State Legislatures articles from October 2006

State Legislatures archives from October 2006

Diversity missing.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Editor: I was struck by the absence of any African Americans in your July/August issue of State Legislatures. Mervyn Dymally Assemblyman California

Article triggers staff togetherness.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Editor: Karl Kurtz's study on legislative staff in the July/August magazine prompted a discussion among our staff here. We found the article interesting and surprising (in some areas) and it was informative about our extended family (aka,...

Experience counts for partisan staffer.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Editor: I appreciated Karl Kurtz's article in the July/August magazine on legislative staff and the differences between partisan and nonpartisan staff. Now nearing 30 years service as a partisan staff member of the New York State...

Motorcycle crashes escalate.
October 1, 2006... For the first time in 20 years, highway fatalities are on the rise. One reason for the increase in overall deaths is a jump in crashes involving motorcyclists. Motorcycle rider fatalities and motorcycle registrations have both been on the...

Maryland Senate President Pro Tem Ida Ruben, a 32-year veteran of the legislature, lost her primary race in August, as did Senator John Giannetti, a freshman Democrat who unseated a 37-year incumbent last election and then sided with the Republican governor on several controversial issues.(People & Politics)
October 1, 2006... Maryland Senate President Pro Tem Ida Ruben, a 32-year veteran of the legislature, lost her primary race in August, as did Senator John Giannetti, a freshman Democrat who unseated a 37-year incumbent last election and then sided with the...

Carol Petzold lost a three-way Democratic primary for a Maryland state Senate seat.(Adrienne Mandel)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Carol Petzold lost a three-way Democratic primary for a Maryland state Senate seat. Petzold was chair of the NCSL Women's Network. She and another member of the House of Delegates, Adrienne Mandel, lost to newcomer Mike Lenett. Senator Paula...

In New Hampshire, Senator Robert Boyce who the Concord Monitor said had "the most conservative voting record in Concord" lost his bid for reelection to a former football coach.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... In New Hampshire, Senator Robert Boyce who the Concord Monitor said had "the most conservative voting record in Concord" lost his bid for reelection to a former football coach. Boyce was chair of the Senate's Internal Affairs Committee that...

New York Democratic Senator Ada Smith lost a close primary.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... New York Democratic Senator Ada Smith lost a close primary. Smith lost her Senate leadership position a couple of years ago after negative publicity involving a traffic citation, and controversy seemed to dog the incumbent through the primary...

One primary race that drew national attention was the battle in the Democratic primary for the 5th congressional district in Minnesota.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... One primary race that drew national attention was the battle in the Democratic primary for the 5th congressional district in Minnesota. State Representative Keith Ellison defeated several opponents for the right to be on the fall ballot and...

Senator Steve Kelley, chair of the Minnesota Senate Education Committee, lost the Democratic primary for attorney general to Assistant Attorney General Lori Swanson.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Senator Steve Kelley, chair of the Minnesota Senate Education Committee, lost the Democratic primary for attorney general to Assistant Attorney General Lori Swanson. Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson beat back a challenge in a...

In Arizona, Republican Senate incumbent Toni Hellon, chair of the K-12 Education Committee, lost her effort to return to Phoenix.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... In Arizona, Republican Senate incumbent Toni Hellon, chair of the K-12 Education Committee, lost her effort to return to Phoenix. Former state senator Gabrielle Giffords won the Democratic primary in the 8th congressional district off in...

.Common sense and the Constitution won in this case," said House Speaker Jim Weiers, in reaction to a decision by the Arizona Supreme Court that the governor exceeded her line item veto power when she vetoed a portion of a bill related to state employee compensation.(People & Politics)
October 1, 2006... Common sense and the Constitution won in this case," said House Speaker Jim Weiers, in reaction to a decision by the Arizona Supreme Court that the governor exceeded her line item veto power when she vetoed a portion of a bill related to state...

Arizona Representative Jonathan Paton missed the primary election and he won't be around for the general either.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Arizona Representative Jonathan Paton missed the primary election and he won't be around for the general either. Paton was deployed to Iraq in August for five months. A freshman, he is one of eight state lawmakers around the country currently...

Where the children are.(school age children)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... States where school-aged children make up the highest percentage of the total population UTAH 21.2% ALASKA 21.1% TEXAS 19.7% CALIFORNIA 19.4% IDAHO 19.3% ARIZONA 19.1% NEW MEXICO...

No work left behind.(family leave law)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Life sometimes gets in the way of work. The birth or adoption of a child, caring for a sick family member, or recovering from a serious illness requires time off from work. The Federal Family Leave Act, passed in 1993, allows 12 weeks of unpaid...

Energy efficiency pays.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The Hawaii Legislature recently joined New Hampshire in establishing a Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS[R]) pilot project. The program allows building owners and tenants to purchase and install renewable energy products with no up-front payment or debt...

Grape expectations.(direct shipping petition)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Fine wines delivered to your doorstep--that's the idea of direct-to-consumer shipping. But it's an issue that has been actively litigated and legislated in recent years. The U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on the direct shipping of wine in the...

Local governments wary of new eminent domain laws.(Eminent domain (Law))
October 1, 2006... State eminent domain laws passed in the wake of the controversial Kelo decision have made it harder for local governments to approach redevelopment. And the fallout isn't over yet, legislators were told in a crowded session at the National...

Bathroom buoys.(Virginia officials to build a floating restroom for boaters)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... It's hard to find a proper restroom when you are the middle of a body of water. In Virginia, state officials are considering making it easier for desperate boaters by building a floating restroom. (Two, really--one for boys and one for girls.)...

The trouble with hot dogs.(California new laws for pets in unattended vehicles )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Summer may be a faint memory, but pet owners in California could feel the heat if they leave their pets in unattended vehicles when it's hot. The new law criminalizes leaving pets in locked cars under dangerous conditions. A first of its kind...

Building up.(New Orleans laws for renovating or constructing of new houses)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... New Orleans homeowners who want to substantially renovate or construct new houses will now have to build at least 3 feet above ground (and much higher in some places) under new zoning rules. Federal and state officials had threatened to...

Genetic test jeopardy.(Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Genetic testing)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Watch out for at-home genetic tests, warns the federal government. Based on a person's genetic makeup, companies selling these tests may recommend modifications to a person's behavior or health regime, such as a change in diet or medication....

A victory for violent videos.(Louisiana)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... A state law in Louisiana that would have banned the sales of violent video games to minors violates free speech rights and cannot be enforced, a federal judge ruled. "Depictions of violence are entitled to full constitutional protection," U.S....

Preschool for military kids.(Texas)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... In Texas, children of active-duty members of the military now qualify for state-funded preschool programs. The new law also applies to children whose parents were hurt or killed during their military duty. "The desire to do something for our...

Doggie duty.(dogs sense of smell on endangered animals )(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... A dog's sense of smell is an amazing tool. Man's best friends have been helping sniff out drugs, bombs and criminals for a while, but now conservationists are using them to find endangered animals and threatened plants. In Nevada, they have...

Gift cards untouchable.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... State consumer protection laws don't apply to bank-issued gift cards sold by a shopping mall management company, a federal judge recently ruled. The judge ruled that Simon Property Group's Visa gift card is not subject to New Hampshire's state...

Homeless and hungry in Las Vegas.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Sin City has recently made it a misdemeanor offense to feed "the indigent" in city parks. Officials said it would be enforced against people who regularly offer handouts, which they argue have encouraged the homeless to hang out in parks and...

Innocence investigated.(wrongful convictions)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... North Carolina has formed a new independent panel to look into possible wrongful convictions, a first in the nation. The eight-member Innocence Inquiry Commission will review the innocence claims of felons if new evidence exists. If members...

Plate problems.(property taxes)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Some West Virginia border counties are fed up with tax dodgers. Officials believe residents fail to register vehicles in-state to avoid paying the state privilege tax, which is paid once and goes to the state road fund. Berkeley County plans to...

Aspen angst.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... There's even a famous town named after them. But unfortunately, aspen forests in Colorado and throughout the West are disappearing at an alarming rate, dying faster and in more places than previously expected. And U.S. Forest Service ecologists...

Immigration--left to the states: with so many states seeing increases in immigrants, the issue of how to deal with them has fallen at the feet of state lawmakers.
October 1, 2006... In Nebraska, where the percentage of foreign-born residents, mostly from Mexico, has more than tripled in the last decade, Senator Ray Aguilar thinks he may have a solution to the challenges that come with a growing immigrant population. ...

Politics or policy? How to deal with the influx of illegal immigrants is a top campaign issue this year.
October 1, 2006... When Colorado and Georgia tackled illegal immigration reform earlier this year, lawmakers defused what could have been an explosive issue in a tough election season. As November draws closer, politicians campaigning in both states are...

SAVIN lives: notifying victims of their assailants' whereabouts can help prevent another crime.(Statewide Automatic Victim Information Notification)
October 1, 2006... Twenty-one-year-old Mary Byron was shot to death on Dec. 6, 1993, by her former boyfriend who had just been released on bail. A few weeks earlier he had been arrested and jailed for kidnapping, stalking and raping her. Officials in Louisville,...

Growing a middle class: lawmakers are promoting financial stability and success for working families.
October 1, 2006... Facing ballooning health care costs and climbing gas prices, more and more families are vulnerable to serious financial hardship. On top of rising costs and diminished savings, a job loss or health emergency can spell financial ruin for a...

Taking the initiative: land use measures steal the show in upcoming ballot measures.
October 1, 2006... It's shaping up to be a banner year for initiatives, both in terms of numbers and the issues. At press time, 74 were qualified for the ballot in the 24 states that allow them, with another three still in signature verification in Ohio. In...

Contribution limit liability: the high court struck down Vermont's limits on campaign contributions. What might that mean for other states?(SUPREME COURT)
October 1, 2006... A U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down Vermont's limits on campaign contributions soon could have a ripple effect across the country. That wave might be felt first in California, where voters this fall will consider wide-ranging...

A+ for Rigor: states are learning that students not only do better when they are challenged in school, but also stay to graduate.
October 1, 2006... If you make high schools tougher with more rigorous math and English classes, fewer students will drop out and more will graduate and go on to college. Can this be true? It is in Indiana where a rigorous core curriculum has been...

TANF at 10: as they reach their 10th anniversaries, state welfare programs have new challenges--keeping parents in jobs and meeting new federal rules.(Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
October 1, 2006... When clients arrived at welfare offices in Massachusetts, Michigan and Vermont on Sept. 30, 1996, they found a new program and the beginning of a new era in welfare. The next day, 13 other states converted their old Aid to Families with...

As they see it.
October 1, 2006... "The lame excuses in Washington about so-called unavoidable debt and deficits look even weaker when compared to the responsible job the states are doing.... States are managing their money. And it's not as though states don't have urgent needs...

Strong states, strong nation 2006.
October 1, 2006... The nation's state lawmakers took center stage in Nashville recently during the National Conference of State Legislatures' Strong States, Strong Nation Annual Meeting. Lawmakers and legislative staff from all 50 states explored America's past,...

A look at term limits.
October 1, 2006... Term limits in state legislatures have not accomplished many of the changes proponents promised, such as greater social, gender and racial diversity in legislatures and a decrease in political careerism. Instead they have given rise to...

Taking a stand.
October 1, 2006... State lawmakers took an aggressive stand against the federal government imposing its will on state policy during the recent Annual Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Federal preemption of state authority on driver's...

Welcome aboard.(Leticia Van de Putte becomes the president of the National Conference of State Legislatures)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Texas Senator Leticia Van de Putte, a Democrat, became the first Hispanic president of the National Conference of State Legislatures as she accepted the gavel from Illinois Senator Steve Rauschenberger, a Republican. As a bipartisan...

Give them a hand.(ceremony to appreciate legislative leadership)
October 1, 2006... State legislators and legislative staff honored several individuals and one website at the recent annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures in Nashville. Tennessee Speaker Jimmy Naifeh and Colorado Speaker Andrew...

A walk for wellness.(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Around 170 legislators, legislative staff and other meeting attendees walked or ran 3.2 miles on August 16 to promote healthy living. The Walk for Wellness, a 5K fun run/walk, aimed to call attention to the devastating effects of heart disease,...