Legislative Research Librarians | Notable Document Award Winners

2014 Notable Documents Awards

Guide—Education:

• Recess Moves! A Toolkit for Quality Recess – Minnesota Department of Education

Historical and Cultural Resources:

• Tennessee State Capitol: Grounded in Tradition (Video) – Tennessee Secretary of State
• Points of Personal Privilege: A Collection of Essays by Virginia Senators and Presiding Officers – Virginia Senate Clerk’s Office

Innovative Presentation:

• Medicaid Expansion: The Debate Continues (Video) – Utah Legislature Health Reform Task Force

Performance Evaluation:

• Confinement of Juvenile Offenders – Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• North Carolina Needs to Strengthen Its System for Monitoring and Preventing the Abuse of Prescribed Controlled Substances – North Carolina General Assembly, Program Evaluation Division

Public Policy—Education:

• Kentucky School District Superintendent Employment and Contracts – Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, Office of Educational Accountability

Public Policy—Health:

• Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Medicaid Expansion Options and Their Impacts -- Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel
• Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: The Utah Model for Implementing Exchanges -- Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel
• Advancing Health Equity in Minnesota: Report to the Legislature – Minnesota Department of Health

Public Policy—Natural Resources:

• Managing False River Watershed Resources: An Interim Report to the Louisiana Legislature – Louisiana False River Watershed Council, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

State Comparison:

• Dog Bites in Maryland and Other States: Data, Insurance Coverage, and Liability – Maryland Department of Legislative Services, Office of Policy Analysis
• Laws on Assault of a Sports Official – Connecticut General Assembly, Office of Legislative Research

Statistical Analysis:

• An Annual Report on Classified Employee Turnover – Texas State Auditor’s Office

2014 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota, Chair; Carol Blackburn, Minnesota; Shelley Day, Utah; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey

2013 Notable Documents Awards

Citizen’s Guide:

• Ohio Facts, 2012 Edition – Ohio Legislative Service Commission

Fiscal Policy:

• Budget 101: A Guide to the Budget Process in Texas – Texas Senate Research Center
• State Employee Compensation and Turnover – Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations

Historical And Cultural Resources:

• Civil War Sesquicentennial in Virginia: Impact at the Halfway Mark – Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission

Legislatively Mandated:

• Human Trafficking in Pennsylvania: Policy Recommendations and Proposed Legislation – Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Legislator’s Guide:

• Firearms Laws in Minnesota: A Guide for Legislators – Minnesota House Research Department
• Kentucky’s Boards, Commissions, and Similar Entities – Kentucky Program Review and Investigations Committee

Public Policy–Education:

• 2013 Nevada Education Data Book – Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau

Public Policy–Public Safety:

• Digging into One-Call: A Review of Montana's Underground Facility Damage Prevention Program – Montana Legislative Services Division

Natural Resources:

• Louisiana’s Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast – Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana
• Report on Silica Sand – Minnesota Environmental Quality Board

Performance Evaluation:

• Options for Creating a Separate Department of Medicaid Require Transition Planning – North Carolina General Assembly, Program Evaluation Division

Notable Online Resource:

• Legislative Reference Library of Texas Pinterest Boards –Texas Legislative Reference Library

2013 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota, Chair; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey; Carol Blackburn, Minnesota; Frances Thomas, Louisiana

2012 Notable Documents Awards

STATE GOVERNMENT HISTORY COMPILATION:

• California’s Legislature - California State Assembly, Office of the Chief Clerk
• Vetoed Bills of the Nevada Legislature 1899 – 2011 - Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau Research Library
• Amendments to the Texas Constitution Since 1876 - Texas Legislative Council

PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS:

• Lottery Operations and Charitable Gaming - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• Compared to Other States’ Retirement Plans TSERS is Well Funded and Its Plan Features Are Typical or Less Generous - North Carolina General Assembly, Program Evaluation Division

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

• Kentucky District Data Profiles School Year 2010 - Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, Office of Education Accountability
• The Wisconsin Scorecard: How Wisconsin Compares to Other States - Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau

PUBLIC POLICY:

• Ash Management Guidelines for Private Forest Landowners - University of Minnesota Extension; Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources
• The Coke Can from Columbus: An Analysis of Methods for Increasing Recycling and Solid Waste Diversion in Montana - Environmental Quality Council, Montana Legislature

2012 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Kristin Ford, Idaho, Chair; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey; Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota; Frances Thomas, Louisiana

2011 Notable Documents Awards

CITIZEN’S GUIDE:

• The Legislators of California - California State Senate 

HISTORY OF LEGISLATION:

• Texas Water Law Timeline - Texas Legislative Reference Library
• A History of Property Tax in Utah - Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

LEGISLATOR’S GUIDE:

• Guide to Local Redistricting for 2011 - Virginia Division of Legislative Services

MODEL HISTORICAL WEBSITE:

• Texas Legislators: Past and Present - Texas Legislative Reference Library

PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS:

• Distribution and Sale of Liquor in Idaho - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• Governance of EMS Agencies in Idaho - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• Programs for Children, Youth and Families Need a Guiding Framework for Accountability and Funding: Final Report to the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee - North Carolina General Assembly Program Evaluation Division
• Statutory Changes Will Promote County Flexibility in Social Services Administration: Final Report to the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee - North Carolina General Assembly Program Evaluation Division

PUBLIC POLICY—ENVIRONMENTAL:

• Future of Electric Vehicles in Michigan - Michigan Legislative Service Bureau, Research Services Division 
• Options to Reduce and Phase-out Priority Chemicals in Children’s Products and Promote Green Chemistry: Report to the Legislature - Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 

PUBLIC POLICY—PUBLIC SAFETY:

• Statewide Ignition Interlock Pilot Project: Interim Report to the Minnesota Legislature - Minnesota Department of Public Safety 
• Combating DUIs, Preserving DNA, and Examining Emerging Law & Justice Issues - Montana Legislative Services Division 

2011 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Sabah Eltareb, California State Library, Chair; Carol Blackburn, Minnesota; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey; Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota

2010 Notable Documents Awards

LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED:

• Increasing Efficiencies in Idaho's Parole Process - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• 2009 Full Tax Preference Performance Reviews - Washington State Joint Legislature Audit and Review Committee 

CITIZEN’S GUIDE:

• AIDS and the Law: What You Should Know: Laws for Older Adults - Illinois Legislative Research Unit
• Permitting in Montana - Montana Legislative Environmental Policy Office

LEGISLATOR’S GUIDE:

• Illinois Tax Handbook for Legislators - Illinois Legislative Research Unit
• How North Carolina Compares: A Compendium of State Statistics - North Carolina General Assembly Program Evaluation Division
• A Legislator's Guide to Taxation in Virginia, Volume 1: State Taxes - Virginia Division of Legislative Services

PUBLIC POLICY- ENVIRONMENTAL:

• Contamination of Stormwater Pond Sediments by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Minnesota: The Role of Coal Tar-based Sealcoat Products as a Source of PAHs - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Public Health Impacts of Wind Turbines - Minnesota Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

NOTABLE ONLINE RESOURCE:

• Legislative Time Capsule (Web application) - Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

FISCAL MATTERS:

• Feasibility of Restructuring Budget and Financial Management of North Carolina State Government - North Carolina General Assembly Program Evaluation Division
• 2010-2011 Appropriations Report - Utah Legislative Fiscal Analyst’s Office
• Utah's Economy: What's Happened and Where Do We Go From Here? - Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

INNOVATIVE ARTICLE:

• Wisconsin at the Frontiers of Astronomy: A History of Innovation and Exploration (feature article in the State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2009-2010) - Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau

2010 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson, Montana, Chair; Carol Blackburn, Minnesota; Sabah Eltareb, California; Kristin Ford, Idaho; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey; Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota

2009 Notable Documents Awards

CITIZENS' GUIDE:

• Special Education Primer for Charter Schools - Minnesota Department of Education

INNOVATIVE ADVOCACY:

• Montana Legislator READ poster series - Montana Legislative Services Division

LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED:

• Idaho Transportation Department Performance Audit - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations

LEGISLATOR'S GUIDE:

• A Minnesota Lawmaker's Guide to the Agri-Environmental Policy Landscape - Minnesota House Research Department

POLICY GUIDE:

• Visioning Kentucky's Future: Measures and Milestones 2008 - Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center

PUBLIC POLICY - EDUCATION:

• Feasibility of School District Services Consolidation - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• Public Education Funding in Idaho - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• Emerging Global Workforce Raising Education Stakes: Children at the Economic Margins Key to  Sustaining Progress - Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center

PUBLIC POLICY - ENVIRONMENTAL:

• Technical Evaluation of the Emissions and Control Costs of High Global Warming Potential Gases - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Environmental Analysis and Outcomes Division, etc.
• Biofuel Policies and Programs - Office of the Minnesota Legislative Auditor
• Carbon Sequestration Study - Montana Legislative Environmental Policy Office
• The Price of Flame - Montana Legislative Services Division

2009 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson, Montana, Chair; Sabah Eltareb, California; Kristin Ford, Idaho; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey; Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota

2008 Notable Documents Awards

CITIZEN’S GUIDE:

• North Dakota Blue Book 2007-2008 - Alvin A. Jaeger, North Dakota Secretary of State

FISCAL MATTERS:

• 2008 General Session Appropriation and Budget Highlights - Utah State Legislature – Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst

INNOVATIVE STUDY:

• Voices from the Street:  A Survey of Homeless Youth by Their Peers - California Research Bureau, California State Library

LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED:    

• Criminal Records and Employment in Minnesota:  Report and Recommendations of the 2007 Collateral Sanctions Committee - Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission
• Indicators of Efficiency and Effectiveness - Kentucky Office of Education Accountability
• Virtual School Operations - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations

LEGISLATOR’S GUIDE:

• Quick Guide to Committee Procedures in the House of Representatives & Quick Guide to Floor Procedure - Louisiana House Legislative Services

PUBLIC POLICY:

• Compensating Victims of Bridge Collapses Outside Minnesota - Minnesota Legislature, Senate Counsel

STATE COMPARISON:

• Waste Tire Recycling and Reuse in Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania General Assembly – Joint State Government Commission

2007 Notable Documents Awards

CITIZEN’S GUIDE:

• Water Rights in Montana - Montana Legislative Environmental Quality Council

FISCAL SERIES:

• Profiles of Montana State Agencies - Montana Legislative Fiscal Division

LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED:

• Split Estates: The Relationship Between Surface and Minerals - Montana Legislative Environmental Quality Council

• Use of Average Daily Attendance in Public Education Funding - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations

LEGISLATOR’S GUIDE:

• Tax Relief & Reform: What Does It Mean to Taxpayers? - Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

PUBLIC POLICY:

• Delaying Necessities, Denying Needs - New York State Assembly Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation

• The Road to Privatization: Implications of Public-Private Partnerships for Transportation Projects - Maryland General Assembly, Department of Legislative Services, Office of Policy Analysis

STATE COMPARISONS:

• An Overview of California’s Low Emission Vehicle Program and Efforts to Implement It in Maryland and Other States - Maryland General Assembly, Department of Legislative Services, Office of Policy Analysis
• The Road to Electric Restructuring in Maryland - Maryland General Assembly, Department of Legislative Services, Office of Policy Analysis

2007 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson,  Montana, Chair; Carol Blackburn, Minnesota; Sabah Eltareb, California; Kristin Ford, Idaho; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey; Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota

2006 Notable Documents Awards

LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED:

• Idaho School for Deaf and Blind Evaluation Report - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations
• Report of the Advisory Committee on Geriatric and Seriously Ill Inmates - Pennsylvania General Assembly - Joint State Government Commission

CITIZEN'S GUIDE:

• Citizens Guide (series of five publications) - Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
• Utah State Government: A Citizens Guide - Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

LEGISLATOR'S GUIDE:

• Understanding Medicaid: A Policymaker's Introduction - Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

STUDENT'S GUIDE:

• Governing Wisconsin series - Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau

PUBLIC POLICY:

• Improved Coordination and Information Could Reduce the Backlog of Unserved Warrants - Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
• Use of Social Security Numbers for Drivers' Licenses, Permits, and Identification Cards: Federal Mandate Review - Idaho Office of Performance Evaluations

FISCAL MATTERS:

• A Fiscal Review of the 2005 Legislative Session - Minnesota Senate Counsel, Research, and Fiscal Analysis

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES:

• High Plains of Northeastern New Mexico: A Guide to Geology and Culture - New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

2006 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson, Montana, Chair; Carol Blackburn, Minnesota; Sabah Eltareb, California; Kristin Ford, Idaho; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey

2005 Notable Documents Awards

BODY OF WORK--LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED:

• Hydrogen, Wind, Biodiesel, and Ethanol: Alternative Energy Sources to Fuel Montana's Future? - Montana Legislative Environmental Quality Council
• Montana's Water--Where is it? Who can use it? Who decides? - Montana Legislative Environmental Quality Council

CITIZEN'S GUIDE:

• Pocket Guides on Fiscal Matters (various) - Montana Legislative Fiscal Division

LEGISLATOR'S GUIDE:

• Gambling in Minnesota: A Short History - Research Department, Minnesota House of Representatives
• Noncitizens and Minnesota Law: A Guide for Legislators - Research Department, Minnesota House of Representatives

PUBLIC POLICY:

• Medical Professional Liability Reform for the 21st Century: A Review of Policy Options - Pennsylvania General Assembly Joint State Government Commission

2005 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson, Montana, Chair; Elizabeth Lincoln, Minnesota; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey; Sabah Eltareb, California

2004 Notable Documents Awards

BODY OF WORK:

• Public Interest Energy Research: 2003 Annual Report - California Energy Commission
• 2003 Integrated Energy Policy Report - California Energy Commission

BODY OF WORK--MONOGRAPHIC SERIES:

• State and Local Government in Louisiana: An Overview - Louisiana House Legislative Services
• Orientation Guide for Louisiana House Members - Louisiana House Legislative Services

EXCEPTIONAL TECHNICAL WORK:

• New York State 2004-2005 Executive Budget: Revenue Estimating Methodology - New York State Division of the Budget:

BODY OF WORK--LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED:

• The Funding and Benefit Structure of the Pennsylvania Statewide Retirement Systems: A Report with Recommendations - Pennsylvania General Assembly Joint State Government Commission
• Minority Representation in the Jury Selection Process in Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania General Assembly Joint State Government Commission

EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION:

• Mission: Protect and Restore Puget Sound, A Progress Report - Washington Puget Sound Action Team

2004 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson, Montana, Chair; Shirley Dallas, Washington; Penelope Dukes, Williams, Texas; Sabah Eltareb, California; Cathy Griffin, Arizona; Ingrid Hernquist, New Jersey

2003 Notable Documents Awards

PUBLIC POLICY:

• Planning for the Future: Findings from Research on the Commonwealth's Current and Coming Retirees - Road Ahead: Uncertainty and Opportunity in a Changed World - Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center
• Nevada Natural Resources Status Report - Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

CITIZEN GUIDE:

• Electricity Law Handbook: A Montanan's Guide to Understanding Electricity - Montana Environmental Quality Council

LEGISLATORS' GUIDE:

• Understanding State Finances and the Budgeting Process: A Reference Manual for Legislators - Montana Legislative Fiscal Division
• Legislator's Handbook - Montana Legislative Services Division

SERIAL:

• Briefing Paper Series: Future of Highway Funding; Medicaid Spending; Controlling Costs: No Simple Solutions to Complex Issues; Senate Confirmation of Judicial Appointments; Tax Primer - Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel 

REDISTRICTING & REAPPORTIONMENT:

• Demographic Profile of Legislative Districts - Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel 

2002 Notable Documents Awards

NOTABLE DOCUMENTS:

• Nuclear Waste Dry Cask Storage - Minnesota House of Representatives Research Dept
• Youth and the Law: A Guide for Legislators - Minnesota House of Representatives Research Dept
• State of Nebraska: 2001 Redistricting - Nebraska Legislative Research Division
• Energy Policy Issues and Legislative Options - Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

HONORABLE MENTION:

• Five Shoes Waiting to Drop on Arizona's Future - Morrison Institute for Public Policy, School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University
• Driver Distractions and Traffic Safety - Pennsylvania General Assembly Joint State Government Commission
• Tap the Power: Constitutional Highlights - Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau

OUTSTANDING PROACTIVE E-UPDATE SERVICE:

• Studies in the News - California Research Bureau
• OLR Updates -Connecticut Office of Legislative Research

SPECIAL CITATION FOR DEPTH OF ANALYSIS AND SPEED IN PRODUCING INFORMATION VITAL TO GOVERNMENT:

• Impact of the September 11 WTC Attack on NYC's Economy and Revenues -New York City Comptroller

CONSISTENTLY OUTSTANDING CORPUS OF WORK:

• Kentucky Legislative Research Commission:

1. CD-Roms: Acts of the General Assembly & Journal of the General Assembly
2. Kentucky General Assembly Membership 1900-2000
3. V1. 1900-1949 V2. 1950-2000
4. Executive Branch Contracting for Services: Inconsistent procedures limit accountability and efficiency
5. Impact Plus: Design of Medicaid - Funded Program for children with severe emotional disturbance results in rapidly growing expenditures and difficult policy choices

• Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center:

1. Challenges for the New Century: Trends that will influence KY's future
2. Foresight
3. Education and the Common Good: Social Benefits of Higher Education in KY.
4. Financing State and Local Government: Future challenges and opportunities
5. Listening to Kentucky High Schools: Why some high schools Miss, Meet, and Exceed Predicted Post Secondary Outcomes
6. Policy Notes: on issues of importance to KY's future
7. Talking Back: Kentucky High School students and their future education plans

2001 Notable Documents Awards

GUIDES FOR MEMBERS

• Orientation Guide for Louisiana House Members, 2000-2004 Term - Louisiana House of Representatives
• Quick Guide to Floor Procedure in the Louisiana House of Representatives - Louisiana House of Representatives
• State and Local Government in Louisiana: An Overview, 2000-2004 Term - Louisiana House of Representatives

PUBLIC POLICY

• Eminent Domain in Montana and Improving the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Process - Montana Legislative Environmental Policy Office
• Shock of the New:  Changes in the Generation, Transmission, and Distribution of Electricity in Montana - Montana Legislative Services Division, Lois Menzies, Executive Director
• Too Much, Too Little, Too Late: An Assembly Investigation of CONNECTIONS -New York's Statewide Child Welfare Computer System - New York Assembly Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation

CITIZEN GUIDE

• When You Are Concerned: A Guide for Families Concerned About the Safety of an Older Driver - New York State Office for the Aging

2001 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Deb Priest, New York, chair; Robbie LaFleur, Minnesota; Sabah Eltareb, California; Cathy Griffin, Arizona

2000 Notable Documents Awards

Notable Documents:

• Minnesota Budget: A Fiscal Policy Analysis - Minnesota State Senate, Office of Fiscal Policy Analysis
• Nevada State Water Plan - Nevada Division of Water Planning, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• Positioning Arizona to Achieve Maximum Benefit from the Information Economy - Arizona Legislature, Joint Legislative Study Committee on the Internet

Serial Award:

• Ohio LBO Policy Briefs - Ohio Legislative Budget Office
• Session Weekly - Minnesota House of Representatives, Public Information Office

1999 Notable Documents Awards

Notable Documents:

• Arizona Blue Book - Arizona Secretary of State
• Dilemma in the Millennium: Capital Needs of the World's Capital City - Comptroller of the City of New York
• Insurance Discrimination: Against Victims of Domestic Violence - Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Women's Law Project

Serial Award:

• Perspectives - New York State Assembly Committee on Ways and Means

URL Award:

• http://www.leginfo.state.sc.us/ - South Carolina Legislative Information Systems

Special Award for Consistently Outstanding and Comprehensive Quality of Publications:

• Montana Environmental Quality Council
• Texas Legislative Budget Board

1998 Notable Documents Awards

Notable Documents:

• Arizona Legislative Manual -  Arizona Legislative Council
• Clean and Green -  Joint State Government Commission, Pennsylvania General Assembly
• Minnesota Data Book for Legislators -  Research Department, Minnesota House of Representatives

Notable URL Awards:

• Florida Monitor -  Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
• Feedlots and Links to the World - Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

1998 Notable Documents Awards Committee:
Deb Priest, New York; Cathy Griffin, Arizona; Anne Craig, Illinois; Beth Furbush, Montana; Nancy Hays, Texas