December 23, 2008
In This Edition: Story Ideas to Catch Up on During the Holiday Season
Capitol Ideas is a periodic listing of story ideas and background information from new NCSL research. For more information, contact NCSL's Press Team.
Unemployment Trust Fund Chart
More than 2.5 million jobs disappeared in 2008, and close to 4 million unemployed workers currently receive unemployment benefits. The National Conference of State Legislatures has a new chart on state unemployment trust funds. The chart breaks down unemployment rates for each state and the current trust fund balance. The U.S. Department of Labor recommends that states maintain a balance to sufficiently cover benefits for one year during a typical recession. Five states currently face critical shortfalls in their trust fund accounts, with reserves of less than three months to cover benefits. Another eight states have reserves of less than six months and six states have less than a year in reserve.
State Immigrant and Immigration Laws in 2008
Thirteen states passed laws regarding immigrant employment, and 16 states enacted legislation related to driver's and professional licenses for immigrants, according to a new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures' Immigrant Policy Project. Our report details state laws and resolutions relating to immigration and immigrants that were enacted in 2008.
Top 9 Issues of '09
The nation's economic engine will be the overriding factor in the issues state legislatures will consider in 2009, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures' annual forecast of top policy issues. NCSL's Top 9 Issues of '09 is not reflective of every issue legislatures will grapple with during the upcoming year, but rather an overview of some of the top issues expected to cross state lines and be dominant themes next year in state legislative sessions.
Capital in Transition
During the days and weeks before the inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009, NCSL will provide President-elect Barack Obama's transition team with information and analysis on an array of issues relevant to states. Our Capital in Transition web page serves as a clearinghouse of white papers, policy briefs and other essential statistics to help the various agencies and departments transition into the next administration.
Current State Budget Crisis
States, which already have closed a collective budget gap of $40 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2009, face at least an additional $97 billion they must close over the next 18 to 24 months, according to a national report issued today by the National Conference of State Legislatures. NCSL's State Budget Update: November 2008 takes a comprehensive look at the next two-year budget period identifying nearly $137 billion in budget gaps. For a copy of the report, credentialed members of the media should contact our press team.
NCSL is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.
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