Capitol Comments

Breakthrough in Stem-Cell Research

Groundbreaking new stem-cell research that uses ordinary skin cells instead of human embryos has done little to quell the moral quandary over stem-cell research.

President Bush in his State of the Union address Jan. 28 said the new research “has the potential to move us beyond the divisive debates of the past.”

That hasn’t happened since the breakthrough last November.

Instead, scientists around the world quickly cautioned that years of work remained to perfect the technique, and continuing work on embryonic stem cells is an essential part of that process. And, scientists said, they also need money to continue embryonic studies.

Several states—California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin—have continued to lead the world in financial and political support for stem-cell research. Three states—Iowa, Massachusetts and Missouri—have made the research legal, but not offered state funding, while six states—Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, North Dakota and South Dakota—have taken the path of most developed countries and restricted the studies.

For more information, visit Stateline.org.

Pigs will fly?

It’s the budget, and it’s not good. Not in many states, as governors across the country have highlighted financial problems in their state of the state addresses.

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine put it succinctly when he said: “Pigs will fly over the Statehouse before there’s a realistic level of new taxes or spending cuts that can fix this mess.”

His state is facing a $30 billion debt. Corzine said the state is in a hole, “and if we want to get out, we have to stop digging.”

Taking Action on Climate Change

Climate change is occurring at a rate faster than expected, according to experts at the eighth National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment, Climate Change: Science and Solutions, in Washington, D.C. last week. They believe action needs to be taken now to forestall the most severe projections from happening.

The conference hosted more than 1,200 leaders from the scientific, academic, industry and policymaking fields.  Among the plenary speakers were James Rogers, chairman, CEO and president of Duke Energy, the Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals, and Sherri Goodman a former deputy undersecretary of Defense for Environmental Security. 

Rogers said electricity producers must take steps to reduce their carbon footprints, supported by sound regulatory and legislative solutions. He also highlighted several initiatives Duke Energy has undertaken, including the purchase of renewable energy and increased efficiency. Cizik said the faith community must be involved more in the fight against climate change.  If the community is brought to understand the scope of the problem, he said, they can bring a tremendous force to bear. And Goodman said climate change poses national security risks for the United States, including massive population migration in low lying regions of the world and wars over natural resources, particularly water.  These impacts will create tensions and instabilities in regions of the world that could undermine U.S. interests.

CSG's Keon Chi Dies in Tragic Accident

The Council of State Governments is mourning the loss of Dr. Keon S. Chi, who died in a tragic traffic accident leaving work Wednesday, Jan. 9.

Dr. Chi was a nationally recognized expert on federalism and state government. He was a government and political science professor at nearby Georgetown College for 36 years.

Jo Griffith, executive assistant to the president at the college, told the Georgetown News-Graphic that Dr. Chi as a "was just a super individual and was loved by students and really supported the students."

Dr. Chi joined CSG in 1981 as a senior policy analyst and editor-in-chief of The Book of the States, the premier reference book on American state government published annual by CSG. He became a senior fellow in 1991.

After retiring from Georgetown College in 2006, Chi became director of CSG's National Center for State Governance. Before his death, Chi was organizing a workshop to be held in Lexington, Ky., May 29-June 1 where national experts on state government are expected to participate in a two-day workshop discussing transformation strategies for state governance and sharing political information about innovations that have worked in the states.

His wealth of knowledge, quick wit and sense of humor will be missed.

CSG Releases Report on State Medicaid Programs

Many state Medicaid programs spend almost 80 percent of their budgets treating individuals with chronic illness.

Some states are turning to disease management programs as a strategy to address cost and quality concerns, according to "Rural Medicaid Disease Management: Afterthought or Strategic Aim," a new report from The Council of State Governments. Disease management, which covers a range of activities designed to treat individuals with chronic illnesses, has been used in commercially insured populations to improve the quality of care and reduce costs associated with chronic disease.

CSG staff conducted a national survey of state programs to assess whether state Medicaid officials made any distinction in services provided to rural and urban residents, and whether the different needs of rural residents were addressed in program development and implementation.

States Can Get New Information on Mortgage Companies

Think your state should do more to monitor mortgage companies?

Now it can. The Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, an online database, will help states in their efforts to regulate those companies. If a mortgage company is punished in one state for fraud or predatory lending, other states in which that company does business will soon know about it.

When firms apply to open in new states, they are notified about infractions in other states, and could use that information to deny the company a license.

Seven states – Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York and Rhode Island – are participating in the registry, which kicked off Jan. 2. Another eight states are set to join by July; and more than 35 states are expected to participate by the end of 2009. Plans call for the public to be able to use the portal to see a company’s state record.

For more information on this story, visit Stateline.org.

Legislators Had Busy 2007

The 2007 legislative sessions brought new funding for schools in some states, new laws addressing illegal immigration in others, and more states considering expanded gambling to fatten the state coffers.

Here are some of the highlights: