. Policymakers in Washington, D.C., may get more attention, but the action is in the states.
Governors Expect Tighter Budgets in 2008
Only three states ran into red ink this year, while more than half sailed through with higher-than-expected revenues. States overall are finishing a spending spree, but the best revenue picture in six years may be behind them.
Abortion Ruling Sets New State Battle Lines
Prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s approval of a federal ban on partial-birth abortion, activists on both sides of the abortion battle are aiming their sights at state capitols, where new campaigns already are under way.
Vouchers See Mixed Success This Session
After a string of successes, voucher advocates see setbacks in this year’s legislative session.
