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[Joe]

First Drivers License Laws, First Drivers License Exams
You will be surpised at just how late some states were on starting this.
Is it too late to turn back the clock?
Traffic laws: back  to the beginning
http://www.dispatch.com/news/special/wheelsofjustice/woj1Eoldtrafficlaws.html

SD   1954   1959

WY   1947   1947

ME   1937   1937
MT   1935    1947
ND   1935    1947
AK   1935    1937
ID    1935    1951

DE   1909   1924
VT   1905   1926
NH   1905   1912

(Massachusetts and Missouri started it all)

Source of above:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/summary95/dl230.pdf



Exitus,
Regarding your post about EPA Superfund sites (on page 7 of this thread)
Having dealt directly with EPA Superfund site managers and their PR people at the Superfund site that we live within (it's several square miles of old mine dumps, drainages, and related stuff), and having received a significant amount of training and experience dealing with the technical and political issues of these sites (from drums of whatever to what we have here...

I'll emphasize this
Each site must be evaluated because the raw numbers matter very little other than each one gives the EPA entry into the state in a very helluva heavy handed manner complete with junk science and professional manipulation of the populace in and around the sites.
It can take twenty or more years  (if ever) to remedy the site and get rid of the EPA presence. It has been 18 years so far and we have at least a few more years yet before EPA "de-lists" all of Leadville.

[Robert H.]

Hate crimes laws and most discrimination laws are, in my opinion, exercises in political correctness.  Looking at a state's hate and discrimination laws may be an indication of the strength of political correctness (or special interest lobby strength) in that state.

According to the following MSNBC site, Wyoming is the only FSP candidate state with no hate crimes law (only eight states lack such laws).  Summaries of the hate crimes laws in effect in the other candidate states are available by clicking on each state here:

http://msnbc.com/modules/HateCrimes_SBS/stateframe.asp

And here is some more interesting information from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, an organization that identifies itself as "working for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equal rights."

This site evaluates each state based on what laws it has in regard to:

• Non-discrimination (in the workplace, restaruants, etc...)
• Hate crimes laws
• Gay/lesbian adoption and martial status
• Sodomy laws
• "Safe Schools" (which states have laws specifically protecting gays and transgender students)

There are other categories at this site as well.

[Kelton Baker]

"Clean Elections"
(Leftist-speak for tax-payer funded election campaigns)
http://abcnews.go.com/onair/WorldNewsTonight/wnt000709_maine_politics_feature.html

Maine = Full funding All state offices, was approved through ballot inititive
Vermont = Governorship Only (full funding), Strict spending limits, all races, was approved by legislature

New Hampshire = Had a bill go before the legislature in 2000, issue was killed


Any other states besides Vermont and Maine?  (this was all that I could find, searching each state as I can't seem to find this info gathered anywhere in a central location).

Further research yielded no finds on any other state practicing this tax-payer funding of elections, except that there was some movement in Alaska to start it but hasn't been taken too seriously yet; thus, only Vermont and Maine are states that should cause us concern in this.

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[Kelton Baker]

Sighting values based on number of sightings and population density for each state for the full range of study based on midpoint of full range, 1941-1996 (54.67 years) and 5,626 reports used.
 
Frequency of UFO Sightings by State
 
New Mexico #1

Among our candidate states:
Alaska #2
Montana #5
New Hampshire #6
Idaho #7
North Dakota #11
Wyoming #12
Maine #13
Vermont #14
South Dakota #15
Delaware #23

Rhode Island #52

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[Kelton Baker]

Here is an area I only wished that we had researched more, but the time is far spent and there is little remaining in order to make much of a contribution now towards the question of which state:

Uniform Laws

[/url]

In the American federal system, both the federal government and the individual states have the power to pass statutes or laws. (Local governments like counties and cities can as well but have more limited power generally seen as derived from their state.) Both are subject to constitutional limitations. Some topics are largely covered by federal legislation, some are handled almost exclusively by the states, and many are the subject of both state and federal law.

As interstate business and individual movement have increased in the U.S. the felt need for greater uniformity of law on particular subjects has grown. One response to such a need is enactment of a federal law on the subject (e.g., the federal Securities Act of 1933). Another approach known by the name "Uniform State Laws" seeks adoption of identical or similar laws by all the states. It dates back to the late nineteenth century.

Uniform Rules of Evidence Locator
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uniform/evidence.html

Uniform Probate Code Locator
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uniform/probate.html

Uniform Commercial Code Locator
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uniform/ucc.html

Uniform Business and Financial Laws Locator
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uniform/vol7.html

Uniform Matrimonial and Family Laws Locator
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uniform/vol9.html

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[Kelton Baker]

Rankings of candidate state "Fatalities in Alcohol-Related Crashes as a Percent of All Highway Fatalities" 2003 Report by MorganQuitno press (this is already a factor in the 'quality' measure of the spreadsheets)
 
NH, ND tied for 4th highest in nation
AK, MT, WY tied for 12^th
SD 22nd
DE 25th
VT 31st
ID 38th
ME 48th (near best)

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[freedomroad]

Anti-Gun Brady Campaign Lifetime Report Card
The scores range from 1 to 13.  This measures several different rates and laws.  See source for more details.  To the Brady Campaign, a 13 is the best score.  However, since the Brady Campaign is a anti-gun organization, lower numbers are better for us.  Thus, Wyoming and Montana are best for us.


The resources:
State
grades for the last 6 years
lifetime average score (lower is better for us)

AK
d d- d- d- d- d-
3.8

DE
c+ b- c+ c c c
9.2

ID
D D D- F+ f+ f+
2.83

ME
d f f f f f
1.8

MT
f f f f f f
1

NH
d+ d+ d D+ d+ d+
5

ND
d d d d d d
4

SD
d d d d d d
4

VT
d- d- d- d- d- d-
3

WY
f f f f f f
1


The ranking for our concerns: lower numbers are better for us
1. Wyoming 1
1. Montana 1
3. Maine 1.8
4. Idaho 2.83
5. Vermont 3
6. Alaska 3.8
7. South Dakota 4
7. North Dakota 4
9. New Hampshire 5
10. Delaware 9.2

Source:
http://www.bradycampaign.org/press/rc03/rc_history.pdf

[Kelton Baker]

Compulsory School Age -- I don't know if this has already been discussed, it could just be a component of the homeschooling laws, but I was just curious...

AK
"between 7 and 16" (A child who is six years old and enrolled in the first grade in public school is subject to the compulsory attendance law. A parent may withdraw such a child from public school within 60 days of enrollment, and the child will not be subject to the compulsory attendance law until age seven.)

DE
"between 5 years of age and 16 years of age"; can delay start (if "in best interests of the child") with school authorization

ID
"attained the age of 7 years, but not the age of 16 years"

ME

"7 years of age or older and under 17 years"

MT

"7 years of age or older prior to the first day of school" and "the later of the following dates: the child’s 16th birthday; the day of completion of the work of the 8th grade"


ND
"a child between the ages of seven and sixteen years."


NH
"at least 6 years of age [on September 30] and under 16 years of age"

SD
"six years old by the first day of September and who has not exceeded the age of sixteen years"; children under age 7 can be excused

VT
"between the ages of six and 16 years"; children attending a post-secondary school (approved or accredited by Vermont or another state) are exempt

WY
"whose seventh birthday falls before September 15 of any year and who has not yet attained his sixteenth birthday or completed the tenth grade…"

My rough analysis of these laws without going into fine points:

MT=WY=ND=ID=NH=AK > SD=VT=ME> DE

Out of these, Montana and Wyoming possibly seem to be the lesser evil, but all compulsory school attendance laws have a way of interfering with parent's rights, so couple that with how they give an out, and we can see that from the spreadsheet values for Homeschooling, AK and ID offer the most freedom, followed by DE,MT,WY,  NH,SD take the lower end and DE, VT and ME are bad news.

source: hslda.org

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[freedomroad]

Cost of Living in Cities
http://www.bestplaces.net/html/cost_of_living.html

1. Wyoming
Cheyenne 97.6
Casper 96.0

1. Idaho
Boise 96.8
Pocatello 96.8

3. South Dakota
Rapid City 99.9
Sioux Falls 95.4

4. North Dakota
Bismarck 98.8
Fargo 95.7
Grand Forks 100.2

5. Montana
Billings 102.4
Great Falls 100.0

6. Maine
Portland 112.7
Bangor 101.5
Lewiston 101.1

7. Delaware
Wilmington-Newark 111.9
Dover 101.7

8. Vermont
Burlington 113.4

9. Alaska
Anchorage 123.1

10. New Hampshire
Nashua 138.5
Manchester 110.5
Portsmouth-Rochester 138.6

[freedomroad]

Out of these, Montana and Wyoming possibly seem to be the lesser evil, but all compulsory school attendance laws have a way of interfering with parent's rights, so couple that with how they give an out, and we can see that from the spreadsheet values for Homeschooling, AK and ID offer the most freedom, followed by DE,MT,WY,  NH,SD take the lower end and DE, VT and ME are bad news.

Just a note, in order, the 4 best states for homeschooling are:
1. Alaska
2. Idaho
3. Wyoming
4. Montana

[Rearden]

Of course, NH and VT are the only two candidate states without a constitutional provision mandating public schools.  

In fact, there's nothing stopping ten porcupines from moving to a small NH town and simply voting to end the schools there.  They would simply end the arrangement small towns like this enter into with other small towns and reduce taxes to compensate.

I suspect that the first town to do this will set off a tidal wave of others.

[freedomroad]

Of course, NH and VT are the only two candidate states without a constitutional provision mandating public schools.  

In fact, there's nothing stopping ten porcupines from moving to a small NH town and simply voting to end the schools there.  They would simply end the arrangement small towns like this enter into with other small towns and reduce taxes to compensate.

I suspect that the first town to do this will set off a tidal wave of others.

That is not what the NH Constitution says.  It says, at least according to NH law, that public schools are required.  Vermont is the only candidate state that does not require public schools in its Constitution.

[Michelle]

That is not what the NH Constitution says.  

Here are the relevant sections, so people can judge for themselves:

Alaska (Article 7): "The legislature shall by general law establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State"

Delaware (Article 10): "The General Assembly shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of a general and efficient system of free public schools"

Idaho (Article 9): "it shall be the duty of the legislature of Idaho, to establish and maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools"

Maine (Article 8): "the Legislature are authorized, and it shall be their duty to require, the several towns to make suitable provision, at their own expense, for the support and maintenance of public schools"

Montana (Article 10): "The legislature shall provide a basic system of free quality public elementary and secondary schools"

New Hampshire (Article 83): "it shall be the duty of the legislators and magistrates, in all future periods of this government, to cherish the interest of literature and the sciences, and all seminaries and public schools"

North Dakota (Article 8): "the legislative assembly shall make provision for the establishment and maintenance of a system of public schools which shall be open to all children of the state of North Dakota"

South Dakota (Article 8): "it shall be the duty of the Legislature to establish and maintain a general and uniform system of public schools wherein tuition shall be without charge, and equally open to all"

Vermont: (Section 68): "a competent number of schools ought to be maintained in each town unless the general assembly permits other provisions for the convenient instruction of youth"

Wyoming (Article 7): "The legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of a complete and uniform system of public instruction, embracing free elementary schools of every needed kind and grade"

[Kelton Baker]

Here are the relevant sections, so people can judge for themselves:

Michelle,

Remember this hideous ruling when it first came out, again under the first Claremont decisions?

Under the plain language of the Encouragement of Literature clause the State is duty bound to "cherish, regulate and control" education. NH. Const. pt. 2, art. 83; Coleman v. School District, 87 N.H. 465, 466 (136); State v. Jackson, 71 N.H. 552, 554 (1902); Farnum's Petition, 51 N.H. 376, 379 (1871).

I'm glad to see that this was challenged, but I remain unclear on the final outcome of this judicial movement to undermine NH and its constitution.  Perhaps you could also bring us up-to-date on all the judicial review of various Claremont decisions and actions by the NH legislature to restore Art. 6 , Pt. I of the N.H. Constitution and the original intent of the word 'to cherish' in 2:83 from where it now seems to be interpreted to mean a guarantee of adequate funding by the state, not any different from the state-funded local control in place in any of our 19^th- Century Western constitutions.

Because what matters right now, in practice, is how those in power interpret, rule and act on it differently from what we would like it to be.
 
It is clear that the original New Hampshire advantage is a wonderful one, but to say that it is so because you plainly read it so is to ignore all the real power-plays going on right now to destroy the greatness of New Hampshire.  So I ask that you bring us up to speed on how this is interpreted recently and what the legislature and governor are doing to correct this problem.  I hope the news is for the best, especially if we are moving there, but even if we do not, for liberty's sake!

See here:
http://www.mainstream.com/nhpolitics/

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[freedomroad]

You forget to underline

New Hampshire (Article 83): "it shall be the duty of the legislators and magistrates, in all future periods of this government, to cherish the interest of literature and the sciences, and all seminaries and public schools"