• 10 New State Laws That Loosen Gun Restrictions
• BY: J.B. Wogan   |   May 1, 2013
• While some states have tightened gun restrictions since last year's mass shootings, many in the South and Midwest have passed new laws being celebrated by the National Rifle Association.
• 10 Comments

• Complete Streets Policies Surge in Popularity
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   April 30, 2013
• A new report says 488 states, counties and cities now have a plan that calls for streets that are "safe for all users of all ages and abilities."
• 5 Comments

• Is Texas’ Economy Really Better Than California’s?
• BY: William Fulton   |   May 2013
• Gov. Rick Perry often touts Texas’ economic success, which he attributes to lower taxes and fewer regulations than cash-strapped California. But if Texas is so compelling, why did Perry go to California looking for new companies?
• 6 Comments

• Why Financial Literacy Matters to Governments
• BY: Liz Farmer   |   April 30, 2013
• Low-income people need more than a steady paycheck to achieve financial stability. They also need help gaining access to traditional banking and credit services -- something 28 percent of Americans lack.
• 3 Comments

• How to Keep Costly Road Repairs to a Minimum
• BY: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene   |   May 2013
• Coordination between public agencies and utilities will keep streets from being torn up, again and again.

• How New Jersey Weathered Superstorm Sandy
• BY: Steve Towns   |   May 2013
• Thanks to a little bit of luck and a lot of preparation, the state’s important computer systems and network withstood the storm.

• Governing for a Rainy Day
• BY: Mark Funkhouser   |   April 30, 2013
• Healthy reserve funds allow governments to be careful and smart.

• How Boomers, Millennials and Immigrants Are Changing America
• BY: Peter Harkness   |   May 2013
• These demographics will have a profound effect on the needs of the country, and state and local officials need to take notice.

• Supreme Court Looks at State Public Records Rules
• BY: Paul W. Taylor   |   May 2013
• A case before the nation’s highest court could change the way citizens, journalists and entrepreneurs access government-held information.

• Gun Debate Revives the Pension-Investment Dispute
• BY: Penelope Lemov   |   May 2013
• When there’s public outcry over something -- whether it’s gun control or apartheid -- states and cities reevaluate what their pension plans invest in. But should they be social investing at all?

• Innovation’s Unexpected Return to States
• BY: Alan Ehrenhalt   |   May 2013
• The laboratories of democracy have reopened after the recession. But they’re not delivering the results that most experts have been conditioned to expect from them.
• 1 Comments

• Preservation Tax Credit and Local History in Danger
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   May 2013
• The historic tax credit, which has helped preserve thousands of old buildings in cities across the country, is at risk of being eliminated.
• 1 Comments

• Youth Unemployment Reached Record Highs: What Can Officials Do About It?
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   April 29, 2013
• The number of out-of-work teens and twenty-somethings climbed to record levels during the recession. View data for each state.

• Should Universities Move Away From a Liberal Arts Education?
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   April 29, 2013
• Some governors have proposed prioritizing funding for high-demand degrees in science and technology fields.
• 6 Comments

• What Anthony Foxx's Nomination Means for Transit
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   April 29, 2013
• The Charlotte mayor's nomination as DOT secretary is being viewed as an overture to the role of metro areas in transportation planning.
• 1 Comments