National Conference of State Legislatures

In Over Half Of U.S. States, Spending To Exceed Revenues

Reuters | Posted 03.10.2012

Read More: Taxes, Video, Budget Gaps, Federal Government, Standard and Poor's, National Conference of State Legislatures, Reuters, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Municipal Defaults, Budget Deficits, Medicaid Healthcare Program, Municipal Debt, Business News

By Lisa Lambert Jan 9 (Reuters) - More than half the U.S. states will not have enough revenues to cover spending demands in the fiscal...

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Students Who Gift Teachers Could Face Jail Time Under New State Law

AP | PHILLIP RAWLS | Posted 02.06.2012

Read More: Alabama Teachers, Alabama State Ethics Commission, Gifts for Teachers, Teacher Gifts, Teachers, Alabama Ethics Law, De Minimis Value, Alabama Teacher Gifts, Students Gifting Teachers, National Conference of State Legislatures, Video, Education News

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — An Alabama teacher who accepts a Christmas ham or a $25 gift card from a student is breaking Alabama's ethics law. The possib...

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No More Free Rides For California Lawmakers

AP | By DON THOMPSON | Posted 12.02.2011

Read More: California Subsidized Vehicles, Taxpayer-Subsidized Vehicles, State Controller's Office, Citizens Compensation Commission, National Conference of State Legislatures, Los Angeles News

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California lawmakers are giving up a perk that had been unique among state legislators nationwide – taxpayer-subsidized ve...

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John Celock

'Nothing More Dangerous' For States

HuffingtonPost.com | John Celock | Posted 12.01.2011

Read More: Utah Politics, Public Pension Reform, Video, Utah Pension Reform, Public Employee Pensions, 401k, Rhode Island Pension Debate, National Conference of State Legislatures, State and Local Government, Pension Reform, Politics News

TAMPA -- At the annual fall forum of the National Conference of State Legislatures, pension reform advocates briefed the nation's state legislators on...

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Jordan Howard

Plastic Bag Bans Spreading To More Cities

HuffingtonPost.com | Jordan Howard | Posted 12.01.2011

Read More: Progressive Bag Affiliates, Surfrider Foundation, Dc-Bag-Fee, National Conference of State Legislatures, Environment, Plastic Bag Ban, Environment News, Plastic Bag Tax, Plastic Bags, California Plastic Bag Ban, Green News

WASHINGTON -- Across the country, cities and counties are instituting fees on plastic bags, or even banning them outright, in an effort to prevent pol...

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John Celock

Legislators Told To Avoid 'Yugo' Health Care

HuffingtonPost.com | John Celock | Posted 11.30.2011

Read More: State Health Care Reform, Video, State Health Care Reform Grants, Health Care Reform Bill, Obamacare, Health Care Exchanges, National Conference of State Legislatures, Health Care Reform, Health Care Policy, Medicaid, Obama Health Care Reform, Politics News

TAMPA -- The legislative sessions that will begin in a month's time will likely be dominated by debates over how to implement the kind of exchange sys...

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Tennessee Considers Bill That Makes Following Shariah A Felony

AP | LUCAS L. JOHNSON II | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: First Amendment Center, Islam, Islamic Society of North America, Mecca, Center for Security Policy, Governor Bill Haslam, House Speaker Pro Tempore Judd Matheny, Stop Islamization of America, Shariah, Tennessee, Bill Haslam, Eagle Forum, Oklahoma, Bobbie Patray, Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, Stop the Madrassa, Ground Zero Mosque, Pamela Geller, National Conference of State Legislatures, David Yerushalmi, Senator Bill Ketron, Judd Matheny, Society of Americans for National Existence, Shariah Law, Frank Gaffney, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Bill Ketron, Muslim, Politics News

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee is considering making it a felony to follow some versions of the Islamic code known as Shariah, the most severe measure...

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40 States Bank On Rising Tax Revenue In 2011

AP | CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: State Budgets, Tax Revenue States, State Debt, State Budgets 2010, State Budgets 2009, National Conference of State Legislatures, State Budget Gaps, State Budgets Compared, Business News

WASHINGTON — The vast majority of state governments are anticipating a rise in tax revenues this year after two years of sharp drops. Analysts cauti...

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Turn Away from the Cliff on Trade, State Legislators Group Tells Obama

Lori Wallach | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: State Govenrment, Lori Wallach, South Korea, Public Citizen, George W. Bush, National Conference of State Legislatures, Susan Schwab, Nafta, Barack Obama, Home News
Lori Wallach

It says a lot when the new trade policy platform adopted by the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is more progressive than w...

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More Jobs = Less Debt

Gerald McEntee | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Taxes, Debt, Congress, Govenment, Senate, Unemployment, Federal Government, National Conference of State Legislatures, Treasury, Jobs, National Governors Association, National Assocation of State Budget Officers, Fiscal Responsibility, Great Depression, Republicans, Stockpiling, Politics News
Gerald McEntee

In the worst economy since the Great Depression, far too many Americans are out of work. Despite the rising fears of more job losses, the Senate is refusing to do what is necessary to protect and create jobs.

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Colorado Pension Vote Could Make State First In Nation To Limit Annual COLA Increases

AP | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Josh Penry, Brandon Shaffer, National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado Legislature, Colorado Pensions, Cola, Denver News

DENVER — A plan to keep the state's pension system from going bankrupt is set to get its first hearing at Colorado's Capitol. Senate President ...

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State Budgets: Times Are Tough All Over

Susan J. Demas | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Taxes, Mitch Bean, Michigan Budget, State Budgets, National Conference of State Legislatures, New-York-State-Budget, Gov. Jon Corzine, Stimulus, California Budget Problems, House Fiscal Agency, Corina Eckl, Recovery Act, Arra, Michigan, Raising Taxes, Furloughs, Ncsl, Business News
Susan J. Demas

When we're taxing candy, brothels and pot, we know our states are having difficulty balancing the budget.

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