Colorado signed several reforms into law today that will redesign how teachers are evaluated and awarded tenure. Colorado is just one of several states looking at ways to change how teachers are evaluated as pressure grows from frustrated parents and federal funding programs like Race to the Top require more emphasis to be placed onRead… Read more »
Federal authorities are investigating how the rates are set for the matching Medicaid dollars from the federal government, which are used to help the state pay for health care coverage for the poorest of its citizens. The investigation follows allegations from David Feinwachs, a former lawyer for the Minnesota Hospital Association that a lack ofRead… Read more »
The South Dakota legislature is looking at health care but not to make changes to Medicare, Medicaid or other health services but instead to plan for what might happen if federal health care reform is ruled unconstitutional later this year. A House committee is calling for a fundamental restructuring of state insurance regulations should theRead… Read more »
Optimum Lightpath has announced a new Government Services Suite. The company provides telecom services in the New York area and has released the suite for local government offices as a means of decreasing telecommunications costs and increasing collaboration between offices and departments. Features in the suite will allow government offices to implement telework programs, supportRead… Read more »
Google is joining a coalition of companies, communities and activists encouraging Georgia state Senators to vote against a bill that would effectively limit municipal broadband in the state. The was introduced by a Republican lawmaker who claims that government networks unfairly compete with private providers. The bill SB 313 introduced by Sen. Majority Leader ChipRead… Read more »
Two states are making strides in improving transparency in government. The Georgia Supreme Court ruled Monday that votes taken in open meetings must be recorded, even if they are not roll-call votes. In New Mexico, the Senate has just approved a bill that will make information about employees of government contractors available online to theRead… Read more »
Federal health care reform is facing more hurdles, this time with states that agreed to move forward implementing requirements before a Supreme Court ruling on the law. Some lawmakers and health insurance advocates in Pennslyvania are pushing back on the state’s plan for its health insurance exchange saying that as currently written the plan skewsRead… Read more »
New Jersey is looking at two bills that would reform exiting open meetings and open records laws in the state. Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) introduced the bills which are designed to broaden access to government records and increase transparency. The bills follow a year of harsh criticism over the state officials love/hate relationshipRead… Read more »
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is giving states funds to support the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act. The act builds on existing voting rights for individuals in the military or American citizens living abroad, by ensuring that they are still allowed to vote in their local US elections and have those votesRead… Read more »
Some Georgia lawmakers are taking a page from North Carolina’s playbook in order to limit municipal broadband projects in the state. Georgia Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers is sponsoring a bill that he says is designed to keep government from unfairly competing against incumbent broadband providers. The bill makes the same kinds of arguments includedRead… Read more »