Around the Nation

In Oklahoma and around the nation, discussion continues about how to govern, make citizens' lives better and how legislation will work. Here's a sample of what's happening.

Oklahoma State House, Jan. 11, 2007
"OK Rep. Wants to Televise State Government"
Oklahomans may soon have the opportunity to observe state government in a new way. State Representative Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie) today announced sponsorship of House Bill 1039, which requires the creation of C-SPAN style televised content of legislative floor and committee meetings, state executive board meetings and supreme court proceedings.
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Tulsa World, Jan. 16, 2007
"BA Needs Police Academy, Chief Says"
The typical rookie police officer in Oklahoma is required to have dramatically less training than the average state-licensed beginning cosmetologist.
For that reason and more, Broken Arrow Police Chief Todd Wuestewald is on a quest to get his department its own training academy.
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Detroit Free Press (Jan. 14, 2007)
"School Elections Shift to Fall"
The state's poor economy is prompting a growing number of metro Detroit school districts to do what critics have demanded for years: abandon holding school board elections in the spring.
Boards of education in the Avondale, Berkley, Birmingham, Rochester, Royal Oak and Waterford districts in Oakland County and the Lake Shore district in Macomb County have voted to move their races to November. Others, including Bloomfield Hills Schools, are considering it.
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Jan. 13, 2007)
"New Speaker Begins State House Cleaning"
HARRISBURG -- Newly elected state House Speaker Dennis O'Brien is making good on his promise to change the way the House operates.
In what he called his first official action as speaker, Mr. O'Brien yesterday selected chairmen of a bipartisan committee that will recommend ways to make the House more open and accessible to the public.
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The Salt Lake Tribune (Jan. 14, 2007)
"Poll Shows Utahns, Legislature Priorities Don't Match Up"
Utahns want lawmakers to spend a projected $1.6 billion surplus first on public education. A tax cut is lower on their list of priorities. Much lower.
But legislators are poised to give Utahns a tax cut ranging from $100 million to $300 million anyway - whether they want it or not.
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Boston Globe (Jan. 15, 2007)
"Job Program for Welfare Recipients Falls Flat"
A central piece of the state's sweeping welfare reform, which sought to enlist Massachusetts companies to hire and train welfare recipients, has failed to attract employers and is virtually defunct, records show.
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Sacramento Bee (Jan. 16, 2007)
"Prison Plan Vexes Counties"
County officials in California are expressing concern to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation over a proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to raise the minimum state prison term from one to three years.
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