Shortly before the 112th Congress adjourned last week, members passed a sweeping deal to save the U.S. from hitting the fiscal cliff. Some of the revenue measures in the cliff deal may surprise state leaders, especially those with a focus on state estate taxes.

Stateline Midwest ~ December 2012

Under a new set of recommendations in Ohio, half of the state’s funding for higher-education institutions would be based on how well they contribute to a key economic goal: boosting the number of college graduates in the workforce.

In late November, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and a state panel released a higher-education finance framework designed to give greater weight to degree completion in determining funding for the state’s public colleges and universities.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday offered a present to states, just in time for the holidays. The agency announced the forthcoming Medicaid expansion, passed into law as part of the Affordable Care Act, would only be an option for states as a package deal.

2012 marked a busy year for The Council of State Governments’ Legal Task Force. A committee of 12 legislators representing all four CSG regions, the task force decides whether to file amicus briefs advocating the principles of federalism with federal courts. The task force has signed on to six briefs and authorized an additional brief to be drafted this year, with more to consider before the end of December.

With the results of last week’s elections (mostly) tallied, Congress returns to work to begin the lame-duck session this week. And just like the lame-duck session at the end of the previous Congress, some major issues are on the table.