States taking state education into their own hands
The Washington Post
The backlash against the Common Core has prompted lawmakers in at least 12 states to get more involved in setting their own K-12 academic standards, injecting politics into a process usually conducted in obscurity by bureaucrats. NCSL's Daniel Thatcher quoted.

In Colorado, lines drawn for election battle over fracking
The Los Angeles Times
When Rep. Jared Polis found that a 100-foot tower and a drilling operation had been built last year across the road from his weekend home, he told his story on YouTube, predicting that by fighting for "sensible regulations" he would become the anti-fracking "poster boy."  NCSL research cited.
 

Florida legislature to meet Thursday to draw up new map
Florida Times Union
Confronted with a judge's ruling to swiftly redraw the state's congressional districts, Florida's House speaker disclosed extraordinary plans late Sunday to convene a rare summer special session to devise a new map.

Hit the brakes on red? Not necessarily in Idaho
Idaho Statesman
Idaho is one of 37 states with what is known as a permissive yellow light law. That means that even if only the front bumper of a car has entered the intersection before a light turns red, the motorist may proceed through the intersection.

Court rulings add urgency to state exchange decisions
Stateline
Only the District of Columbia and 14 states — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington — have established state exchanges and are on firm legal ground, according to the decision, Halbig v. Burwell.

How does your state rank at earning tourism dollars?
The Washington Post\
From a public policy perspective no state does a better job attracting visitors than Indiana. That’s because its tourism office gets a better return on its investment than any other state.