From the Dispatch

Anticipating Federal Reform, States Move on Reining in Insurance Abuses and Implementation

Enzo Pastore — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:29:47 -0700

Highlighting the outrage at insurance industry abuses pushing Congress towards a final decision on federal health care reform, state legislators continue to advance their own insurance reforms, even as they lay the groundwork for implementing the policies that will emerge in a federal bill.

States Move Forward on Health Care Reforms

Enzo Pastore — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:01:57 -0800

As Congress debates the last steps needed to pass historic comprehensive health care reform, state legislators continue to press forward their efforts to enact state reforms as well as lay the groundwork for implementing reforms in a federal bill. Here is a summary of some of the most recent developments taking place across the country.

How States Fare Under Obama’s Health Reform Blueprint

Enzo Pastore — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:16:42 -0800

This week, President Obama released his blueprint for comprehensive health care legislation. The plan 's release means Obama can outline the specifics of what he wants to see in a final bill for the first time. Many political observers see the decision to outline specifics as not only a jump start to move health care reform across the finish line but also as a stamp of approval for the Senate to use a majority vote through the reconciliation process, a strategy which appears to be gaining momentum.

State Policymakers Need to Respond to Growing Clout of Latino Voters Nationwide

Suman Raghunathan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:19:43 -0800

A recent report from the advocacy group America’s Voice highlighted the growing power of Latino voters in the upcoming 2010 elections. Latino voters played a critical role in 2008 to propel President Obama to victory in several key swing states that previously trended Republican, including Virginia. Latino voter registration and turnout rates have exploded over the past few years: roughly 10 million voted in the 2008 Presidential election alone, a 2.5 million increase from 2004 and 4 million person increase since 2000. Latino voter registration grew by over 54% between 2000 and 2008, and turnout grew 64% over the same time period.

Targeting Insurance Abuses as a Path to Federal Health Reform

Enzo Pastore — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:13:13 -0800

This Dispatch will: highlight a few of the state insurance reform campaigns underway and the health insurance problems they highlight; detail how to message these campaigns to support federal reform; provide a roundup of policy options and model bills for other states interested in moving similar insurance reforms; and end with a set of resources on the campaign, including national policy organizations, key reports, and bills moving across the country.

Job Creation and State Fiscal Relief Resolutions Moving in the States

Altaf Rahamatulla — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:12:03 -0800

In the State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama stated, "...jobs must be our number-one focus in 2010, and that's why I'm calling for a new jobs bill." With the fiscal crisis forcing states to layoff hundreds of thousands of teachers, nurses and police officers, the need for more federal job creation and state fiscal relief support is clear. And there is substantial momentum building around this issue in the states.

Hypocrisy of "State Rights" Conservatives on Health Care

Nathan Newman — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:08:45 -0800

Both national conservative leaders and a number of state legislators have attacked the current federal health bills as infringing on "state sovereignty." Yet they oddly ignore the fact that two of the main planks in conservative health proposals proposed by Congressional leaders -- allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines and overriding state medical malpractice laws through "tort reform" -- are far clearer attacks on state authority.

While DC Delays, States Move Forward on Health Care Reforms

Enzo Pastore — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:18:25 -0800

As Congress delays moving forward on the passage of comprehensive health care reform, progressive state leaders from across the country have been demanding passage of reform as critical for families across the nation. But that doesn't mean they are waiting; state leaders are moving forward, laying the groundwork for how national changes should be implemented, and creating the momentum for other meaningful health care reforms in their states.

State Leaders Weigh in on Final Health Care Reform Bill

Enzo Pastore — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:03:40 -0800

As the U.S. Congress enters its final push to enact health care reform legislation, state legislators working with Progressive States Network have been raising their voices to make sure key state concerns are addressed in final negotiations.

Take Action: Additional Federal Job Creation and State Fiscal Relief Needed

Altaf Rahamatulla — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:34:38 -0800

With the new year, Progressive States Network is working with allies to launch a campaign to demand a new, federal job creation plan that includes fiscal relief to state and local governments in order to foster economic growth and create and maintain jobs. We are asking state legislators to sign onto a letter to promote this job creation plan, the full text of which can be seen at www.progressivestates.org/jobcreation. Legislators can sign the letter at www.progressivestates.org/jobcreation or by emailing jobcreation@progressivestates.org.