Dissatisfied with state pension reforms enacted last year that affect 1.8 million current and former government workers, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel says without more changes "there will be nothing left at the end of the rainbow" when public employees retire.

A plan to gradually shift ongoing pension costs to state universities and community colleges surfaced in the Illinois House Thursday and could be the model for shifting pension costs for K-12 schools.

Find the latest coverage on state expansion of Medicaid and why SBS President Bob Williams believes expansion it is not the optimal way to ensure the best medical care for states' neediest citizens.

Even though the GOP has a legislative majority, leaders need Democratic support to take money for water from the state's rainy day fund because it requires a two-thirds vote.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee released a nearly $34 billion state budget proposal, a spending plan significantly less than the plan Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled earlier this year.

The Arizona Senate began a final sprint to adjournment Wednesday as a committee debated 10 bills that provide $8.8 billion to fund education, health and welfare, and expansion of Medicaid.

After a round of painful mid-year budget cuts, the state finished fiscal year 2012 with a $133 million surplus, proportionate to Florida's. But the Jindal administration needs to use most of that to move money around to get fiscal year 2013 out of the red

Sen. Tommy Williams, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee and is also on the Legislative Budget Board, said no progress can be made until both sides can agree on health and education components.

Gov. Mary Fallin wanted to consolidate Oklahoma's half-dozen employee pension funds, but did not happen this year.

During a press conference this morning to tout his latest state budget plan, Gov. Jerry Brown said that he wants to hold down state payroll costs as his administration bargains new pacts with nearly a dozen unions.