2014 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Families & Children

Matt Mead: Fund Boys' School; elderly-at-home; & Life Resource Center

• courthouse security,
• juvenile justice,
• school safety,
• reducing developmental disabilities wait lists,
• health programs, medical homes, aging and disability resource centers, 2-1-1, and immunization, and
• the Life Resource Center, State Hospital, Veterans' Home and Boys' School.

Where our state has stepped in, we have to step up and provide good care and good facilities. That's the Wyoming way. And my budget provides for them.

Dan Malloy: Permanently establish the Office of Early Childhood

With the help of some great teachers, he's already caught up to his peers. His experience has put him on equal footing, and given him the tools he needs to learn. Let's help more kids like Andrew by moving our state to universal pre-K.

It will be a long and thoughtful process, but if you believe as I do that education is the civil rights issue of our time, then I ask you to join me today in taking the first steps toward making sure every child has access to a pre-K experience.

This would build on our important work begun last year to create the Office of Early Childhood. We need to finish that work by codifying this Office in statute. I am ready to sign that legislation.

Paul LePage: Focus on services for children, not on expanding welfare

• Our children
• Our elderly
• Our disabled
• Our mentally ill

Michael Levasseur of Carmel has autism and needs care 24/7. Michael is here tonight with his parents. With services, Michael could get a job coach, assisted-living accommodations and participate in a day program. Maine lawmakers must address these waiting lists.

We must set priorities on who will get services with our limited resources. Adding another 100,000 people to our broken welfare system is insanity. It is unaffordable. It is fiscally irresponsible.

Tom Corbett: $41.5 million for home and community-based disabled care

Just last week, I visited the Kroc Center where those with disabilities are able to work and lead fulfilling lives in the community. I saw the commitment of a community to make people's lives better. I know how important that commitment is, and so do you.

We need to create a Pennsylvania where people with disabilities, and their families, will never be forced to wait for services again. This year, we will work to further reduce those waiting lists with an additional $41.5 million to provide home and community-based options for people with disabilities and autism spectrum disorders.

Bill Haslam: Support services to 100% of former foster youth

Gary Herbert: Population growth is challenging: doubling in 35 years

Take education, for example. We have a fast-growing student population, which creates a major funding demand. It costs us nearly $70 million per year in additional money just to pay for our new students.

Pat Quinn: Birth to Five Initiative: prenatal care & early learning

• 25% more likely to drop out of school
• 40% more likely to become a teen parent
• 50% more likely to be placed in special education
• 60% more likely to never attend college
• And 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime.

Deval Patrick: A child's future should not be defined by their zip code

Martin O`Malley: Cut infant mortality by 21%, after setting goal of 10%

One example: In 2007, one of the goals we publicly set was to drive down our infant mortality rate by 10%, by the end of 2012. A lot of people told us at the time not to make the commitment public. You see, the old way of thinking says elected officials should never set measurable goals with deadlines, because you'll be criticized if you fall short.

We chose a different path. We set real goals with specific, and more immediate, deadlines. By the way, at the end of 2012, together we had driven down Maryland's infant mortality rate--not by just 10%--but by 215. That means 164 lives saved just in 2012.

Phil Bryant: Healthy Teens for a Better Mississippi: 2-parent families

We have started making a difference. According to the annual report of the Mississippi State Department of Health, our state's teen pregnancy rate declined by 10.3% in 2012.

I believe we have also done an admirable job in protecting our children, both born and unborn. By strengthening the Child Protection Act and by requiring that abortionists obtain admitting privileges at local hospitals, we are protecting women's health. But let me be clear, on this unfortunate anniversary of Roe versus Wade, my goal is to end abortion in Mississippi.

Mike Pence: Adoption is a beautiful way for families to come together

Karen says people always tell her she's changing her kids' lives. She says, "They are changing mine." Please join me in welcoming Karen and her children tonight.

Adoption is a beautiful way for families to come together forever. We can better support families like Karen's by expanding and improving adoption in Indiana. We can improve the way we place children from state care into adoptive homes, and we can support every parent who is willing to lovingly adopt a child into their home. Let's make it our aim to make Indiana the most pro-adoption state in America.

Jan Brewer: Office of Child Welfare Investigations is first step

I created the independent CARE Team--to oversee the investigation of these cases and to identify areas of concern within CPS. I also ordered the Department of Public Safety to conduct an administrative review to determine why these cases were not investigated.

It is evident that our child welfare system is broken--impeded by years of structural and operational failures. It breaks my heart and makes me angry! Enough with uninvestigated reports of abuse and neglect! Enough with the lack of transparency! And ENOUGH with the EXCUSES!