{"id":26008,"date":"2008-01-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-01-02T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2008\/01\/02\/legislative-roundup-2007-marked-by-activism\/"},"modified":"2024-04-13T23:51:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T04:51:35","slug":"legislative-roundup-2007-marked-by-activism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2008\/01\/02\/legislative-roundup-2007-marked-by-activism\/","title":{"rendered":"Legislative Roundup: 2007 Marked by Activism"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer<\/p>\n\n

\n
\"Table\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n

States are in rebellion over Washington’s actions — and inaction — on some of the nation’s most pressing problems.<\/p>\n\n

Disgusted with federal gridlock, states are carving out their own global-warming and immigration laws and are warning they simply may ignore Uncle Sam’s costly plan for tough national standards for driver’s licenses.<\/p>\n\n

And while proposals to expand health care to the uninsured are presidential campaign fodder going nowhere in Congress, at least a dozen states acted in 2007 to cover more uninsured children. They did so even though they were caught in a crossfire between Congress and the Bush administration over whether to boost federal funding for health care for low-income children.<\/p>\n\n

Not all the headlines from state capitols in 2007 dealt with policy. Also grabbing attention were New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s (D) near-fatal traffic accident that brought renewed attention to seat-belt safety; a corruption sting in Alaska’s Statehouse that led to bribery convictions of three former lawmakers; and budget impasses in Pennsylvania and Michigan that resulted in short-lived government shutdowns.<\/p>\n\n

These are just some of the highlights of 2007 that set the stage for the coming presidential election year. 2007 may be best-remembered, however, as the year many states upended the presidential primary calendar to give their voters a greater say in choosing candidates. Voters in 23 states are to choose presidential nominees on Feb. 5, turning it into “Super-duper” Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n

Apart from the elections, states are entering 2008 with growing unease over the economy, worried that big plans to expand health care or fix crumbling bridges may have to wait. A slumping housing market and skimpier sales-tax collections created a $14 billion hole in California’s budget, while New York was eyeing $4.3 billion in red ink and Florida $2.5 billion in projected deficits.<\/p>\n\n

Read the full report at stateline.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n

And check out Stateline.org’s 50-state look at the cutting-edge policy trends<\/a> (and colorful events) in statehouses during 2007.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Disgusted with federal gridlock, states are carving out their own global-warming and immigration laws and expanding health coverage for uninsured 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