State Legislatures articles from April 2007

State Legislatures archives from April 2007

Blue laws study questioned.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Editor: In the January 2007 edition of State Legislatures, you report a study by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation showing Sunday sales of alcohol increase crash rates and fatalities. We also looked at these data. When...

New York turns to ignition interlocks.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Editor: As a follow up to your article "Ignition Interlocks Keep Drunks From Driving" in the February issue of State Legislatures, I wanted to inform you that the New York Legislature passed a law last year, which I sponsored, that would...

States join minimum wage list.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Editor: I enjoyed the article on the state minimum wage activity in the February 2007 issue of State Legislatures, especially the excellent use of graphs. We monitor state wage information very closely for our Labor and Employment Library...

Headline not funny.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... Editor: I'm writing to express my concern and disappointment over the magazine's seeming lack of judgment in the word choices used in a headline that appeared on page 11 in the January 2007 issue. "Farewell Fruity Fags" heads an article...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
April 1, 2007... Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan has one more year as leader than reported in the January issue of State Legislatures. So does Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Madigan is now in his 22nd year as a legislative leader. Miller...

Rural America: growing slowly but surely.(STATESTATS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Rural counties gained 1.1 million people between 2000 to 2005, about a 2.2 percent increase in population. But that's about onethird less growth than during the previous five years. And about half the rural counties loss population since 2000,...

Charles Langford.(People & Politics)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Charles Langford, a five-term senator from Alabama and a civil rights lawyer whose most famous client was Rosa Parks, died in February. He was 84. Langford, who began his legislative career in the Alabama House of Representatives, retired from...

It might not pay to get sick in Wisconsin if a bill moving through the Assembly becomes law.(People & Politics)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... It might not pay to get sick in Wisconsin if a bill moving through the Assembly becomes law. It would eliminate sick leave for elected officials. The bill is evidently in response to reports last year that officials accumulate sick leave in...

The Minnesota Senate, whose members have earned $31,000 year since 1999, has voted to increase members' per diem to $96 a day, an increase of $30.(People & Politics)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Minnesota Senate, whose members have earned $31,000 year since 1999, has voted to increase members' per diem to $96 a day, an increase of $30. The vote was 59-7. The seven dissenters--all Republicans--think the increase is too high. "I will...

There is no aspect of human behavior that [lawmakers] don't have to make decisions about.(People & Politics)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... There is no aspect of human behavior that [lawmakers] don't have to make decisions about. They have to find the means to be informed about an enormous variety of subjects, and that's an enormous job," legendary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman told...

NASCAR star-power came to Washington in February to support a $368 million, 83,500 seat racetrack proposal.(People & Politics)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... NASCAR star-power came to Washington in February to support a $368 million, 83,500 seat racetrack proposal. Lawmakers are undecided about the location of the facility, and NASCAR wants the state to pay for about half the costs through bonds....

Jim Black, who served as North Carolina House speaker for eight years, pleaded guilty in February to accepting money from chiropractors in exchange for supporting legislation that benefited them and resigned his legislative seat.(People & Politics)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Jim Black, who served as North Carolina House speaker for eight years, pleaded guilty in February to accepting money from chiropractors in exchange for supporting legislation that benefited them and resigned his legislative seat. The...

Former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson wants to be a University of Minnesota regent--but it could be an uphill battle.(People & Politics)
April 1, 2007... Former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson wants to be a University of Minnesota regent--but it could be an uphill battle. Governor Tim Pawlenty, who recommends a slate of candidates to the Legislature, did put him on the list....

Bob Peck.(People & Politics)(Obituary)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Wyoming Senator Bob Peck, 82, died in March from pneumonia and a blood clot in his lung. He had been hospitalized since January. Last summer he was diagnosed with West Nile virus and encephalitis. He had served in the Senate since 1991.

Staying healthy in hospitals.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Hospitalization can be dangerous. As many as 10 percent of patients get an infection while in a hospital or other medical facility. These infections kill 90,000 people and cause $4.5 billion in excess health care costs annually. Fourteen...

In-state tuition for illegal immigrants.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Thirty-two states approved new immigration laws in 2006, and this year looks to be just as active. One area of debate is whether to allow illegal immigrants in-state tuition at public universities. Ten states--California, Illinois, Kansas,...

States taking a stand on Iraq war.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... State legislatures are expressing their dis-content with President Bush's call for bolstering U.S. troops in Iraq. Legislative chambers in California, Iowa and Vermont have passed resolutions. The Vermont General Assembly wants Congress to...

African-American presiding officers.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)(List)
April 1, 2007... Professor Chris Mooney of the University of Illinois at Springfield compiled the following list of African-Americans who have served as presiding officers of state legislatures (by first year of service). He used a listserv maintained by the...

Ambiquity in electricity.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)
April 1, 2007... Since the federal government opened various industries to competition, many costs have gone down. But that trend isn't necessarily true when it comes to electricity. "Why are Electricity Prices Increasing?" from the Edison Electric...

Quick fix for SCHIP shortfall.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)(State Children's Health Insurance Program)
April 1, 2007... At least 14 states--Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin-will not have enough funds to provide health coverage to enrollees in the...

Driving while texting.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Arizona Representative Steve Farley has proposed the crime of texting while driving. He is concerned that the increasingly popular activity of sending messages on phones and personal digital assistants while driving can be dangerously...

O'really?(STATELINE)(surnames law)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... In Chicago, it is believed that politicians with Irish surnames have long been voters' preferred candidates. But Illinois has recently taken action to deter adept politicians from changing their surnames to O'Hara or Fitzpatrick for political...

Open and wild.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... West Virginia may be open for business, but it still remains wild and wonderful. The governor moved last year to put "Open for Business" on highway signs welcoming out-of-state motorists, but not everyone likes the idea A Senate resolution...

Come to work, please.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Alaska, whose pay scales used to lure workers from all over the country, now faces a skilled-worker shortage. So many tradesmen are nearing retirement age that the state is struggling simply to replace them. The problem can be traced back to...

Lottery for sale.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Illinois is trying to sell its state lottery system, hoping to attract as much as $10 billion from investors. The proposed lottery sale is almost certain to be one of the largest privatizations of a state-run program. Under the proposed sale,...

Python problems.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A significant number of Burmese pythons, according to The Christian Science Monitor, have taken up residence in Everglades National Park. And they are multiplying, messing up the natural food chain: Last year, researchers discovered a 13-foot...

An unexcused absence.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Parents in Texas who miss their scheduled parent-teacher conference could face a Class C misdemeanor citation and a fine of up to $500. "Parents should be involved in their children's education and be held accountable for it," says the bill's...

Leave them alone.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A new state protocol in Colorado prohibits anyone who discovers American Indian remains on state or private lands from handling them without first consulting tribal officials. A federal law has long protected American Indian remains found on...

Murder by drunk driving.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A proposed bill in New York. sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Spano, would allow prosecutors to charge drunk drivers with second-degree murder if their blood alcohol content (BAC) was .18 or higher and they caused a fatality. Elements of second...

Cold river jackets.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A new regulation in Connecticut requires everyone to wear a life jacket when they're paddling a small boat, including kayaks and rowboats, in cold weather. Canoes were already covered. The law applies from Oct. 1 to May 31. The problem is that...

Don't call for votes.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... An Arizona legislator wants to create a do-not-call registry for all those Arizonans who don't want to hear from political committees registered in the state. "Just like you have a do-not-call list for telemarketing, we can do that for...

French fries for fido.(STATELINE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Washington is considering a measure to allow, but not require, bars and restaurants with liquor licenses to welcome dogs, as long as they accompany their owners and remain well-behaved and leashed. Soggy dogs waiting outside a downtown Olympia...

Helping mentally ill criminals: jailing offenders with mental illnesses serves no one, but new policies and funding are bringing about needed changes.(Cover story)
April 1, 2007... Fifty-year-old Eddie has spent much of his life in and out of prison for crimes that included drug possession, larceny and burglary. Often homeless, he recalls his stints in jail as a respite from the overwhelming task of taking care of...

Delinquency detour: treating mental illness in young people can keep them from a future of crime and delinquency.
April 1, 2007... As many as 70 percent of youths in juvenile justice systems have some kind of mental disorder, according to Joseph J. Cocozza, director of the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice. One in five suffers from a mental illness so...

Avoiding jail pays off: diverting people with mental illnesses out of prison takes commitment from the community along with adequate funding.
April 1, 2007... Community mental health care can be costly, but it is far cheaper for states than incarceration. It costs around $26 a day to treat someone in a community mental health program, but it can cost more than $65 a day to keep them in jail. And...

Texas-style tax cut: a commission, with business support, was able to do what the legislature couldn't--change the tax structure in Texas.
April 1, 2007... After years of backing and filling, Texas lawmakers finally cut the state's over-extended local property tax last year. The Texas Supreme Court made them. In a spring special session, legislators reduced the school property tax rate by a...

Our fractured fiscal system: fiscal relations between the states and federal government may be at an all-time low.
April 1, 2007... Bone stress fractures are unbearably painful. Ask any basketball player who has tried to play with one. Stress on a weakened bridge truss is dangerous. Ask any civil engineer who has done the computer modeling. And the stress that has built up...

The color of care: legislators are seeking answers to difficult questions about race and child welfare.
April 1, 2007... Thirty-three percent of kids in foster care are African American, but they make up only 15 percent of the child population. Yet federal studies indicate that child abuse and neglect is actually lower for black families than it is for whites....

As they see it.(quotations by state legislators)(Quotation)
April 1, 2007... "I have no illusions. It's a big job. I intend to take it one day at a time." --North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney to the Associated Press on being named speaker. "I think there's an unfunded mandate here." --Utah...