diff --git a/util/chain.go b/util/chain.go
index d4ce6049b..e0681a903 100644
--- a/util/chain.go
+++ b/util/chain.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/state"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ var _ sdk.Decorator = Chain{}
 
 // CheckTx makes sure we are on the proper chain
 // - fulfills Decorator interface
-func (c Chain) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (c Chain) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}, next sdk.Checker) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
 
 	err = c.checkChainTx(ctx.ChainID(), ctx.BlockHeight(), tx)
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ func (c Chain) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
 
 // DeliverTx makes sure we are on the proper chain
 // - fulfills Decorator interface
-func (c Chain) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (c Chain) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}, next sdk.Deliverer) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
 
 	err = c.checkChainTx(ctx.ChainID(), ctx.BlockHeight(), tx)
diff --git a/util/doc.go b/util/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a5a95bdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+/**
+Package util contains various utility handlers, decorators,
+and test helpers that can be use by many modules and applications.
+**/
+package util
diff --git a/util/helpers.go b/util/helpers.go
index ba2849a2b..f1d3c97f4 100644
--- a/util/helpers.go
+++ b/util/helpers.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/errors"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/state"
 )
 
 //nolint
@@ -49,13 +48,13 @@ type OKHandler struct {
 var _ sdk.Handler = OKHandler{}
 
 // CheckTx always returns an empty success tx
-func (ok OKHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (ok OKHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
 	return sdk.CheckResult{Log: ok.Log}, nil
 }
 
 // DeliverTx always returns an empty success tx
-func (ok OKHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (ok OKHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
 	return sdk.DeliverResult{Log: ok.Log}, nil
 }
@@ -66,14 +65,14 @@ type EchoHandler struct{}
 var _ sdk.Handler = EchoHandler{}
 
 // CheckTx returns input if RawTx comes in, otherwise panic
-func (EchoHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (EchoHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	msg interface{}) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
 	raw := sdk.MustGetTx(msg).(RawTx)
 	return sdk.CheckResult{Data: raw.Data}, nil
 }
 
 // DeliverTx returns input if RawTx comes in, otherwise panic
-func (EchoHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (EchoHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	msg interface{}) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
 	raw := sdk.MustGetTx(msg).(RawTx)
 	return sdk.DeliverResult{Data: raw.Data}, nil
@@ -87,13 +86,13 @@ type FailHandler struct {
 var _ sdk.Handler = FailHandler{}
 
 // CheckTx always returns the given error
-func (f FailHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (f FailHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
 	return res, errors.Wrap(f.Err)
 }
 
 // DeliverTx always returns the given error
-func (f FailHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (f FailHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
 	return res, errors.Wrap(f.Err)
 }
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ type PanicHandler struct {
 var _ sdk.Handler = PanicHandler{}
 
 // CheckTx always panics
-func (p PanicHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (p PanicHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
 
 	if p.Err != nil {
@@ -117,7 +116,7 @@ func (p PanicHandler) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
 }
 
 // DeliverTx always panics
-func (p PanicHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (p PanicHandler) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
 
 	if p.Err != nil {
diff --git a/util/logger.go b/util/logger.go
index 7510bfa09..51ef49f2b 100644
--- a/util/logger.go
+++ b/util/logger.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	abci "github.com/tendermint/abci/types"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/state"
 )
 
 // Logger writes out log messages on every request
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ type Logger struct{}
 var _ sdk.Decorator = Logger{}
 
 // CheckTx logs time and result - fulfills Middlware interface
-func (Logger) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB, tx interface{}, next sdk.Checker) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
+func (Logger) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB, tx interface{}, next sdk.Checker) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
 	start := time.Now()
 	res, err = next.CheckTx(ctx, store, tx)
 	delta := time.Now().Sub(start)
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ func (Logger) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB, tx interface{}, nex
 }
 
 // DeliverTx logs time and result - fulfills Middlware interface
-func (Logger) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB, tx interface{}, next sdk.Deliverer) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
+func (Logger) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB, tx interface{}, next sdk.Deliverer) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
 	start := time.Now()
 	res, err = next.DeliverTx(ctx, store, tx)
 	delta := time.Now().Sub(start)
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ func (Logger) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB, tx interface{}, n
 // Pass in a name to be logged with this to separate out various
 // tickers
 func LogTicker(clock sdk.Ticker, name string) sdk.Ticker {
-	res := func(ctx sdk.Context, s state.SimpleDB) ([]*abci.Validator, error) {
+	res := func(ctx sdk.Context, s sdk.SimpleDB) ([]*abci.Validator, error) {
 		start := time.Now()
 		vals, err := clock.Tick(ctx, s)
 		delta := time.Now().Sub(start)
diff --git a/util/recovery.go b/util/recovery.go
index 952b86a6e..599b292a6 100644
--- a/util/recovery.go
+++ b/util/recovery.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/errors"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/state"
 )
 
 // Recovery catches any panics and returns them as errors instead
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ type Recovery struct{}
 var _ sdk.Decorator = Recovery{}
 
 // CheckTx catches any panic and converts to error - fulfills Middlware interface
-func (Recovery) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (Recovery) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}, next sdk.Checker) (res sdk.CheckResult, err error) {
 
 	defer func() {
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ func (Recovery) CheckTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
 }
 
 // DeliverTx catches any panic and converts to error - fulfills Middlware interface
-func (Recovery) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store state.SimpleDB,
+func (Recovery) DeliverTx(ctx sdk.Context, store sdk.SimpleDB,
 	tx interface{}, next sdk.Deliverer) (res sdk.DeliverResult, err error) {
 
 	defer func() {