Capitol Comments

States Ponder Recording of Death Penalty Cases

By Jennifer Horne Boyter

The large number of post-conviction exonerations based on DNA testing has led many states to consider how to lessen the chances of wrongfully convicting someone for a crime he did not commit.

Electronic recording of custodial interrogations has emerged as a popular and powerful innovation for state criminal justice systems, especially in homicide cases.   

Recording interrogations provides an objective record of a critical phase in the investigation that later can be carefully reviewed for inconsistencies and used to evaluate the demeanor of the suspect. These recordings not only help guard against false accusations of police coercion, but also allow prosecutors, judges and juries to assess whether the defendant’s statement is both credible and voluntary, helping to prevent wrongful convictions. 

Whatley Named CSG Washington Office Director

The Council of State Governments has a new leader in its Washington, D.C., office. Chris Whatley, who has served CSG as director of international affairs for eight years, has been named Washington Office director effective Aug. 18.

In announcing the appointment, CSG Executive Director Dan Sprague said Whatley is well-qualified to lead the office. “Chris has a good understanding of the wide range of Washington, D.C., office responsibilities and is well-prepared for this position,” Sprague said.

Whatley joined CSG in November 2000 and has directed international initiatives and federal advocacy campaigns while also serving as staff director for CSG’s affiliated association of international trade directors, The State International Development Organizations, or SIDO.

“Chris has significant experience working with federal constitutional principles and with experts in African nations,” Sprague said. “He has staffed a start-up affiliate organization of state trade directors and assisted in establishing SIDO as an effective influence on federal trade policy.”

Read the full press release about Whatley's appointment.

Governors Drive Innovations in the South

Southern governors are in a hotbed of innovation in the midst of tough budget times—according to a special roundtable discussion held at the Southern Governors’ Association conference.

“Challenging times give you more opportunity to make substantive change,” Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine saidat the session Sunday, Aug. 10.

The first area ripe for innovation is diabetes treatment and prevention, according to a representative from Novo Nordisk, a Denmark-based health care company that specializes in diabetes therapies.

According to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 million people have diabetes nationwide—double the number of people with the disease in the early 1990s.

Southern Governors Discuss Energy, the 100 Pound Gorilla

By Mikel Chaversmchavers@csg.org

In 2005, when Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine was running for office, energy just wasn't on the minds of voters. When Kaine took office in January 2006, the state didn't even have an energy plan, Kaine said Monday at the Southern Governors' Association meeting in West Virginia.

In the more than two years since, Kaine's state--like so many states now--has come up with an energy plan and looked at renewable fuels.

Energy and how the nation provides energy to homes and businesses has gone from a backburner issue to a major issue, Kaine said.

Governors Pay Tribute to Alan Sokolow

Alan Sokolow’s 41 years of distinguished service to The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference was recognized Monday by the 12 governors in the CSG/ERC. Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell read a proclamation signed by the chief executives in the ERC states, provinces, territories and Puerto Rico. At the podium with Sokolow were (right to left) Rell, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas and Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. The three governors have all served as national presidents of CSG. They also share the experience of being introduced to CSG while serving as legislators, where they first met Sokolow. The retiring director thanked the governors in a heartfelt speech that drew tears and a standing ovation.

Transportation Needs Shifting

Declining revenue and a skeptical public are among the barriers state officials must overcome to fund the improvements needed in the nation’s aging infrastructure.

The country is undergoing a “paradigm shift, a departure from where we were in the 1950s,”  Kris Kolluri, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, said Monday during a Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference transportation committee meeting.

Transportation: A National Perspective on Freight and Goods Movement

In terms of substance policy, and finance, the U.S. infrastructure system is broken, a member of a bipartisan national transportation commission said during The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference annual meeting.

Frank McArdle from the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission opened the transportation policy meeting by providing a bleak outlook on the state of infrastructure.

Meeting the Energy Challenge for the Northeast

Oil prices have slid from their historic highs earlier this summer, but households in the Northeast are still going to pay record prices to heat their homes with heating oil or natural gas this winter, experts participating in a Monday afternoon energy panel during The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference  annual meeting said.

The average household is expected to pay 30 percent to 35 percent more than last winter for heating oil – when prices also set record highs – and around 25 percent more for natural gas, said Doug MacIntyre, director of the Energy Markets and Contingency Information Division at the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The Urban Agenda

The time is right for the federal government to pay greater attention to states, metro areas and cities, Philadelphia Mayor Michael K. Nutter said yesterday.

In his keynote speech—called Urban Agenda—for The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference annual meeting, Nutter called for the federal government to support creative programs to help urban areas.

“There’s no doubt that the winds of change have been beating down on Washington D.C., and there’s no doubt that change is coming very soon,” Nutter said.

Nutter described Philadelphia’s successful push to reduce crime and high school dropout rates and increase its population. He said about 25 percent of Philadelphia residents live below the poverty line.

Governors’ Roundtable Assembles

The federal government has done too little to support state governments, and states have to work together to be economically successful.

That was the sentiment among five Northeastern governors, who said at a roundtable meeting Monday that states need to find creative ways to improve roads, create jobs, lower heating costs and develop alternative energy sources.

The roundtable, called Governing in Tough Fiscal Times, featured Gov. Jon Corzine of New Jersey, Gov. M. Jodi Rell of Connecticut, Gov. Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware, Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont and Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania. It was held during the annual meeting of The Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference.