To address community-level priorities, the state has begun putting its agencies together with key public and private stakeholders. The approach has already produced some victories.
In a revival of the controversy surrounding President Barack Obama’s Hawaii birth certificate, a state official in Arizona says it’s “possible” that he’ll hold Obama’s name off the Arizona ballot if Hawaii officials don’t send him confirmation that the president was born there.
State law, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2008, allows the attorney general to revoke or reduce the pension of public officials, state or municipal employees convicted of a crime related to their office, but it doesn't apply to officials convicted before that date.
Source: AP/Idaho Statesman | Nation |
May 21, 2012
Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are backing Montana in its fight to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to strike down state laws restricting corporate campaign spending.
A little over a week after President Obama endorsed gay marriage, the board of the N.A.A.C.P. voted to endorse same-sex marriage, putting the weight of the country’s most prominent civil rights group behind a cause that has long divided some quarters of the black community.
The national database, said to be the largest of its kind, covers the period since DNA testing came into common use. Its sponsors hope to shed light on the legal system's failings.
Gov. Robert F. McDonnell signed highly contentious voter identification legislation and, in a move meant to quell concerns that it would disenfranchise some people, ordered elections officials to send new cards to everyone registered in the state.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | Pennsylvania |
May 21, 2012
State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin is charged with directing and condoning the use of taxpayer-funded staff to fuel her 2009 campaign for a seat on the court and she has been stripped of her judicial duties. That means she is effectively suspended, raising uneasy questions for the state’s most powerful bench.
Anti-NATO hackers brought down the city of Chicago's home page for hours Sunday as leaders of the military alliance met in Chicago and thousands of protesters took to the streets. A group posted a YouTube video claiming it was "actively engaged in actions against the Chicago Police Department" because of the way police were treating protesters.
Source: Wall Street Journal | Joplin, Mo. |
May 21, 2012
A year after being hit by a massive tornado, Joplin, Mo., has rebuilt quickly. But disputes over insurance payouts and laissez-faire zoning laws have some neighbors bickering.
Source: Raleigh News & Observer | North Carolina |
May 21, 2012
North Carolina’s flirtation with fracking is increasingly looking like the real thing, with Republican lawmakers poised to pass sweeping legislation this summer that would lead to drilling for natural gas. But fracking here will likely entail greater risks to drinking water supplies and may require special measures not used in other states.
June 20, 2012 , Annenberg Community House | Santa Monica, CA
Beyond “thinking green” the Summit will address the topic of sustainability in the context of economic, health, social and environmental issues. As a critical strategy for long-term economic vitality for a region, we’ll discuss best practices and policies around jobs, finance, energy, facilities, infrastructure and urban planning.
September 18, 2012 , and September 19, 2012 | Newseum | Washington, D.C.
GOVERNING’s Summit on the Cost of Government is an invitation-only gathering of public officials to confront the structural problems in government and explore the path forward.