Politics and economic vagaries lead to a cloudy forecast for many of the top 10 issues facing state legislatures in 2008, according to the Washington-based National Conference of State Legislatures. State budgets top the list of concerns, followed by immigration and the implementation of the Real ID driver’s license program, all three of which face stormy futures.

Other issues on the list include financing for roads and infrastructure, health insurance and pension plans, education, families, environmental and consumer protection, and pension plans. The most optimistic forecasts, partly sunny, were made for transforming education and consumer protection only. “Predicting the major issues state legislatures will address in 2008 is relatively easy,” NCSL Executive Director William Pound said in a statement. “Predicting how the presidential campaign, the politics on Capitol Hill and the economy will affect these issues is difficult.”

The entire forecast is available at www.ncsl.org.