• Arkansas' Early Abortion Ban Blocked -- for Now
• Source: Politico   |   Arkansas   |   May 20, 2013
• The law was briefly the earliest abortion ban in the nation. But later the same month, North Dakota went even further, passing a ban on abortions after six weeks.

• Gov. Scott to OK Medicaid Money for Florida Hospitals
• Source: Tampa Bay Times   |   Florida   |   May 20, 2013
• The state's largest hospitals were relieved to learn Gov. Rick Scott will approve $65 million aimed at easing the transition to a new Medicaid payment system. In return, hospitals agreed not to ask for more such money next year.

• Arizona Gov. Brewer Looking to Leave Legacy with Medicaid Expansion
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   May 20, 2013
• Gov. Jan Brewer, one of the state’s conservative firebrands who has attracted a national following with her messages of states’ rights and border security, is walking a political tightrope as she pushes to reshape how the state provides health care to the poor.

• Connecticut Train Crash Could Cause 'Carmageddon' Commute
• Source: USA Today   |   Northeast   |   May 20, 2013
• The suspension of rail service rail service in the Connecticut suburbs of New York City after the collision of two trains will mean thousands more vehicles on Interstate 95 and other major roads that often are clogged even under the best conditions.

• Bill to Make Illinois 19th State to OK Medical Marijuana on Gov. Quinn's Desk
• Source: Chicago Tribune   |   Illinois   |   May 20, 2013
• The Democratic governor must weigh not only the merits of the bill but also the politics, given his re-election campaign next year.

• New York Lawmaker Lopez Set to Resign Amid Sexual Harassment Accusations
• Source: New York Times   |   New York   |   May 20, 2013
• While the resignation of Assemblyman Vito Lopez, a veteran Brooklyn Democrat accused of sexually harassing several women, ends an effort to expel him from the legislature, the scrutiny is not over for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

• California is 1st to Use Health Exchange for Voter Registration
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   May 17, 2013
• In a move that other states are expected to follow, California is giving people who contact the state's new health exchange to buy insurance the opportunity to register to vote at the same time.

• Texas Enacts Law to Prevent Wrongful Convictions
• BY: The Texas Tribune   |   Texas   |   May 17, 2013
• Known as the Michael Morton Act, the law aims to avoid wrongful convictions by preventing prosecutors from suppressing evidence.
• 1 Comments

• Brewer's Immigrant-License Policy Upheld in Court
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   May 17, 2013
• A federal judge refused to suspend Gov. Jan Brewer’s policy denying driver’s licenses to young undocumented immigrants who receive work permits through President Barack Obama’s deferred-action policy.

• Washington State's Marijuana Rules Taking Shape
• Source: Seattle Times   |   Washington state   |   May 17, 2013
• State officials released proposed rules for a legal seed-to-store marijuana system that would allow adults to buy an ounce of tested, labeled pot seven days a week.

• Facing a Strike, UC Medical Centers Cancel Elective Surgeries
• Source: Los Angeles Times   |   California   |   May 17, 2013
• Facing a possible two-day strike next week by patient care and technical workers, the five large University of California medical centers are starting to cancel elective surgeries.

• Proposal to Raise Legal Cigarette Age to 21 Catches on in New Jersey
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   May 17, 2013
• New Jersey and New York are both considering raising the minimum age for buying cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21.

• Bill Allowing Armed Personnel in Schools Becomes Tennessee Law
• Source: Tennessean   |   Tennessee   |   May 17, 2013
• Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill that allows school districts to let people with police training be armed in schools.

• Impact of Louisiana School Voucher Ruling Beginning to Show
• Source: New Orleans Times Picayune   |   Louisiana   |   May 17, 2013
• As the 2013-14 funding plan boomeranged between the Legislature and the state board of education, the state education superintendent revealed that the state had to find an extra $29 million for the current school year; meanwhile, parents of students in the voucher program rallied to keep their kids enrolled.

• Minimum-Wage Increase Hits Roadblock in Minnesota
• Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune   |   Minnesota   |   May 17, 2013
• Once a top priority, a hike in the minimum wage is falling off the agenda as the House and Senate disagree on how much it should rise.

Most Viewed

This Section    |    Whole Site

• Report: U.S. Teacher Training System is Broken
• Some GOP Lawmakers Refuse to Answer Constituent Questions on Obamacare
• Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Oklahoma in Water War with Texas
• Nonprofits Draw States' Money, But Not Much Oversight
• Maine Gov. LePage Refuses to Talk to 3 Newspapers

• Supreme Court Outlines Limits on Right to Remain Silent
• Report: U.S. Teacher Training System is Broken
• In Obama's Forgotten States, Dissent Festers
• Do Cities Need a Chief Resilience Officer?
• A New, Sometimes Not-So-Nice Outlook for the Muni Market

Comments

• Supreme Court to Reexamine Church-State Separation at Government Meetings
  
  "There is everything in the constituation that says laws may not be written such that your..."
• Texas Enacts Unemployment Drug-Testing Law
  
  "How about testing for alcohol too?
  How about testing for smoking too? People on unemployment..."
• Report: U.S. Teacher Training System is Broken
  
  "What part does a local school board play into all this? These are local people who also..."
• Maine Gov. LePage Vetoes Medicaid Expansion Bill
  
  "It's frustrating when politicians (and demagogues)avoid explaining their rationale. So,..."
• Bill to Keep Dead, Imprisoned People Off Welfare Becomes Michigan Law
  
  "Snyder should also make sure to sign a law restricting dead people from getting driver's..."

Training Opportunities

• Health Care Reform After the Decision
• In this Mercer Report, you’ll learn how different organizations plan to tackle the new requirements of ACA and discover where most employer concerns are focused, who expects to be hardest hit, and how different health plans and Medicaid may impact overall costs.
• Crime Prediction and Prevention


• Accelerating Economic Growth and Vitality