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Innovative programs make them safer while enhancing opportunities for success after release. Some states are showing the way.
Household electricity bills were going up in almost every state long before gas prices became a worry.
The program aims to ease heavy caseloads by summarizing legal filings and generating draft decisions, with judges required to review all outputs.
State legislators want a greater role in allocating funds, even as federal rules limit changes to approved plans.
The effort follows earlier battles over social studies and could spread to other states reviewing academic standards.
Illinois state Senator Karina Villa, as she trailed in a tightly contested Democratic primary for state comptroller. Villa, one of four candidates in the race, pointed to tens of thousands of outstanding mail-in and drop-box ballots as reason to hold off on declaring a winner. With state Rep. Margaret Croke holding only a narrow lead in a crowded field that also included Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim and state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, the race remained one of the closest and only unresolved statewide contests heading into the final vote count. (Chicago Tribune)
The amount Maryland has approved to overhaul its struggling foster care system, expanding placements and strengthening care for youth with complex behavioral and health needs ...
The first Republican to lead the North Carolina Senate in over a century is seeking a recount in a primary where he trails by 23 votes. And a Chicago institution beats back a primary challenge.
A little-used state program is enabling landowners to set aside water for ecosystems in a system built on strong private property rights.
An overwhelming levy vote is helping the city move closer to ensuring every resident lives within a short walk of green space.
The amount in federal funding poised to expand high-speed Internet access across Alaska, the largest single investment in broadband infrastructure in the state’s history ...
California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials, in a social media warning aimed at drivers trying to cheat carpool lane rules with fake passengers. The message came alongside a recent enforcement example in Southern California, where a driver used a jacket arranged in the passenger seat to mimic a person. CHP noted that such tactics — from mannequins to makeshift decoys — are a recurring issue, and violations can result in tickets exceeding $400 as part of ongoing HOV lane crackdowns. (Los Angeles Times)
For the third straight year, efforts to crack down on low-performing programs have stalled, even as concerns about student outcomes persist.
Republican-led proposals aim to reduce income taxes but may shift more of the tax burden onto lower earners through expanded sales taxes.
Without access to traditional mortgages, many buyers rely on higher-cost loans with shorter terms and higher interest rates.
Oregon has one of the highest SNAP enrollment rates of any state. The One Big Beautiful Bill is likely to introduce new issues for administrators.
It’s more important than ever for state and local governments to get strategic about managing federal grants. Without better capacity and coordination, they risk missing opportunities.
That’s how much gold Wyoming has added to its state reserves, now stored in a secure vault in a former newspaper building in Casper ...
Steve Davis, chief scientist at the Everglades Foundation, describing unusually severe drought conditions in Florida’s Everglades National Park. Davis made the remark while surveying the wetlands from above, noting water levels are more than a foot lower than two years ago. Experts say the region is experiencing its driest conditions in decades, forcing airboat operators to reroute tours and leaving large stretches of marsh parched far earlier than normal. (Miami Herald)
State officials warn the highway fund is falling short as EV adoption rises and fuel efficiency improves, straining transportation budgets.
State incentives and mandates are helping renewable projects move forward even as federal grants are cut and tax credits are scaled back.
Why the "Mississippi miracle" vanishes by eighth grade.
The most powerful climate policy in America isn’t in Washington. It’s buried in your town’s zoning code.
That’s the share of Americans who say they are confident their state and local governments can run fair elections this November ...
West Virginia Del. Shawn Fluharty, criticizing fellow lawmakers after the West Virginia House of Delegates failed to pass Raylee’s Law before the session deadline. The bill, named for Raylee Browning, an 8-year-old who died in 2018 after abuse allegations led her guardians to withdraw her from school and begin homeschooling, would have paused homeschooling requests while a child abuse or neglect investigation is active. Fluharty accused lawmakers of letting the measure sit for most of the day before debating it just minutes before the midnight end of the legislative session, leaving no time for the Senate to take up the bill. As the clock expired, emotions flared on the House floor, with supporters arguing the delay prevented lawmakers from approving a measure intended to protect vulnerable children. (West Virginia Watch)
The proposal would match voter rolls with driver’s license records and require additional documentation for residents without REAL ID-compliant identification.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill says the changes would help close a $3 billion deficit without raising taxes on residents. The state’s business leaders feel betrayed.
A group of tech leaders has put $35 million into initiatives aimed at stopping or weakening a proposed 5 percent tax on residents with more than $1 billion in wealth.
Proponents say California's major AI legislation offers essential guardrails on a quickly developing technology. But detractors — including the president — say it's burdensome, unnecessary and unfair.
xAI will keep its Colossus supercomputer cool with wastewater, leaving the drinking supply to support human intelligence.
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