State Legislatures articles from June 2002

State Legislatures archives from June 2002

Do fetal rights limit mothers' rights? (Statestats).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The debate over fetal rights is not new to the legislative arena. Every year pro-life and pro-choice advocates vie for the upper hand in this contentious issue. Recent debate focuses on fetuses killed by violent acts against pregnant...

How to stop a silent killer: colorectal cancer screening. (On First Reading).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Because of the clear health advantages of colorectal cancer screening, a growing number of states have mandated insurance coverage for it. Those include Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina,...

Much ado about one little "Human Transporter"? (On First Reading).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Jay Leno has tried it. So has Florida Governor Jeb Bush, as well as hundreds of state legislators. Staff members from the U.S. Postal and National Parks services have used it to perform day-to-day duties. It's the latest in transportation...

Judge says feds can't usurp state in assisted suicide. (On First Reading).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... It was a victory for states in April when a federal court thwarted the Bush administration's attempt to overturn a voter-backed Oregon law permitting physician-assisted suicide. U.S. District Judge Robert Jones denounced the Justice...

A place in the Sun. (Stateline).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Sunshine is not something you really associate with Oregon. But the rainy state is about to become the first in the nation to mount solar energy panels on its Capitol. Three rows of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Capitol's west wing...

Love is blind, marriages shouldn't be. (Stateline).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... A new law in Washington state requires international matchmaking services to provide more information about prospective husbands, including a state background check and marital history. It's a first in the country. "This is truly a victory for...

Youth coup in Alabama. (Stateline).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Imagine a legislature willing to debate anything and everything. How about one that passes progressive laws like clockwork. Or one in which women are equally represented. Well, that legislature is in Alabama--once a year. The Alabama YMCA Youth...

I is a college graduate. (Stateline).(fake diplomas, Illinois)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Don't want to slug through four years of study at the University of Chicago for about $100,000 to get your degree? No problem. For a mere $75 you can get a very authentic looking University of Chicago diploma from any of 20 Web sites. The...

Don't drink in your dinghy. (Stateline).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Boating is one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the country, but too many people drink while doing it. Boating under the influence of alcohol kills around 800 people a year. The Kentucky General Assembly recently increased its...

Will the real catfish pleast stand up? (Stateline).(marketing foreign fish)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Louisiana Senator Noble Ellington has introduced a bill this special session aimed at preventing retailers and wholesalers from marketing foreign fish meat under the name "catfish." The prime target of the bill is the Mekong basa, a fish that...

Crime can pay. (Stateline).(California)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Concerned about freedom of speech, the California Supreme Court recently struck down the state's "Son of Sam" law that barred felons from profiting from sales of their crime stories. The statute required that convicted criminals give all money...

Shots for tots. (Stateline).(immunization safety)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Immunizations protect infants against 11 different diseases. In fact, by age 2, a healthy infant can receive up to 20 immunizations. But quite a few parents worry that too many vaccinations may overwhelm their baby's immune system. A recent...

Let's keep it confidential. (Stateline).(telephone conversation)(California)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... California's Supreme Court recently ruled that a telephone conversation is confidential under state law if a party has an "expectation" of its not being recorded or overheard. Those who secretly tape others can be liable for at least $5,000 in...

Indian law makes bar exam. (Stateline).(New Mexico)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The New Mexico Supreme Court has added federal Indian law as a subject on the state bar exam, becoming the first state to do so. Indian law will be one of the 23 topics that could pop up in the essay portion of the test. No other state tests on...

Managing Medicaid in tough times: states are struggling with soaring Medicaid costs. Some are using short-term solutions, others have launched bold reforms.
June 1, 2002... Arizona voters want the working poor to have health care coverage. They said so when they passed Proposition 204 in November 2000 making more people eligible for Medicaid and prescription drugs. But today--less than two years...

Conviction for addiction: states are reconsidering whether no-nonsense drug policy should mean prison or treatment.(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... A trend toward treatment is shaking the lock 'em up mentality that has gripped states for decades. More than a dozen passed new laws last year to relax mandatory minimum sentences, to encourage treatment in lieu of prison or to expand drug...

The initiative--take it or leave it? citizens are using the initiative like never before. Some think that's good for democracy. Others worry it undermines our representative government.
June 1, 2002... Initiative and referendum lurked quietly in the background of state politics for much of the 20th century, but over the last 12 years they've come back strong. Consider the numbers: There were 183 statewide votes on initiatives in the...

Kindergarten may be too late: recognizing the strong connection between a child's early development and success later in life, states are funding preschool programs for 4- and even 3-year-olds.
June 1, 2002... In an effort to improve early childhood education in country where "too many children come to school unprepared to learn," President George W. Bush recently introduced an initiative he calls "Good Start, Grow Smart." The president calls for...

What's the cure for senioritis? our high school students are frittering away their senior year. Can anything be done?
June 1, 2002... Jason Dowell, a sophomore at Cecil Community College in Maryland, is a member of the Alpha Alpha Theta Honor Society and is planning to go to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County this fall to earn a degree in computer science. But...