New York Streamlines Access to Health Care for Children
New York Governor David A. Paterson has signed legislation that will increase access to health care for children by linking enrollment in the state's school lunch program with health insurance coverage.
Under the new law, a child's enrollment in the school meals program will serve as sufficient proof of income eligibility for health insurance coverage under Child Health Plus or Medicaid. This policy will streamline the enrollment pathway to Medicaid and Child Health Plus through gained administrative efficiencies and the consolidation of documentation procedures
(Contact: Caryn Marks)
Maine Funds School-Based Flu Vaccination Clinics
Maine Governor John Baldacci has issued an executive order to provide flu vaccination clinics in state schools. Specifically, the order directs the Maine Emergency Management Agency to coordinate with the state's health and education agencies to designate appropriate health care personnel to participate in school-based vaccination clinics. The order requires that this year's flu vaccine, a three-in-one dose covering the H1N1 strain and two seasonal strains, be provided to all students and staff at no cost.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that all children receive the flu vaccine this year. To protect schools from potential liability issues, the order will provide immunity from tort liability for those who administer the vaccines.
(Contact: Jason Hsieh)
Ohio Eliminates Property Taxes for Advanced Energy
Governor Ted Strickland has signed an Executive Order to accelerate adoption of new regulations that eliminate property taxes on newly constructed renewable or advanced energy facilities in the state. The executive order expedites the implementation of rules outlined in previous legislation that eliminate tangible personal property taxes and real property taxes on eligible energy projects that begin construction before January 2012. Eligible energy sources include:
- Renewables;
- Clean coal;
- Advanced nuclear; and
- Cogeneration.
(Contact: Andrew Kambour)
Michigan Adds State Park Pass Option to Vehicle Registration Renewal
Michigan residents are now able to purchase the Department of Natural Resources and Environment's (DNRE) Recreation Passport, designed to encourage residents to visit state parks and recreation areas, while establishing a stable funding stream for the parks. Michigan residents can now opt to purchase the Passport for $10 when they renew their vehicle registration, with the Passport valid for the length of the vehicle registration.
The new Recreation Passport replaces the $24 annual state park pass, previously only available for purchase at state parks or recreation areas. DNRE officials believe the reduced cost and ease of purchase will encourage residents to support state parks by purchasing the Passport. Collecting the fees through yearly vehicle registration will help create a more consistent funding stream to pay for state park maintenance and enhancement. It will also reduce the need for park staff at entry stations, freeing the staff to do park programming, maintenance and security patrols.
(Contact: Andrew Kambour)
Oregon University System Offers Pre-Engineering Prep Grants to K-12 Schools
Oregon will offer two pre-engineering grant opportunities to K-12 schools, aimed at preparing Oregon's students for higher education in engineering. The first program, known as eCHAMP, helps schools fund coaches and mentors to support robotics and engineering youth teams, which are modeled after athletic teams. The other program, called Project Lead the Way, is a nationally recognized high school pre-engineering curriculum.
The grants will support the continuation of these programs through the Oregon University System and the Oregon Engineering and Technology Industry Council (ETIC). ETIC is a public-private partnership launched by the Oregon legislature in 1997 to promote collaboration between the state's universities and industries.
(Contact: Amanda Szekely)
Virginia Pilot Project to Replace Textbooks with iPads
Virginia's Department of Education launched a pilot project in four school districts to explore the potential of digital textbooks to enhance teaching and learning and reduce state textbook costs. This fall, 300 students will use Apple iPads loaded with interactive content instead of traditional history textbooks. The initiative is supported with a grant from the Governor's Productivity Investment Fund and products and services donated by private-sector partners. School districts were selected to participate in the pilot program based on the infrastructure and support required for the initiative and existing relationships with participating textbook publishers.
(Contact: Amanda Szekely)
Delaware Launches Online Student Assessment
Schools in Delaware have begun administering the new online Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS) this week. The new research-based assessment is based on higher student proficiency standards and will measure academic performance over the course of the year. Students will take online exams up to four times per year, with results available within 48 hours. This will allow teachers to identify areas of strength and weakness and tailor instruction to students' needs. The assessment system was developed with input from education and business leaders, parents and other community leaders throughout the state. Since the State Board of Education has established higher proficiency standards, it is expected that the number of students reaching proficiency will decrease in the short term and will gradually increase as students master the state's more rigorous curriculum.
(Contact: Amanda Szekely)
Illinois to Create Veteran Housing Complex
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn recently committed $4 million to build a housing development that will provide housing and supportive services for homeless veterans. The development brings together funding from a range of sources including the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The housing complex will provide housing for up to 80 veterans, as well as employment readiness classes, job training and coaching, computer training, a business resource center, a health and wellness clinic, recovery resources and individual counseling.
(Contact: Erin Sparks)
Maine Website Connects College Students with Jobs and Internships
A new workforce development tool sponsored by the Maine Chamber of Commerce, InternHelpME.com, uses a web-based system to match students in Maine's higher education institutions with employers in the state for internship experiences. The website will solve a series of workforce needs for the state which include:
- Addressing the aging workforce;
- Giving Maine businesses access to a skilled workforce; and
- Providing an economic development tool for business attraction.
(Contact: Garrett Groves)
Florida Evacuation Strategy to Use Data Mapping
The Florida Department of Emergency Management is updating hurricane evacuation plans with modern data mapping of the Florida coast. The Florida Coastal Mapping project brings together data collected via LIDAR, or light-detection measurement tools, and emergency management plans to create a powerful system for hurricane planning. The new data can be used for computer modeling of approaching hurricanes, allowing emergency managers to make more accurate predictions and preparing for evacuation and mitigation. Florida's transportation groups and the American Red Cross have also begun using the new data in their plans for evacuation routes and mass disaster care.
(Contact: David Henry)
Michigan Targets Drivers with High Blood Alcohol Levels
Beginning October 31, intoxicated drivers in Michigan with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.17 or higher will face harsher sanctions than those with a BAC between the state legal limit of 0.08 and 0.16. Punishments include mandatory alcohol treatment, fines up to $8,000, longer prison sentences and a driver's license suspension of 45 days. To regain driving privileges after the penalty period, first-time offenders must buy an ignition interlock, which tests a driver's breath and allows the car to run only if the driver is sober. In 2009, nearly one in three Michigan drivers given an alcohol test had a BAC of .17 or above. The new law does not affect repeat offenders or people who face a felony for causing death, injury or damage.
(Contact: David Henry)
Other News
Report Highlights Benefits of Intelligent Transportation Systems
A report by four leading transportation organizations showcases new and cost-effective technologies and strategies state can use to increase highway capacity and reduce traffic congestion. The report, Smart Mobility for a 21st Century America, provides recommendations for developing and implementing technology-based "intelligent" transportation systems (ITS), which integrate information technology and telecommunications to improve the safety and efficiency of vehicles and transportation infrastructure. These recommendations include the use of incentives, dedicated funding and competitive grants to stimulate innovation. The authors note that ITS can yield a $40 return in time and fuel savings for every $1 invested.
The report recommends five categories of cost-saving innovations:
- Making transportation systems more efficient and cost effective;
- Increasing multimodal connectivity;
- Providing travelers with real-time, accurate transportation system information;
- Making pricing and payments more convenient and efficient; and
- Avoiding unnecessary trips and time wasted in traffic.
The report also provides 14 international, state and local case studies to illustrate intelligent mobility best practices. One case study described a program in Washington that provided incentives for employees of large companies to pursue alternatives to single-occupant vehicle driving. The program saved drivers in the Central Puget Sound $59 each annually, while reducing weekday congestion.
(Contact: Carmen Ferro)
Report Outlines Costs of Incarceration for Families
A new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts outlines how incarceration can affect the economic mobility of inmates and their families. Overall, incarceration was found to reduce the earnings of former inmates by 40 percent. The economic effects of incarceration can have a profound impact on families, as more than 2.7 million U.S. children have an incarcerated parent. This is particularly true for minorities, where one out of every nine African American children has a parent in prison compared to one in 57 for White children. Other statistics from the report include:
- More than two-thirds of all male inmates were employed prior to incarceration;
- More than half of all men were the primary source of financial support for their children prior to incarceration;
- Adults who have been incarcerated work an average of nine weeks less per year and earn approximately 11 percent less than adults who have never been incarcerated.
College Dropouts Cost States Billions
A new report found that state and federal governments spent more than $9 billion over a five-year period (2003-2008) to support students at four-year colleges and universities who dropped out before their sophomore year. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) study finds that these costs included: $6.2 billion in state appropriations for colleges and universities, $1.4 billion in state grants to students, and $1.5 billion in federal grants to students. The study did not examine community colleges, where first-year dropout rates are even higher. The information in this report serves as the foundation for a new website, CollegeMeasures.org, which includes searchable data on college performance and expenditures for all 50 states, six metropolitan areas and more than 1500 institutions.
(Contact: Amanda Szekely)
Study Finds Police Body Armor to Be Cost Effective
According to a RAND Corporation study, providing body armor to all law enforcement officers would provide enough benefit to justify the cost. Analyzing police officer shootings over a four year period, the study found that outfitting the 236,000 police officers currently without armor would result in a cost of $26 million per year compared with the economic value of the lives saved each year at an estimated $51 million. The cost of providing body armor is typically shared by the federal government and local law enforcement agencies. In addition, the study found that wearing body armor more than tripled a police officer's survival rate in a shootout.
(Contact: Carmen Ferro)
Case Studies Examine Benefits, Lessons of Health IT in Medicaid-CHIP
The Agency for Health Research and Quality has released five case studies exploring how states have implemented Health IT and/or health information technology to improve the quality of care for Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries. The studies highlight lessons-learned in navigating state privacy laws; how states have leveraged existing leadership structures to support the HITECH requirements and increase participation in health IT/HIE activities; and the potential of public-private partnerships to increase the success of an initiative, among other issues.
The case studies are:
- Leveraging Existing Leadership to Support Health IT and HIE: Lessons Learned from Minnesota's Medical Assistance Program;
- Developing an Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program: Lessons Learned from New York Medicaid;
- Developing a Universal Consent Form: Lessons Learned from Florida Medicaid
- Collaborating to Improve the Quality of Care: Lessons Learned from the Alabama Medicaid Agency and
- Health Information Exchange: Revolutionizing the Healthcare System (Georgia).
(Contact: Caryn Marks)
What's New
NGA Center Brief Shows Governors and States Redesigning, Streamlining Government
The NGA Center has released an Issue Brief, State Government Redesign Efforts 2009 and 2010, outlining state actions to streamline and downsize government to meet the new economic reality facing states. The redesign efforts highlighted in the brief fall into seven broad categories: corrections; K-12 education; higher education; employee costs; shared services and agency consolidation; privatization and asset sales; and tax expenditures.
For more information on the fiscal conditions of states and state redesign efforts, visit the NGA State Fiscal Information page or the NGA Redesigning State Government page. An update to the fiscal information will be released in December.
(Contact: Lauren Stewart)
