Pennsylvania
Advocates Flunk Lawmakers on Reforms
Citizens' advocacy groups from all parts of the political spectrum that joined to fight last year's legislative pay raises - later repealed after a sustained public outcry - have given lawmakers failing grades on their efforts to reform legislative procedures and let the public know what's going on at the Capitol.
MORE: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

New York State
GOP Lawmakers Raking in Campaign Cash
Polls say New York Republicans are on the ropes, but the state Senate’s majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, and his Republican conference are ending the 2006 election season with a gusher of cash, showing they remain a formidable political force as Bruno works to preserve his 35-to-27 majority.
MORE: New York Times

Same-Sex Marriage

New Jersey legislative leaders say lawmakers will respond quickly to the state Supreme Court's order for equal rights for same-sex couples and that that response will likely allow civil unions, not marriage.
MORE: Newark Star-Ledger

Politics

More than 6,000 state legislative seats in 46 states are on the Nov. 7 ballot, and the cumulative impact of the outcomes could be immense, with Democrats possibly gaining control of a majority of state capitols for the first time in a decade.
MORE: New York Times

A shift of five seats or fewer could cost Republicans their majority in one or both legislative chambers in seven states, while Democrats cling to control by a handful of seats in seven others.
MORE: Stateline.org

Taxing and Spending

For the second year in a row, New York State is poised to enjoy a tremendous budget surplus, to the tune of $2 billion, according to a new report from the state budget office that attributes the growing surplus to economic growth and lower spending on programs such as Medicaid.
MORE: Long Island Newsday

Lawmaking

The Pennsylvania legislature gives final approval to a bill that would end Pennsylvania's distinction as the only state without a law requiring lobbyists to report how much money they spend wining, dining and otherwise persuading lawmakers. Gov. Ed Rendell is expected to sign the measure.
MORE: Philadelphia Inquirer

Ethics

Over the past six years, Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi purchased two luxury cars at a savings of at least $20,000 from their estimated retail value from a used-car dealer he was steered to by a top lobbyist. DiMasi's spokesman denies that the prices the speaker paid for the two BMWs resulted from any favoritism or improper deal-making.
MORE: Boston Globe

New York Gov. George E. Pataki appoints a former federal prosecutor to determine whether the ethics case against Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi is strong enough to seek his removal from office by the state Senate.
MORE: New York Times