Stateline

Recent Articles

• Arizona Immigration Case: Which Side is Your State On?
• Apr 17, 2012
• More than half of the states weighed in on a U.S. Supreme Court case scheduled for a hearing this week over an Obama administration challenge to Arizona’s latest anti-immigration law, according to Stateline.org.

• States Could Stop Safety Net 'Double Dipping' with Computer System
• Apr 12, 2012
• When people move from one state to another, they often continue to collect the same benefits in both. Technology exists to control that problem -- if states can be persuaded to use it, Stateline.org reports.

• Financing Energy-Efficient Upgrades May Get Easier in Some States
• Apr 10, 2012
• Several states are experimenting with an “on-bill” loan financing program that aims to spur investment in energy efficiency for homes and businesses -- even for owners who lack capital.

• State Radon Programs May Lose Federal Funds
• Apr 2, 2012
• States worry that the federal government's 2013 budget will severely weaken, and in some cases, eradicate state education and testing programs for radon, which kills more than 21,000 Americans each year

• Charter-School Debate Takes Different Turns in Georgia, New Jersey
• Mar 29, 2012
• Legislators in Georgia want to the state to be able to create new charter schools without local approval, while legislators in New Jersey would like to slow down the process by requiring local consent.

• Business Playing Key Role in Gay Marriage Push
• Mar 21, 2012
• Corporations worried about recruiting a high-skill workforce to their states are gradually supporting the same-sex marriage movement, reports Stateline.org.
• 3 Comments

• GOP Legislatures Try to Limit Local Government's Power
• Mar 19, 2012
• Conservative state lawmakers who rail against federal mandates often find themselves using the same weapon in dealing with their own cities and counties, Stateline.org reports.
• 2 Comments

• West Virginia is First State to Put Tax Revenue Toward Retiree Health Costs
• Mar 13, 2012
• The state makes an unusual down payment on its massive health benefit debt to retired public employees.

• Fate of Ballot Measures Often Depends on the Wording
• Mar 9, 2012
• Stateline.org examines the priorities of the people who write the language describing proposals on ballots. Sometimes, it's more than simply making it clear.
• 1 Comments

• Crime Labs Struggle with DNA Test Demands
• Mar 8, 2012
• State laboratories are being asked to handle more DNA samples every year. They use federal funding to meet part of the expense, but backlogs persist nevertheless, Stateline.org reports.

• A Year After Japan Tsunami, U.S. Nuclear Plans Stalled
• Mar 7, 2012
• Safety concerns following the fatal Fukushima disaster are among several factors keeping the industry in limbo in the U.S., Stateline reports.

• Laffer's Supply-Side Economics Staging a Comeback
• Mar 6, 2012
• Arthur Laffer, who helped Ronald Reagan write federal tax policy in the 1980s, is a force to be reckoned with these days at the state level. A large group of Republican governors is listening to him.
• 2 Comments

• Election Is About Economics, Governors Say
• Feb 28, 2012
• The nation’s governors say that the 2012 presidential race will likely turn on how well the economy is performing by the middle of October, reports Stateline.org

• Pregnancy Medical Homes Gain Momentum in North Carolina
• Feb 24, 2012
• Linking high-risk mothers with caregivers earlier in pregnancy may be a way to save both lives and money.

• Tax Breaks for Films Go Undisclosed in Many States
• Feb 22, 2012
• States are eager to use financial incentives to attract Hollywood productions. But they're less enthusiastic about revealing which films got how much help.
• 1 Comments