November 4, 2003
CAPITOL IDEAS: Childhood Injuries, Civic Education, Immigrants and College Tuition, NCSL December Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Capitol Ideas is a bi-monthly publication intended to provide state capitol journalists with the latest trends and information about the nation's state legislatures.
Preventing Childhood Injuries: Treating injuries accounts for 15 percent of all medical spending for children ages 1 to 19, says a new LegisBrief from NCSL. While unintentional injuries cause about 3 percent of infant deaths, the percentage reaches nearly 50 percent for teenagers. The LegisBrief contains a chart showing that 35 states have enacted poison prevention laws, 20 have approved bicycle helment laws and others have addressed safety issues for cribs and playgrounds. Other actions taken by states address the temperature of hot water heaters and safety belts in shopping carts. For a copy of the LegisBrief, contact NCSL's public affairs staff at press-room@ncsl.org.
Civic Education Increases Citizen Participation: Students that take civic education courses are more likely to see themselves as personally responsible for improving society, and they have a broader concept of the qualities of a good citizen. This conclusion is taken from a poll conducted by the Representative Democracy in America Project. The study found that young people who have taken a civics course are two to three times more likely to vote, follow government news and contact a public official about an issue that concerns them. Read a press release about the poll at www.ncsl.org/programs/press/2003/pr030917.htm, or read the entire report in PDF format at www.ncsl.org/public/trust/citizenship.pdf.
College Tuition and Undocumented Immigrants : Several states have considered legislation to allow certain long-term unauthorized immigrants to become eligible for in-state tuition. A new NCSL LegisBrief says states the issue is complicated since states are prohibited by a federal law from offering in-state tuition to unauthorized immigrant students. Seven states have established new residency standards allowing unauthorized immigrant students to receive in-state tuition under certain conditions. To receive a copy of this LegisBrief, contact NCSL's public affairs staff at press-room@ncsl.org.
Meet State Legislative Leaders at Washington, D.C. Meeting: State legislative leaders from across the country will be attending NCSL's Fall Forum in Washington, D.C., Dec. 9-12. Special meetings for fiscal, health and transportation leaders will kick off the meeting on Tuesday, the 9th, followed by policy meetings the following days on immigration, mental health, DNA databases, prisons and other key issues. The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. View our agenda online at www.ncsl.org/standcomm/agenda12_03.htm.
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Gene Rose
Public Affairs Director
303-856-1518
Bill Wyatt
Public Affairs Manager
202-624-8667
Additional resources:
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