Hurricane Katrina exposed shortcomings in the disaster response in Louisiana and Mississippi, and the prospect of a pandemic flu outbreak, will increase the likelihood of disaster planning and public health discussions in state legislatures, according to BOMA.
The hurricane season and its aftermath also contributed to surging energy costs. BOMA says that 17 states plan to consider taking action to deal with higher fuel and heating costs in 2006. BOMA predicts that more states will examine renewable energy portfolios to cope with increasing energy costs.
Another important issue includes eminent domain, following the Supreme Court’s ruling last year that states could use eminent domain for economic development. At least 11 states have taken up legislation to address the issue, according to the group.
