Social Policy news Subcribe to Social Policy news |
 |
|
|
|
|
By Janet I. Tu, The Seattle Times
After months of contentious battling over Referendum 71, Washington voters have approved the measure, keeping a law that expands state benefits for registered same-sex and some senior domestic partners. The vote tally to approve appears insurmountable.
Read More
|
By Staff Reports, Anchorage Daily News
PALMER, Alaska -- The Alaska State Parks and the Department of Fish and Game are warning anglers and other winter recreationists to stay off thin ice atop lakes in the Matanuska and Susitna valleys.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CO: Upper Colorado River, Front Range water resources threatened
By David O. Williams, Colorado Independent
Some water experts warn the upper Colorado River is an endangered species if current residential growth patterns and water consumption patterns continue along the state's Front Range, and they're increasingly concerned proposed energy production on the Western Slope will accelerate its demise.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
CT: Rell makes $34 million in cuts from state budget
By Christopher Keating, The Hartford Courant
The reductions were ordered in hundreds of categories, including $8.5 million from the Department of Children and Families, $7.25 million from the multibillion-dollar Department of Social Services, $3.7 million from the Department of Developmental Services, $1.26 million from the Department of Environmental Protection, $500,000 from the state Department of Agriculture, and $200,000 from the chief state medical examiner's office.
Read More
|
|
DE: Report on casinos pushed to late Dec.
By Jeff Montgomery, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
A panel examining prospects for more casinos in Delaware now hopes for an independent report on the issue by the end of December, further pushing back its deadline for a recommendation to lawmakers.
Read More
|
|
DE: Lower digits fetch lower prices
By J.L. Miller, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
When the nation's financial bubble burst, a uniquely Delaware asset quietly deflated. Prices paid for low-digit Delaware license plates have fallen, in some cases by half, since the glory days of 2006 and 2007.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FL: ACLU suit alleges Fla. neglecting schools
By The Associated Press, Tallahassee Democrat
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that state officials in Florida are failing to ensure that students in Palm Beach County get a high quality education, as evidenced by their poor graduation rates.
Read More
|
|
FL: Fla. justices consider mediation for foreclosures
By The Associated Press, The Miami Herald
Mediation would be a good way to expedite a flood of mortgage foreclosures, members of a foreclosure task force said Wednesday, but some disagreed on the details in oral arguments before the state Supreme Court.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IL: 2 more lifelines
By Francine Knowles, Chicago Sun-Times
As many as 40,000 jobless Illinois residents, who would have exhausted their unemployment benefits by the end of the year, will benefit from a bill President Obama is expected to sign today extending those benefits up to 20 weeks.
Read More
|
|
IL: Senators outraged over Illinois nursing home safety
By Gary Marx and David Jackson, Chicago Tribune
A top adviser to Gov. Pat Quinn outlined Thursday for the first time some of the steps Illinois must take to end the warehousing of mentally ill adults in nursing homes, including violent felons who have victimized elderly and disabled residents.
Read More
|
|
IL: Doubts rise on Chicago's mental health clinics
By John Byrne and Hal Dardick, Chicago Tribune
Chicago's mental health budget will shrink next year amid continued billing problems that resulted in a state funding cut, prompting aldermen Thursday to question how much care the city's clinics will be able to provide.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KS: Budget estimate declines by 4.2%
By Scott Rothschild, The Lawrence Journal-World
State fiscal experts Thursday said the Kansas economy remains stuck in recession, and that means a further drop in tax revenues and more budget cuts.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
KY: State gets stimulus money for child care
By Stephenie Steitzer, The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
Gov. Steve Beshear announced Thursday that Kentucky will receive $4 million in federal stimulus funds to pay for training and other resources for child-care providers.
Read More
|
|
LA: Taxpayers in La. sought for refunds
By Staff Reports, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
TThe Internal Revenue Service is trying to get refund checks totaling more than $1.6 million — an average $1,080 apiece — to nearly 1,500 Louisianans whose checks were returned to the IRS by the U.S. Postal Service because of mailing address errors.
Read More
|
|
LA: Recovery School District would not be focus of Race to the Top federal grant, Pastorek says
By Robert Travis Scott, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The state Department of Education would use a large portion of a potential Race to the Top grant to help pay for a $40 million data management system, a principals training institute and other expanded agency roles in addition to the direct cash that the federal program is targeting at failing schools, Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek said Thursday.
Read More
|
|
MA: Drug use called epidemic in Mass.
By John R. Ellement, The Boston Globe
Abuse of OxyContin and heroin in Massachusetts has reached epidemic levels and must be attacked with the same fervor now being directed toward controlling the H1N1 flu virus, a special state commission said yesterday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
MA: Report -- Student health plans inefficient
By The Associated Press, Boston Herald
A new report shows that the health insurance plans sold to almost 100,000 college students in Massachusetts result in higher profits for insurance companies than those available to the general public.
Read More
|
|
MA: Good news, bad news for fishery
By Don Cuddy, Cape Cod Times
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The deep and murky waters of fishery management in New England just became a little murkier for Jon Williams, CEO of the Atlantic Red Crab Co. in New Bedford.
Read More
|
|
MA: Outrage over terror speaker
By Michele McPhee, Boston Herald
Gov. Deval Patrick pulled the plug on a planned UMass speech by a convicted terrorist yesterday after a plea delivered by the Herald from the outraged widow of a gunned-down state trooper -- angering cops who protested the event for weeks.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
MD: U-Md. students protest official's firing
By Daniel de Vise, The Washington Post
Several hundred students marched Thursday to the administration building at the University of Maryland to protest the firing of a popular diversity officer in one of the largest demonstrations at the College Park campus since the Vietnam War era.
Read More
|
|
MD: States urge stiffer anti-pollution laws
By James B. Hale, The Sun (Baltimore)
Twelve states, including Maryland, and the District of Columbia urged the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday to adopt more rigorous national policies so they can meet federal air pollution reduction requirements for the region.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
MD: Waiting to learn who pays Dixon's legal bills
By Julie Bykowicz, The Sun (Baltimore)
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's legal bills, racked up during a years-long corruption probe that has led her to enlist seven criminal defense attorneys for a theft trial next week, could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, legal observers say.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MD: Bay goals downgraded
By Pamela Wood, The Capital (Annapolis)
The federal government is putting the Chesapeake Bay on a pollution diet, but officials say it can be a little less strict than in the past.
Read More
|
|
ME: Initiative to protect working lands
By Kevin Miller, Bangor Daily News
A task force representing major stakeholders in Maine's North Woods, from large landowners and loggers to environmental groups, is proposing a new, collaborative initiative aimed at protecting large swaths of working forest in the state.
Read More
|
|
ME: H1N1 hits all Maine counties with vaccine well short of need
By The Associated Press, Bangor Daily News
A brief debate broke out among legislative leaders over a proposed bill declaring that vaccinations cannot be mandatory, on the same day that Maine's public health director announced that swine flu has been confirmed in all 16 of the state's counties.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
ME: Baldacci and AG want changes to marijuana law
By Mal Leary, Bangor Daily News
The law expanding access to marijuana for medical reasons passed by voters Tuesday needs changes to make it workable, said Maine Gov. John Baldacci and Attorney General Janet Mills. Supporters don't disagree.
Read More
|
|
ME: Initiative to protect working lands
By Kevin Miller, Bangor Daily News
A task force representing major stakeholders in Maine's North Woods, from large landowners and loggers to environmental groups, is proposing a new, collaborative initiative aimed at protecting large swaths of working forest in the state.
Read More
|
|
ME: H1N1 hits all Maine counties with vaccine well short of need
By The Associated Press, Bangor Daily News
A brief debate broke out among legislative leaders over a proposed bill declaring that vaccinations cannot be mandatory, on the same day that Maine's public health director announced that swine flu has been confirmed in all 16 of the state's counties.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MO: Yogis exercised about a new tax
By Janese Heavin, Columbia Daily Tribune
Melissa Tipton practices yoga at least four times a week. She wouldn't mind being taxed for it, but she's not keen on her yoga studio being lumped in with fitness clubs.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NC: State sends 16 to Calif. training
By Lynn Bonner, The News & Observer (Raleigh)
The state is using $140,000 in federal stimulus money to send 16 employees to child development workshops in San Diego while North Carolina has thousands of struggling families seeking subsidized care for their children.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NE: Lincoln senator recommends furloughs, not layoffs for workers
By JoAnne Young, Lincoln Journal Star
Senators introduced five bills in special session Thursday, aimed at saving money for the state or saving money for a particular program. Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery introduced a resolution (LR4) that would have agencies use furloughs rather than layoffs of state workers if needed to meet across-the-board budget cuts.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NJ: Corzine orders $400M in cuts to balance budget
By John Reitmeyer, The Record of Bergen County
Governor Corzine is preparing $400 million in budget cuts and wants legislators to shelve any new spending measures during their upcoming lame duck session, all to offset revenue losses blamed on the poor economy.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
NV: Levin calls for record of business owners' IDs
By John G. Edwards, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Sen. Carl Levin on Thursday cited the book "Merchant of Death" about Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout as Exhibit One for his case against allowing private corporations and limited liability companies to keep the names of their owners secret.
Read More
|
|
NV: Managing fraud a lesson of recession
By Abigail Goldman, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Robert Frimet is a self-proclaimed fraud expert, a businessman who audits other companies' books, gives lectures on recognizing employee theft, and sits as a civilian member on the Nevada Fight Fraud Task Force.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
NY: Senate Democrats rebuff governor on special session
By Tom Precious, The Buffalo News
Reducing the state's soaring deficit, legalizing gay marriage, slowing property tax growth and toughening drunk driving laws are among the items on the agenda for a special session of the Legislature that Gov. David A. Paterson has scheduled for Tuesday.
Read More
|
|
NY: Marriage for gays on agenda in New York
By Danny Hakim, The New York Times
Gov. David A. Paterson said Thursday that he would include gay marriage on the agenda of an extraordinary session he is calling for Tuesday, potentially setting up the first vote on the issue in the State Senate and a dramatic floor debate.
Read More
|
|
NY: Wind law could benefit company
By Christine McConville, Boston Herald
Despite significant opposition in Western Massachusetts, state environmental affairs secretary Ian Bowles is pushing hard to get a controversial wind-turbine law passed before the legislative session ends on Nov. 18.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
NY: Breslin: Open defense funds
By Rick Karlin, Times Union (Albany)
State Sen. Neil Breslin is proposing legislation that would unmask the names of people who give money to legal defense funds set up for lawmakers.
Read More
|
|
NY: Schenectady County earns unwanted rank
By Carol DeMare, Times Union (Albany)
Schenectady County ranked first among upstate counties and Long Island for reports of domestic violence incidents per capita in 2008, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said Thursday.
Read More
|
|
NY: State action targets Lafarge
By Brian Nearing, Times Union (Albany)
RAVENA, N.Y. -- For the first time ever, the state wants to set limits on mercury emitted from towering smokestacks at the Lafarge cement plant. But it's not clear whether the new cap would actually result in less pollution from the facility.
Read More
|
|
NY: Did grants open doors?
By James M. Odato, Times Union (Albany)
Although lawyers representing former state Sen. Joseph L. Bruno insist he did not hand out improper favors to clients who invested pension funds with his employer, state records show Bruno arranged state grants for them.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OK: Obama promises U.S. tribal leaders he'll tackle issues
By Chris Casteel, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City)
WASHINGTON — Greeting the first American Indian conference to be sponsored by the White House in 15 years, President Barack Obama told tribal leaders Thursday he will work with them on problems that have plagued Indians for decades.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
OR: Oregon Latinos seek power in numbers
By Gosia Wozniacka, The Oregonian (Portland)
Like California's 30 years ago, Oregon's growing Latino population is reaching a tipping point: A critical mass of Latino professionals is starting to organize and influence state and local politics.
Read More
|
|
PA: Gubernatorial candidate Knox wants campaign limits
By Brad Bumsted, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Knox, who is expected to spend millions of his own money on the campaign, said Thursday he wants to limit what other people can spend on state campaigns as part of a wide-ranging reform agenda.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RI: Governor vetoes saltwater fishing license
By Peter B. Lord, The Providence Journal
Governor Carcieri, reversing more than a year of work by his own staff and the state's largest recreational fishing organization, has vetoed a proposed $7 state license for saltwater fishing. He called it "excessively intrusive."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
SD: Flu clinic revisited
By Jon Walker, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)
As the state's death toll climbed, the vaccination lines were longer, people grumbled, but more went home happy.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
SD: Coming soon -- Vending sales of lottery tickets
By Bob Mercer, Capital Journal (Pierre)
The state Game, Fish and Parks Commission needs to take emergency steps to slightly increase the number of deer licenses for some East River units because too many licenses have been issued to hunters for the upcoming season.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TN: Colleges brace for flu wave
By Joan Garrett, Chattanooga Times Free Press
Colleges in Tennessee and North Georgia are bracing for a second wave of "influenzalike illnesses" just as campuses are recovering from a fall surge in the flu.
Read More
|
|
TX: Refund policy restored for prepaid tuition plan
By Gary Scharrer, The Houston Chronicle
Responding to tens of thousands of Texans, a state board acted unanimously Thursday to reinstate a former refund policy for prepaid college tuition that reflects the value of tuition — not simply the amount paid into the fund.
Read More
|
|
TX: Student restraints, Day 3 -- Jennifer Howson's story
By Elise Hu and Emily Ramshaw, The Texas Tribune
Jennifer Howson, 21, was restrained dozens of times at her school in the northeast Texas town of Kemp, often sustaining scrapes, bruises and black eyes. Her case is hardly unique; Texas educators pinned down students with disabilities 18,000 times in the 2007-08 school year.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UT: Commission wants ethics teeth and campaign caps
By Cathy Mckitrick, The Salt Lake Tribune
In its final work session, the Governor's Commission on Strengthening Democracy wrapped up almost a year's worth of deliberations with a few bold recommendations to advance to Gov. Gary Herbert, including one to put some teeth in existing campaign and lobbying laws.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
UT: GOP leaders OK contribution limits
By Bob Bernick Jr., The Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)
Moved in part by a tough citizen initiative petition on legislative ethics and campaign finance reform, some GOP legislative leaders have agreed to the adoption of campaign contribution limits for state candidates and officeholders.
Read More
|
|
UT: State's top ed official addresses budget
By Lisa Schencker, The Salt Lake Tribune
State Superintendent Larry Shumway urged lawmakers not to cut education dollars further and said he plans to take action to address inappropriate relationships between teachers and students as part of his first State of Education speech Thursday evening.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WA: State to pay $525,001 in public-records settlement
By Christine Clarridge, The Seattle Times
The state Department of Social and Health Services has agreed to pay $525,001 to two women and a teenage girl for failing to turn over public records after they filed a $45 million lawsuit against the state claiming they were physically and sexually abused by their foster father.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WI: Wis. Assembly delays action on drunken driving
By Scott Bauer, Wisconsin State Journal (Madison)
The Democratic-controlled state Assembly refused to vote Thursday on a comprehensive toughening of Wisconsin's notoriously weak drunken driving laws after the measure unanimously passed the Senate.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Powered by