News
Massachusetts voters approved an additional tax on incomes of more than a million dollars. At least a billion extra dollars will support transportation and education projects this year.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education finds little to no learning loss after the switch to a four-day week.
So far, seven states have passed laws approving the use of Medicaid funds to pay for community-based programs intended to stop shootings. But unlocking the funds is complicated and it's unclear how much money will actually be diverted.
From “ghost networks” to denial of doctor-prescribed care, insurance companies put too many obstacles in the way of people who need help. State policymakers need to take action, and voters will support them.
The polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of chemicals that help make firefighting gear so protective. But they also produce an increased risk of exposure to carcinogens.
The Legislature granted solicitors and public defenders the most funding ever last year to hire additional staff, while the state Supreme Court, for the first time, issued a concise order on how to manage the criminal court docket.
New Jersey state Rep. Brian Bergen, regarding a proposal to increase the annual salaries of state lawmakers from $49,000 to $82,000, a 67 percent increase. New Jersey legislators haven't given themselves a raise since 2002. Legislators lifting their own pay almost always pay a political price, but the proposed increase would still leave New Jersey lawmakers making less than their peers in neighboring New York and Pennsylvania. (Associated Press — Jan. 8, 2024)
No longer isolated by a freeway, San Francisco’s Ferry Building doesn’t have the worldwide fame of the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben. But a new book argues that it has shaped both its own city and the built environment in many others.
The people least prepared to teach are education majors. K-12 schools should be freed to hire based on subject-matter expertise.
We’re now experiencing the second-biggest wave of infections since omicron. Yet we cling to complacency and the false belief that the virus will burn out and go away.
Drivers could potentially pay per mile driven. The state transportation department predicts fuel tax revenues will decline by 2030 and drop by half by 2050.
According to unofficial numbers released by the state, organizers have collected 910,946 signatures, nearly 20,000 more than necessary to reach the signature threshold. The measure’s language still must be approved by the state supreme court. If it passes, abortion rights would be enshrined in the state’s constitution.
Both industries want to utilize the state’s offshore property for multimillion-dollar projects. It’s unlikely the two can coexist.
Vanessa Joy, one of four transgender candidates running for state office in Ohio, regarding her disqualification from a House race because she omitted her previous name. A little-known 1990s state law requires candidates to provide any name changes within the last five years to qualify for the ballot. For many transgender people, providing their former name, which the community calls their dead name, could create a barrier due to concerns about personal safety. Joy appealed her disqualification. (Associated Press — Jan. 4, 2024)
The Inflation Reduction Act includes $1 billion to help states implement modern building codes. The CEO of the International Code Council outlines both obvious and underappreciated reasons they are essential.
Lawmakers should make charging convenient for everyone and minimize the environmental impact of electric vehicle batteries.
To get ahead of the state’s fundraising freeze, which bars state elected officials from raising money during the 90-day legislative session, nearly 80 fundraising events were scheduled this week.
Across the nation, state transportation agencies are warning that public safety is at risk if lawmakers don’t overhaul how road maintenance gets funded. Some states are proposing new taxes and fees.
Many jurisdictions have shifted toward supporting the rights of local residents and businesses that must contend with encampments and other problems, rather than the rights of homeless people.
Alcohol killed 1,547 residents last year, not much fewer than the 1,799 who died from drug overdoses. While the state increased penalties for fentanyl possessions, voters expanded access to alcohol in grocery stores.
Peter McClelland, owner of White Wilderness Sled Dog Adventures near Ely, Minn. The area is often buried in 100 inches or more of snow each winter, but not this year. December was the state's warmest and wettest on record, dating back to 1895, with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average. (MPR News — Jan. 2, 2024)
Freddie O’Connell, the new mayor, is a longtime transit advocate and civic leader. Nashville voters have rejected transit referendums in the past, but he's convinced the city needs to try again
Future in Context
New and growing GovTech100 companies are likely to have an outsized role in making government better. Many now come with deep pockets thanks to investments from private equity.
Kshama Sawant, who just left office, became famous nationally for her fights for workers' rights. But her party had no one to replace her and the council became more conservative in last year's elections.
The complaints accused judges of showing bias, disregarding civil rights and engaging in personal misconduct. Yet state officials sided with the judges 98.5 percent of the time, dismissing the complaints.
While home insurance rates and utility prices have increased across the country, Texas has been hit especially hard since its historical winter storm three years ago. Experts expect increases to continue.
State Rep. Dan Frankel has proposed a measure that would revoke the concealed carry permits of anyone who is caught with a firearm at a TSA checkpoint. State TSA agents seized 44 guns this year, nine more than the previous record year.
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