Health care, schools top finance-heavy agenda in states

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Education and health care will be atop the agenda in many state capitols as lawmakers convene for the 2019 sessions.

Public schools could be a top issue in at least a third of the states as lawmakers wrestle with how to boost salaries for teachers or funding for school districts.

Some states also will be considering whether to expand government-funded health coverage to more people. That comes after Democrats put a sizable dent in Republican statehouse dominance during the November elections.

Other top issues include whether to legalize sports gambling and recreational marijuana for adults and whether to make changes to state income and sales taxes in response to recent federal laws and court rulings.

Some states also will be looking at how to recover from disastrous wildfires and floods.