State Legislatures articles from June 2004

State Legislatures archives from June 2004

Flow of red ink slows.(Statestats, fiscal improvement)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The state fiscal crisis appears to be ebbing. For three consecutive years, nearly every state experienced a flow of red ink. But a recent NCSL survey reveals that conditions are improving. The combination of spending cuts and an improved...

States expecting year-end balances.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Two-thirds of the states project year-end balances by the end of FY 2004, although most will be small. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Note: Some states have mandatory year-end balance requirements. Because those states will end the fiscal year...

People & politics.(Trends and Transitions)
June 1, 2004... The Colorado General Assembly scored a victory in April in its dispute with Republican Governor Bill Owens over who has the authority to spend discretionary federal funds. The state Supreme Court ruled that the legislature, not the governor,...

Adopt-a-highway volunteers clean up.(Trends and Transitions)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... 1985 The year a Texas transportation department employee had a brainstorm and started the first Adopt-a-Highway program. 49 The number of states that now have Adopt-a-Highway programs. (Vermont is the hold-out--Puerto Rico also...

Playing slots while the horses trot.(Trends and Transitions, racinos)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Racinos is the newest word in the gambling world. It describes racetracks that also have video gaming or slot machines. Both horse- and dog-racing tracks are dwindling in the United States. Adding slot machines and video lottery is seen as a...

Always a parking spot for moms- to- be.(Parking Only)(temporary disabled parking placards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Getting around during their last stage of pregnancy is quite a job for some mothers-to-be. The weight gain alone can make walking from the car to the grocery store something of a chore. To help ease this rather uncomfortable time, California...

Finding refuge from abuse.(Trends and Transitions)(domestic violence shelters)
June 1, 2004... One of the most difficult barriers abused women and their children face when trying to leave a violent home is the lack of safe, affordable housing. The Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT) in El Paso County, Colo., (home to...

Canadian drugs: panacea or problem?(Trends and Transitions)
June 1, 2004... Although at least 22 legislatures looked at more than 45 bills this session both for and against importation of prescription drugs, only one state and the District of Columbia has passed legislation as of early May. West Virginia and the...

Are we paying university presidents too much?(Trends and Transitions)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... As tuition in public colleges and universities rises, so do the salaries of university presidents. This has caused many to scratch their heads and wonder if that money is really worth it. The number of presidents at public universities earning...

How states fund full-day kindergarten.(Trends and Transitions)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... State funding for full-day kindergarten programs is rare. Only Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Nebraska, New York and Wisconsin fund all-day programs at a higher level than half-day programs and at a level equal to or greater than the funding...

No butts on beach.(Stateline, smoking ban)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... California took the lead in banning smoking in restaurants and bars--now common across the country. The campaign continues in the Golden State--but at the beach. Many of the state's coastal cities are looking at bans on smoking on their public...

Window on government.(Stateline)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Americans' ability to monitor the actions of their state's three branches of government recently improved when the states' public affairs networks joined to form the nation's first professional association dedicated to state government and...

The fairest of them all.(Stateline, states legal fairness)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... If your business was going to stand trial, where would you want it to be? Delaware or Nebraska, of course. According to a new study of corporate attorneys done by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a wide gap exists between the best and worst states...

Is it too easy?(Stateline)(changing state constitution)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Fearing the state constitution is "losing relevancy," Colorado Representative Al White has introduced a resolution that would require agreement by two-thirds of state voters to change the constitution. Presently it takes only a simple majority....

Civics gets the squeeze.(Stateline)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The first significant study of how the No Child Left Behind Act is influencing instructional time and professional development in key subject areas reveals that schools are spending more time on reading, math and science, but squeezing out...

Get real.(Stateline, warning labels)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Most of us have read warning labels out loud to someone because they were so ridiculous. Like "Don't operate while sleeping" or "Do not iron clothes while on body" or how about "For indoor or outdoor use only." Iowa Representative George...

Northern feud.(Stateline, hunting regulations )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch has filed a lawsuit against North Dakota, alleging the state's nonresident hunting regulations (passed by the legislature in 2003) discriminate against thousands of Minnesotans who hunt ducks, geese and...

The casino connection.(Stateline, casino bankruptcy rates)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A recent study by two professors at Creighton University shows that personal bankruptcy rates in counties with casinos were more than 100 percent higher than in those without. However, the study also showed business bankruptcies in casino...

The power of bulk.(Stateline; bulk-purchasing arrangements)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Five states--Alaska, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire and Vermont--have been given approval from Washington, D.C., to pool their purchasing power and seek discounts on prescription drugs for more than 900,000 Medicaid recipients. They hope to...

One thrill at a time.(Stateline, prohibit drunken snowmobiling )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... For those of you already dreaming of the next snowfall... don't even think about drinking while driving your snowmobile. At least 15 states currently prohibit drunken snowmobiling and many more have laws covering all recreational vehicles,...

A race for cures.(Stateline, states to fund stem cell research)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A number of states are beginning a race to fund stem cell research, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Some people believe its development will generate thousands of jobs. The governor of New Jersey, wants to spend $6.5 million a year...

With or without ketchup?(Stateline)(budding iguana market )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The meat is said to taste similar to chicken, but a bit stronger and tougher. And it's selling for about $14 a pound in the United States. Along with bison, ostrich and emu, iguana may be the newest "alternative" meat to hit U.S. markets....

What's health got to do with it? As Americans grow in girth, policymakers are looking at community design to encourage physical activity and lower obesity rates.
June 1, 2004... Sixty percent of adults and 15 percent of children in the United States are overweight or obese. While nutrition is a large factor, sedentary lifestyles also contribute to the problem. "A pressing question for public health officials,"...

Water rights & water fights: States no longer take water for granted. Having laws in place helps when disputes over the precious commodity arise.
June 1, 2004... The Ailsa Craig juts from the Firth of Clyde off the west coast of Scotland. A rocky island, it has become part of Scottish golf lore, rising close by the Turnberry links. Undaunted by the often turbulent weather, the locals proudly explain,...

Buried in e-waste: electronic waste--often dangerously toxic--is becoming a landfill nightmare.
June 1, 2004... Computers, televisions and other electronic products are producing a worrisome byproduct. Across the country, billions of tons of potentially dangerous e-waste are piling up in landfills, warehouses and homes. The problem is getting more...

Conquering chronic diseases: disease management programs help patients with chronic illnesses while saving money.
June 1, 2004... From a call center at National Jewish Medical Center in Denver, Colo., Sue Sinda helps patients understand their illnesses and treat them before they turn into emergencies. "A lot of people deal with the immediate emergency and don't...

Varsity vouchers: Colorado has come up with a novel way to fund higher education. Send the money with the students.
June 1, 2004... Pinched between budget cuts, mandatory increases in K-12 spending and constitutional limits on raising revenue, the Colorado legislature has passed what may be one of the most unique--and controversial--higher education funding plans in the...

Electric choice works in Pennsylvania: 1996 act 138 Pennsylvania electricity generation customer choice and competition act title 66 as amended.(On Reconsideration)
June 1, 2004... THE ACT'S GOALS * Allow consumers to choose the company that generates their electricity. * Pass lower, wholesale electricity prices on to customers. * Encourage reliable, affordable electricity and technological innovations by...

Taxing behavior: personal vices have been around a long time. But the price for those habits and other controversial behaviors is about to go up.(state budget-balancing)
June 1, 2004... What do individual behaviors and state tax policy have in common? Plenty, as it turns out. People who smoke or chew pay excise taxes on tobacco. The same is true for people who quaff a beer, drink a martini or sip a glass of wine instead...

Perfecting connecting: reaching out to constituents is vital to bringing people into the political process and keeping them involved.(Tools Of The Trade)
June 1, 2004... Summer may be the perfect time to get out of the capital and reconnect with your constituents. Maintaining "face time" with the folks you represent is vital to forging successful relationships, bringing people into the political process--and...

As they see it.
June 1, 2004... "While I'm out here working my ass off, he's pontificating from Hawaii?" --California Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, in the Los Angeles Times, reacting to vacationing Governor Schwarzenegger's comment that the Legislature should be...