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The bills will make it easier to distribute the opioid reversal drug Narcan, create a curriculum on the dangers of certain drugs, fund a coordinated crisis services system, establish a task force to study alcohol pricing and addiction services, and more.
Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston, announcing his campaign for state treasurer next year. Thurston is the first candidate to announce his bid for the position. (Associated Press — Aug. 9, 2023)
Having mayors run school districts became a big trend 30 years ago. Now most cities are returning power to independently elected school boards.
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The Service Employees International Union Local 721 began its strike at 12:01 AM on Tuesday to protest unfair labor practices by city negotiators and management. The union represents more than 7,000 gardeners, mechanics, custodians, lifeguards, engineers and more.
The city manager’s budget includes $1.5 million on decommissioning homeless encampments, $1.5 million on building fences to keep homeless individuals out of encampment-prone areas and $1.1 million for the “cleaning” of encampments.
It will provide protections to health-care practitioners who refuse to prescribe marijuana, participate in procedures such as abortion, medically assisted death, gender-affirming care and other treatments that go against their personal beliefs.
The Aug. 1 rule establishes the state’s open meetings provision for the judicial branch, removing any doubt about the accessibility of court meetings. However the court has not established open records for remote access.
State officials are considering the development of hydrogen fueling stations across the state with a potential focus on a 23-mile stretch near Savannah. The cost of the proposed hydrogen fueling network is not yet known.
First lady Jill Biden, speaking to the first-ever cybersecurity “summit” on ransomware attacks that are plaguing schools across the nation. At least 48 school districts have been hit by ransomware attacks this year, already three more than the entirety of last year. (Associated Press — Aug. 8, 2023)
A training program operated by the National League of Cities helps small cities apply directly for federal infrastructure funding. Participating cities have won $428 million since last summer.
Private credit has gained a growing share of pension portfolios over the past decade. It’s time to take a second look under the hood.
The state brought together a remarkable coalition and waived red tape to get traffic on I-95 moving again just 12 days after a bridge collapsed. That kind of focus on results, not procedures, can help restore trust in government.
The proposed legislation would hold companies liable for accusations of harassment, wage theft and other forms of mistreatment. The fast food industry has spent $3.9 million from Jan. 1 through June 30 on lobbying efforts to kill the legislation.
Gov. Laura Kelly appointed Col. Erik Smith to head the state law enforcement department, which has been a consistent source of troubles for years, including allegations of domestic violence, sexual harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination.
Lakewood, Colo., voted four years ago to limit the number of new housing units that can go up in the city in any given year, but a law recently signed by Gov. Polis prohibits the implementation of “anti-growth” policies.
A budget document shows that Montgomery County’s Democratic Central Committee hasn’t paid the federal government thousands of dollars in fines and fees for unpaid taxes in 2017 and 2018.
John Loverink, a resident of Juneau, Alaska, regarding the outbreak of glacial floods that have occurred this year and destroyed homes and displaced residents. City officials issued a local emergency on Sunday after flooding destroyed “at least two structures” and put other homes at risk. (KTOO — Aug. 5, 2023)
They can help public health departments overcome staff shortages and reach those most at risk. Food programs in San Antonio are a case study in what’s possible.
Managed charging, battery storage and other technologies will be key to helping utilities build electric grid resiliency and stability.
Volunteer Florida reported that $32.5 million of the money was awarded in grants to groups such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Another $4 million was set aside for a small-business recovery program.
A new state law requires armed personnel on every public school campus starting on Sept. 1, a change intended to increase security and safety after last year’s Uvalde massacre. There are 318 registered school marshals across the state.
Advocates are resisting a police program intended to curb gun violence, claiming it targets young Black men. A report found that three in 10 stops and four in 10 searches by the teams had no legal basis.
Tennessee Rep. Justin Pearson, regarding his and Rep. Justin Jones’ re-election to their legislative seats after being expelled for involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor. (NPR — Aug. 4, 2023)
Current government budgeting processes are not up to the demands of a world where the future looks less and less like the past.
There’s more to the elite college admissions game than a tilted playing field. It’s also about zoning squabbles and NIMBYism. State governments should take a larger role in land-use policy and overrule local stakeholders.
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