• Oklahoma Law Bucks Trend in End-of-Life Care Debate
• BY: Stateline   |   Oklahoma   |   May 16, 2013
• A new law in Oklahoma severely restricting end-of-life options for patients raises a number of questions for doctors and is adding fuel to the national debate about end of life care.
• 2 Comments

• Texas GOP Donor Releases Anti-Obamacare Songs
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   May 16, 2013
• Houston physician and Republican campaign donor Steve Hotze has written two songs about his opposition to federal health reform.
• 1 Comments

• Areas with Most Commuters Reap Benefits and Costs
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   May 16, 2013
• Many of the nation’s urban areas see their populations jump during the day with an influx of workers, requiring additional public services. View which counties have the most out-of-town commuters.

• 6 States Have No Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws for Outside Groups
• Source: Indianapolis Star   |   Nation   |   May 16, 2013
• A 50-state analysis by the National Institute on Money in State Politics found that Indiana, Alabama, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota and South Carolina don’t have a single law on the books to require super PACs and nonprofits to disclose their finances,

• House Farm Bill Cuts Food-Stamp Funding
• Source: AP/Des Moines Register   |   Nation   |   May 16, 2013
• The House bill would cut about $2.5 billion a year — or a little more than 3 percent — from the food stamp program, which is used by 1 in 7 Americans.

• Tavenner is 1st New CMS Leader in Nearly a Decade
• Source: Politico   |   Nation   |   May 16, 2013
• Marilyn Tavenner on Wednesday was easily confirmed by the Senate to run the agency in charge of Medicare, Medicaid and setting up much of the health care law.

• D.C. Councilmembers Seek to Decriminalize Marijuana
• Source: Washington Post   |   District of Columbia   |   May 16, 2013
• Some D.C. Council members are crafting legislation to lessen the penalties for marijuana possession, hoping to settle the matter before outside groups petition the issue onto the ballot.

• GOP: Leave Blood-Alcohol Rules to the States
• Source: Politico   |   Nation   |   May 16, 2013
• Republicans are warning the government against withholding federal funding from -- or offering financial incentives to -- states to prod them to adopt tougher drunken driving laws.
• 1 Comments

• Couple Sues South Carolina Agency over Child's Sex-Assignment Surgery
• Source: The State   |   South Carolina   |   May 16, 2013
• In a legal first, a couple is suing the state Department of Social Services for removing their child’s penis and testicular tissue in an effort to “assign” him to the female sex while in foster care.

• North Carolina Officials Pitch Medicaid Managed Care to Doctors
• Source: Raleigh News & Observer   |   North Carolina   |   May 16, 2013
• In a national address earlier this month, Gov. Pat McCrory called on President Barack Obama to approve the state’s Medicaid request, but it’s clear that the state’s doctors and other health care professionals aren’t convinced that managed care is the best course.

• Teachers Union Sues Chicago to Stop School Closings
• Source: Chicago Tribune   |   Chicago   |   May 16, 2013
• The two lawsuits, filed on behalf of parents and their special needs children, say the proposed school closings are unfair, will harm students with disabilities and are discriminatory because almost all the students affected are African-American.

• Former Congressman Tancredo Considers 2014 Run for Colorado Governor
• Source: Denver Post   |   Colorado   |   May 16, 2013
• Former Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, known for his hard-line stances on immigration, is strongly considering a run for governor in 2014.

• Bike Lane Battles Heat Up
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   May 15, 2013
• Cities like San Francisco and Chicago are running into resistance from drivers as they try to meet demand for more bike lanes.
• 4 Comments

• How Tennessee Plans to Solve Its IT Problems
• BY: Heather Kerrigan   |   May 15, 2013
• In an effort to keep employees and their skills up to date, the Volunteer State is urging 1,600 IT workers to reapply for their jobs.
• 8 Comments

• Illinois' Public-Pension Dilemma
• BY: Charles Chieppo   |   May 15, 2013
• State lawmakers moving to fix the nation's worst-funded pension system have a choice: a plan that saves a lot of money or one that might survive a court challenge.
• 11 Comments