State Legislatures Magazine: October/November 2000

Editor's Note: This article appeared in the October/November 2000 issue of NCSL's magazine, State Legislatures. To order copies or to subscribe, contact the marketing department at (303) 364-7700.

Stateline

PASS THE PEST-FREE POTATOES, PLEASE
Step aside, Idaho, here comes Alaska. Years of research and work by an Alaskan plant pathologist have produced a certifiably fungus- and virus-free potato that has trade negotiators excited. "It's one time when our severe winters play to our advantage," said Doug Warner with the state Department of Natural Resources. In trade talks, pest-free products are king. No country wants to import products it fears will contaminate local crops. China for years has blocked the importation of whole-leaf tobacco, fearful that the blue mold that plagues U.S. crops would infect its tobacco crops. Similarly, the United States has blocked the import of bansai trees because it is afraid pathogens would hitch a ride in the soil. The potatoes should face no such problems, although trade agreements can take years to craft.

CRUISIN' AND POLLUTIN'
More than half a million tourists a year cruise in and out of Alaska's many waterways, enjoying the pristine scenery, but leaving a little of themselves behind. Every one of them adds an estimated 100 gallons of wastewater a day, including 10 gallons of sewage. Current law allows ships to dump wastewater and treated sewage virtually anywhere, according to the Associated Press. Last year two cruise lines were convicted of polluting, which prompted greater awareness of the problem. Now cruise lines are spending millions of dollars on high-tech water filtration equipment. The cases also prompted the formation of the Alaska Cruise Ship Initiative, a task force of government regulators, industry representatives and local residents aimed at voluntary improvement of practices. And Alaska voters approved a $5 per head tax on cruise ships last year to help pay for clean-up costs.

NEVER SAY NEVER
Eighty-five years after the Oklahoma Capitol was completed in 1917, it is to get the dome it's never had. A magnificent 155-foot dome of steel and stone will double the present height of the Capitol and will be visible for miles. The building was originally designed to include a dome, but a shortage of money (or possibly of steel during WWI) thwarted that plan. The new dome should be completed in time for Statehood Day on Nov. 16, 2002. More than 75 percent of the project is being financed with private contributions. Seven other state capitols have no domes, but were planned that way: Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, New York and Virginia.

SLOW FOOD JUNKIES
Sporting a logo featuring a snail crawling past two buildings (one ancient, one modern), a promising new movement in Italy that calls itself Slow Cities has sprung up to promote home-style food, local crafts and all-around good living. To join, cities and towns must introduce measures on everything from banning car alarms to promoting organic agriculture to developing visitor centers where tourists can sample local traditional food in settings in harmony with nature. "Good living is not only Italian-but it is very Italian," said Paolo Saturnini, the mayor of Greve in Chianti, a Tuscan town.

SNUFFING OUT CIGARETTE FIRES
New York recently became the first state to require that all cigarettes be self-extinguishing, according to the Associated Press. The legislation was designed to reduce fires caused when smokers fall asleep or otherwise handle a cigarette carelessly (just ask the firefighters out West). By mid-2003, all cigarettes sold in New York must be designed in such a way that they will go out after a while if the smoker does not take a puff. Fire officials estimate that at least a third of the fire deaths in the state happened in blazes sparked by careless smoking. A similar bill died this session in California.

DIET MARKETERS TARGET KIDS
Dietary supplement companies have begun aggressively targeting children and parents, according to The Washington Post. They promise everything from helping kids gain strength or lose weight to treating illnesses from colds to depression to attention deficit disorder. As a result, increasing numbers of children are using supplements, often with the knowledge or urging of their parents. Although some products may be helpful, the surge in supplement use by children and teenagers is ringing alarms among pediatricians, children's health advocates, and federal and state medical officials. At the least, many of the products may be useless. Supplements are largely untested and unregulated. And the short- and long-term effect of these substances on young bodies is largely unknown.

RECYCLING REVERSAL
As images of the floating barge of trash fade, recycling does too. New figures released by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection show recycling in the state is dropping, and experts fear it will continue to fall. The 1998 figures show recycling dropped to 55 percent from an all-time high of 61 percent of all trash in 1997. Two factors are cited: the lowest state landfill tipping fees in decades ($40 a ton) and the end of the state recycling fund. "Without funding from the state," said Roseanne Brown, the recycling coordinator for Somerset County, "there's no incentive for municipalities to go out and enforce recycling." Assemblyman Alan Augustine has sponsored a bill to reinstate the tax that supports the fund, but it faces strong opposition.

FORCING PARENTS TO CARE
Georgia principals now have the threat of a $500 fine to bring parents in to talk with them about their troublemaker kids. Under statewide education reforms, school districts have the authority to ask juvenile court judges to force parents of chronically disruptive students to attend conferences. "Schools have been frustrated with parents not doing their part, not showing up for meetings and with feeling they did not have an avenue," said Tony Arasi, Cobb County associate superintendent. The new law applies only to chronically disruptive students-those who show a pattern of misbehavior that interrupts learning in the classroom.

NO SELLING VOTES ONLINE
Sell your vote online, and you may do time, warned the Washington state elections director recently. The reminder came after two Washington residents tried selling their ballots on the popular auction site eBay. One seller stated that "during the upcoming election whoever wins this bid gets to specify what I will vote on election day. That's right, democracy is in fact for sale!" Neither seller fielded a single bid before eBay cancelled the auctions. Selling or buying votes in Washington is punishable by jail time, a fine up to $5,000 or both. An eBay representative said they are now filtering for any future attempted vote sales.

VOICING THE PEOPLE'S VIEW OF THE NEWS
After years of being reported to, TV news watchers can now voice their opinions about the way their local news is covered and reported. At NewsViewers.com, interested audience members in 211 local TV markets can discuss why certain stories are covered and others ignored. They can choose their favorite anchors and reporters, and question exaggerated "teasers" and promotions. With voice chat, viewers can speak live with neighbors about a particularly touching or controversial local story or discuss international issues with others around the world. Promoters of this site believe TV newsrooms are out of touch with what viewers want and that this site will bring about change.

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