Michigan is rolling back health care coverage for current and future lawmakers according to a new bill that’s on the Governor’s desk. The bill follows another recent bill which put a 1% tax on all insurance claims payments in the state. Signs that Michigan is taking big steps to control its health care spend. UnderRead… Read more »
The Santa Cruz City Council is working to link up the city’s disparate technology efforts to create greater transparency and improve service delivery. A new three-part initiative aims to help local technology companies grow while centralizing public works through better use of technology. The initative is the result of a task force created by theRead… Read more »
Rhode Island is applying for a second round of funding to further work on the state Health Benefit Exchange. The application asks for $74.5 million in additional funds for the exchange. Rhode Island is one of several states working to comply with new requirements outlined in federal health care reform legislation. The state expects thatRead… Read more »
Last night, the Topeka, Kansas city council took an extraordinary step to manage budget cuts — decriminalizing domestic violence. The move was spurred by a lack of prosecutorial budgets at all levels of the city and county court system, a problem which came to its tipping point last night. In Topeka, domestic violence is mostRead… Read more »
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is working to increase the transparency of his office with a new website. The website will allow visitors to track open records requests made to his office. Branstad has come up against criticism in the past for a lack of transparency in his administration and has slowly been working to correctRead… Read more »
Illegal immigrants will be able to apply for state money to attend American universities in California thanks to a new law signed by California Governor Jerry Brown. Under the terms of the law, illegal immigrants who have attended school in California will be eligible to apply for Cal-Grant aid to continue their educations. Last yearRead… Read more »
Maryland and Tennessee are working on new open government initiatives. The Maryland General Assembly started its first open government committee yesterday. The committee will study the state’s legislative process and make recommendations on how to improve the overall transparency of the state legislature. In Tennessee, state lawmakers are looking at a new measure that wouldRead… Read more »
Governor Dannel P. Malloy and business leaders from throughout Connecticut have partnered to launch Startup Connecticut, a new initiative to support entrepreneurship throughout the state. Startup Connecticut is the latest in a national effort coordinated by the Startup America Partnership to help small businesses create jobs. Connecticut is the third state to adopt a StartupRead… Read more »
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is asking the federal government for money to build her state’s health insurance exchange while simultaneously challenging the law. Arizona was one of the first states to get involved with the challenge to federal health care reform legislation, a fight which continues, the state is also seeking an exemption from healthRead… Read more »
Many states are vying for federal Race to the Top funds. In order to get these merit-based funds, states are required to perform annual teacher evaluations and submit overall performance records as part of the application process. However, often these evaluations remain hidden from the parents and students of these teachers. But recently,the New YorkRead… Read more »