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Badge Busse, a 15-year-old high school student from Kalispell, Mont., and also the plaintiff of a lawsuit against the state that alleges Montana isn’t doing enough to address climate change. The state’s constitution says citizens have a right to “a clean and healthful environment.” Busse and the 15 other young co-plaintiffs say that state leaders need to establish limits on carbon emissions. This is the first youth climate lawsuit to ever make it all the way to trial in the U.S. (MTPR — June 11, 2023)
Many bills die during the end-of-session rush. Some people like it that way.
A few states have proposed or passed laws defining "male" and "female," and more such legislation may be coming. Critics say the definitions amount to erasure of those who choose gender identities different than the one they were given at birth.
Digital solutions can modernize construction, increase safety and improve return on investments. But the traditional ways of purchasing and contracting are unsuited to the rapid pace of technological change.
Sober reflections for presidential aspirants.
Libraries once struggled to keep up with demand. Now branches are removing computers as they move toward a future built on providing a wide array of technology to patrons.
Imagine political technologists develop a machine called Clogger, a political campaign in a black box. Clogger relentlessly pursues just one objective: to maximize the chances that its candidate prevails in an election.
Climate activists say hazardous air conditions are not something that will end once the Canadian wildfires are put out. Air pollution from smoke or other sources are a daily struggle for many communities.
Housing leaders and experts worry that tenants are disadvantaged when inspection reports are discarded so quickly, but city officials say keeping older information isn’t relevant to the properties’ current states.
In first-of-its-kind legislation, elected officials in the state are now able to block people from their private social media pages for any reason. But it’s unclear if a pending Supreme Court decision will affect the law.
Nevada Assemblywoman Claire Thomas, regarding a new law that Gov. Joe Lombardo signed into law on Thursday, June 8, that made Juneteenth a state holiday. (Associated Press — June 9, 2023)
An analysis of zoning laws in Connecticut finds people in single-family areas are likelier to be white and have higher incomes than those in areas that allow more housing. The findings add to a growing recognition of how zoning is linked with segregation and exclusion.
Some point to pretrial release from jail to explain increases in homicides and other violent crimes. But as a new study shows, the data doesn't support that argument.
The users of the river need to treat its needs as equal to their own. That means looking out for its environmental health.
The 2020 Police Accountability Act strengthened officer regulations and expanded scenarios under which an officer could lose their license. Since that law, 47 cases have been filed.
Foreign developers have already made proposals to establish wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico that would be managed by Louisiana. The state wants to get at least 5,000 megawatts from offshore wind over the next 12 years.
Maryland Mobile ID now allows both Apple and Android users to upload their ID into the digital wallet. Anyone with a valid state license qualifies to register for the mobile apps for free.
Portland, Ore., Commissioner Carmen Rubio, regarding her lone “no” vote towards a measure that will change the city code to say that people must dismantle campsites during daytime hours in most public places and bans camping entirely in some locations, such as near schools, parks and busy streets. The measure passed with a 3-1 vote and will be implemented in phases and enforcement could begin in late July. (Associated Press — June 8, 2023)
Public support for the LGBTQ+ community has grown steadily for decades. But some state legislators are pushing back against changing attitudes.
The Texas attorney general has been impeached for accepting bribes, but his case speaks to the broader importance of AG offices across the country.
California leaders have threatened to prosecute Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for kidnapping after he sent Latin American migrants to Sacramento. But experts believe the allegations aren’t a basis for a criminal case.
The federal government claims that the state’s Department of Public Health has demonstrated patterns of inaction and neglect surrounding health risks of raw sewage in Lowndes County, a majority-Black county.
A new report found that by transitioning to electric vehicles, the state could avoid 3,290 deaths while creating $36 billion in public health benefits. New Jersey is aiming for 100 percent clean energy by 2035.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, as she signed legislation on Wednesday banning the use of handheld cellphones while driving a car, expanding on the state’s texting-and-driving ban. The law will go into effect on June 30. (Associated Press — June 7, 2023)
A new book by Yale law professor David Schleicher explores the benefits and drawbacks of various responses to state and local debt crises. It’s a trilemma that leaders will face again and again, Schleicher says.
The governor, lieutenant governor and other lawmakers engaged in policymaking debates over Twitter, publicly exposing fractures in the state’s GOP. No deals were made before the session ended.
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