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2 Cop Convictions in 2 Months: Is This a Tipping Point in Police Accountability?

Fatal police shootings rarely result in convictions. In Chicago and Texas, they just did.

People react outside of Chicago City Hall after a jury convicted Jason Van Dyke of second-degree murder in the police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

Maine Could Make Health-Care History, Again, on Election Day

Voters could approve what would be the nation's first universal at-home care program. But it may face pushback from the incoming governor.

• Should Hospitals Limit the Number of Patients Nurses Can Help?

Democrats Maintain the Edge in Secretary of State Races

Since June, six races have shifted in the party's favor.

Is the Midwest Ready for Recreational Marijuana?

Voters in Michigan and North Dakota could be the first in the region to legalize the drug. Supporters say passage would "shock the country ... and affect federal change."

• California's New Marijuana Law Is a First But Likely Not the Last

Underneath This 'Pop-Up Forest' Is an Abandoned Highway

Akron, Ohio, calls it the Innerbelt National Forest.

How the New NAFTA Deal Impacts States

The revised trade pact keeps the original agreement's free trade zone intact while placing some new burdens on the auto industry.

An immigrant child being held by her mother.

Trump Administration Releases Final Rule for Legal Immigrants Using Public Benefits

It is not as strict as the leaked version but would still drastically limit what benefits they could use without risking green cards or permanent residency status.

• Midterms Give Voters Their First Say on Immigration in Trump Era
A black person handing in their ballot next to a basket of "I Love Voting" stickers.

It's a Big Year for Voting Rights at the Ballot Box

There is an "unprecedented" number of measures this fall designed to make voting and registration easier. There are also some that would make voting harder.

For College Towns, Having a World-Famous University Is a Mixed Blessing

Just ask New Haven, the home of Yale.

COMMENTARY

Distracted by Data

With all the new information governments have available, it's too easy to focus on improving existing processes rather than on better ways to address underlying problems.

COMMENTARY

Automation Can't Replace Accountants

Government accounting is changing, but we'll still need smart humans in charge.

COMMENTARY

A Crucial Funding Stream for Urban Parks

A federal grant program that helps diverse, underserved neighborhoods should be preserved -- and expanded.

NEWS IN NUMBERS

1.5%

Average drop in Obamacare premiums for 2019, marking the first time rates have dropped since the 2010 health-care law was implemented.

MORE DIGITS

A Month Before Election Day, Democrats Poised for Legislative Gains

While they likely won't win a majority nationwide, the party is poised to gain control of some chambers. How many depends on the size of the potential blue wave.

• After More Than 30 Years, the Leader of State Legislatures to Step Down

MOST READ

  1. 1

    Removing the Impediments to Infrastructure Investment
  2. 2

    Is the Midwest Ready for Recreational Marijuana?
  3. 3

    The Biggest Issues for States to Watch in 2018
  4. 4

    Trump Administration Releases Final Rule for Legal Immigrants Using Public Benefits
  5. 5

    For College Towns, Having a World-Famous University Is a Mixed Blessing
  6. 6

    Democrats Maintain the Edge in Secretary of State Races
  7. 7

    How Public Employee Benefits (Beyond Pensions and Health Care) Compare to the Private Sector's

This Is What Happens When a City Shuts Down Mental Health Clinics

This country has never had an effective public policy toward mental illness. In Chicago, things seem to be getting even worse.

WHO SAID THAT?

“I’m a pissed off dad. My son isn’t here anymore. The state has spent billions and [the drug companies] have profited billions.”

MORE QUOTES
A gym in an office.

How Public Employee Benefits (Beyond Pensions and Health Care) Compare to the Private Sector's

At a time of low unemployment, both kinds of employers are beefing up their perks.

Slavery Is Still a Legal Punishment. Voters in One State Have a (Second) Chance to Abolish It.

In 2016, Coloradoans voted against abolishing slavery in prisons -- a clause that exists in the U.S. Constitution and several states'. This year, the issue is back on the ballot.

Does Hunting Need Constitutional Protections?

North Carolina is the latest state where voters will weigh in on the debate.

Green Roof Requirements Are On the Rise

To meet their energy goals, cities are starting to make new buildings have solar panels or vegetation atop.

People lined up at the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court Cases for State and Local Governments to Watch

In the cases the justices will hear this fall, legal observers say "state sovereignty is a really big issue."

'You Should Be at Home With Your Son'

Jackie Biskupski is the first openly gay elected official in Utah. But her sexual orientation isn't what her critics want to talk about.

States Intent on Taxing Big Pharma Over the Opioid Crisis

Lawmakers want to raise taxes on pharmaceutical companies to help pay for the cost of the opioid crisis. But success has been elusive.

Amid Supreme Court Impeachments, West Virginia Voters Could Weaken Judges' Power

The state where lawmakers put every justice on trial this year is also the only state where the legislature has no control over the judicial budget. That may change in November.

• Not Just West Virginia: State Supreme Courts Increasingly Face Partisan Impeachment Threats
Voters walking toward a polling station with ballots in hand.

November's Most Important Ballot Measures

From health care to immigration, voters will decide a long list of policies.