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O'Malley Receives Highest Environmental Grade.

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters, a watchdog group that grades Maryland officials on their environmental records, gave Gov. Martin O’Malley the highest grade the organization has ever given to a governor: an A-minus. The group, which endorsed O’Malley during his 2006 campaign, praised the Democratic governor for supporting legislation last year aimed at reducing emissions from cars and trucks and for pushing through a package of energy bills this year that sets conservation goals and increases reliance on renewable energy. Also, the Natural Resources Defense Council released a report ranking state responses to oil dependency based on their actions to encourage fuel-efficient vehicles and cleaner fuels, and to promote smart growth and public transit. Maryland was among the top 10 states in the ranking.Read more

CAMPAIGN NEWS

WA – Gregoire Airs New Ad. The campaign to re-elect Gov. Chris Gregoire is on television with its first official campaign ad of the cycle. The ad focuses mainly on economic issues and continues with the campaign’s strategy of making President Bush an opposite entity from Gregoire and Washington state. It touches on local property taxes, namely re-instating the Tim Eyman-backed Initiative 747 this past winter that was overturned by the state Supreme Court, Forbes magazine’s ranking of Washington as a top 5 business climate, and the creation of new jobs with an emphasis on a so-called green economy. Watch here: Read more

MO – Nixon Unveils Innovative Health Care Plan. Jay Nixon unveiled a nearly $1 billion plan to expand health care for low-income Missourians and make low-cost health insurance available for every child in the state. Nixon said the sweeping changes he envisions would restore Medicaid services cut three years ago, help bring down the cost of health insurance and medical care and bring $700 million a year in federal funds back to Missouri. “Missouri’s health care system is broken,” Nixon said. “When Gov. Blunt and the Republican-controlled legislature slashed coverage for 400,000, our health care problem became nothing short of a crisis.”Read more

GENERAL NEWS

DE – Minner Signs Sexual Abuse Registry Law. Gov. Ruth Ann Minner signed a bill that will add the names of people found liable for sexual abuse to a court-administered public registry. The legislation was introduced to add a public notice segment to the 2007 Child Victim’s Act, which eliminated the civil statute of limitations in cases of child sexual abuse. The new law requires a “Civil Sexual Abuse Report” to be posted in courthouses and on the court’s Web site, including the name and address of the defendant, plus the offense for which he or she was found liable. Read more

MA – Patrick Welcomes New Jobs. The decision by Philips Electronics to move its North American headquarters to Massachusetts should create a domino effect, drawing more manufacturing firms to the Interstate 93 corridor, Gov. Deval Patrick said. The Dutch company made the official announcement during a press conference. Initially, the move should bring 50 to 75 additional jobs to Andover with the promise of more to follow. Read more

NJ – Corzine: New Jersey and Israel, Perfect Together. Israeli venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and research scientists are inquiring about potential business opportunities in New Jersey, Gov. Jon S. Corzine said. The governor, on his second day on the trade mission to Israel, said his meetings are focusing on three areas: economic, cultural and geopolitical, which includes terrorism and homeland security issues. “Our most important purpose is to try and create economic connections between the New Jersey and Israeli business community, particularly in biotech and clean tech,” Corzine said. “I do believe there is an enormous opportunity. Israel is focused on biotech and alternative energy, and efficiency and conservation measures that are very applicable to New Jersey.” Read more

NY – Paterson Welcomes Affordable Housing. Crosswinds at Hudson is a 70-unit workforce housing development that is the first of its kind in the city of Hudson and Columbia County. The ribbon-ceremony attracted more than 100 people, including Gov. David Paterson. He said that with house and apartment prices rising, there is a need for affordable housing for the area’s workforce. Paterson also said the state has increased the funding it provides for affordable housing initiatives from $100 million to $300 million. Among the units in the Crosswinds at Hudson development, 11 have been set aside for people with physical disabilities.Read more

OH – Strickland’s Vision for Public School Reform Receives High Marks. Gov. Ted Strickland’s vision of an education system tailored to meet individual student needs with greater opportunity for innovation was well-received by the educators, parents and others who gathered in Columbus for the governor’s first forum on education. “There is a tendency in our schools to emphasize sameness,” Strickland said. While gathering ideas and taking questions from the crowd of about 200 and e-mails from viewers, Strickland talked about a more interdisciplinary approach, hands-on learning and small-group work.Read more

TN – Bredesen Celebrates Eco-Friendly HQ. Nissan North America welcomed “home” its 1,500 headquarters employees Tuesday as it unveiled the company’s curved glass-and-steel headquarters that sits along Interstate 65 in Franklin. Gov. Phil Bredesen joined Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn to officially christen the $100 million, 450,000-square-foot structure as a crowd of state and local dignitaries sat politely sweltering in the midmorning sun. “Here in Tennessee, Nissan has not only been a powerful economic engine, it’s been the driving force in the development of the entire automobile sector across our state,” Bredesen said. “The decision to put down roots with the new Nissan North America headquarters is a vote of confidence in Tennessee.” Read more

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