Lawmakers discuss early high school graduation

By Lisa Schencker, The Salt Lake Tribune

Sen. Chris Buttars isn't talking about dropping 12th grade any more. Now, he's talking about making 12th grade optional for those students who finish their required credits early -- and some lawmakers are listening to the idea with interest.
Read More

Depleted uranium -- Both sides sound off

By Judy Fahys, The Salt Lake Tribune

The state's plans for stricter depleted uranium controls has sparked a war of words, with EnergySolutions Inc. calling the proposal a violation of state law and the company's critics saying Utah should close the gates to the stuff forever.
Read More

State scholarships face another shortfall

By Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune

Higher education officials cautioned lawmakers Monday that they will have to substantially shrink the state's two popular merit-based scholarships next year absent an increase in funding beyond what the Legislature currently envisions. Read More

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff accused of misusing PAC

By The Associated Press, The Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)

An ethics initiative sponsor says Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has violated the state's election laws and is requesting that the lieutenant governor's office investigate his fundraising activities. Read More

Utah Legislature -- Lawmaker wants to rate senators

By Bob Bernick Jr., The Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)

Should Republicans and Democrats in the Utah Legislature give a formal opinion on who should be a U.S. senator from the Beehive State, or how the current two senators are doing their jobs? Read More

Utah Legislature -- Testing teachers — Educators could soon receive pay based on student test scores

By Amy K. Stewart, The Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)

Whether teachers should earn their paychecks based on student test scores, popularity or their college degree and years of experience is drawing heated debate between lawmakers and educators. Read More

House OKs change to reap $20M in federal stimulus money

By Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune

The House passed a bill Monday that would tweak the state's unemployment benefits, extending payments to 1,700 out-of-work residents. Read More

Provo lawmaker wants to monkey with ban on primates

By Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune

Want to buy a monkey? Read More

Cervical cancer vaccine debate heading to the Legislature

By Rick Karlin, Times Union (Albany)

The debate over making cervical cancer vaccines available to young women is coming to the state Legislature today. Read More

Gov. Gary Herbert (R)
Sworn in: August 2009
Term expires: Nov. 2010
Special election: Nov. 2, 2010

	State capital: Salt Lake City
	State nickname: The Beehive State
	Lt. Gov. Greg Bell
	Utah has no secretary of state position
	Attorney General Mark Shurtleff (R)
	Senate President: Michael Waddoups (R)
	House Speaker: David Clark (R)

The seventh annual Hal Hovey Award was presented Feb. 3 to Marc Perrusquia, an enterprise and investigative reporter for The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis Tenn. The award is made jointly by Stateline.org, which is part of the Pew Center on the States, and Governing Magazine for outstanding coverage of state and local government.

Links to daily news and summaries of the governors' speeches

Full text of governors’ addresses going back to 2000

Dates for state of the state speeches

Read the latest news, analysis and research on the economic crisis in the states in Stateline.org's new Recession and Recovery special section.

The Stimulus and the
States
Follow how states are managing the stimulus money and which programs are receiving funding as part of the recovery effort using Stateline.org's stimulus special section.

Click here for a calendar of legislative sessions in 2010.

Click here to read summaries of action in all 50 states and major trends of the 2009 legislative session.

Stateline.org has compiled an extensive list of state issue political blogs to make it convenient for you to follow state government.

If a blog you find interesting and informative is not on our list, tell us about it by sending an email to editor@stateline.org.

Blogs organized by Issue

Blogs organized by State

Stateline.org has put together a list of state public policy resources organized by issue. Here, you will find useful links to essential information from government, academia, and think tanks. If you have a link to add, please email us.

Go to the state public policy resources page

The Pew Charitable Trusts applies the power of knowledge to solve today’s most challenging problems. Pew's Center on the States identifies and advances state policy solutions.

Utah daily news roundup

Lawmakers discuss early high school graduation

Depleted uranium -- Both sides sound off