State News articles from March 2005

State News archives from March 2005

World events shape federalism debate.(Council of State Governments, Eastern Kentucky University survey)
March 1, 2005... For more than 200 years, the federalism debate centered on the relationship between states and the national government. While the issues have changed, the sovereignty of the states versus the control of a central government has framed the...

States survive perfect storm.(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Coverage Initiative report)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... State budgets are still tight. Health care costs are still rising. And Medicaid is still a front burner issue in most state capitals. What are some innovative ways state officials are coping? How are they continuing to provide and expand...

What grade does your state get?(Government Performance Project report)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A new report from the Government Performance Project takes a detailed look at how well state governments are run. The report, Grading the States 2005, evaluates the states based on key management benchmarks like money, people, infrastructure...

Taxing the nip and the tuck.(cosmetic surgery tax)
March 1, 2005... State Sen. Karen Keiser thinks that people who can afford cosmetic surgery can also afford to pay taxes on the service. On January 25 the Washington legislator introduced Senate Bill 5451, which would levy a 6.5 percent tax on elective...

What's at stake for states in the 109th Congress?(perspective)
March 1, 2005... The 109th Congress began work in 2005 with a full agenda of pressing issues, particularly those highlighted by President George W. Bush in the State of the Union address and proposed 2006 budget. The way in which Congress handles the...

State-federal partnership must protect citizens' well-being.(perspective)
March 1, 2005... As the 109th Congress convenes, states face unresolved issues from the 108th Congress, new legislation, and the possibility of federal costs shifting to the states because of the continued budget deficit. Medicaid reform, No Child Left...

Vermont seeks 'global commitment'.(Medicaid)
March 1, 2005... As public servants at all levels of government work diligently to craft responsible budgets, one constant we face is the federal deficit and a corresponding reduction in federal resources, In agriculture, health care, education, the...

Judging the courts: states consider performance standards for courts.
March 1, 2005... "There is a Chinese curse which says 'May he live in interesting times'. Like it or not, we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also the most creative of any time in the history of mankind. And...

10 change drivers in rural America: emerging changes impact state policy-makers.
March 1, 2005... As part of its 2005 trends research, The Council of State Governments Agriculture and Rural Policy Group will monitor these 10 change drivers as they impact agricultural producers and rural communities and the policy-makers who work with them....

Upgrading health care: states promote health information technology.
March 1, 2005... Although the U.S. health care system is known worldwide for its high-tech advances, when it comes to adopting information technology, the health care sector lags behind many other industries. While other professions have eagerly embraced...

Worlwide wake-up call: tsunami disaster holds lessons for communities around the world.
March 1, 2005... Throughout history, mankind has lived under the threat of natural disasters. For our current time, a wake-up call occurred on December 26, 2004, as an Indian Ocean tsunami focused attention in the United States and abroad on the huge impact of...

States stride forward: solutions in governors' state of the state messages bridge party lines.(governor agenda)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2005... According to the pundits, the United States is a nation divided: it's the "reds" versus the "blues'" the tax-and-spend, big-government liberals versus the taxcutting, small-government conservatives. The reality, however, is that governing...

Saving the land that sustains us.(farm policy to protect the farmlands)
March 1, 2005... Despite significant progress in the past 10 years, America's best farm and ranch land continues to be paved over and degraded at an alarming rate, affecting our quality of life. We lose 1.2 million acres per year and lose our best land the...

Terrorism's impact on state law enforcement: CSG work group examines new roles and changing conditions.
March 1, 2005... In recent years, Arizona established the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center, a combined facility/information system that supports the analysis and sharing of law enforcement information. New York hired 120 new state troopers to guard...

Western Legislative Academy Class of 2004.(CSG spotlight)(Council of State Governments-WEST runs professional development program for state legislators)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... When the fifth annual Western Legislative Academy convened in Colorado Springs from December 7-10, 36 state legislators in their first four years of service became the Class of 2004. The WLA is an intensive professional development program...

Smooth transitions.(Dave Heineman, Joseph Deters appointed)
March 1, 2005... Several Midwestern constitutional officers are settling into new positions after a series of smooth transitions. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman took office January 21, 2005, through gubernatorial succession following the resignation of Mike...

Celebrating with Saskatchewan and MLC.(CSG spotlight)(Midwestern Legislative Conference celebrates 60th anniversary as host province celebrates its centennial)
March 1, 2005... This year, the Midwestern Legislative Conference will celebrate its 60th anniversary during its Annual Meeting July 31-August 3 in Canada. As Saskatchewan, the host province, celebrates its centennial, this will definitely be the year to attend...

Conference calendar.(Council of State Governments)(Calendar)
March 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.
March 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...