Executive Branch

The State of the State Addresses: More Comfortable, Still Cautious

Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 12:00 AM

Mixed messages of the current economy keep at bay a full recovery from the Great Recession that officially ended in June 2009. The drop in oil prices has put money in consumers’ pockets, but these consumers seem wary of returning it into circulation, with many using the extra cash to pay off or reduce personal debt. In some ways, governors are similarly disposed as they map the policy and budget way forward for their respective states. Several chief executives are asking for more stringent laws, constitutional requirements, for budget balance or regarding the payment of debt, to keep their states on a path toward fiscal sustainability. Watch words this year include “cautious optimism” and “continuous improvement.”¹

Lt. Governors Impact States

Audrey Wall

Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 12:00 AM

A well-structured office of lieutenant governor gives a state a competitive advantage and increases governance efficiency. Thorough succession laws contribute to smooth transitions of governance when needed. Lieutenant governors impact states every day in all issue areas and by leading parts of government. Governors, lieutenant governors and legislators have roles to ensure the office of lieutenant governor is positioned to propel a state forward.

Book of the States 2015, Chapter 4: State Executive Branch

Audrey Wall

Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 12:00 AM

Chapter 4 of the 2015 Book of the States contains the following articles and tables:

Pennsylvania's Governor Earns the Most; Maine's Governor Earns the Least

Carrie Abner

Monday, August 24, 2015 at 12:00 AM

The average annual salary for U.S. governors in 2015 is $135,289—up just 0.5 percent from the average in 2014, a new survey by The Council of State Governments reveals. As in 2014, Maine Gov. Paul LePage, earns the lowest gubernatorial salary at an annual rate of $70,000, followed by Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who earns $87,759 per year. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has the highest gubernatorial salary at $190,823, followed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s salary of $184,632 per year, although Haslam returns his salary to his state.

Gubernatorial Elections 2015-2018

Kelley Arnold

Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 03:51 PM

According to CSG’s Book of the States, three states will hold gubernatorial elections in 2015, followed by twelve states in 2016, two states in 2017, and 36 states in 2018. Here's a look at the upcoming gubernatorial elections, with a breakdown of the party seats that are up for grabs.

Supreme Court Rules Notice-and-Comment Not Required for Changing Agency Interpretive Rules

Lisa Soronen

Monday, March 16, 2015 at 11:06 AM

In 2006 the Department of Labor (DOL) stated in an opinion letter that mortgage loan officers were eligible for overtime but then changed its mind in 2010 in an “Administrator’s Interpretation.”

In Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Association the Supreme Court held unanimously that federal agencies do not have to engage in notice-and-comment rulemaking pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) before changing an interpretive rule, like the...

State of the States: What's on Governors' Minds?

Mary Branham

Friday, February 20, 2015 at 01:51 PM

In most years, it's education and health care. At least, those issues rank at the top of the list in governors' state of the state addresses from 2012 to 2014.

Fighting Cybercrime to Protect Intellectual Property

Justin Fisk

Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 09:41 AM

Despite political gridlock and partisanship in Washington, D.C., Congress and the president recognize intellectual property as a driver of economic growth in America. Unfortunately, cybercrime is on the rise, and intellectual property is oftentimes the primary target of cyber criminals. To protect intellectual property, the White House, Congress, and state governments all are working diligently to enhance cybersecurity.

Governors' Salaries 2014

Jennifer Burnett

Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at 11:37 AM

The Council of State Governments has been collecting data on governors’ salaries for The Book of the States since 1937. The average governor’s salary has grown more slowly in recent years than in the past, with a number of states cutting their chief executive’s pay during and after the Great Recession.

The Cromnibus and its Impact on States

Justin Fisk

Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 01:53 PM

On Dec. 16, the president signed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015, the $1.1 trillion spending bill passed by Congress last week. The legislation is a mix between a short-term continuing resolution, known as a “C.R.,” and a long-term omnibus spending bill. The legislation, known as the “CR-omnibus,” funds most of the government through September 2015. The exception is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which is funded only through Feb. 27, 2015.

Executive Branch

Pages