online resources
General Service Areas
Business
Internal Revenue Service
www.irs.gov
The IRS has made available on its site tax forms and publications as well as information addressing specific aspects of taxation. Located on the left of the page are search boxes as well as links to sections of the web site.
Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth
www.michigan.gov/cis
Created in December 2003, this new department takes over the duties of the Department of Consumer & Industry Services. Parts of other departments, such as employee matching and commissions for the blind and disabled, were incorporated into this new department.
Michigan Department of the Treasury
www.michigan.gov/treasury
Information on taxes, unclaimed property, the Department itself and more can be found on this site.
Michigan Secretary of State
www.michigan.gov/sos
A myriad of tasks is handled by the Secretary of State's office. These tasks include drivers licenses, vehicle ownership, elections, notaries and business information such as the Uniform Commercial Code.
Ohio Department of Tax
www.tax.ohio.gov
In addition to tax forms for both personal and business use,
news releases can be accessed on this site as well as some
limited research. Items on the Department of Taxation, such
as annual reports, can be found here as well.
Ohio Division of Securities
www.securities.state.oh.us
Overseeing the licensing of people who sell securities, the registration of such securities as well as investigating alleged securities crimes and prosecuting the offenders are some of the Division of Securities' duties. Forms, regulations, laws and the Securities Bulletin newsletter are some services offered as well as the ability to file complaints and locate filings.
Ohio Secretary of State
www.state.oh.us/sos
Election results, UCC filings, business information, trademarks and more can be found on the Secretary's web site. Publications about the office as well as on starting a business are offered as well.
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Education
Academic Development Institute
www.adi.org
One of the primary purposes for ADI is to format research into tools for practical application. The Institute provides information on such topics as incorporating parents into the educational process and charter schools.
Broad Foundation
www.broadfoundation.org
One of the Broad Foundation's purposes is the improvement of urban education. To this end, they offer four awards for urban education, management and school boards. Their web site offers information about the Foundation, funding, awards, education news and leaders in the education field.
Center for Education Reform
www.edreform.com
CER's mission "is to deliver practical information and guidance to people and groups working to advance reform in K-12 education." This includes charter schools (a.k.a. community schools). Keep abreast of current developments using CER's weekly and monthly newsletters. Fast Facts, one of the site's sections, has statistics such as the number of schools while Resources contains frequently asked questions, organizations and surveys. For each state, an overview of its education system and links are provided.
Education Innovator
www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/innovator/index.html?src=ln
The Educator Innovator is a publication of the U.S. Department of Education. Published weekly, the issues are divided into three main parts: a feature article, a news section and a section on innovations.
Education Week
www.edweek.org
Editorial Projects in Education Incorporated publishes several magazines including Education Week and Teacher's Magazine. Other features of the site are the Research Center which contains relevant articles, reports and statistics. To access most of the content, free registration is required.
Hudson Institute
www.hudson.org
Founded over forty years ago, the Hudson Institute has produced a number of studies on a variety of topics including education. The best way to locate white papers, articles and other information related to education is to utilize the search features available on the Institute's web site.
Legislative Office of Education Oversight
www.loeo.state.oh.us
When the LOEO was in operation it evaluated "primary, secondary, and post-secondary education programs funded wholly or in part by the state of Ohio." In addition to information about the agency, a number of reports have been made available in the Publications section of the web site. Testing, community schools, salaries, prison education, as well as many other topics are covered in their reports. A unique aspect of this site is that older documents (pre-2000) are available. A list of reports in progress is located in the Current Studies section. The organization is no longer in operation, but its data still exists online.
Manhattan Institute's Education Research Office
www.manhattan-institute.org
A think tank, the Manhattan Institute focuses its efforts in several areas. One of these areas is education. Its Education Research Office researches issues such as education reform. On its web site you can find education related news, articles and reports, although some of this information may concern schools only in a specific state.
Progressive Policy Institute
www.ppionline.org
Part of the Third Way Foundation, PPI's purpose "is to define and promote a new progressive politics." There are many categories on their web site, including education. This section contains news pertaining to education, including archives of PPI's newsletters. While these articles contain valuable information, please keep in mind that many of the stories are written by the same authors. A subscription to receive their newsletter via e-mail is available.
Thomas B. Fordham Foundation
www.edexcellence.net
Focusing on education reform, the Foundation's web site has a number of helpful items. On its site are articles addressing charter schools, testing, class size, curriculum and more. Many of the articles come from the Foundation's publication Education Gadfly.
Departments of Education and School Board Associations
Departments of education and school board associations are a wealth of information especially in regards to themselves, laws and news. Links to some of these entities are below. For other departments of education, visit the U.S. Department of Education's web page. Additional school board associations can be found on the National School Board Association's web page.
Florida Department of Education
www.fldoe.org
Indiana Department of Education
www.doe.state.in.us
Indiana School Boards Association
www.isba-ind.org/
Michigan Department of Education
www.michigan.gov/mde
Michigan School Boards Association
www.masb.org
National Association of School Boards
www.nsba.org
Ohio Department of Education
www.ode.state.oh.us
Ohio School Boards Association
www.osba-ohio.org
United States Department of Education
www.ed.gov
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Environmental
Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
By using the search feature or clicking on links information on businesses ("where you live"); laws, regulations and case information ("laws, regulations and dockets"); news ("EPA Newsroom") and in-depth publications ("educational resources") can be found.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
www.michigan.gov/deq
The DEQ's site contains information pertaining to air, land, waste and water. Recent announcements are available on the homepage while links to online services can be accessed by clicking on "Online Services."
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
www.dnr.state.oh.us/
News, publications, educational resources, plus information on recreation and conservation are located on the homepage of the ODNR. Additionally, license renewals can be done, watersheds found and water well logs checked.
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.state.oh.us/
At the top of the page, five main divisions are listed: Air, Land, Water, Pollution Prevention and Public Information. Each section offers links to rules, laws, forms, news events and publications. Links to this information is found on the OEPA's homepage in the left frame as well.
Other States' Environmental Agencies
www.caprep.com/stagency.htm
Links to states' environmental agencies are provided from this Capitol Report's site.
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Estate Planning and Probate
Internal Revenue Service
www.irs.gov
The IRS has made available on its site tax forms and publications as well as information addressing specific aspects of taxation.
Lucas County Probate Court
www.lucas-co-probate-ct.org/
Wills, marriage licenses, guardianships, adoptions and trusts are a few of the duties of the probate court. The ability to check court dockets and access forms is provided as well.
Michigan Department of the Treasury
www.michigan.gov/treasury
Information on taxes, unclaimed property, the Department itself and more can be found on this site.
Ohio Courts
www.sconet.state.oh.us/Web_Sites/courts/
Links to other Ohio counties' probate, municipal, juvenile and common pleas courts have been made available by the Ohio Supreme Court.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
http://jfs.ohio.gov
Along with its services to people looking for jobs, JFS covers family services such as adoption, housing and child care. Their web site has publications on Medicaid, long term care, adoption and more.
Ohio Department of Tax
http://tax.ohio.gov/
In addition to tax forms for both personal and business use, news releases can be accessed on this site as well as some limited research. Additionally, items on the Department of Taxation, such as annual reports, are offered.
Ohio Secretary of State
www.sos.state.oh.us/
Election results, UCC filings, business information, trademarks and more can be found on the Secretary's web site. Additionally, publications about the office as well as on starting a business are accessible via their web site.
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Immigration
American Immigration Lawyers Association
www.aila.org
While AILA is a professional association for attorneys who practice immigration law, there are several sections which are of interest to non-lawyers. A list of current immigration news stories can be found on their homepage. Publications can be purchased by clicking on the link, "Publications." AILA's positions on many issues can be viewed by visiting the "Press Room" portion of the site.
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
www.uscis.gov
The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization's service and benefit functions were moved to the BCIS in 2003. They are part of the new Department of Homeland Security. Some of their duties include decisions on immigrant visa and naturalization petitions and asylum and refugee applications. BCIS's site consists of forms, commentary on various immigration matters, decisions and other information.
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
www.ice.gov
Part of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE's main focus is investigation. On their site are explanations concerning the Bureau, their investigations and its purpose. Press releases are available as well.
Department of Homeland Security
www.dhs.gov
Created in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, DHS's purpose is to "prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters." Much of the site explains DHS and its programs.
Department of Labor
www.dol.gov/
DOL has made available information such as forms, news stories, frequently asked questions and publications, but locating the information can be difficult as the web site is not organized well. The best way to find something is by clicking on the link called "search/A-Z index." Start with the A-Z index, located on the left side of the page as the search feature is quirky. The index contains links to main portions of the DOL's web site. Once you go to one of these sections, many times there is an index for just that portion of the DOL's site.
Department of State
www.state.gov/
Many areas are covered in the Department of State. Some information provided by the site are a list of foreign embassies in America ( www.state.gov/misc/10125.htm) and American embassies in foreign countries ( usembassy.state.gov/). Other information on visas, foreign countries and traveling can be found in two sections of their site, "countries" and "Travel and Business."
Immigration and Naturalization Service
This government agency no longer exists. Some of the information their web site used to contain has been moved to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services' web site.
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
http://ohiobmv.com/
Even though this site does not have a portion specifically addressing immigration requirements, it does provide general information on obtaining a license, driving laws, forms, sample driver's test and other basic information.
Social Security Administration
www.ssa.gov/immigration
The SSA has devoted a portion of their web site to addressing Social Security issues pertinent to immigrants. It explains how to get a Social Security Number, how it is used, what to do if you leave the U.S., etc. Also provided on this site is information especially for students, employers and refugees/asylees. Links to information in other languages and interpreters are given.
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Labor, Industrial and Employment Relations
Department of Labor
www.dol.gov/
DOL has made available information such as forms, news stories, frequently asked questions and publications, but locating the information can be difficult as the web site is not organized well. The best way to find something is by clicking on the link called "search/A-Z index." Start with the A-Z index, located on the left side of the page as the search feature is quirky. The index contains links to main portions of the DOL's web site. Once you go to one of these sections, many times there is an index for just that portion of the DOL's site.
Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth
www.michigan.gov/dleg
Created in December 2003, this new department takes over the duties of the Department of Consumer & Industry Services. Parts of other departments, such as employee matching and commissions for the blind and disabled, were incorporated into this new department.
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
www.osha.gov/
OSHA has made available information such as forms, news stories, frequently asked questions and publications, but locating the information can be difficult as the web site is not organized well. The best way to find something is by clicking on the link called "A-Z index." The index contains links to main portions of OSHA's site.
Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation
www.ohiobwc.com/
The BWC's web site is divided into four sections which include services such as filing a claim, learning about the BWC, applying for workers compensation coverage and finding approved providers.
Ohio Industrial Commission
www.ohioic.com/index.jsp
The Ohio Industrial Commission's purpose is to resolve problems between employers and injured employees. News, policies, forms, descriptions of the appeals process, office locations and a database of claims are available. (The database is accessible only to certain people such as attorneys and injured employees.) The seven tabs at the top of the homepage assist in navigating the site.
Ohio Job and Family Services
http://jfs.ohio.gov/
Along with its services to people looking for jobs, JFS covers family services such as adoption, housing and child care. Their web site has publications on Medicaid, long term care, adoption and more.
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Litigation
Federal Court Locator
www.law.villanova.edu/library/researchguides/fedcourtlocator.asp
Villanova University School of Law has created this site. It is divided into several sections with links to federal district courts, bankruptcy courts and appeals courts.
Lucas County Court of Common Pleas
www.co.lucas.oh.us/CommonPleas
The bulk of this site gives general information on the court and jury duty. You can access the dockets for cases by clicking on the "online dockets" link which is located in the right frame.
Michigan Attorney General
www.michigan.gov/ag/
Ohio Attorney General's Office
www.ag.state.oh.us
The attorney generals' web sites have a lot of information in common. Attorney generals' opinions on various matters of law are available for recent years. Forms to file a complaint, publications, news, consumer notices and more are provided.
Michigan Courts
www.courts.michigan.gov/
The home page offers links to the Michigan Supreme Court, courts of appeals, many trial courts, jury instructions, rules, forms and an explanation of the court system.
Ohio Courts
www.sconet.state.oh.us/Web_Sites/courts/
Links to other Ohio counties' probate, municipal, juvenile and common pleas courts have been made available by the Ohio Supreme Court.
Ohio District Courts of Appeals
www.sconet.state.oh.us/District_Courts/
On this site from the Ohio Supreme Court are links to the twelve District Courts of Appeals as well as a map detailing which counties belong to which courts. Clicking on one of the links, downloads a page providing contact information for the court, their jurisdiction, a list of judges and, in some cases, a link to opinions. How many years of opinions are available varies from court to court.
Ohio Supreme Court
www.sconet.state.oh.us
Opinions for the past few years, dockets, information about the court and its justices, calendar of upcoming events, publications, rules of the court, ethical cannons, continuing legal education questions and more are available. Of particular interest is the directory of Ohio attorneys.
Toledo Municipal Court Dockets
www.tmc-clerk.com
Dockets for Toledo Municipal Court cases can be accessed on the Toledo Clerk of Courts web site. To conduct a search, click on the link called "case information."
U.S. Supreme Court
www.supremecourtus.gov/
Court opinions for the past several years, information about the court, calendars and bar admissions, are just a few of the items that are on this site.
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Public Law
Public law addresses the laws that affect the people and their relationships to various government entities as well as how the governmental entities are structure and interact with one another. These governmental entities include federal, state and local agencies.
County Commissioners Association of Ohio
www.ccao.org/
CCAO's focus is to provide "legislative representation, technical assistance, and educational opportunities for county commissioners and their staffs." There are 13 main divisions to their site that provide information on the CCAO, services offered, publications available and legislation.
Michigan Compiled Laws
www.legislature.mi.gov
Michigan's codified statutes can be searched a multitude of ways. On the first screen are two search boxes for section number and keyword searches. However, on the left are links to the index, advanced search (which includes popular name and session number) and basic search. A list of laws enacted by session can be found by clicking on the link named "MCL tables."
National Association of Counties
www.naco.org/
NACo acts as counties' voices in the federal government. Services on their web site include news, publications and a database of municipal codes. The best way to locate information is to click on "site map," then browse the list of available information.
National Association of Towns and Townships
www.natat.org/
NATaT is a lobbying organization that focuses its attention on the federal government. News is available from the "Washington Report" and "Legislative Alerts" portions of the site. The rest of the site contains information on the organization itself and links to other sites.
Ohio Administrative Code
http://codes.ohio.gov/oac
Regulations instituted by Ohio government agencies can be found on this site. You can locate regulations by either searching by keyword or browsing the table of contents. Date that changes made to each regulation are provided, but annotations that offer explanations and other sources of information are not. Please note there is a time lag between when changes are made and when the Ohio Administrative Code is updated. To find out if a regulation has changed, visit the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review web site or the issuing agency's web site.
Ohio Municipal League
www.omunileague.org/
OML's purpose is to represent, "the collective interest of Ohio cities and villages before the Ohio General Assembly and the state elected and administrative offices." Most of the information provided would be of interest to people who work in city and village government as the majority of data is about the organization and its activities. However, their legislative bulletins alerting people to pertinent legislation would be of interest to anyone.
Ohio Revised Code
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc
The codified statutes for the State of Ohio are on this site. You can locate laws by either searching by keyword or browsing the table of contents. Dates that changes were made to each statute are provided, but annotations that offer explanations and other sources of information are not. Please note there is a time lag between when changes are made and when the Ohio Revised Code is updated. To find out if current legislation has or will impact a statute, visit the Ohio General Assembly's Legislative Search Page.
Ohio Township Association
www.cpmra.muohio.edu/otaohio/
The local affiliate to the National Association of Towns and Townships, OTA's web site focuses on providing information to people who work in township governmental entities. However, the "legislation" portion of the site, which discusses pertinent legislation, would be of interest to anyone. Also helpful are the links to Ohio townships' web sites.
Municipal Codes Municipal codes are laws and regulations enacted by cities, towns and villages. Many are not published by the city itself but contracted out to publishers. Some of these publishers make them available on the internet, free of charge, although they may not be as current as the written codes. To make certain no changes have been made, check with the city in question. The major publisher web sites on which you may locate a specific municipality's code are:
American Legal Publishing
www.amlegal.com/library/
ConwayGreene
www.conwaygreene.com/Municipal-Codes.htm
Walter H. Drane
www.walterdrane.com/internet/index.htm