• Arizona AG OKs Bisbee's Civil-Union Changes
• Source: USA Today   |   Arizona   |   May 1, 2013
• Arizona's attorney general withdrew his threat to sue the small city of Bisbee, Ariz., after its lawyers agreed to rewrite a controversial ordinance recognizing same-sex couples to remove rights that he said were reserved for married couples under state law.

• Boston Pay Phones to Offer Free Wi-Fi
• Source: Boston Globe   |   Boston   |   May 1, 2013
• Free Wi-Fi Internet access will soon be broadcast from 16 existing pay phones in Boston.
• 1 Comments

• Local Government in an Era of Creative Destruction
• BY: Robert J. O'Neill Jr.   |   May 1, 2013
• The challenges that lie ahead can be expected to produce plenty of innovation, but they will test the leadership capacity of elected and appointed officials.

• 10 New State Laws That Loosen Gun Restrictions
• BY: J.B. Wogan   |   May 1, 2013
• While some states have tightened gun restrictions since last year's mass shootings, many in the South and Midwest have passed new laws being celebrated by the National Rifle Association.
• 10 Comments

• Complete Streets Policies Surge in Popularity
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   April 30, 2013
• A new report says 488 states, counties and cities now have a plan that calls for streets that are "safe for all users of all ages and abilities."
• 5 Comments

• Supreme Court Rules States Can Restrict Access to Public Records
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Nation   |   April 30, 2013
• The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the Virginia Freedom of Information Act provision allowing state and local governments to deny record requests from out-of-state residents.
• 3 Comments

• Small Businesses Fear Fines from Affordable Care Act
• BY: Stateline   |   Nation   |   April 30, 2013
• Small businesses in states that choose not to expand Medicaid could be liable for billions in federal tax penalties that companies in states that do expand will not have to pay.
• 1 Comments

• New Jersey Passes Drug Overdose Prevention Bill
• BY: McClatchy News   |   New Jersey   |   April 30, 2013
• The new legislation mirrors laws in 11 other states in protecting witnesses and victims of drug overdose from prosecution.

• Is Texas’ Economy Really Better Than California’s?
• BY: William Fulton   |   May 2013
• Gov. Rick Perry often touts Texas’ economic success, which he attributes to lower taxes and fewer regulations than cash-strapped California. But if Texas is so compelling, why did Perry go to California looking for new companies?
• 6 Comments

• Why Financial Literacy Matters to Governments
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   April 30, 2013
• Low-income people need more than a steady paycheck to achieve financial stability. They also need help gaining access to traditional banking and credit services -- something 28 percent of Americans lack.
• 3 Comments

• How to Keep Costly Road Repairs to a Minimum
• BY: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene   |   May 2013
• Coordination between public agencies and utilities will keep streets from being torn up, again and again.

• Governing for a Rainy Day
• BY: Mark Funkhouser   |   April 30, 2013
• Healthy reserve funds allow governments to be careful and smart.

• How Boomers, Millennials and Immigrants Are Changing America
• BY: Peter Harkness   |   May 2013
• These demographics will have a profound effect on the needs of the country, and state and local officials need to take notice.

• Supreme Court Looks at State Public Records Rules
• BY: Paul W. Taylor   |   May 2013
• A case before the nation’s highest court could change the way citizens, journalists and entrepreneurs access government-held information.

• Gun Debate Revives the Pension-Investment Dispute
• BY: Penelope Lemov   |   May 2013
• When there’s public outcry over something -- whether it’s gun control or apartheid -- states and cities reevaluate what their pension plans invest in. But should they be social investing at all?