State News articles from August 2005

State News archives from August 2005

Fraud threatens nest eggs.( fraud against the elderly)
August 1, 2005... In Florida, the Senior Sleuths are part of the state's response to the growing problem of fraud against the elderly. This type of response is critical, because for an increasing number of seniors, their "golden years" are being stolen through...

California program less taxing for citizens.(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... Ten thousand Californian taxpayers enjoyed a painless experience while filing their returns this year, thanks to the state's pilot program, ReadyReturn. The program was so well received, in fact, the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is expanding the...

COPS releases guide to protect tourists from crime.(tool box)(Community Oriented Policing Services releases "Crimes Against Tourists")
August 1, 2005... As the summer vacation season winds down, the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services' (COPS) new guide can help law enforcement officials and tourism professionals prevent and respond to crimes committed against...

ACT launches education and work force resource site for policy-makers.(American College Testing Program )(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... ACT--an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals attain their education and career goals through assessment programs--has launched a new Web site to assist policy-makers in developing research-based education and...

Higher cost of public health care is too much for many.(state sources)
August 1, 2005... Sharing the cost of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has stopped some people from getting health coverage and contributed to others losing coverage, a new report by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the...

SREB report proves education pays.(Southern Regional Education Board)(employment raises for educated people)(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) recently released Investing Wisely in Adult Learning is Key to State Prosperity, which concludes that individuals who finish high school are more likely to be employed, earn more money and be...

No insurance leads to decreased care, increased mortality.(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... In the past, people with insurance were thought to spend about 40 percent more on their health care than those without coverage. The report Health Insurance, Treatment and Outcomes: Using Auto Accidents' as Health Shocks concludes that the...

Survey says meth is number one drug problem.(National Association of Counties)(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... The National Association of Counties (NACo) recently released a report that claims methamphetamine is the number one drug problem for counties across the country. NACo surveyed law enforcement officials in 500 counties in 45 states to determine...

Medicaid 'very important' to Americans.(state sources)(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... According to a public opinion survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly three-quarters of Americans say Medicaid is a "very important" government program, and the majority would not cut Medicaid to balance state budgets. Forty-four percent...

Are doctors being gouged by medical malpractice insurance?(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... Trial attorneys and large settlements have been blamed for the high cost of medical malpractice insurance, a trend that has driven some doctors out of the business. But insurance companies themselves may be the cause of these high premiums,...

Biometrics: tomorrow's technology today: the biometrics industry believes states will jump on board as costs drop.
August 1, 2005... With a simple scan of a fingerprint or eyes, the government can match an individual's identity against a database of thousands to find out if he is who he says he is. The technology isn't limited to the imaginary realm of TV shows and spy...

States ranked by total taxes and per capita amount: 2004.(state snapshots)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... States Ranked by Total Taxes and Per Capita Amount: 2004 (Amounts are in thousands. Per capita amounts are in dollars) Total tax Rank State Amount United States 593,488,853 1 California ...

As Americans age, states respond.
August 1, 2005... Two simple facts are shaping America's future: People are living longer and having fewer children. The outcome of these two trends is that the percentage of older people in the United States is growing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau,...

Stolen 'golden years': states address the silent epidemic of elderly financial victimization: as many as 5 million elderly Americans are victims of financial exploitation each year, although estimates suggest that victims report the crime in only one of 25 cases. States are beginning to recognize this growing trend and are working to stop the abuse..(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... In a March 2005 address announcing a new initiative to combat financial exploitation against the elderly in Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said, "Our seniors have worked hard, raised their families and they deserve a peaceful and safe...

Compacts are contracts: states have used interstate compacts for more than 200 years to help settle disputes and face challenges together.
August 1, 2005... Interstate compacts have played a role in state government since 1783 when the British signed the Treaty of Paris, officially recognizing the United States as a sovereign nation. Many of those early compacts were extensions of agreements...

Trends in America: charting the course ahead: CSG publication provides a greater understanding of the trends affecting state government.(Council of State Governments)
August 1, 2005... We live in a time of incredible transition. In the midst of these profound changes, The Council of State Governments is emerging as a lighthouse for states, alerting our members to obstacles and opportunities alike, and helping them navigate...

CSG-WEST annual meeting Sept. 11-14.(csg spotlight)(Council of State Governments to meet in Portland, Oregon)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Oregon Legislature will host CSG-WEST's annual meeting Sept. 11-14 in Portland. The theme of the event is "Pacific Dreams: Commemorating the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, 1805-2005." "Captain William Clark" will appear in character and...

Tool kit helps states solve common problems.(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... Interstate compacts are an effective and essential mechanism for developing statebased solutions to regional and national problems. Without state action in certain policy areas that cross state lines, federal preemption is an ever more likely...

Rail advocates meet in Washington, D.C.(csg spotlight)(Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Advocates of an improved Midwestern passenger rail system gathered in Washington, D.C., in May to discuss priorities for the year ahead and to meet with members of the U.S. Congress. The recent meeting of the Midwest Interstate Passenger...

LSA directors to meet.(csg spotlight)(legislative service agency directors will meet in Madison, Wisconsin)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A regional network of nonpartisan legislative service agency directors and staffis planning to meet Oct. 7 and 8 in Madison, Wis. The group, which is staffed by the Midwestern office of The Council of State Governments, meets regularly to...

Lieutenant governors act on policy.(National Lieutenant Governors Association)(Brief article)
August 1, 2005... The National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) considered five policy matters during its annual meeting July 26-30. NLGA members are the officials first in line of gubernatorial succession in each state and territory. Members voted on the...

Education and Workforce Policy Initiatives.(Council of State Governments)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... On Oct. 27-29, a policy summit will be held in St. Paul, Minn., to kick off the new Education to Workforce Policy Initiative: Seamless Development of the Midwestern Region's Workforce. The three-year project--the result of a cooperative effort...

Homeland Security Consortium meets.(csg spotlight)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Approximately 70 representatives from law enforcement, fire, public health, the National Guard, emergency management, elected officials and others came together at the National Homeland Security Consortium meeting, held May 24-25 in Monterey,...

Directors meet with federal counterparts.
August 1, 2005... Legislative Service Agency directors and budget officers from the ERC visited Washington, D.C., in April where they had the opportunity to learn from and interact with their counterparts at independent federal agencies, including the...

Record attendance at spring meetings.(csg spotlight)(The Council of State Governments' 2005 Spring National Committee and Task Force Meetings )
August 1, 2005... More than 500 people attended The Council of State Governments' 2005 Spring National Committee and Task Force Meetings held in June at Lake Tahoe, California. The release of a new report outlining the major long-term trends shaping our...

2004 Innovations Awards.(csg spotlight)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, Mark Brainard, the governor's chief of staff and Treasurer Jack Markell accept the Innovations Award from Arkansas state Sen. Shane Broadway, for Delaware's Health Rewards Program. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Conference calendar.(Calendar)
August 1, 2005... This calendar lists meetings as designated by CGS's Annual Meeting Committee. For details of a meeting, call the number listed. "CSG/" denotes affiliate organizations of CSG. Visit www.csg.org for updates and more extensive listings. Other...

Timeline.
August 1, 2005... Although the federal government tends to get more attention, state officials are often on the front lines of cutting-edge trends and issues. On the other hand, sometimes in the community of state governments, the more things change, the more...