By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

After a pair of hard-fought primaries, North Carolina joins Missouri, Washington and Indiana on Out There's list of states where partisan control of the governorship could flip this fall.   Read More

By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

While voters in Indiana and North Carolina go to the polls today (May 6) to help Democrats pick Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as their nominee and Republicans rally behind John McCain, party insiders and state election officials are in informal talks to improve the presidential nominating contests for 2012 and beyond.   Read More

By The Associated Press, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Two Anchorage lawmakers say the Legislature needs to audit the state's Department of Corrections.   Read More

By Pat Forgery, The Juneau Empire (registration)

Gov. Sarah Palin, who supported the Juneau access road in her campaign for governor in 2006, is now backing away from that support.   Read More

By Dan Joling, The Associated Press, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Facing a prison sentence of 3 1/2 years, a former Alaska lawmaker said he's broke and has lost respect for the U.S. government, but that his conscience is clear.   Read More

By Sean Cockerham, Anchorage Daily News (registration)

A federal judge sentenced former Wasilla state Rep. Vic Kohring to 3.5 years in prison Thursday for taking bribes in a scheme to keep Alaska oil taxes down.   Read More

By Andrew DeMillo, The Associated Press, The Daily Citizen (Searcy)

Legislators on Thursday told the Martin Luther King Commission -- which has been beset by public infighting over its appointments and finances -- that they've grown tired of the controversy surrounding the panel.   Read More

By Staff Reporters, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)

Six independent candidates for the state House of Representatives have qualified for the Nov. 4 ballot by submitting a petition with enough signatures of Arkansas' registered voters, but a seventh failed to do so, the secretary of state's office said Wednesday.   Read More

By Staff Reporters, Arkansas News Bureau

Arkansas Secretary of State Charlie Daniels on Thursday certified six independent candidates for the Nov. 4 general election ballot.   Read More

By Staff Reporters, Arkansas News Bureau

The state Senate has scheduled a historic meeting June 12 to decide whether a senator who won a disputed election can keep his seat.   Read More

By Rob Moritz, Arkansas News Bureau

The co-chairman of the troubled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission on Thursday defended the executive director, who has been linked to an insurance fraud ring, but said he is concerned about the commission and its future.   Read More

By Howard Fischer, Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (registration)

Two former lawmakers have scrapped plans to ask voters to revamp how the state's congressional and legislative districts are crafted.   Read More

By Howard Fischer, Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (registration)

A panel of the state Board of Nursing is recommending that nurse practitioners be allowed to perform first-trimester abortions in Arizona.   Read More

By Michael Gardner, The San Diego Union-Tribune

In their first face-to-face meeting, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and automakers Thursday agreed to explore new cooperative approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions even as they duel in court and in Congress over just how far the state can go.   Read More

By Mike Zapler, The Mercury News (San Jose) (registration)

With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger set to unveil his revised budget next week, Republican legislators on Thursday announced a series of proposals they said would save money and help the state run more efficiently.   Read More

By Steven Harmon, Contra Costa Times (registration)

After millions of dollars raised and spent and a long trail of acrimonious campaigning, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, said Wednesday he is dropping his bid to recall Sen. Jeff Denham, saying he worried it would get in the way of fixing the state's precarious fiscal condition.   Read More

By Don Thompson, The Associated Press, Contra Costa Times (registration)

The California Senate has voted to end state participation in the program created eight years ago to rescue the delta from collapse and resolve persistent water disputes.   Read More

By Judy Lin, The Sacramento Bee (registration)

A former college president-turned-lawmaker has been named the next chancellor of California's community college system, making him think twice about his role in crafting the education budget.   Read More

By Aurelio Rojas, The Sacramento Bee (registration)

State Sen. Jeff Denham said Thursday he intends to campaign through Election Day despite Senate leader Don Perata's decision to drop his bid to recall the Merced lawmaker.   Read More

By Christopher Keating, The Hartford Courant (registration)

Cities and towns have nothing to fear. That was the word from the state Capitol on Thursday as Democratic lawmakers and Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell said they expect the legislature to convene a special session so that municipalities can continue receiving $40 million from an extension of the tax on real estate sales.   Read More

By The Associated Press, The Hartford Courant (registration)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Details of a sex scandal involving a top South Korean official and an art history professor, who lied about having a Yale degree, will be used by the Ivy League school to defend itself against a federal lawsuit filed by the South Korean university that hired the professor.   Read More

By Lsa Chedekel, The Hartford Courant (registration)

For months, state Sen. Edith Prague rallied support for nursing-home reforms from Democratic leaders and advocates for the elderly, telling anyone who would listen that "this is the year" for improvements to minimum-staffing requirements and stronger oversight of the industry.   Read More

By The Associated Press, The Hartford Courant (registration)

NORWICH, Conn. - Gov. M. Jodi Rell says victims of the April 26 fire that destroyed a Norwich apartment complex can apply for low-interest federal loans.   Read More

By Ted Mann, The Day (New London)

Democratic lawmakers said they are committed to calling the state legislature back in for a special session this spring, citing their desire to extend a critical source of revenue for cities and towns.   Read More

By Andrew Miga. the Associated Press, The Day (New London)

WASHINGTON - Connecticut Rep. Joe Courtney, a Democratic superdelegate, said Wednesday that he'll decide shortly after primary season ends June 3 whether to support Illinois Sen. Barack Obama or New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as his party's presidential nominee.   Read More

By The Associated Press, The Hartford Courant (registration)

NEW LONDON, Conn. - Supporters and opponents of the war in Iraq have been granted permits to demonstrate during Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy's commencement.   Read More

By Jeff Montgomery, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)

Three major-party gubernatorial candidates called Thursday for an aggressive investigation into the causes of cancer that occurs in some Delaware communities above the state average.   Read More

By J.L Miller, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)

A legislative move to keep Delmarva Power from having its customers foot the bill for the Bluewater wind farm fight fizzled Thursday, at least temporarily.   Read More

By Adam Taylor, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)

WILMINGTON, Del. - The latest eminent domain reform bill in the state legislative pipeline would bring riverfront development "to a screeching halt" if passed, Mayor James M. Baker said Thursday.   Read More

By Beth Reinhard, The Miami Herald (registration)

Hispanic voters registered as Democrats have overtaken Hispanic Republicans in Florida, signaling a trend that, if it continues, could have far-reaching implications for the 2008 election and U.S. foreign policy.   Read More

By Brent Kallestad, The Associated Press, Tallahassee Democrat

Florida's Democratic congressional delegation called on the national party Thursday to seat the state's delegation based on its January primary, and the state party is growing more hopeful that the campaigns will agree on a plan by the end of the month.   Read More

By William E. Gibson, The Orlando Sentinel (registration)

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama, growing confident he will be the Democratic presidential nominee, promised a group of uncommitted superdelegates Thursday that Florida's delegation will be counted at the party's national convention this summer.   Read More

By Richard Burnett, The Orlando Sentinel (registration)

Despite Florida's economic funk and billions of dollars in recent budget cuts, the Legislature has cleared the way for Orlando's military training facilities to receive an unprecedented $9.1 million, local officials said Thursday.   Read More

By Victor Manuel Ramos, The Orlando Sentinel (registration)

Florida's Republicans will gather Saturday in Orlando to shore up support among Hispanics as the presidential election nears -- part of a long-term strategy to earn the community's votes for good.   Read More

By Bill Cotterell, Tallahassee Democrat

Members of Florida's Democratic congressional delegation, along with Sen. Hillary Clinton, Thursday called on the Democratic National Party to end the punishment of the state's presidential selectors.'   Read More

By Lesley Clark, The Miami Herald (registration)

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama says Florida's delegation will be at the national Democratic Party's convention this summer, ''happy, with their party hats on,'' two uncommitted Florida superdelegates said Thursday.   Read More

By Jan Wesner, St. Petersburg Times

TAMPA, Fla. - Gov. Charlie Crist stopped at MacDill Air Force Base Thursday, where he briefly thanked veterans for their service, shook hands with a Norwegian Army general and played coy to a question about his girlfriend.   Read More

By Steve Bousquet, St. Petersburg Times

A Tampa group that promotes healthy families would be the first of its kind allowed to ask Florida drivers to donate money under a little-noticed bill headed to the governor.   Read More

By Steve Bousquet, St. Petersburg Times

Gov. Charlie Crist said "God bless Gov. Chiles" as the 2008 Legislature drew to a close last week, thankful for $2.4-billion in reserves made possible by the late Lawton Chiles.   Read More

By Ben Evans, The Associated Press, The Macon Telegraph

WASHINGTON -- Georgia Republican Johnny Isakson has decided to seek re-election to the Senate in 2010 and will not run for governor, his spokeswoman said Thursday.   Read More

By David Markiewicz, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (registration)

Members of DeKalb County's state legislative delegation have decided not to file their own complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice about a legislative bill that would give Dunwoody residents the right to vote for incorporation.   Read More

By Mark Niesse, The Associated Press, Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Hawaii residents will be able to buy inexpensive foreign prescription drugs over the Internet under a new state law approved over objections from Gov. Linda Lingle.   Read More

By Jay Kirschenmann, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)

Classic rock band Def Leppard plays the Iowa State Fair Grandstand on Aug. 16 in Des Moines, Iowa fair officials announced Thursday.   Read More

By Darwin Danielson, Radio Iowa

Another top social networking website has agreed to take steps to protect children from sexual predators and inappropriate content. Bob Brammer, a spokesman for Iowa's Attorney General, says several states have reached an agreement with "Facebook."   Read More

By Darwin Danielson, Radio Iowa

Senate Republican Leader Ron Wieck of Sioux City says it appears the Iowa Department of Transportation broke the law by having a public hearing notice printed in the Sioux City Journal Thursday in both English and Spanish.   Read More

By Clark Kauffman, The Des Moines Register

The Iowa hospital industry says it is optimistic that Gov. Chet Culver will allow most of the state's hospitals to bypass a public-approval process before they construct new facilities.   Read More

By William Petroski, The Des Moines Register

NEWTON, Iowa -- Iowa's prisons will become tobacco-free in early January even though state lawmakers exempted the institutions in a new law that bans smoking in most public places.   Read More

By Dan Gearino, Sioux City Journal

Gov. Chet Culver has signed a bill intended to make it easier for students to save money on textbooks.   Read More

By The Associated Press, Quad-City Times

Iowa's prisons are going smoke-free, despite an exemption from the state's new statewide smoking ban.   Read More

By Charlotte Eby, Quad-City Times

Those who attend and bet on illegal animal fights could now face tougher penalties, thanks to the work of two Davenport lawmakers who want to stop animal abuse.   Read More

By William Petroski, The Des Moines Register

The Iowa Department of Transportation plans to keep publishing official notices in Spanish and other languages, despite a recent court ruling upholding the state's English-language law, a spokeswoman said Thursday.   Read More

By Judy Fahys, The Salt Lake Tribune

BOISE, Idaho - Eight Western states on Thursday derailed EnergySolutions' plans to import nuclear cleanup waste from Italy and bury some of it at the company's Utah landfill.   Read More

By Kurt Erickson, Quad-City Times

Gov. Rod Blagojevich Thursday panned a plan aimed at stopping him from closing the state prison in Pontiac.   Read More

By Kenneth Lowe, Quad-City Times

Soldiers stationed overseas may soon get a break on their vehicle registration fees if a proposal that passed the Illinois House Wednesday makes it into law.   Read More

By Meagan Sexton, The State Journal-Register (Springfield)

Mandatory overtime is jeopardizing services at 24-hour state facilities, a labor union representing state employees claimed in a report released Thursday. Jessica Becket believes the extended hours contributed to her accident.   Read More

By Bernard Schoenburg, The State Journal-Register (Springfield)

State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, whose district could get the nearly 150 Illinois Department of Transportation jobs that Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration wants to move out of Springfield, said Thursday that Blagojevich told him in the past he wanted to move state jobs out of the capital city.   Read More

By Amber Krosel, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)

Efforts to offer bachelor's degrees in two program areas at Harper College hit another political roadblock Thursday at the Illinois Capitol.   Read More

By Doug Finke, The State Journal-Register (Springfield)

Harness racing up to nine months a year at the Illinois State Fairgrounds could help raise money for fairground improvements and the Sangamon County emergency dispatch system, according to Rep. Raymond Poe.   Read More

By Ryan Keith, The Associated Press, Chicago Tribune (registration)

Democrats got personal Thursday in their dispute over legislative raises, with one state senator calling a colleague "filthy rich" and accusing House members of being hypocritical.   Read More

By Jeffrey Meitdrodt and Ray Long, Chicago Tribune (registration)

A Senate panel unanimously approved a ban on "pay-to-play" for state contractors Thursday despite a last-minute threat from Senate President Emil Jones to add a provision proponents said would derail the legislation.   Read More

By The Associated Press, Chicago Tribune (registration)

Republican lawmakers are proposing a ban on closing any Illinois prisons until a study is done on the needs of the state corrections system.   Read More

By John Patterson, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)

The debate in the General Assembly over pay raises for lawmakers got personal Thursday, with a Senate Democrat chastising another for her wealth and blaming state representatives for using the Senate to get their money.   Read More

By Ashley Wiehle, Chicago Tribune (registration)

It's not every day organized labor asks management for less overtime, but that's what the largest union representing state employees is doing as it negotiates a new contract with the Blagojevich administration.   Read More

By Ray Gibson, Chicago Tribune (registration)

A Wilmette businessman who testified last week against political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko at his federal corruption trial sought Thursday to force Rezko's bankruptcy over his failure to repay more than $18 million.   Read More

By John O'Connor, The Associated Press, Chicago Tribune (registration)

Legislation to combat "pay to play" politics in Illinois advanced to the Senate floor Thursday, where it faces an uncertain future because of what the Senate president calls a "gaping loophole."   Read More

By The Associated Press, Chicago Sun-Times

Saying he's tired of the House "pimping" the Senate, Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) said he'll try to change a bill so lawmakers who vote against raises won't get the extra cash.   Read More

By Marti Goodland Heline, South Bend Tribune

"I just thought it was stupid." That was the reaction of Sarah Bird, co-owner of the Griffon Bookstore in downtown South Bend, when she first heard of a new law that will require retailers of sexually explicit materials to register with the state and pay a fee.   Read More

By Christine Kraly, Northwest Indiana Times (Munster)

Environmental groups may appeal BP Whiting's new air permit, a move that could compel the refinery to stop the weeklong construction efforts of its $3.8 billion expansion.   Read More

By Jeannine Koranda, Wichita Eagle (registration)

Despite a tight budget year, south-central lawmakers secured millions of dollars for local projects -- including a package to encourage future aviation development.   Read More

By David Klepper and Jeannine Koranda, Wichita Eagle (registration)

Kansas lawmakers spent the 2008 session wrestling mightily with problems of national, even global scope, and their failures were nearly as big.   Read More

By Tim Carpenter, The Topeka Capital-Journal

State political leaders on Thursday assigned praise and fault for the outcome of the 2008 legislative session the day after House and Senate ended the four-month marathon.   Read More

By Scott Rothschild, The Lawrence Journal-World

If the 2008 legislative session produced unanimity in one area, it was that most everyone was glad when it ended.   Read More

By Scott Rothschild, The Lawrence Journal-World

For the Kansas University School of Pharmacy, the Legislature?s final budget bill was just what the doctor ordered.   Read More

By James Carlson, The Topeka Capital-Journal

For the second time in as many years, lawmakers said with a unified voice that Kansas hates funeral protests.   Read More

By Ashlee Clark, Lexington Herald-Leader

Gov. Steve Beshear tapped four Democrats and one Republican to serve on the state Board of Education, his office announced Thursday.   Read More

By Ryan Alessi, Lexington Herald-Leader

While both Democratic presidential candidates have claimed that Kentucky's May 20 primary is important, it's been U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton who has been the quickest to give the Bluegrass some face time.   Read More

By Art Jester, Lexington Herald-Leader

Facing some of the angriest public remarks by a group of Kentucky university presidents in memory, a panel gave the initial vote of approval Thursday to higher tuition at the state's public universities and community colleges, including five institutions whose requests were cut.   Read More

By Nancy C. Rodriguez, The Courier-Journal (Louisville)

Five of Kentucky's higher-education institutions -- including the state's community and technical college system -- should not be allowed to raise tuition and fees as much as they propose.   Read More

By Bill Barrow, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)

Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu cleared the first step Thursday to gaining more control over the Louisiana museum system, but not without museum supporters renewing accusations that he is attempting a misguided power grab that would harm properties such as the Cabildo and the Presbytere.   Read More

By Will Sentell, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

Louisiana's road-building agenda will suffer because a special program for 16 projects has gone bankrupt, state Transportation Secretary William Ankner said Thursday.   Read More

By Jan Moller, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)

Members of a House tax-writing panel expressed support Thursday for a massive tax-cut bill, but they remained divided on what form it should take.   Read More

By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)

Legislation that would give citizens a greater role in having a crime-riddled business closed for as many as five years cleared the House 89-0 Thursday.   Read More

By Bill Barrow, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)

A Senate committee gave swift approval Thursday to a proposed "Bill of Rights" that would grant sweeping new benefits for Road Home applicants who assert that the contractors running the homeowner grant program are not following the policies set by the Louisiana Recovery Authority.   Read More

By Michelle Millhollon, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

Lawmakers added $9.2 million in projects Thursday to the state's construction budget.   Read More

By Sarah Chacko, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

More than a year after a mentally ill student killed 32 people at Virginia Tech, Louisiana legislators are considering a bill to prohibit similarly unstable people from buying firearms.   Read More

By Will Sentell, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

Bills that would increase tuition at the LSU and Southern University law schools breezed through a House committee Thursday, but both are expected to trigger controversy later.   Read More

By Mark Ballard, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

The administrative committee of the state Board of Ethics voted Thursday to oppose nine bills lawmakers have offered in the Louisiana Legislature to change the newly enacted laws on how government officials can act.   Read More

By Gary Perilloux, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber formally backed several initiatives of the Jindal administration this week to ramp up state economic development efforts, including requests for $307 million more in deal-making money for big projects and a nearly $8 million increase to the Governor?s Rapid Response Fund.   Read More

By Gerard Shields, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate is poised to pass a bill changing the National Flood Insurance Program over the objections of Louisiana's two senators.   Read More