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In Texas, the legislature doesn't meet until 2003, but there's already talk about revising the state's Open Records laws, which make diagrams of dams and water-purification plants publicly available. At least eight states are weighing proposals to tighten rules for obtaining driver's licenses. Some, like Florida, propose having foreign nationals' licenses expire when their visa or work permit does; that would prevent illegals from using licenses as permanent IDs. North Carolina has created a registry of institutions possessing anthrax or other biological agents. And Colorado is likely to abolish a law that requires women to obtain the written permission of the Governor before serving in the National Guard.
There are dozens of ways state officials could substantively improve security--if only they had money. The Virginia Preparedness and Security Panel has concluded that the state needs up to $840 million in safety modifications, but budget experts predict a $3.2 billion shortfall. So Virginia is looking from the expense of terror prevention to the expedience of punishment. A bill proposed by new attorney general Jerry Kilgore would impose the death penalty for "terrorist masterminds." At least seven other states have similar bills in the works. Never mind that terrorism is already a capital offense under federal law.
--With reporting by Melissa August and Andrew Goldstein/Washington, Cathy Booth Thomas/Dallas, Paul Cuadros/Chapel Hill and Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles