en-us GOVERNING magazine provides leading intelligence articles on management, policy and politics to help guide and inspire innovative leaders across state and local government. Wed, 19 Jun 14:58:40 PDT http://www.governing.com/news/state/mct-ill-legislature-forms-compromise-committee-for-pensions.html Wed, 19 Jun 9:30:00 PDT Lacking agreement on a comprehensive plan to reduce a pension debt that's approaching $100 billion, the state's Democratic leaders are opting to line up in punt formation. They expect to approve a conference committee of lawmakers from both parties to spend weeks looking for common ground on the issue. http://www.governing.com/news/politics/In-Obamas-Forgotten-States-Dissent-Festers.html Wed, 19 Jun 8:9:00 PDT Barack Obama’s near-complete absence from more than 25 percent of the states, from which he is politically estranged, is no surprise, in that it reflects routine cost-benefit calculations of the modern presidency. But in a country splintered by partisanship and race, it may also have consequences. http://www.governing.com/news/state/John-Morse-Will-be-1st-Colorado-Lawmaker-to-Face-Recall.html Wed, 19 Jun 8:7:00 PDT State Senate President John Morse is the target of a recall for his leadership on the party's passage of tougher gun control laws in this year's legislative session http://www.governing.com/news/state/US-Dems-Urge-DOJ-to-Recognize-Legal-Marijuana-in-Washington-State.html Wed, 19 Jun 8:6:00 PDT Seven congressional Democrats from Washington are pressing the U.S. Department of Justice to honor the state’s new recreational-marijuana law — the delegation’s first collective public statement on the issue. http://www.governing.com/news/state/Lawmakers-Must-Pay-Fines-for-Walkout-Indiana-Supreme-Court-Rules.html Wed, 19 Jun 8:5:00 PDT Indiana House Democrats won’t recoup any of the more than $233,000 in fines levied against them over their legislative walkouts in 2011 and 2012, the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. http://www.governing.com/news/state/Bill-to-Require-Notification-of-Spying-Operations-Advances-in-New-Jersey.html Wed, 19 Jun 8:4:00 PDT A state Senate panel advanced legislation that would require out-of-state law enforcement agencies to notify New Jersey authorities before conducting counterterrorism operations within its borders. http://www.governing.com/news/state/Maine-Gov-LePage-Refuses-to-Talk-to-3-Newspapers.html Wed, 19 Jun 8:0:00 PDT A spokesperson for the administration said that responses from the administration could be gleaned from reports by The Associated Press or through document requests using the Freedom of Access Act. http://www.governing.com/news/state/mct-illinois-gov-signs-fracking-regulations-into-law.html Tue, 18 Jun 9:35:00 PDT Gov. Pat Quinn has signed signed sweeping legislation to regulate horizontal hydraulic fracturing Illinois, which includes some of the tightest restrictions on oil and gas companies in the nation. http://www.governing.com/news/state/sl-states-go-different-directions-on-the-death-penalty.html Tue, 18 Jun 9:25:00 PDT Supporters and opponents of capital punishment agree: The current death penalty is expensive, inefficient, and arbitrary. Some state legislatures have reacted to those faults by abolishing the death penalty, while others are trying to speed it up. http://www.governing.com/news/state/mct-florida-blocks-local-votes-on-mandatory-paid-sick-time-measures.html Tue, 18 Jun 9:0:00 PDT Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Friday that would block local governments from enacting mandatory paid-sick-time measures, such as the one pending in Orange County.