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Carl Smith

Senior Staff Writer

Carl Smith is a senior staff writer for Governing and covers a broad range of issues affecting states and localities. For the past 30 years, Carl has written about education and the environment for peer-reviewed papers, magazines and online publications, with a special focus on conservation and sustainability. He has guest-edited special issues of the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health focused on the Precautionary Principle and the human rights dimensions of environmental degradation. Carl attended the University of Texas and the University of Georgia. He can be reached at carl.smith@governing.com or on Twitter at @governingwriter.

A first round of eviction protections is winding down, and tenants and landlords alike are at significant financial risk. Numerous state legislatures are chipping away at this dangerous instability.
This year’s election will require more than 1 million workers to assist voters. The pandemic was expected to suppress the number of volunteers, but innovative and creative recruiting drives have boosted the supply.
Too many Americans are losing health insurance coverage and gaining debt as a consequence. State legislators have put forward a variety of proposals to help citizens stay covered during a health emergency.
A new Rand report explores ideas and practices used by Russia and other hostile states to sow doubts about the election. The insights could help state and local government better understand and respond to the problem.
In the last 15 years, scientific studies have overturned common knowledge about the behavior and consequences of wildfires. A leading researcher discusses how it can help guide future efforts to protect both people and forests.
Remote learning and reduced, or no, in-person instruction can keep working parents off the job. A number of recent bills attempt to fill the child-care gap.
A handful of recent protests have involved enough violence and property destruction for some to claim they are riots. Legislators have proposed penalties and protections for those who might be affected by future incidents.
Guided by an administrative judge with an engineering degree, a Texas county has led the way in making remote court proceedings a reality, including the nation’s first virtual jury trial.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania would make the refusal to wear a mask a crime. It’s a sign that consensus regarding the value of mask wearing has grown, but states are still unsure on both guidelines and penalties.
Lawmakers have introduced dozens of shield bills that limit COVID-related liability for businesses, schools and caregivers, as the pandemic has sown divisiveness and rancor, creating a fertile ground for lawsuits.