Pensions

• SEC Stepping Up Enforcement Against States, Cities
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   March 20, 2013
• Last week, Illinois was only the second state to ever be accused of securities fraud -- but it may not be the last. The SEC's head of municipal securities wants to increase its enforcement.

• Furloughs Save $1B Less Than Expected in California
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   March 18, 2013
• The California Legislature's budget advisors say the state will owe $1 billion extra to many workers when they retire or quit for vacation time unused when they took unpaid days off.

• Municipalities Group Opposes Ending Residency Rule in Wisconsin
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   March 18, 2013
• The League of Wisconsin Municipalities' board of directors voted unanimously on Friday to oppose a proposal by Gov. Scott Walker to end residency rules statewide in all units of local government.
• 1 Comments

• S&P: Christie's Budget for New Jersey Relies on Uncertain Revenues
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   New Jersey   |   March 15, 2013
• A major ratings agency cast doubt over New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed 2014 budget this week, saying that the Republican’s forecasts were too ambitious and relied on “new and untested revenues” to balance the ledger.

• Meet Washington State's Marijuana Guru Leading Legalization
• Source: Seattle Times   |   Washington state   |   March 15, 2013
• Randy Simmons is in charge of laying the groundwork for the state’s new system for legalized marijuana.

• New Wisconsin Law Strips Secretary of State of Some Powers
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Wisconsin   |   March 14, 2013
• Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill to strip the secretary of state of his power to briefly delay legislation from taking effect. The proposal renewed in part the 2011 fight over Walker's labor legislation, in which the secretary of state had a significant role in a court fight over the law.

• Detroit Expected to Get Emergency Financial Manager Today
• Source: Detroit Free Press   |   Michigan   |   March 14, 2013
• Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to announce his choice for emergency financial manager, which many expect to be high-powered Washington, D.C., lawyer Kevyn Orr.

• Report: High-Skill Worker Funds Target Wrong Parts of Country
• BY: J.B. Wogan   |   March 14, 2013
• Money raised through visa applications to pay for high-skill worker training doesn't actually match geographic demand, according to a new report.
• 4 Comments

• Wisconsin Reignites the Residency Debate
• BY: Heather Kerrigan   |   March 13, 2013
• Should public employees be required to live in the jurisdictions they serve? Gov. Scott Walker doesn't think so.
• 9 Comments

• California Unions File Lawsuits over Pension Reforms
• BY: McClatchy News   |   California   |   March 11, 2013
• The overhaul raised the retirement age and lowered the benefits for public employees hired as of Jan. 1 of this year. It also changed the way pensions are calculated, which slices into benefits for workers who were on the job before then.
• 3 Comments

• SEC Charges Illinois with Securities Fraud
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   Illinois   |   March 11, 2013
• Illinois is only the second state to ever be accused of securities fraud. According to the SEC, the state misled investors about its underfunded pension system.
• 5 Comments

• South Dakota OKs Law to Allow Guns in Schools
• Source: Christian Science Monitor   |   Nation   |   March 11, 2013
• A day after the Georgia legislature ended bans on guns in bars, churches, and college classrooms, South Dakota passed the first law in the nation aimed expressly at allowing school districts to arm teachers.

• 4 Myths About Public Pension Retirees
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   March 8, 2013
• As pension reform debates continue, retiree advocates offer up a few common misconceptions about pensioners.
• 62 Comments

• Government Technology Names Top 25 Innovators
• Source: Government Technology   |   Nation   |   March 7, 2013
• Governing's sister publication recognize the hardest working and most innovative individuals in the public sector.
• 1 Comments

• Filmmakers and Police May Get Exempt from New York's Assault Weapons Ban
• Source: Los Angeles Times   |   New York   |   March 5, 2013
• The nation's toughest gun control law hasn't taken full effect, but New York state lawmakers are considering tweaking the restrictions.
• 1 Comments