root@orion:/tmp# ./mytest.pl 
$VAR1 = {
          'first step is' => {
                               'PR' => [
                                         'state_name=Puerto Rico',
                                         'county_names_all=Adjuntas|Utuado'
                                       ],
                               'AK' => [
                                         'state_name=Alaska',
                                         'county_names_all=Ketchikan Gateway|Prince of + Wales-Hyder'
                                       ],
                               'WA' => [
                                         'state_name=Washington',
                                         'county_names_all=Pend Oreille|Spokane|Lincol +n|Adams',
                                         'comments=America/Los_Angeles'
                                       ]
                             }
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'first step is' => {
                               'WV' => [
                                         'state_name=West Virginia',
                                         'county_names_all=Wirt|Wood|Jackson|Ritchie| +Calhoun',
                                         'comments=America/New_York'
                                       ]
                             }
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'second step is' => [
                                'state_name=Puerto Rico',
                                'county_names_all=Adjuntas|Utuado'
                              ]
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'second step is' => [
                                'state_name=Alaska',
                                'county_names_all=Ketchikan Gateway|Prince of + Wales-Hyder'
                              ]
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'second step is' => [
                                'state_name=Washington',
                                'county_names_all=Pend Oreille|Spokane|Lincol +n|Adams',
                                'comments=America/Los_Angeles'
                              ]
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'second step is' => [
                                'state_name=West Virginia',
                                'county_names_all=Wirt|Wood|Jackson|Ritchie| +Calhoun',
                                'comments=America/New_York'
                              ]
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'after filtering' => [
                                 'state_name=Washington',
                                 'county_names_all=Pend Oreille|Spokane|Lincol +n|Adams',
                                 'comments=America/Los_Angeles'
                               ]
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'after filtering' => [
                                 'state_name=West Virginia',
                                 'county_names_all=Wirt|Wood|Jackson|Ritchie| +Calhoun',
                                 'comments=America/New_York'
                               ]
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'finally' => 'Washington'
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'finally' => 'hurray!'
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'finally' => 'West Virginia'
        };
$VAR1 = {
          'finally' => 'hurray!'
        };
states are: West Virginia; Washington