State News articles from May 2005

State News archives from May 2005

On a personal note ...(from Council of State Governments )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... To Our Members: Today's state officials and policy-makers have access to more information than ever before. At the click of a mouse, you can call up facts and figures on virtually any subject. And if you're not sure where to turn for...

Soul mate or serial killer?(proposal of law that require dating services to disclose details of members)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... California, Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Texas and Michigan are all considering legislation to require online dating services to disclose whether they have checked the criminal backgrounds of their members. A March 28 Associated Press article...

Land of Lincoln links entrepreneurs.(toolbox)(Illinois Entrepreneurship Network site )
May 1, 2005... Each year state officials find new ways to use the Internet to make their government operations run better. In an effort to create more jobs and promote economic development, Illinois has set up a new Web site designed to connect entrepreneurs....

AARP targets states' long-term care.(American Association of Retired Persons )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... In 15 years, about one out of every three Americans will be over the age of 50. Currently, about 10 percent of Americans age 65 and older live in poverty, and even more live just above the poverty line, not able to afford long-term care...

Is early education good for behavior?(prekindergarten program)
May 1, 2005... Many believe that children who learn socialization skills early in life are less likely to be hyperactive, aggressive, and disrespectful. The sooner children are exposed to others, the sooner they learn what's appropriate, right? Not so, says a...

A silent crisis.(elderly abuse prevention)
May 1, 2005... A growing number of seniors face risk of abuse: Grace was an elderly woman living alone in Oregon. At the age of 90, she was deaf, partially blind and in a wheelchair. She hired a full-time caregiver, who bilked her of $56,000 between March and...

As much as I hate it, we need a national ID: the House recently passed legislation requiring states to turn 190 million driver's licenses into national ID cards, with state tax-payers paying most of the cost.
May 1, 2005... The first thing wrong here is that the House stuck the ID card proposal on the appropriations bill that supports troops in Iraq and sent it over to the Senate. We should not slow down money for our troops while we debate ID cards. The...

Public safety struggles: interstate compacts to the rescue: opportunities exist for states to cooperate on current and emerging public safety trends.
May 1, 2005... During the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, New Jersey state troopers were absent. Given that Boston is in Massachusetts, not New Jersey, this may not seem peculiar, but from a security standpoint, it was an issue. Several...

Recruiting and retaining teachers: policy-makers explore innovative ways to compensate teachers to address teacher shortages.
May 1, 2005... The need for new teachers is growing. The National Center for Education Statistics predicts that by 2010, public schools will need at least 2 million new teachers. Unfortunately, schools will be short by one million teachers, says the Milken...

Getting ready for D-day: states brace for Medicare changes states are preparing this year for the impact of Medicare Part D, which takes effect January 1, 2006.(Cover Story)
May 1, 2005... Some dates in history stick with us because of their significance. For example, June 6, 1944--D-Day, the invasion of France. For health care policy officials and professionals, January 1, 2006, will be another kind of D-day. That is the day...

States get savvy on trade strategy: demand for increased state input in federal trade agreements grows as state governments assess local impacts of globalization.
May 1, 2005... Discussion of globalization and trade liberalization is often embedded in "pro" or "anti" rhetoric. State government officials, whose jurisdictions are significantly affected by federal trade agreements, are working towards striking a balance...

Sustaining our future: 10 trends that may affect the management of our natural resources.
May 1, 2005... The Council of State Governments' Environmental Policy Group as part of CSG's trends mission monitors emerging trends that are most likely to influence the environment, natural resources and policy-makers who work with them. Ten emerging...

State leaders discuss trends: CSG members will consider emerging trends in such areas as energy supply, blogging, multibranch problem solving and health care.(Lake Tahoe)
May 1, 2005... State leaders from around the country will gather June 5-8 in Lake Tahoe to discuss key trends and policy issues during The Council of State Governments' 2005 Spring Committee and National Task Force Meetings. CSG is the premier...

Capitol memorial for John Hainkel, Jr.(csg spotlight)(Obituary)
May 1, 2005... State Sen. John Hainkel Jr. of New Orleans, the only elected official to serve as president of Louisiana's Senate and speaker of the state House, was honored with a memorial service April 17 in the Louisiana State Capitol. Hainkel, 67,...

Defense Department lauds lieutenant governors.(csg spotlight)
May 1, 2005... The Department of Defense and the National Guard Bureau are supporting military relief funds initiated by the nation's lieutenant governors. A March article from the American Forces Information Service highlights the efforts of Illinois Lt....

CSG-WEST 2004 Year in Review.(csg spotlight)(annual report from The Council of State Governments-WEST)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Not only does the latest annual report from The Council of State Governments-WEST recap the major programs and projects pursued by the organization in 2004, it also portrays the leaders from across the West who spearheaded these activities. ...

Legislative civility: can it survive polarized voters and contentious politics?(csg spotlight)
May 1, 2005... When the CSG-WEST Futures Committee met at the CSG/CSG-WEST annual meeting in Anchorage, Alaska in 2004, state legislators considered whether or not legislative civility can survive a polarized society with naturally contentious politics. A new...

NASPE designates May 4 as State Employee Recognition Day.(csg spotlight)(National Association of State Personnel Executives)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The National Association of State Personnel Executives will sponsor State Employee Recognition Day on Wednesday, May 4 to recognize the outstanding work of state government employees across the country. All too often, public sector...

New Jersey lieutenant governor?(csg spotlight)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... New Jersey voters will decide in November whether or not to create an office of lieutenant governor. Currently, the senate president succeeds to governor when a gubernatorial vacancy occurs, yet the president also retains all his senate powers....

Community corrections professionals recognition.(csg spotlight)
May 1, 2005... July 17-23, 2005 is Probation, Parole, and Community Supervision Week. This week has been set aside to recognize the community corrections professionals who work day to day with adult and juvenile offenders and make our communities safer places...

CSG and CDC host public's health law conference.(csg spotlight)
May 1, 2005... State legislators play a key role in developing public health laws. But for new--and sometimes for not-so-new--legislators, understanding the complexity of the issues involved may be challenging. To help, The Council of State Governments is...

MLC Annual Meeting highlights U.S.-Canada relations.(csg spotlight)
May 1, 2005... The importance and future of U.S.-Canada relations will be one of several policy issues examined at this summer's Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting, which will be held in a Canadian province for the first time in the event's...

Conference calendar.(Calendar)
May 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...

Time line.(Older Americans Act of 1965, hybrid vehicles capturing the market)
May 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...