Texas, where the first people in the United States were diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus, faces the biggest percentage loss of any state in federal funds for fighting public health threats.

Fitch says Pennsylvania faces fiscal pressures in the form of a structurally unbalanced budget, depleted reserves and a rapidly growing pension cost burden.

Rhode Island plans to sell $79.5 million in bonds this week after efforts to settle litigation over its pension overhaul failed less than two weeks ago.

Governor Tom Corbett wants the legislature to pass changes that would deal with escalating retirement contributions for the state and school districts as well as Pennsylvanias unfunded pension liability.

Governor Chris Christies move to reduce New Jerseys pension payment to help close a mid-year budget gap has Moodys Investors Service concerned that the state is approaching the limit of steps to trim spending.

Lawsuits challenging amateurism in college sports may result in higher costs for universities and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Moodys Investors Service said.

Philadelphia agreed to sell its natural gas utility to UIL Holdings Corp. for $1.86 billion, giving the fifth-largest U.S. city a needed cash injection for its pension fund.

The 45-year-old Democrat, a former equities analyst, this month appointed a commission to evaluate how investments are made for North Carolinas $83 billion public pension, the nations 10th largest.