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Several of the state’s Democratic Congress members are working to advance policies such as child care, Medicaid expansion, nutrition assistance, electric vehicle charging and more as a part of the proposed $3.5T budget reconciliation.
The Biden administration’s federal vaccine mandate will impact about 170,000 workers, approximately one-third of the state’s workforce, even though Maine has one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation.
Columbia University assistant economics professor Laura Boudreau, regarding the difficulty some workplaces will face in getting their employees to return to an in-person office environment, especially full time. For many workers, the convenience and comfort of working remotely will encourage them to continue doing so. (Associated Press — September 8, 2021)
The estimated cost to fund Amazon’s recently announced college tuition program by 2025. Hourly employees who have worked at the company for at least 90 days will be eligible to have their college tuition and fees paid for, upfront, by the e-commerce giant in an effort by the company to retain workers. Employees will not have to reimburse Amazon for any college payments if the worker decides to leave the company.
Local candidate debates and town halls have devolved into substance-free, celebrity-focused dog-and-pony shows, at a time when we need serious examination of issues. Can’t we do better?
They provide nonpartisan advice and expertise on the legislative process. In recent decades, their role has grown more influential, especially with budgetary matters, but not everyone agrees that’s good.
The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office has been using a software since Jan. 2020 that removes names, location and race from police reports in an attempt to implement “race-blind” charging.
New Jersey announced that residents who lost their cars in the floods caused by Tropical Storm Ida can get free and discounted Uber and Lyft rides for the next two weeks. In some cases, insurance may cover costs as well.
The heavy rains and flash flooding caused by Hurricane Ida inflicted an estimated $8 million in damages to 28 buses, about 12 percent of all buses housed, at Staten Island’s Castleton Bus Depot.
California Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, regarding her proposed legislation requiring companies that employ substantial numbers of warehouse workers to disclose the productivity requirements it sets for its employees to ensure health and safety in the workplace. (The Hill — September 9, 2021)
The age group at which Black boys and girls are injured by law enforcement 5.3 and 6.7 times more than white boys and girls, respectively, according to a new study by the University of California, Berkeley. Black boys between the ages of 15 and 19 had the highest rate of hospitalization due to police violence.
There have been plenty of failures along the way, but there’s no question coordination between levels of government has improved over the past 20 years, along with security capabilities for blocking catastrophic attacks.
New state laws empower citizens to take the law into their own hands when it comes to abortion and elections. They're only the latest manifestation of rage against government itself.
Houses of worship own billions worth of empty, deteriorating or underused real estate. Some local governments and denominations are moving to carve it into badly needed housing, but there are plenty of obstacles.
When workers own the businesses where they work, the benefits can be broad and deep. But they don’t know how these plans work or how to set one up. That’s where state and local governments can help.
The legislation that bankrolls medical screenings and treatment did not account for inflation-fueled increases, which means the program could run out of cash unless Congress modifies the funding formula.
The storm affected 42 percent of Louisiana’s registered voters and the Oct. 9 ballot is full of primaries. The situation has forced officials to consider delaying elections by at least one month.
New traffic rules could set age requirements, speed limits and require the popular e-scooters to be parked in designated locations. Introduced in July, the scooters have generated hundreds of complaints.
Crowds chanting as they watched in Richmond, Va., when workers hoisted one of the nation’s largest Confederate monuments off a pedestal where the figure of Gen. Robert E. Lee towered over Virginia’s capital city for more than a century. (Associated Press, September 8, 2021)
The number of air travelers who were screened at TSA checkpoints over the Labor Day Weekend, up from 2,289,578 during the same long weekend in 2020 but still short of the pre-pandemic Labor Day weekend in 2019 (6,418,490).
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Workplace safety is in the spotlight as government leaders adapt to a prolonged pandemic.
Following a year-long investigation into food delivery platforms, the city has filed first-of-its-kind lawsuits accusing the platforms of tactics that violate municipal law.
As state courts prepare to weigh in on accusations of gerrymandering, lawmakers across the country are hard at work trying to change those courts’ ideological balance.
States have set aside millions of federal dollars for mental health and substance use disorder services, but the money must be spent by the end of 2026. Then, states will have to find other ways to fund the programs.
Since 9/11, it’s the only state Capitol in the Northeast without metal detectors and one of only eight nationwide that anyone can bring a gun into, whether the firearm is concealed or carried openly.
The $95 billion pension has pushed back against an independent review that it has not been transparent when it comes to earnings and fees associated with alternative investments like hedge funds and equity firms.
Researchers are alarmed by the recent disclosure of sensitive election system software by an ally of former President Donald Trump, and argue the exposure was tantamount to a serious breach of election system security.
The number of states that prohibit school districts from setting mask mandates. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia require masks be worn in schools.
Joint statement published simultaneously by the editors of 229 medical journals. (The BMJ, September 6, 2021)
With staffs stressed by the pandemic and threats growing, managed security service providers can bring up-to-date expertise to bear while helping governments hold down costs.
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