1854 - "With the decline of the Whigs as a national party and the dominance of the slavery issue, the new Republican party, created in 1854, quickly emerged as a leading national party. The Republicans made John C. Fremont of California the party's first presidential nominee. http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/conventions/san.diego/facts/convention/history.shtml"    

1854 - "By 1854, northern California's gold rush had peaked and the state fell into a depression. As unemployed miners flocked to LA, businesses that had harnessed their futures to miners' fortunes closed their doors. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/north_america/los_angeles/history.htm"    

Introductory Material

Studies in the News is a very current compilation of items significant to the Legislature and Governor's Office. It is created weekly by the State Library's Research Bureau to supplement the public policy debate in California’s Capitol. To help share the latest information with state policymakers, these reading lists are now being made accessible through the State Library’s website. This week's list of current articles in various public policy areas is presented below.

Service to State Employees:

• When available, the URL for the full text of each item is provided.

• Items in the State Library collection can be checked out to state officials and staff.

• Access to all materials listed will be provided by the State Information Reference Center, either by e-mail to cslsirc@library.ca.gov or by calling 654-0261.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE & LAW ENFORCEMENT

CHILD PROTECTION

View from the Bench: Obstacles to Safety & Permanency for Children in Foster Care: Summary of Key Findings from a National Survey of Dependency Court Judges. By the Fostering Results Project, Children & Family Research Center, University of Illinois. (The Project, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois) July 2004. 5 p.

Full Text at: www.pewtrusts.org/pdf/fostering_results_070104.pdf

["Overloaded court dockets, a chronic shortage of available services for families and poorly prepared caseworkers are significant barriers to finding safe, permanent homes for children in foster care and significant sources of frustration for judges, according to this survey.... The survey provides an extensive look at how judges who hear child dependency cases view their own courtrooms and hurdles to providing permanent families for children in foster care."]

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Evaluation of Court-Appointed Special Advocate Representation. By Caliber Associates. (Caliber Associates, Fairfax, Virginia) 2004. 64 p.

Full Text at: www.casanet.org/download/casa-surveys/caliber_casa_report_representation.pdf

["Caliber Associates has released the final report on its in-depth study of the effectiveness of court-appointed special advocate (CASA) programs across the country. The study examined the short- and longer-term impacts of CASA volunteers on children and families involved with the child welfare system." Connect for Kids Weekly (July 20, 2004) 1.]

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California Department of Corrections: More Expensive Hospital Services and Greater Use of Hospital Facilities Have Driven the Rapid Rise in Contract Payments for Inpatient and Outpatient Care. By the California State Auditor, Bureau of State Audits. 2003-125. (The Bureau, Sacramento, California) July 2004. 102 p.

Full Text at: www.bsa.ca.gov/bsa/pdfs/2003-125.pdf

["California prisons paid local hospitals as much as eight times more than Medicare would have paid for the same medical procedure leading to an average 21 percent annual increase in health care costs the last five years.... The report is the latest broadside at a prison system where spending has been out control." Contra Costa Times (July 28, 2004) 1.]

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Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2003. By Paige M. Harrison and Jennifer C. Karberg, Bureau of Justice Statistics. NCJ 203947. (The Bureau, Washington, DC) 2004. 14 p.

Full Text at: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/pjim03.pdf

["Prison Population Increased by 40,983, the largest increase in 4 Years. At midyear 2003, the nation's prisons and jails incarcerated 2,078,570 persons. Prisoners in the custody of the 50 states and the Federal Government accounted for two-thirds of the incarcerated population. The other third were held in local jails."]

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Biometric Technologies: Security, Legal, and Policy Implications. By Paul Rosenzweig and others, The Heritage Foundation. (The Foundation, Washington, DC) June 2004. 10 p.

Full Text at: www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandDefense/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=65326

["This paper considers some of the leading biometric technologies currently available and assesses their practical utility. The paper then examines the legal and political implications of using these technologies to provide security in a post-9/11 world."]

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CULTURE AND SOCIETY

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Value of the Performing Arts in Ten Communities. By Performing Arts Research Coalition. (The Coalition, Washington, DC) June 2004. 18 p.

Full Text at: www.operaamerica.org/parc/PARCSummaryRpt.pdf

["A survey of 10 greater metropolitan areas by the Performing Arts Coalition [draws a] mostly upbeat portrait of cultural life and values in America. Between 61 and 78 percent of respondents attended a live professional performing arts event in the past 12 months; more people attended an arts event in that period than a professional sporting event; more than eight in 10 respondents agree that the performing arts improve the quality of life in their community." The Baltimore Sun (June 20, 2004) F5.]

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Reading at Risk: a Survey of Literary Reading in America. By Kelly Hill, Hill Strategies Research. Prepared for the National Endowment for the Arts. (The Endowment, Washington, DC) July 2004.

["A new survey describes a precipitous downward trend in book consumption by Americans and a particular decline in the reading of fiction, poetry and drama.... 'It quantifies what people have been observing anecdotally, but the news is that it has been happening more rapidly and more pervasively than anyone thought possible. Reading is in decline among all groups, in every region, at every educational level and within every ethnic group,' said Dana Gioia, the chairman of the endowment." New York Times (July 8, 2004) 1.]

Survey. 47 p.
http://arts.endow.gov/pub/ReadingAtRisk.pdf

Press release. 1 p.
http://www.arts.endow.gov/news/news04/ReadingAtRisk.html

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ECONOMY

BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY

Laboratories of Innovation: State Bioscience Initiatives 2004. By the Battelle Technology Partnership Practice and SSTI. Prepared for Biotechnology Industry Organization. (The Organization, Washington, DC) June 2004. 450 p.

Full Text at: www.bio.org/speeches/pubs/battelle2004/battelle2004.pdf

["States are learning to specialize in specific subsectors to better attract biotech firms, according to a study.... The report identified five major subsectors: agricultural feedstock and chemicals; drugs and pharmaceuticals; medical devices and equipment; research and testing, and academic health centers, research hospitals and research institutes." San Francisco Chronicle (June 8 2004) C1.]

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Getting Milked? Bay Area Supermarkets Charge Too Much for Milk. By Elisa Odabashian, Consumers Union. (Consumers Union, San Francisco, California) July 2004. 36p.

Full Text at: www.consumersunion.org/pdf/milkrpt04.pdf

["A gallon of milk cost 29 percent more in the Bay Area.... In the report the group surveyed milk prices in 83 food stores in San Francisco and in Alameda, Marin and San Mateo counties. It found that the average price for a gallon of milk was $4.71, or 29 percent higher than the $3.66 average price reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a survey of 29 major U.S. cities outside California." San Francisco Chronicle (July 29, 2004) 1.]

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What Impact Will E-Commerce Have on the U.S. Economy? By Jonathan L. Willis. IN: Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, vol. 89, no. 2 (Second Quarter 2004) pp. 53-71.

Full Text at: www.kc.frb.org/publicat/econrev/Pdf/2q04will.pdf

["[The report] examines the economic factors that have contributed to the rapid growth of e-commerce and assesses how the future growth of e-commerce may affect the overall economy. [It] concludes that if e-commerce continues to grow rapidly, it could lead to an increase in productivity growth and downward inflationary pressures that persist for several years."]

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Testimony of Tom "Smitty" Smith on Concerns Related to Opening the Border to Mexico-Domiciled Long-haul Trucking Operations. By Public Citizen. (Public Citizen, Washington, DC) July 15, 2004. Various pagings

Full Text at: www.citizen.org/autosafety/Truck_Safety/articles.cfm?ID=11930

["Serious safety and environmental concerns must be addressed before the border is open to long-haul Mexico-domiciled trucks. Truck traffic along already-congested and polluted trade corridors is likely to substantially increase, which will disproportionately impact ... communities along these corridors."]

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The Future of Bay Area Jobs: The Impact of Offshoring and Other Key Trends. By Bay Area Economic Forum. (The Forum, San Francisco, California) 2004. 44 p.

Full Text at: www.bayeconfor.org/pdf/FBAJoffshore04B&WFINAL.pdf

["This study analyzed how offshoring and major trends are impacting the composition and future of jobs in the Bay Area. It offers a baseline profile of the job market -- a close-up view of employment by industry, occupation and other variables."]

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"Sour Grapes: Reflections on the Circuit Split on Direct Shipment of Wine, the Commerce Clause, and the 21st Amendment." By Stuart M. Maxey. IN: State Tax Notes, vol. 33, no. 1 (July 5, 2004) pp. 45 - 51.

Full Text at: services.taxanalysts.com/taxbase/nav.nsf/STNFrame?Open&Login

["The past several years have witnessed an explosion of commentary and litigation over the direct shipment of alcohol, particularly wine. This increased attention has been fueled by the growth of the Internet, which has enhanced the ability of small wineries to reach consumers directly.... Laws in more than 20 states, however, prohibit the direct shipment of alcohol to consumers.... Ordinarily, the dormant Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution would prohibit these states from discriminating against interstate commerce, but the 21st Amendment granted states distinctive powers to regulate alcoholic beverages. The extent of the special grant of power has raised serious constitutional questions."]

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EDUCATION

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Child Care Facilities: Quality by Design. By Tony Proscio and others, Local Initiatives Support Corporation. (The Corporation, New York, New York) 2004. 16 p.

Full Text at: www.lisc.org/resources/assets/asset_upload_file269_7064.pdf

["This report finds a correlation between a well-designed child care space and the level of interaction between teachers and children, a key indicator for the quality of a child care program. In high-quality facilities, children were less likely to be involved in conflict with their peers, and there was a 19 percent gain in the amount of time a child spent interacting with adults. Unfortunately, policymakers have paid scant attention to the importance of well-designed child care facilities. The report emphasizes that this makes it particularly difficult for low-income communities that may have the fewest options for families who need child care." National Women's Law Center listserv (August 5, 2004).]

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Kids Can't Wait to Learn. By Susanna Cooper, Preschool California and Kara Dukakis, Children Now. (Preschool California, Oakland, California) 2004. 80p.

Full Text at: www.preschoolcalifornia.org/docs/pdf/pc-advocacy-report-04.pdf

["The report said the following are some of the benefits for children who attend preschool: They are less likely to be placed in special education or held back a grade; they score higher on standardized tests in reading and math; they behave better in class; they are less likely to become involved in crime; they are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college." San Bernardino Sun (August 4, 2004) 1.]

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Education Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature. By Charol Shakeshaft. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Undersecretary, Policy and Program Studies Services. Document No. 2004-09. (The Department, Washington, DC) 2004. 156p.

Full Text at: www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/misconductreview/report.pdf

["Nearly 10% of U.S. elementary and secondary students will experience some kind of sexual misconduct by school employees -- from inappropriate jokes to actual molestation, according to a report. The study pulls together research, surveys, media reports and criminal statistics to examine the frequency of sexual harassment and abuse involving students and adults." Los Angeles Times (July 1, 2004) A19.]

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The Effects of Teach For America on Students: Findings from a National Evaluation. By Paul T. Decker and others, Mathematica Policy Research. Prepared for the Smith Richardson Foundation and others. (Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, New Jersey) 2004. 82 p.

Full Text at: www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/pdfs/teach.pdf

["Despite Teach For America's (TFA) rapid recent expansion, little evidence exists regarding the impact of TFA teachers on student achievement. This report addresses this issue directly by answering the question: Do TFA teachers improve (or at least not harm) student outcomes relative to what would have happened in their absence?"]

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Women's Participation in the Sciences Has Increased, but Agencies Need to Do More to Ensure Compliance with Title IX. By the U.S. Government Accountability Office. GAO-04-639. (The Office, Washington, DC) July 2004. 55 p.

Full Text at: www.gao.gov/new.items/d04639.pdf

["Because of the concern about women’s access to opportunities in the sciences, which receive billions of dollars in federal assistance, this report addresses: (1) how do the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Science Foundation ensure that federal grant recipient institutions comply with Title IX in math, engineering, and science; (2) what do data show about women’s participation in these fields; and (3) what promising practices exist to promote their participation?"]

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EMPLOYMENT

FARM LABOR

A Cross Comparison Between California and Its Domestic and International Competitors With Respect to Key Labor Issues. By Sean Hurley, Department of Agribusiness California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Prepared for the California Institute for the Study of Specialty Crops (The Institute, San Luis Obispo, California) June 30, 2004. 67 p.

Full Text at: cissc.calpoly.edu/research/labor-final-report-6-30-04-3.pdf

["Labor costs account for nearly a third of California farm expenses, a study shows. Nearly $6 billion a year is spent on direct-hire and contract-labor expenses. It is about 30 percent of state farm and ranch expenses." Contra Costa Times (July 29, 2004) 1.]

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Under the Microscope: Biotechnology Jobs in California. By Janet Peters and Scott Slotterbeck. Occupational Research Unit, Information Services Group, Labor Market Information Division, California State Employment Development Department. (The Department, Sacramento, California) June 2004. 148p.

Full Text at: www.calmis.ca.gov/FILE/OCCMISC/BioTechReport.htm

["Jobs in California's biotechnology industry could more than double to 250,000 by 2015.... California is the nation's leader in biotechnology, which includes everything from insect-resistant plants to new cancer drugs. More than 400 biotech firms employ approximately 100,000 Californians." Sacramento Bee (August 5, 2004) A1.]

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Hidden Costs of Wal-Mart Jobs: Use of Safety Net Programs by Wal-Mart Workers in California. By Arindrajit Dube and Ken Jacobs. University of California, Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education; Universtity of California, Berkerley Center for Labor Research and Education. Berkeley, California. Briefing Paper Series. August 2, 2004. 16 p.

["According to a study, employment practices at Wal-Mart, the nation's largest employer with relatively lower costs in the retail sector, cost California taxpayers about $86 million annually in public assistance to company workers. The study estimated that low wages force employees to accept $32 million annually in health-related services and $54 million per year in other assistance, such as subsidized school lunches, food stamps and subsidized housing.... Wal-Mart questioned the validity of the report saying the authors undervalued the wages and benefits the chain's employees receive." San Francisco Chronicle (August 3, 2004) 1.]

Report. 16p.:
http://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/lowwage/walmart.pdf

San Francisco Chronicle (Full article). 1 p.:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/03/BUGH081LMP1.DTL&type=printable

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ENERGY

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology Vehicles: Issues in Congress. By Brent Yacobucci, Resources, Science, and Industry Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. Issue Brief. (National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC) July 20, 2004. 11 p.

Full Text at: www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/04Jul/IB10128.pdf

["Alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles are seen by proponents as integral to improving urban air quality, decreasing dependence on foreign oil, and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. However, major barriers currently prevent the widespread use of these fuels and technologies. Because of these barriers, and the potential benefits, there is continued congressional interest in providing incentives and other support for their development and commercialization."]

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ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

AIR POLLUTION

Reel Danger: Power Plant Mercury and the Fish We Eat. By Emily Figdor, U.S. Public Interest Research Group. (Clear the Air, Washington, DC) August 2004. 55 p.

Full Text at: cta.policy.net/reports/reel_danger/reel_danger_report.pdf

["More than half the fish in the nation's lakes and reservoirs have levels of mercury that exceed government standards for women of child-bearing age and children, according to an environmental coalition's analysis of a survey by the Environmental Protection Agency. A breakdown of the survey findings from the first two years of a four-year study was the basis of the report." New York Times (August 3, 2004) A15.]

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PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Californians and the Environment. By Mark Baldassare, Public Policy Institute of California. (The Institute, San Francisco, California) July 2004. 40 p

Full Text at: www.ppic.org/content/pubs/S_704MBS.pdf

["A poll found air quality tops the list of environmental issues in the minds of most Californians -- far ahead of such other possibilities as 'pollution in general,' water pollution and runaway population growth." San Francisco Chronicle (July 22, 2004) 1.]

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State of Connecticut, et al. v. American Electric Power Company, et al. U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. Complaint. July 21, 2004.

["California, seven other states and New York City filed the first global-warming lawsuit against power companies accusing five major plant operators of emitting gases that are causing temperatures to rise and threatening the planet's water, air and living creatures.... The suit is an attempt to substitute court-imposed restrictions for the voluntary approach of President Bush." San Francisco Chronicle (July 22, 2004) 1.]

Complaint. 53 p.:
http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/2004/04-076.pdf

Press release. 1 p.:
http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/2004/04-076.htm

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U.S. Scrap Tire Markets: 2003 Edition. By the Rubber Manufacturers Association. (The Association, Washington, DC) July 2004.

["A record 80 percent of old tires were recycled for other uses including fuel and playground equipment in 2003, according to a U.S. industry report. In 1990, the first year a report was issued, only 11 percent of scrap tires were recycled.... Despite the growth, Dan Zielinski of the Rubber Manufacturers Association, said funding for scrap tire clean-up programs was cut in 16 states last year. Unless funding for scrap tires increases, tire stockpiles will grow, he said." Reuters News Service (July 22, 2004) 1.]

Report. 51 p.:
https://www.rma.org/publications/scrap_tires/index.cfm?PublicationID=11302&CFID=3704091&CFTOKEN=69041201

Press release. 1 p.:
http://www.rma.org/newsroom/release.cfm?ID=129

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Arizona Statewide Water Conservation Strategy: Draft. And, Arizona Drought Preparedness Plan: Revised. By the Governor's Drought Task Force, Arizona Department of Water Resources. Prepared for Governor Janet Napolitano. (The Department, Phoenix, Arizona) June 10, 2004.

["The purpose of this strategy is to encourage voluntary reductions in use and assist local jurisdictions and water providers in implementing appropriate long-term and drought related conservation programs.... This document sets out to: provide the basis for developing water efficiency benchmarks ... and also provide the necessary educational tools and technical assistance to achieve reductions in use."]

Conservation Strategy. 66 p.:
http://www.water.az.gov/gdtf/content/files/meetings/2004/AZ_Statewide_Conservationnew609.doc

Preparedness Plan. 79 p.:
http://www.water.az.gov/gdtf/content/files/meetings/2004/Arizona_Drought_Preparedness_Plan-Operational_Model_DRAFT_06-10-04_saf.doc

[Request #S3584]

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GENERAL GOVERNMENT

CALIFORNIA

Governing the Golden State: A Critical Path to Improve Performance and Restore Trust. By Little Hoover Commission. (The Commission, Sacramento, California) July 2004. 105 p.

Full Text at: www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/174/report174.pdf

["In this report, the Commission uses hard-learned lessons to define a critical path, a process that if followed would enable the leadership of California government to achieve a permanently balanced budget while delivering the highest quality public services at an affordable cost."]

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Deficits and the Mid-Session Review: The Administration's Efforts to Make Harmful Deficits Appear Benign. By David Kamin and others, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (The Center, Washington, DC) August 1, 2004. 11 p.

Full Text at: www.cbpp.org/7-30-04bud.pdf

["The Office of Management and Budget released new projections stating that the budget deficit will grow to $445 billion in fiscal year 2004. This is $70 billion larger than the 2003 deficit, which stood at $375 billion. Despite the recovery, the deficit has continued to rise significantly."]

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In re George T., California Supreme Court. S111780. July 22, 2004. Various pagings.

Full Text at: www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S111780.PDF

["A San Jose teenager's poem that talked about bringing guns to campus, shortly after a shooting at another school, may have frightened his classmates and concerned his school's administrators, but it wasn't a crime, the state Supreme Court ruled. The unanimous ruling is one of the nation's first to examine the boundaries between student expression and school safety in the tense atmosphere that followed the 1999 Columbine High School slaughter and other campus killings." San Francisco Chronicle (July 23, 2004) 1.]

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Government for the People for a Change: Report of the California Performance Review. By the California Performance Review (The Review, Sacramento, California) August 2004. Various pagings.

Full Text at: www.report.cpr.ca.gov/

["Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to 'make every use' of a meticulous proposal to overhaul California's bureaucracy, describing it as a tonic for state government and setting in motion what is expected to be an impassioned public debate about the state's direction.... Schwarzenegger created a panel of 21 state legislators, public officials, academics and political supporters who will hold five hearings around the state and summarize the responses in a second report to the governor." Los Angeles Times (August 4, 2004) 1.]

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American Democracy in an Age of Rising Inequality. By the Task Force on Inequality and American Democracy, American Political Science Association. (The Association, Washington, DC) 2004. 24 p.

Full Text at: www.apsanet.org/Inequality/taskforcereport.pdf

["Our country’s ideals of equal citizenship and responsive government may be under growing threat in an era of persistent and rising inequalities... Progress toward realizing American ideals of democracy may have stalled, and in some arenas reversed."]

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The 2004-05 Budget Bill: SB 1113, as Amended. By the Legislative Analyst's Office. (The Office, Sacramento, California) July 28, 2004. 12 p.

Full Text at: www.lao.ca.gov/2004/floor_packet/072804_Floor_sb1113.pdf

["Major features of the bill include: a major budget shortfall through program savings, borrowing, local government contributions, and funding shifts; reduced funding for Proposition 98; assumption of a diversion of $1.3 billion in revenues from local government in 2004-05 and in 2005-06."]

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State Tax Revenue Recovery Gaining Steam. By Nicholas W. Jenny, Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. Report no. 56. (The Institute, Albany, N.Y.) 2004. 16p.

Full Text at: stateandlocalgateway.rockinst.org/fiscal_pub/state_rev/sr_reports/RR_56.pdf

["State tax revenue grew by 8.1 percent in the January-March quarter of 2004, compared to the same quarter the year before. Without the contribution of newly enacted taxes, this growth would have only been 7.1 percent.... State tax growth seems to be moving back into the range seen before the recession of 2001. All three major state taxes showed strong growth this quarter."]

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HEALTH

ELDERLY

"National Trends in Osteoporosis Visits and Osteoporosis Treatment, 1988-2003." By Randall S. Stafford and others. IN: Archives of Internal Medicine, vol. 164 no. 14 (July 27, 2004) pp. 1525-1530.

["The number of Americans diagnosed with osteoporosis surged sevenfold during the past decade, coinciding with the development and marketing of new drugs to treat the bone-thinning condition. As of 2003, an estimated 3.6 million people had been diagnosed with osteoporosis, compared with half a million in 1994, according to the study by Stanford University researchers." Contra Costa Times (July 27, 2004) 1.]

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Governor's Proposal to Restructure Medi-Cal Is Financially Risky and Could Increase State Costs. By Scott Graves, California Budget Project, and Edwin Park, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (The Project, Sacramento, California) July 2004. 22 p.

Full Text at: www.cbp.org/2004/0407medicalrestructure.pdf

["Due to the broad scope of the options under consideration for restructuring of the state’s Medi-Cal Program, the Schwarzenegger Administration must obtain a comprehensive 'Section 1115' Medicaid waiver from the federal government.... A Section 1115 waiver would cap federal funding for Medi-Cal.... Rather than paying a fixed percentage of Medi-Cal costs, the federal government would provide no more than a fixed amount of funding, either on an aggregate basis or on a per-enrollee basis, regardless of California’s actual Medi-Cal expenditures."]

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Medicare Drug Discount Cards: A Work In Progress. By Health Policy Alternatives, Inc. Prepared for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (Foundation, Menlo Park, California) July 2004. 55 p.

Full Text at: www.kff.org/medicare/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=44514

["This report takes a first look at the Medicare Discount Card Program, with an emphasis on issues affecting beneficiaries.... This analysis is designed to address several questions. Can beneficiaries who lack drug coverage realize savings by signing up for a discount card? Does choice of card really matter, in terms of monthly costs/savings? Have prices changed since the program was first implemented?"]

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Announces Revised Medicare Obesity Coverage Policy: Press Release. By the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (The Department, Washington, DC) July 15, 2004. 1 p.

Full Text at: www.os.dhhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040715.html

["The federal Medicare program abandoned a long-standing policy that obesity is not a disease, removing what has been a major roadblock for many people trying to get treatment for the burgeoning health problem." San Francisco Chronicle (July 16, 2004) 1.]

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HOUSING

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Impact of Prevailing Wage Rate Requirements on the Costs of Affordable Housing in California. By Matthew Newman and others, California Institute for County Government. (The Institute, Sacramento, California) 2004. 77 p.

Full Text at: cicg.org/publications/prevailing%20wage%20and%20affordable%20housing.pdf

["[The authors] estimate that, as a result of the cost increases stemming from prevailing wage requirements, significantly fewer affordable units would be produced in California each year. Specifically, [the authors] estimate that more than 1,400 fewer units would have been subsidized by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee in 2003 had the new prevailing wage requirements been in effect at the time."]

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El Sueno de su Casa: The Homeownership Potential of Mexican-Heritage Families. By Jongho Lee and others, Tomas Rivera Policy Institute. (The Institute, Los Angeles, California) 2004. 40 p.

Full Text at: www.trpi.org/PDFs/El_Sueno.pdf

["The increasing Latino population, expected to account for 32 percent of U.S. household growth this decade, aspires to homeownership, but more outreach programs are needed to maximize this market's potential, said a report....The report noted that Latino families wanting to buy a home face several hurdles, especially getting accurate information about qualifying for a mortgage. For example, 64 percent of the potential buyers lacked familiarity with the mortgage process, 53 percent said it's difficult to save for a down payment and a like amount had trouble finding a trustworthy adviser." Los Angeles Daily Times (August 4, 2004) 1.]

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Further Action By HUD Needed to Halt Cuts In Housing Assistance for Low-income Families. By Barbara Sard and Will Fischer, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (The Center, Washington, DC) July 15, 2004. 19 p.

Full Text at: www.cbpp.org/4-26-04hous.pdf

["The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a far-reaching change in its policy for funding 'Section 8' housing vouchers. The new HUD policy will result in many state and local housing agencies failing to receive sufficient funding to continue supporting all vouchers now in use."]

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HUMAN SERVICES

ELDERLY

Guardianships: Collaboration Needed to Protect Incapacitated Elderly People. By the U.S. Government Accountability Office. GAO-04-655. (The Office, Washington, DC) July 2004. 97 p.

Full Text at: www.gao.gov/new.items/d04655.pdf

["The Government Accountability Office was asked to examine: (1) what state courts do to ensure that guardians fulfill their responsibilities, (2) what guardianship programs recognized as exemplary do to ensure that guardians fulfill their responsibilities, and (3) how state courts and federal agencies work together to protect incapacitated elderly people."]

[Request #S3601]

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Therapeutic Foster Care for the Prevention of Violence: A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. By Robert A. Hahn, Centers for Disease Control, and others. IN: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 53, RR10 (July 2, 2004) pp. 1-8.

Full Text at: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5310a1.htm

["The Task Force found insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of this intervention in preventing violence. Therapeutic foster care for the reduction of violence by chronically delinquent adolescents involved short-term programs (average duration: 6--7 months) in which program personnel collaborated closely and daily with foster families caring for adolescents with a history of chronic delinquency. On the basis of sufficient evidence of effectiveness, the Task Force recommends this intervention for prevention of violence among adolescents with a history of chronic delinquency."]

[Request #S3602]

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NATIONAL READER

NATIONAL READER

The 9/11 Commission Report. By the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (The Commission, Washington, DC) July 22, 2004. 585 p.

Full Text at: www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf

["The final report of the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks chronicles in exhaustive detail the sporadic and failed attempts of the CIA, the FBI and other intelligence agencies to track some of the Sept. 11 plotters and their associates. Although it stops short of blaming President Bush or former president Bill Clinton for the attacks, the document concludes that both administrations were lackluster in their efforts to combat Islamic terrorism and derides congressional oversight of the issue as 'dysfunctional.'" The Washington Post (July 22, 2004) A1.]

[Request #S3603]

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TRANSPORTATION

AUTOMOBILE SAFETY

The Impact of Driver Cell Phone Use on Accidents. By Robert W. Hahn, American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Center for Regulatory Studies, and James E. Prieger, Department of Economics, University of California, Davis. (The Center, Washington, DC) July 2004. 56 p.

Full Text at: aei-brookings.org/admin/authorpdfs/page.php?id=1007

["Several countries, as well as two states and many municipalities in the U.S. have banned the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.... Our analysis suggests that individuals who are more likely to use hands-free devices are more careful drivers even without them. Our estimates of the reduction in accidents from a ban on cell phone use while driving are both lower and less certain than previous studies indicate."]

[Request #S3604]

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Surface Transportation: Many Factors Affect Investment Decisions. By the U.S. General Accounting Office. GAO-04-744. (The Office, Washington, DC) June 2004. 59 p.

Full Text at: www.gao.gov/new.items/d04744.pdf

["This report provides information about the processes that state and regional transportation decision makers use to analyze and select transportation infrastructure investments. GAO identified (1) key federal requirements for planning and deciding on such investments, (2) how benefit-cost analysis facilitates sound decision making, and (3) other factors that decision-makers consider in evaluating and deciding on investments."]

[Request #S3605]

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[The following studies, reports, and documents have been ordered or requested, but have not yet arrived. Requests may be placed, and copies will be provided when the material arrives.]

EDUCATION

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

School Connections: U.S. Mexican Youth, Peers, and School Achievement. Edited by Margaret A. Gibson and others. (Teachers College Press, New York, New York) 2004. 210 p.

["This collection examines the ongoing social dynamic between peer relations and academic achievement, bringing together the latest thinking from prominent scholars in anthropology, psychology, sociology, and education." NOTE: School Connections... will be available for 3-day loan.]

[Request #S3506]

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ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Safety of Genetically Engineered Foods: Approaches to Assessing Unintended Health Effects. By the Committee on Identifying and Assessing Unintended Effects of Genetically Engineered Foods on Human Health, National Research Council. (National Academies Press, Washington, DC) July 2004. 256 p.

Full Text at: www.nap.edu/books/0309092094/html/

["Federal regulators should look more closely at the potential health effects of some genetically modified plants before they can be grown as commercial crops, a scientific advisory panel said.... The report said that genetic engineering of food crops, although relatively new, appears to be a safe technology and that there is no evidence it has harmed health." Washington Post (July 28, 2004) E3.]

[Request #S3507]

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EARTHQUAKES

"Six Similar Sequential Ruptures of the San Andreas Fault, Carrizo Plain, California." By Jing Lui, California Institute of Technology, and others. IN: Geology, vol. 32, no. 8 (August 2004) pp. 649 - 652.

["Long-buried evidence of eathquakes along the San Andreas Fault is providing scientists with suprising new insights about how big quakes affect the seismic hazards all Califonians face." San Fransico Chronicle (July 23, 2004) 1p.]

[Request #S3508]

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GENERAL GOVERNMENT

STATE FINANCES

New Realities in State Finance. By Ronald Snell, National Conference of State Legislatures. (NCSL, Denver, Colorado) 2004. 101 p.

["This book examines the major state taxes and the ways that changes in the American economy and society have affected taxes, as well as alternatives to taxes and how the federal government's tax policies affect states. The book considers the productivity of taxes, their fairness, and the reasons tax policy must be considered not only in the long-term, but also in the immediate present."]

[Request #S3509]

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