Washington, DC, USA. The federal government leaves most insurance regulation to the states, but passage of the Dodd-Frank law inserted the feds more deeply into the mix.

Congress passed the 848-page Dodd-Frank law two years ago to try to prevent another financial meltdown like the one that sent the economy into a tailspin in 2008. It rewrites many of the federal rules covering banks and insurance companies to prevent businesses from becoming “too big to fail.”

Washington, DC, USA. The US federal government drastically reduced its funding for renewable energy so the states came up with some unusual ways to try and replace the money.

Hawaii in recent years has been good to the solar industry, and that's not just because the state's geography promises a steady supply of rays.

Washington, DC, USA. Most spending programs are easily traceable in state budgets but tax incentives do not receive the same scrutiny. Some legislators think they should.

When Vermont lawmakers finalize their budget in the coming days or weeks, interested citizens will learn quite a few important things about how the state spends its money. But there are some things they won’t learn.

Charleston, WV, USA. Last month, when the Obama administration moved for stricter regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin accused the administration of “trying to end the use of coal as we know it.”

He was echoing sentiments in other coal-producing states and those of the coal industry itself.

Vancouver, WA, USA. The State of Washington has no income tax. Oregon has no sales tax. In some ways, that matters a great deal for the regional economy. In some ways, it doesn’t.

To understand how tough Tom Craig’s job is, you only have to take a look at the sign in the window of the store he manages: “NO SALES TAX — We Pay It For You.”