This week, the United States House of Representatives passed a $825 billion economic stimulus program, and the U.S. Senate is currently considering a similar legislation.

The plan calls for a significant portion of the stimulus money to be set aside for state and local governments:

More than $200 billion would go to states, enough to offset $100 billion in projected budget shortfalls they now face in the next two years, plus fund big spending increases. The money could spare states from politically painful program cuts, tax increases or both. Two-thirds of the federal money is aimed directly at states' biggest spending items: education, health care and roads.

The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates states face projected budget shortfalls of $32 billion this year and $64 billion in 2010. North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat and the president of NCSL, told USA Today:

This will let us balance our budgets in a way that avoids making draconian cuts.

Under the House legislation, the amounts to be distributed range from $16 billion -- to Texas and New York -- to $576 million headed to Wyoming, which has a projected budget surplus.

While the legislative session is only two weeks old in Iowa, lawmakers have already made significant headway on one major priority.

Yesterday, the Iowa Senate passed a $56 million flood recovery package. A similar bill had been passed by the House earlier this week. From the Associated Press:

Under the measure, $24 million would go to housing assistance programs, while $22 million would go to grants for flood-stricken communities. Another $10 million would go for assistance to individuals for items like mental health counseling and other flood-related needs.

Damage in the state from last year's floods and tornadoes has been valued at between $8 billion to $10 billion.

Twenty-four hours before the new legislative session kicked off, North Carolina Speaker of the House Joe Hackney gave a speech at a conference organized by N.C. Policy Watch.

His goal was to offer a vision of a path forward through tough economic conditions.

His solution is green jobs:

We have a president who campaigned on green jobs, spending more money on green energy, a grid, weatherization, and energy programs. We have a governor who campaigned on those same types of things. And we have the existence of a stimulus package coming along at that exact same time. I think what this means is, some things that have needed doing for a long time, and which will pay benefits far into the future, are going to get done this time.

Hackney notes that, under the stimulus package currently being weighed by Congress, North Carolina would have access to more than $200 million in funding for energy initiatives and weatherization improvements.

It's easy to imagine that kind of investment working to jump start a new sector of the economy.

During election season, campaigns are increasingly focused on collecting data. Candidates compile information about donors and volunteers, canvass voters, and make every effort to turn their supporters out to the polls.

During legislative session, lawmakers and their staffs do much of the same work. Offices track constituent correspondence, record flag requests, schedule capitol tours, and send newsletters back to the districts.

Together, all those activities represent a subtle shift in the way politics is practiced. Done correctly, a candidate can develop an incredibly sophisticated snapshot of the voters in his district, and an elected official can develop a keen understanding of emotions and opinions among her constituents. It goes without saying how beneficial that kind of knowledge can be -- both for the art of politics and good governance.

In doing a bit of research on this topic, I came across a document published by the Western Council on State Governments and the Institute on Politics, Democracy & the Internet.

If there are legislators out there looking for smart ways to develop a good constituent relationship system from the statehouse, I really recommend it as a starting point.

Legislators in Indiana face a steep set of challenges in this year's session. They have to pass a balanced budget, find ways to promote economic growth in a tough climate, and continue to improve essential services like education.

Republicans in the state, however, have a different agenda. They plan to work to bring up a series of divisive issues:

They include taking the next step toward amending caps on property tax bills into the state constitution, starting over on trying to put a ban on gay marriage in the constitution, and cracking down on illegal immigration.

Thankfully, House Speaker Patrick Bauer and his fellow Democrats are focused on keeping the conversation in the legislature focused on issues that matter to the people of Indiana.

Bauer told the Associated Press:

I think when you have a patient that is very ill, which we do, which is called the fiscal body of this state, that is what the doctor should be administering.

With Bauer, the health of Indiana is in good hands.

For a political geek, one of the fun things about reading Governing's Ballot Box Blog is way in which the writers let an intellectual exercise play out.

Check out Josh Goodman as he walks through various to determine which party has the most control over state government.

He dutifully reports the hard numbers:

Twenty-nine of the nation's fifty governors (or 58%) are Democrats. Of the 7,382 state legislators, 4,083 (or 55.3%) are Democrats and 3,218 (or 43.6%) are Republicans. The rest are vacant seats, held by third-party representatives, are members of the nominally non-partisan Nebraska legislature or were still undecided when the National Conference of State Legislatures compiled these numbers.

But the real fun begins once he moves past the raw data.

I recommend the entire post.

In Iowa, lawmakers are facing the same bleak economic forecast and budget shortfalls as many of their colleagues across the country. But as legislators prepare for the 2009 session, they also face the added hurdle of dealing of cleaning up from the floods and tornadoes that ravaged much of the state last year. According to the Associated Press:

Officials estimate the state's total damage from summer 2008 flooding and tornadoes at $8 billion to $10 billion.

In the public sector alone, state agencies and non-profits estimate about $850 million in damage. The state puts statewide housing damage at about $900 million. And the state hasn't estimated the damage to businesses.

Democratic leaders are committed to getting their citizens back in their homes and back to work.

The North Carolina legislature begins its new session on January 28th at 12:00 noon. But as they gear up, the lawmakers in Raleigh are already rolling out a new website: http://www.ncleg.net/.

They are billing this new online presence as:

[A] tool to track bills, find and communicate with your State House and Senate representatives, and follow meetings and issues before the General Assembly.

I've just spent some time on the site, and I'm particularly excited about how it uses of RSS feeds as a way to distribute information. The feeds make it particularly easy to keep up with the calendars for both chambers and follow all the news that the body publishes.

I like that the site offers audio channels to listen to deliberations to listen to business as it is conducted in each chamber.

In fact, I only wish that the North Carolina General Assembly had a video feed on its new website as well.

Two days ago a group of us in my office huddled around our coworkers desk to watch a video feed of the first day of the Tennessee legislative session. I was struck by how remarkable it was to be in Washington and be able to the drama of the Tennessee speaker's election unfold.

That's a resource that I wish more legislatures would offer -- both to citizens who aren't able to spend time in their local capitols and those of us across the country who are invested in the work state lawmakers do.

In a time of budget shortfalls, there are obviously other priorities that should come first. But in better economic times, I do think this is a good investment that our governments can make.

In Nevada, Democratic victories in November have helped to swing the balance of away from the GOP in the state. Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons has specifically seen his power wane.

Instead, the Las Vegas Sun reports:

[T]he real action will involve a troika of Democrats who are not only the future of the party in Nevada, but also occasional rivals whose various aspirations will make it difficult at times for them to pull together. For that reason, they bear close watching after the Legislature opens on Feb. 2.

As one of these leaders, Sen. Steven Horsford, who heads the upper chamber and serves as a board member at the DLCC, is focused on advancing a Democratic agenda in the state.

He and other Democrats are all committed to solving the budget crisis in Nevada without cutting essential services at a time when citizens of the state need them the most.

Obviously, there is plenty of reason for strong emotions in Tennessee right now, but some of the talk in Republican circles is getting out of hand.

On a blog maintained by GOP Rep. Stacey Campfield, a commentator named D.J. Jones responds to the news by saying:

I hope TRAITOR Williams has bodyguards. This is an outrage to the voting majority of Tennesseans. Now the Democrat tyranny extends for 2 more years. There ought to be total civil war in the House as a result.

While you always see some heated words after an unexpected election, state authorities are apparently taking the threats seriously:

In an unusual move, Highway Patrolmen stood guard at the podium when Williams walked up to it, and troopers surrounded Williams as he left the chamber and ducked into the speaker's office.

Surely the people of Tennessee deserve better than this?

Despite having a one seat advantage in the Tennessee House, Republicans today were unable to elect either of their nominees to the top leadership positions in the chamber.

Early this afternoon, the GOP nominated their leader -- Jason Mumpower -- to become Speaker of the House. Democrats nominated and voted for Rep. Kent Williams, a moderate Republican, and Williams became the Speaker by a vote of 50 to 49.

Williams then joined with the Democrats to help re-elect Rep Lois DeBerry as Speaker Pro Tem, a position she has held for years.

Despite being heckled and booed by his Republican colleagues during his acceptance speech, Speaker Williams expressed his desire to work in a bipartisan fashion to benefit all Tennesseans.

With word last week that unemployment has reached a 16-year high, states all across the country are dealing with job loss. But some places have been hit harder than others. NPR looks at which states have been affected the most by the poor economic climate.

As job losses and home foreclosures mount, many lawmakers are becoming increasingly focused on poverty alleviation as a matter of policy, and with as many as 40 states expected to grapple with budget shortfalls in 2009, leaders are looking to the federal government for help in paying for aid programs.

In an effort to save money, many places are now scaling back ambitious public work projects. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials estimates that as many as 5,000 different projects have been stopped, many with work left half-completed. California is one state facing a particularly difficult set of decisions, having been forced to put nearly $4 billion of road improvements on hold.

Public education has been another target of cost-saving measures. With many schools expecting to see less money from state and local governments this year, administrators are asking parents to help pay for basic resources like textbooks, school supplies, and teacher salaries. Parent organizations have long contributed to special activities, sports teams, and trips, but this funding of core school expenses is a new trend. Many worry that it might encourage local governments to contribute even less to public education.

As a way to raise money to offset budget deficits and provide for essential services, many lawmakers are looking to privatize tangible assets owned by state governments. Up for sale are rights to administer toll roads, parks, and lotteries, and many states are looking to get rid of interests in airports, sports arenas, and golf courses, as well.

Even with the tough economic climate, many states are looking to pass new laws to benefit veterans. In Oklahoma, a ballot measure -- sponsored by Democrats and approved by 85 percent of the vote in November -- will exempt disabled veterans from paying personal property taxes. In New York, former soldiers will get a boost to their applications to civil service positions. And veterans in California will have access to special low-interest farm and home mortgage loans. Other states are considering similar measures.

The DLCC was proud to play a part in helping elect a Democratic majority in the New York State Senate for the first time in more than 40 years.

Today, Democratic Senator Malcolm Smith, the new Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore, addressed the body, saying:

"“My goodness ... a humble boy from Queens who used to ride a bicycle delivering groceries, and now I’m delivering on a $121 billion budget. This is a great state.”

The change in leadership comes at a time of difficulty for New York lawmakers.

Facing a projected budget shortfall of $15 billion, Sen. Smith and the new majority have already begun work with the Democratic majority in the House and with Gov. Paterson to responsibly handle the financial crisis while protecting vital government services.

We here at the DLCC congratulate Sen. Smith and his fellow Democrats in the Senate, and we look forward to our continued partnership as we work to expand their majority in the future.

When the Texas legislature begins its new session next, the composition of both chambers will look a little bit different, and that has some observers expecting a different conversation in Austin:

Whether they like it or not, in this session, Republicans will need Democratic votes and vice-versa

It's clear what happened.

In the 2008 election, our candidates made gains in both the House and Senate. In the lower chamber, Democrats are only one seat away from forcing a tie, and in the upper chamber, our lawmakers control 12 seats -- more than enough to prevent bad legislation from coming to the floor under the body's rules.

We're already seeing the results from the new margins.

For the first time in six years, hyperpartisan GOP Rep. Tom Craddick will not gavel in the new session as Speaker of the House.

By any reasonable measure, that's progress.

In New Hampshire, the 2009 legislative session begins tomorrow, January 7th.

Lawmakers are expected to submit as many as 800 bills for the legislature to consider, but for chamber leaders crafting the state's next budget will dominate proceedings.

New Hampshire is unique because its lawmakers meet annually but they create a two-year budget in the first year of the session. Public hearings on the state's economic projections for the new budget cycle begin on Jan. 21 for the House Finance Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Marjorie Smith, D-Durham. Gov. Lynch will present his budget to the legislature on Feb. 15.

Even as New Hampshire works to cut as much as $100 million in spending, Democratic Speaker Terie Norelli plans to make dealing with the state's retirement system a priority.

All across the country, state lawmakers are preparing to gavel legislative bodies into session.

In Colorado, the Rocky Mountain News profiles the two Democrats who are set to lead their respective chambers:

In the same grand chambers where the Ku Klux Klan once held sway, two black men will assume the most powerful positions in the Colorado General Assembly.

When the legislature convenes next week for its 2009 session, Peter Groff will again be elected Senate president, while Terrance Carroll will assume the post of speaker of the House.

Colorado is the first legislature in the nation to have two blacks holding the top posts at the same time.

While both men are cognizant of the history they are about to make, each has a policy agenda for 2009.

Groff plans to push for job creation and education reform, while Carroll wants to improve the state's infrastructure.