State News articles from February 2005

State News archives from February 2005

Do I need to blog today!(inside story)(Editorial)
February 1, 2005... Have you joined the blogosphere? Chances are that a year ago most state officials never heard of a blog. And today, most have heard the word but are not sure what it means. Freeman Smith, communications specialist with The Council of State...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2005... The January 2005 issue of State News incorrectly listed the individuals who perform the duties of secretary of state in Maine, Utah and Puerto Rico. Matthew Dunlap (D) is Maine's secretary of state; Lt. Gov. Gary R. Herbert (R) performs that...

Georgia Governor wants to take a bite out of lines.(Sonny Perdue and driver's license services)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... If Gov. Sonny Perdue has anything to say about it, Georgia residents will be spending less time in line at the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety. According to a press release, Perdue will create a stand-alone driver's license service...

Des Moines assesses emergency services fees.(city management)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Pending legislative approval, Eric Anderson wants to cut property taxes and begin a fee-for-service program to fund police and fire departments. Anderson is the city manager of Des Moines, Iowa. The idea is laid out on his Web site as part of a...

Too many task forces.(possible elimination of selected California state task forces, boards and commissions)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A new report from the California Performance Review puts almost one-third of all state boards, commissions and task forces on the chopping block for possible elimination. In an effort to bridge the seemingly endless budget gaps and make...

Will a premium assistance program help your state?(tool box)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Premium assistance programs are designed to help low-income state residents afford health insurance premiums for private insurance, rather than using Medicaid or SCHIP, which are generally more expensive. A new Web site helps state...

Congratulations to the Toll Alumni in leadership.(perspective)
February 1, 2005... (Please note the list below is accurate as of print date and may not reflect recent changes. Date represents the class year of participation.) Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, Colorado, 2001 Stephen R. Morris, Kansas, 1993 ...

The essence of leadership.(perspective)(Council of State Governments)
February 1, 2005... What does it mean to be a leader? What qualities are inherent in outstanding leadership? How do great leaders maintain the delicate balance of earning the respect of their colleagues and others while remaining effective negotiators for their...

New resource guide targets diabetes care.(state sources)(Council of State Governments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Diabetes affects approximately 18 million Americans--many of whom don't even know they have the disease. In 2002, the condition cost the United States $132 billion, including $92 billion in direct medical costs and $40 billion in indirect costs...

Health costs continue to hamper fiscal recovery.(state sources)(National Association of State Budget Officers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... After struggling for several years, states' fiscal situations are finally improving, according to the latest Fiscal Survey of the States, published by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers. But...

National plan tackles synthetic drug abuse.(state sources)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Policy-makers and law enforcement officials nationwide have been struggling to deal with the spread of methamphetamine and its consequences, along with a dramatic increase in recent years in abuse of prescription drugs. Now they have a new tool...

Preschool study finds long-term benefits.(state sources)
February 1, 2005... In 1962, researchers at the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation identified 123 young black children living in poverty in Ypsilanti, Michigan, deemed at high risk of school failure. The researchers randomly assigned 58 kids to a...

Shoring up the vaccine system.(flu vaccine shortage, states managed well )
February 1, 2005... Fixing the problems that led to this year's flu vaccine shortage--a problem of national scope and global markets--is a task best tackled by the federal government. But the states--in close partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and...

To blog or not to blog: are state officials missing the blogwagon?
February 1, 2005... During the 2004 election you probably noticed a new word popping up again and again. If you don't spend much time on the Internet you might not even know what it means. Or, you may think you know but would cringe at the thought of explaining it...

Evidence shows sorry works! A common sense solution to the medical malpractice crisis.
February 1, 2005... Medical malpractice tort reform is perennially one of the hottest topics in state legislatures. The issue generally surfaces when malpractice premiums go up and physicians in certain specialties leave or threaten to leave the worst affected...

The state of global warming: states take the lead in U.S. efforts to address climate change.(Cover Story)
February 1, 2005... In November 2004, a few days after the U.S. presidential election, President Vladimir Putin signed a bill confirming Russia's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, ensuring the climate change treaty would come into force early this year. Russia was...

The road to energy independence: principles for a reliable, 21st century electric system.(perspective)
February 1, 2005... America deserves a smarter, cleaner energy future. One of the greatest gifts we could give our children and grandchildren would be energy independence, But how do we achieve it? Is it possible to actually free our nation from dependence on...

An ounce of prevention: heart disease and stroke prevention programs get valentines from state officials.(American Heart Month)
February 1, 2005... Like everyone else during February--American Heart Month--state officials will learn amazing facts about the heart. But while policy-makers may be impressed that the heart beats 100,000 times a day or that during an average lifetime the heart...

On the horizon: interstate compacts: exploring the modern use of an historic legal mechanism.
February 1, 2005... Despite their legal and structural differences, states share many common problems in a world in which economic and political issues are often discussed in global terms. These complex problems arise in many contexts, including homeland security,...

State worker shortage looms: state governments feel impact of aging work force earlier than private sector.(state trends)
February 1, 2005... America's aging work force is proving problematic for state governments these days. In fact, all levels of government are facing the effects of an approaching "retirement implosion" that is following the aging baby boomers into their golden...

Border legislators select new officers.(CSG spotlight)(United States, Mexico border, Border Legislative Conference)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... On November 18-19, 2004, state legislators from the U.S.-Mexico border region convened in Hermosillo, Sonora, for the ninth Border Legislative Conference. Participating legislators focused on education and fiscal federalism. Among the key...

BILLD applications available.(CSG spotlight)
February 1, 2005... Applications are available for the 2005 Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, the only leadership training program designed exclusively for newer state legislators in the Midwestern states and provinces. Lawmakers in their...

MLC welcomes new affiliate.(CSG spotlight)(Midwestern Legislative Conference, Manitoba)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Leaders of the Midwestern Legislative Conference in November welcomed Manitoba as an affiliate member during a signing ceremony held in Winnipeg. In joining the MLC, Manitoba becomes the third Canadian affiliate of the regional association...

Principles for college savings plans.(CSG spotlight)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... In the future, saving for college in a Section 529 plan will become easier as states move to implement uniform disclosure principles. All 50 states are implementing the principles, which will provide participants of Section 529 state college...

Report outlines vision for prisoner re-entry.(CSG spotlight)(Re-Entry Policy Council report)
February 1, 2005... The Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council, an unprecedented, bipartisan collection of hundreds of detailed recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners interested in making people's transition from prison or jail to the community safe...

Oregonian to lead CSG-WEST in 2005.(CSG spotlight)(Council of State Government)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Oregon Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown will head up the CSG-WEST officer slate for 2005. The CSG-WEST Executive Committee elected Brown at its meeting in Anchorage on September 29. She will preside over that committee as they set CSG-WEST...

Conference calendar.(Council of State Governments)(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... This calendar lists meetings as designated by CSG'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.(state government)(Chronology)
February 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...