By Mark Lisheron | Texas Watchdog AUSTIN — The board of directors for the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association this morning hired an actuarial firm to help the board decide on a rate increase for its policyholders. With an actuarial staff already in-house, TWIA board members called on Merlinos & Associates, a Georgia company, to act as “another set [...]Read More>>

By Steven Allen Adams | West Virginia Watchdog CHARLESTON — Two lawmakers who support requiring prescriptions for cold medicines containing ingredients used in the making methamphetaminesay the bill will put the hurt on local meth labs, but can’t guarantee that demand for the powerful narcotic will decease. Last week, lawmakers introduced SB 346, called theLarry Border Act. If passed, [...]Read More>>

By Michael Noyes | Montana Watchdog HELENA – By all accounts the Republicans will likely have already chosen a presidential candidate by the time Montana voters go to the polls in June. “Historically speaking, the nomination is usually decided long before Montanans cast a vote,” state Republican Party Chairman Bowen Greenwood said. That doesn’t mean Republicans in [...]Read More>>

By Joe Jordan | Nebraska Watchdog LINCOLN – Despite the backing of the state’s top lawmaker, a push to tighten Nebraska’s conflict of interest law is apparently dead. Nebraska Watchdog has learned that a bill aimed solely at state senators—to try and keep them from voting on issues where they have a conflict— is going nowhere. The bill, which [...]Read More>>

By Mike Cronin | Texas Watchdog HOUSTON — When the Houston school system awarded a grounds-keeping contract to the eighth-lowest bidder last year — to a company that charged almost twice the low bid — administrators stood by their decision, saying their contracting processes were fair, transparent and legal. But a sweeping performance audit by a national [...]Read More>>

By Mike Klein | GPPF Forum ATLANTA — There was a whale in the room Thursday morning at the State Capitol. THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. Read More>>

By ChoiceMedia.TV YouTube The Story of How the NY NAACP Sued Charter Schools Serving Black Kids As school choice becomes more integrated into the fabric of American public education, teachers unions have been using a new tactic to fight these reforms: the lawsuit.  And it’s making for strange bedfellows. The United Federation of Teachers, the New York City [...]Read More>>

Governor Jerry Brown frequently touts his record of putting our children’s education first. During his campaign and on his website he boasts about increasing educational funding and establishing charter schools. That is why Californian’s should be appalled by his decision to hold K-12 education hostage in an attempt to fix California’s $9.2 billion budget deficit. This [...]Read More>>

By Patrick B. McGuigan OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Right to work is in the news again. Under the leadership of Gov. Mitch Daniels, Indiana is about to enact reform despite Democrat legislators’ efforts to block it by boycotting the House. They may have blocked approval late this week, but party leaders admit the bill will pass [...]Read More>>

ChoiceMedia.TV In Wednesday’s State of the State address, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo vowed to make education reform a key priority in 2012. “We must make our schools accountable for the results they achieve and the dollars they spend,” he said. Cuomo explained how, in his first year as governor, he learned that everyone in public education – [...]Read More>>