State Legislatures articles from July 2005

State Legislatures archives from July 2005

American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country.(Book Review)
July 1, 2005... American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. 2004. HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. 384 pages. $24.95. As a child, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison...

Louisiana House has RSS, too.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Editor: As one of the Web developers for the Louisiana House of Representatives, I have a comment on the article by Joe Dysart on RSS technology in the May issue. I have to say he did a great job, except he left us out when it comes to...

Another memory of editor Pat Wunnicke.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2005... Editor: I don't know who penned the tribute to Pat Wannicke in your May issue, but it was simply wonderful. I was one of the many people whom she mentored. In my days, she used a blue pencil, not a green one. But, then, she was always an...

Who's being served?(STATESTATS)
July 1, 2005... As the U.S. economy has shifted from one based on tangible goods to one based on services, states have added different kinds of service-related transactions to their sales tax bases. Most of this was done in the 1980s. And except for...

Tom Tedcastle, general counsel for the Florida House of Representatives and former NCSL staff chair, has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Florida Bar's Government Lawyers Section.(People & Politics)
July 1, 2005... Tom Tedcastle, general counsel for the Florida House of Representatives and former NCSL staff chair, has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Florida Bar's Government Lawyers Section. Tedcastle, a 20-year veteran of the Florida...

This is the only time I've asked for co-sponsors on a bill and didn't get any," says Wisconsin Representative Spencer Black on his proposal to cut the membership in the Legislature nearly in half.(People and Politics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... This is the only time I've asked for co-sponsors on a bill and didn't get any," says Wisconsin Representative Spencer Black on his proposal to cut the membership in the Legislature nearly in half. Black's bill would reduce the Assembly from 99...

Another Wisconsin lawmaker, Representative Marlin Schneider, would like to lengthen legislators' terms and limit their ability to accumulate large campaign funds.(People and Politics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Another Wisconsin lawmaker, Representative Marlin Schneider, would like to lengthen legislators' terms and limit their ability to accumulate large campaign funds. Under Schneider's proposal Assembly members would serve four years instead of two...

South Carolina Senate Majority Leader Hugh Leatherman credited with laying the groundwork for the Republican takeover in 2000, resigned his position effective Aug. 1.(People and Politics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... South Carolina Senate Majority Leader Hugh Leatherman credited with laying the groundwork for the Republican takeover in 2000, resigned his position effective Aug. 1. Elected to the Senate in 1980 as a Democrat, Leatherman switched parties in...

A two-year FBI undercover sting--dubbed "Operation Tennessee Waltz"--resulted in the arrest of four lawmakers, a former senator and two others in Tennessee.(People and Politics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A two-year FBI undercover sting--dubbed "Operation Tennessee Waltz"--resulted in the arrest of four lawmakers, a former senator and two others in Tennessee. Senator John Ford, a 31-year veteran of the Legislature and member of a powerful...

The University of Tennessee shelved plans to name a $28 million engineering building on the Chattanooga campus in honor of Senator Ward Crutchfield.(People and Politics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The University of Tennessee shelved plans to name a $28 million engineering building on the Chattanooga campus in honor of Senator Ward Crutchfield. Crutchfield was arrested in May and charged with receiving $12,000 in bribes from a fictitious...

Kentucky Senator Johnny Ray Turner, chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, was indicted on allegations of using illegal campaign donations and charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy.(People & Politics)
July 1, 2005... Kentucky Senator Johnny Ray Turner, chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, was indicted on allegations of using illegal campaign donations and charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy. "I feel very strongly that he ran a...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Midland.(People and Politics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Nebraska Senator Nancy Thompson, who announced in February that she would resign at the end of the session to become executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Midland, said the organization is willing to let her finish out her term,...

Retired Louisiana legislative librarian Suzanne "Suzy" Hughes and her husband Kenneth Francis died April 1 in a car accident in the Florida Panhandle.(People and Politics)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
July 1, 2005... Retired Louisiana legislative librarian Suzanne "Suzy" Hughes and her husband Kenneth Francis died April 1 in a car accident in the Florida Panhandle. Hughes worked for the Louisiana House of Representatives for 33 years. She first joined the...

Recycling unused drugs.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)
July 1, 2005... States have long been a testing ground for new types of medical assistance programs. In recent years, lawmakers have developed prescription drug "recycling" or "repository" programs for unused medication. Although details of the laws vary, most...

Median home values across the nation.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)(Illustration)
July 1, 2005... MEDIAN HOME VALUES ACROSS THE NATION The national median home value in 2003 was about $140,000, up nearly 16 percent in the last three years, while the percentage of "million-dollar homes" nearly doubled--from 0.5 percent to 1 percent....

When the army's next door.(TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS)
July 1, 2005... If military bases were still located in remote areas, as they were during World War II, their accompanying noise, dust and other issues that concern neighboring communities wouldn't be a problem, says Army Major General Geoffrey Miller. But...

Alcohol goes AWOL.(alcohol without liquid)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... It's touted as a low-carb, hangover-free way to have a drink. Alcohol without liquid (AWOL) or alcohol vapor machines are catching on. The machines mix oxygen and alcohol to create a mist for users to inhale. The devices first appeared in Asia...

A want of compassion.(STATELINE)(Restroom Access Act, retail stores to allow customers use restrooms)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Seems sad that a law was needed. But both houses in Illinois recently passed the Restroom Access Act, requiring retail stores to allow customers to use their restrooms in emergencies. Representative Kathleen Ryg introduced the bill after...

Peas with Cuba.(STATELINE)(dry peas from North Dakota)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... North Dakota firms expect to sell 25,000 metric tons of dry peas to Cuba in the next 18 months, bringing in some $500,000 for state farmers. North Dakota is the nation's top producer of peas, and the state's farmers could harvest about 500,000...

Smokey the sheep.(STATELINE)(sheeps eating fire hazardous grass, Nevada)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Wildfire warriors they are. Little sheep. And state officials in Nevada are glad they have them. They eat cheatgrass, an invasive grass that crowds out native vegetation and is highly flammable when dry. They also eat sagebrush, which also...

Hair pollution.(STATELINE)(mercury poisoning)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... About 75 New Hampshire legislators took a break from lawmaking to have their locks trimmed for mercury testing. The state chapter of the Sierra Club invited the lawmakers to participate in the national study to determine whether mercury levels...

The hunt continues.(STATELINE)(hunting, fishing licenses, state governments to decide)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... A bill affirming the authority of states to regulate hunting and fishing was recently passed by Congress and signed by President Bush. The legislation frees states to set their own regulations and upholds some states' rules that favor residents...

Voting up.(STATELINE)
July 1, 2005... Sixty-four percent of U.S. citizens voted in the 2004 presidential election, up from 60 percent in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Seventy-two percent of citizens are registered to vote. Turnout was higher for women (65 percent) than...

More costs of crime.(STATELINE)(convicted felon to bear government's cost of litigation)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Under a proposal by Representative Michael Sak of Michigan, a convicted felon could be ordered to pay for prosecution, police and court costs along with his own defense attorneys, if he can afford it. "If they have the resources available, why...

One way or another.(STATELINE)(North Atlantic Regional High School, graduation marketing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Can't pass your state-required graduation exam? No problem. Go to Maine. The North Atlantic Regional High School there offers diplomas for 17.5 credits of high school classes taken. No testing is required to earn a diploma in Maine. So the...

Standing up for potatoes.(STATELINE)(health warning on potato products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Idaho Governor Kirk Kempthorne has asked California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to exempt French fries from a California list of foods that would require warnings that they could cause cancer. California is revising its citizens'...

Healthy habits help.(STATELINE)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... In an effort to slow the approximately 12 percent annual growth rate of Washington's King County's (Seattle) health costs, county workers soon will have to pay for a greater share of their medical costs unless they adopt healthy habits. Workers...

Pay phone peril.(STATELINE)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Pay phones are vanishing across the country. In 1998 there were 2.1 million, by 2003 only 1.5 million. To some that is a problem, a matter of social equality, public safety and common sense. That's why Maine Representative Herbert Adams has...

Strong states strong nation: most of the answers to the nation's toughest policy questions start in our state capitols where the problem solvers are closest to the people.
July 1, 2005... Anyone who ever wore his country's uniform knows the transcendent feeling of marching down the parade ground in step with the rest of your unit. Mine was a little like the country whose flag we proudly carried, made up of men from Indiana,...

Solving big problems: a different perspective: advice from four national experts on addressing the critical problems in the economy, homeland security, education and health care.(Cover Story)
July 1, 2005... In today's United States, the challenges of the economy, the safety of our nation, education and health care are the focus of a national debate that reverberates from the halls of Congress to the chambers of state capitols. The interplay...

David Wyss is chief economist at Standard and Poor's, an economic research and rating firm in New York.(WHO'S WHO)
July 1, 2005... David Wyss is chief economist at Standard and Poor's, an economic research and rating firm in New York. He is responsible for S&P's economic forecasts and publications, and co-authors the monthly Forecast Summary and the weekly Financial Notes....

Lee Hamilton is director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University and president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.(WHO'S WHO)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Lee Hamilton is director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University and president of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He was a congressman from Indiana for 34 years, concentrating on foreign affairs, intelligence and...

Diane Ravitch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and a professor at New York University.(WHO'S WHO)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Diane Ravitch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and a professor at New York University. She was a Democrat when she was recruited to join the first Bush administration as...

Uwe E. Reinhardt, a leading authority on health economics and policy, is the James Madison Professor of Political Economy at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.(WHO'S WHO)
July 1, 2005... Uwe E. Reinhardt, a leading authority on health economics and policy, is the James Madison Professor of Political Economy at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He has served on numerous...

Wise women: being a woman and a legislator present unique challenges and opportunities. Four seasoned lawmakers offer some sage advice.(Interview)
July 1, 2005... SL: What motivated you to become a legislator? Texas Senator Leticia Van de Putte: I am a pharmacist. I was motivated because I was angry about health care policy. I couldn't understand why we would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for...

Training an expected job benefit: today's skilled staff need and want learning opportunities to be a part of their jobs.
July 1, 2005... Liz Alvey's life was demanding enough without the extra responsibility. As the store's manager she had to fill in for a sick employee and deliver the day's receipts to the bank night deposit box. Alvey and her husband agreed that she should...

Getting beyond polarization: polarization can degrade the democratic process. Here's how you can help thwart its negative effects.(TOOLS OF THE TRADE)
July 1, 2005... BREAKING POLARIZING HABITS How do you feel when you are attacked, stereotyped, silenced, ignored or excluded because of your party affiliation? What effect has polarization had on your willingness to work with members of the other party...

Salute to the flag: strong states, strong nation.(President's Perspective)
July 1, 2005... The next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, take a closer look at the flag you honor. It was inspired by the states. From the moment we learn the pledge, we are taught that the alternating red and white stripes represent the original 13...

Legislator make the grade.
July 1, 2005... School principals, teachers and students give state legislators an "A" when they bring civics to life during America's Legislators Back to School Program. They agree it's a good way for students to learn about American democracy. The...

National Association of Legislative Information Technology.
July 1, 2005... Walk into a state capitol building with a laptop, and chances are you will be able to connect to a free wireless network where you can access the legislature's Web site to monitor bills and bill status, subscribe to your own list of bills and...

Professional development for legislative staff 2005 calendar.(Calendar)
July 1, 2005... As a legislative staffer, you are automatically a member of NCSL. Take advantage of our research and information services, as well as our learning opportunities whether it's your first or 25th session. National Association of Legislative...

Doing double duty: Richard J. Codey: when the governor of new Jersey resigned amidst scandal, the right man with the right stuff restored dignity to the office--and kept his job as senate president.
July 1, 2005... Acting Governor Richard J. Codey always has a wisecrack at the ready--even as he addresses a conference of renowned stem cell researchers at Princeton University on a sunny afternoon in late April. "I almost went to Princeton, he ad-libs,...

GOP rules Georgia: Republicans control the state Capitol for the first time in 134 years.(Republican Party)
July 1, 2005... It looked, for just a moment, like old times at the gold-domed Georgia Capitol in downtown Atlanta. A dozen or so succulent wild boars--cooked slowly over oak coals--were trucked up from South Georgia along with gallons of homemade...

Big skies, big leaders: for the first time in 20 years, Montana Democrats hold the governor's office, the Senate, and have tied the House.
July 1, 2005... On the final morning of Montana's 2005 Legislature, House Republican Floor Leader Roy Brown rose to deliver his last blast at a state spending plan Republicans had vilified all session. "This budget is full of problems," he told the evenly...

Oklahoma opts red: after more than four decades, republicans are in charge of the Oklahoma House.
July 1, 2005... Oklahoma Republicans knew the 2004 elections would present their best chance in eight decades to seize control of the state House of Representatives. They had held the majority only once before--in the early '20s. But their numbers had...

A true Tennessee TITAN: when scandal hits, it takes an experienced statesman to lead the way. John Wilder did just that.(Ron Ramsey)(Biography)
July 1, 2005... The morning of May 26 was like no other in the 209 years of the Tennessee General Assembly: four veteran legislators were arrested by FBI agents as they left their Nashville hotel rooms for what was to be one of the long and hectic final days...

Switching hallowed halls: moving directly from state to federal office is a political leap few make--but all use to their advantage.
July 1, 2005... When Barack Obama won a seat in the U.S. Senate last year, much was made of the fact that he was biracial and came from immigrant parents. Less noted was that, in winning election to the Senate directly from the Illinois state legislature,...

As they see it.(political leaders)
July 1, 2005... "I think it would have been easier if we didn't have so much money." --Alaska House Finance Chair Kevin Meyer, in the Juneau Empire, after the legislature approved a budget that included an oil revenue surplus of several hundred million...