This year's LO chose to focus its state comparison research on six states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington. These states were chosen because of their strengths or weaknesses in providing services to minors. The LO continued the research on Arizona, California, Minnesota, and Michigan's various services for at-risk youth, focusing on emancipation, the mature minor rule, legal access, and shelter restrictions that was begun by past LOs. Alabama was added to the state analysis as it has a good model for minors' consent to health care, while Washington was added because of its shelter restriction statute.