The dirty secret of the Democratic takeover of Congress is that they still haven't passed any significant legislation. Bush hasn't even had to use his veto pen on anything other than the recent Iraq bill. Most initiatives are still going to their grave in the US Senate.

Yet progressives are winning serious victories on health care, on clean energy, on voting rights, on gay rights and other issues across the country; a number of state legislators have already finished their 2007 sessions (they're quicker) and Progressive States has highlighted important victories this year here and here. Just a few highlights from states like Washington, Iowa, New Mexico, Maryland and even partially-Republican states like Indiana:

Washington:

• Became the second state to offer new parents paid family leave.
• The legislature enacted SB 5093, which would extend health coverage to all children in families earning up to 300% of the poverty line by 2009-- extending coverage to 38,000 children, including undocumented immigrants, in the next two years.
• Washington approved greenhouse reduction targets, HB 1210, that set a goal of emission levels 25% lower by 2035 and 50% lower by 2050.
• Washington funded a mapping of the broadband digital divide in the state to prepare for comprehensive legislation in '08 to move towards universal buildout.
• It created a domestic partnerships option for same-sex couples, giving such couples legally recognized hospital visitation, autopsy authorization and inheritance rights.

Maryland:

• Passed a first-in-the-nation state living wage law, HB 430, to assure that workers on government contracts get paid a decent wage.
• Set another precedent by becoming the first state to sign onto a national compact by the states to allocate its Presidential electors to the winner of the national popular vote-- a system that will go into effect once states accounting for a majority of electoral votes agrees.
• SB 392 scrapped existing voting machines in favor of ones that produce voter-verifiable paper records.
• SB 488, will restore voting rights to repeat ex-felons once they have completed their sentences.
• By enacting "Clean Cars" legislation, Maryland will be helping to lead the nation in demanding tougher emission standards in cars sold by 2011.
• Amended Maryland's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to significantly expand requirements for solar energy within the state's energy mix.

New Mexico:

• New Mexico approved public financing for contested statewide judicial elections and barred financial services and investment contractors from giving gifts or campaign contributions to state officials.
• New Mexico raised its minimum wage to $7.50 over two years, increasing the income of an estimated 160,000 workers statewide.
• HB 436 creates a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) worth eight percent of the federal EITC for which a family is eligible.
• HB 92 will strictly regulate predatory payday lending, restricting loans to 14 to 35 days, prohibiting rollover loans, and capping interest rates.
• It became the first state in the nation to create a Renewable Energy Transmission Authority to administer renewable energy use in the state and mandated that 20% of state's energy come from renewable sources by 2020.
• The state also enacted a Green Buildings Tax Credit to help boost sustainable building.
• SB 269 creates a solar tax credit for solar electrical and thermal systems that, in conjunction with federal credits, will give consumers about 30% off the cost of typical residential solar systems.

Iowa:

• Created the Iowa Power Fund, a $100 million investment in the state's renewable energy industry in a bid to, in the words of Governor Culver, make Iowa "the energy capital of the world."
• Iowa approved Election Day Registration, a key reform to improve voter turnout in future elections.
• Raised the minimum wage by $2.10, a relief for low-income state residents.
• The legislature approved an increase in the states Earned Income Tax Credit, SF 590, to seven percent and made the credit refundable.
• Iowa became the 18th state to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and the 11th state to ban discrimination based on gender identity.
• Teacher salaries will advance to the national average, a $250 million teacher pay increase.
• The legislature voted to end paperless electronic voting and move the state towards voter-marked paper ballots.
• The Senate passed a resolution opposing the President's escalation in Iraq.

Arkansas:

• This was the year that schools started to get fixed, after $456 million of a projected $919 million budget surplus was set aside to pay for court-ordered replacement and repair of the state's public school facilities.
• Signature success of the session was tax relief for the working poor in the state, as 81,000 lower-income families were eliminated from the tax rolls through a raising of the minimum taxable income levels. Taxes on groceries were cut in half, reducing the rate from 6% down to 3%

Even in Indiana (with a Dem House, but GOP Governor and Senate):

• The legislature approved $90 million in funding for all-day kindergarten.
• On health care, Indiana used a cigarette tax increase of 44 cents to fund expanded health care for 200,000 uninsured state residents who earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty line ($41,300 for a family of four).

This is just a handful of the states that have already ended their sessions-- and doesn't include states like California, Illinois and other even more liberal states that are still in session and discussing even more far-reaching health care, consumers and labor reforms.

But whether the issue is paid family leave, health care, renewable energy, or voting reforms, the states are where progressive policy is being pioneered.

One reason that states usually CAN act is they don't face a filibuster allowing a minority to block all new legislation. States are actually democracies where "one person one vote" actually decides majorities, so it's natural that they are where progressive action will likely remain-- with the feds usually catching up years later.