State News articles from May 2006

State News archives from May 2006

Lending, research and the arts.(regulation)
May 1, 2006... Two bills lingering in Congress would have opposite effects on predatory lending practices in the states. One proposal would pre-empt state and local predatory lending laws and adopt a national standard. The other proposal would adopt more...

Trends in caregiver support studied.(states offering service options to family caregivers)
May 1, 2006... Policymakers and program administrators have developed a newfound interest in learning about emerging trends in caregiver support. Forward-looking practices in caregiver support potentially could improve quality of care for adults who receive...

Parents, employers disagree on quality of education.(state sources)
May 1, 2006... A recent report by Public Agenda says American high school students lack the training and desire to enter fields in science or mathematics, including careers critical to United States economic competitiveness. The report shows a disconnect...

Is the United States work force slipping?(state sources)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... In recent years, economic experts have contended that American workers are not well-prepared for jobs in the new economy. However, experts from the Economic Policy Institute have examined available data and found that much of the evidence to...

Recess in jeopardy, PTA to the rescue.(elementary schools eliminates recess )(National Parent Teacher Association)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Nearly 40 percent of American elementary schools have eliminated or are considering eliminating recess, despite experts' conclusions that playtime can be just as vital to a child's social, emotional and educational development as classroom...

Graduation changes.(educational statistics)(Statistical table)(Table)
May 1, 2006... Graduation Changes Actual Projected 1994-95 2000-01 2007-08 2000-01 to to to to Region & State...

Loans of prey: states' efforts to stop predatory lending could be blocked by federal pre-emption: Congress is considering two very different bills addressing predatory mortgage lending--one that would allow states to adopt more stringent regulations, and another that would pre-empt every state and local law dealing with deceptive lending practices.
May 1, 2006... Anytime you've got a lot of different cooks in the kitchen whipping up a different recipe to feed the same consumers, you've got increased cost and you've got increased regulatory risks, both from a client standpoint and a liability standpoint...

Higher education support per student at 25-year low: an increasing share of the cost for higher education has shifted to parents, as state and local spending for public colleges and universities has dropped.
May 1, 2006... State and local per student funding for public colleges and universities in 2005 dropped to its lowest level in 25 years, according to a recent report by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). The report--an annual study of...

New research on DWI system improvements: a guide for legislators.(driving while intoxicated, transportation regulations and policy management)
May 1, 2006... Recent increases in alcohol-related fatalities across the United States have resulted in a renewed focus on impaired driving. Research has identified the hard-core repeat offender as a priority, and legislators have taken note of this...

From blues to benton to bluegrass: the economic impact of the arts in the South: a new report published by the Southern Legislative Conference details the role of the arts as revenue generators for states.
May 1, 2006... The multi-layered contributions of the arts and arts-related activities rank among the lesser known and unheralded aspects of contemporary American society. Beyond the intrinsic benefits of the arts--benefits that serve to enrich an...

Research ripple: states attracted to job multiplier effect of biotech firms: governors in many states have latched on to the idea of biotechnology as a means of economic development.
May 1, 2006... The Scripps Institute. The Salk Institute. The Burnham Institute. All three prestigious biological research facilities lie within a two-mile radius of each other in California's Bay area. In fact, California harbors one of the most prestigious...

A line in the wetlands: regulation of isolated wetlands at issue in Supreme Court cases: the U.S. Supreme Court will examine the reach of the Clean Water Act in regulating wetlands when it decides two important environmental cases presented to the Court earlier this year.
May 1, 2006... Two very important environmental cases on the United States Supreme Court docket this year will determine the fate of mass amounts of our nation's wetlands and set a precedent for future resource management issues brought before the newly...

Stakeholders convene to address low milk prices at Vermont dairy summit.(csg spotlight)
May 1, 2006... Northeastern legislators, congressional representatives, producers and other stakeholders came together recently to identify and discuss policy options to improve the viability of Northeastern dairy farms. The February meeting, organized by the...

Brazile, Galen to speak at MLC meeting.(journalists Donna Brazile and Rich Galen, Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting)
May 1, 2006... Two nationally respected political analysts will preview and debate the 2006 elections at this summer's Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting. Donna Brazile and Rich Galen have worked for and with some of the nation's leading...

CSG-WEST honors legendary California Senator.(Council of State Governments, Alfred E. Alquist)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Executive Committee of the Council of State Governments-WEST adopted a resolution April 1, 2006, honoring life and work of former California state Sen. Alfred E. Alquist. Alquist served 34 years in the California legislature and was one of...

#2 role gains stature.(governor Dirk Kempthorne waits for a Senate confirmation to become secretary of the interior)(lieutenant governors runs to become next governor)(First Lady Patricia Kempthorne expresses her concern to become new lieutenant governor)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... At this writing, Idaho Lt. Gov. Jim Risch is on target to ascend to the office of governor by Memorial Day. Current Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, a past CSG president, is slated for U.S. Senate confirmation hearings in early May to become U.S....

Nation's first African-American lieutenant governor dies.(George Brown)(Obituary)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The nation's first African-American lieutenant governor died March 30, 2006. Former Colorado Lt. Gov. George Brown took office in 1974 serving with then-Gov. Dick Lamm. By a quirk of a one-hour time difference in swearing-in ceremonies,...

Conference calendar.
May 1, 2006... 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.(Telecommunications Act of 1996--approved by Congress)(gun control laws)(southern universities investments)
May 1, 2006... 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...