Democratic Swell Buoys Attorneys General
In races for state attorney general, Democrats upset the incumbent in Kansas and picked up two open seats from Republicans, increasing their hold on state top cop offices from 29 to 31 while...
View ArticleDemocratic Wave Washes Over Statehouses
(Updated 2:00 p.m. EST, Nov. 28, 2006) Democrats broke 12 years of partisan deadlock in the nation's statehouses Nov. 7 by capturing control of one or both legislative chambers in nine states,...
View ArticleDemocrats Take Majority of Governorships
(Updated 3:10 p.m. EST, Wednesday)For the first time since 1994, Democrats won control of a majority of the nation's governors' mansions, wresting away five Republican seats and ousting one GOP...
View ArticleWinners in '06 Governors' Races
See a state-by-state rundown of the 36 winners in Tuesday's governors' races, with photos.
View ArticleDems Grab State Balance of Power
Democrats posted big gains across the board in Tuesday's election, nearly doubling the number of states where they control both the legislature and the governor's office as well as sweeping to power in...
View ArticleTurnabout overdue in state-federal relations
States' relationship with the federal government is at a low point, a condition our nation can no longer afford, writes Raymond C. Scheppach, executive director of the National Governors Association,...
View ArticleStates Hope for Better Deal in New Congress
(Updated 3:45 p.m. EST, Tuesday)When the 110th Congress convenes in January, there will be a new Democratic majority negotiating with a Republican president and, state leaders hope, a new relationship...
View ArticleCongress, States Pledge Wage Hikes
In the wake of overwhelming voter approval of minimum wage initiatives in six states on Election Day, politicians in at least three more states - Illinois, Iowa and New Mexico -- have vowed to raise...
View ArticleMedicaid Directors Frustrated by Feds
State Medicaid officials, meeting in Washington, D.C., made no progress this week in their standoff with the Bush administration over its plans to cut more than $12.2 billion over five years without...
View ArticleGovs Want Action on Immigration, Health Care
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. - The nation's governors, in their first gathering since Election Day, urged Congress and the White House to stop bickering and work with them to address illegal...
View ArticleReport: States Need to Step Up on Higher Ed
States must take the lead in the movement to fix the higher education crisis, a report released Monday by a commission of state legislators said. "Higher education is a national imperative, there's no...
View ArticleElection Glitches Impede Voters Nationwide
Voting in the 2006 midterm elections went relatively smoothly nationwide, but at least 17 states experienced major glitches, according to a new report by electionline.org. The nonpartisan research...
View ArticleWill Congress Patch Up Kids' Coverage?
An estimated 17 states could run out of money for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) by next October, unless Congress acts. But coming up with a fix could be tricky, because the...
View ArticleStates Expand Food Stamp Programs
In the war on hunger, a handful of states have made big strides in getting federally funded Food Stamps to more poor families, while others have lagged behind. Only 60 percent of eligible Americans...
View ArticleStable Revenues, But Declining Optimism
States will begin 2007 on firm financial ground, but none are banking on $1 billion surpluses that some states unexpectedly enjoyed in 2006. Many states are upbeat about their revenue outlook for the...
View ArticleLt. Govs Have Pathway to Top
The office of lieutenant governor is the most effective launching pad for becoming governor, according to a new report which shows that a state's number two official is more likely to ascend to the top...
View ArticleAnti-Sex-Offender Zoning Laws Challenged
States are heaping penalties on sex offenders even after they've served their time - from posting their addresses on the Internet to requiring some to wear electronic tracking devices. But new zoning...
View ArticleCongress Fixes State Health Programs, for Now
The lame-duck Congress quelled the worst fears of states struggling with the high cost of health insurance for the poor, but the quick fixes federal lawmakers put on President Bush's desk still are a...
View ArticleReport: Achievement Gap Still Wide
The achievement gap between students who are white and affluent and those who are minority and poor is still high, according to a report that details how each state is doing in educating its neediest...
View ArticleWith Fat Wallets, States Spent More in FY '06
With their primary accounts showing the highest balances in years, state governments nationwide cut taxes, put some money in the bank and even lent a hand to local governments during the 2006 fiscal...
View Article
