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The number of tickets that were handed out last year in Florida for texting while driving, which was made a primary traffic offense in 2019. However, the low number suggests that the new law is rarely enforced. There are more than 15 million licensed drivers in the state.
California state workers took a two years’ pay cut last year to help lessen the state’s looming budget deficit. The state is set to receive $26B in federal aid, but it may not be enough to return salaries to normal.
Cullman County is expected to receive $21 million over the next two years in federal funds. Officials are already planning to spend some of the money on revenue shortfalls, employee support and other legacy projects.
The online portal would be less prone to crashing and could be repaired without shutting down the entire website. It has received bipartisan legislative support, but many say more improvement is needed.
This week Connecticut’s daily positivity rate was at the highest it’s been since late January, but officials say that shouldn’t impact the vaccine rollout which should outpace the demand by early May.
As expected, the Maryland law that created an online advertising tax is facing legal opposition from lobbying groups backed by Amazon, Google and Facebook. The groups argue the law violates the commerce clause.
It’s an opportunity, particularly for localities, to make long-term investments not only in infrastructure but also in the way they perform their work for the post-pandemic future.
A recall campaign against California's governor will succeed in triggering an election. But the governor enjoys deep Democratic loyalty in a state that's overwhelmingly on the party's side.
Sara Bronin, a law professor at the University of Connecticut and Yale University, on how the state’s zoning laws reinforce racial inequities. (Associated Press — March 16, 2021)
The number of cities across the nation that could lose their status as a metropolitan statistical area if the federal government raises the population criteria for core cities in metro areas to 100,000 residents instead of just 50,000. The change would reclassify one-third of the areas as micropolitan statistical areas, which many fear would impact funding and future development.
Two new measures would change the way that public transportation fares are collected by establishing a $35 administrative citation and hiring safety officials, not police officers, to collect fares, answer questions.
As vaccine rates continue to rise, many officials are establishing guidelines for what people can expect the new normal to be like. Masks, plexiglass barriers and online shopping are likely to stay.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott voiced support for Republican bills that target Harris County’s efforts to expand early voting and mail-in ballot access during the 2020 election, increasing the focus on election security.
New York City’s June mayoral primary will be the largest test for the voting method.
Broadband and vaccine distribution will be the big winners when it comes to new relief spending by cities and counties, according to a survey. PPE purchases and IT infrastructure could see fewer dollars.
Given its location and the tax and deregulatory policies the governor has pursued, Arizona looks well-positioned for the economic recovery. The state still suffers one of the highest coronavirus caseloads, however.
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Part math problem and part unrealized social impact, recycling is at a tipping point. While there are critical system improvements to be made, in the end, success depends on millions of small decisions and actions by people.
Ari Bargil, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, regarding the Pasco County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office’s use of arrest histories and police reports to determine which residents are most likely to break the law and then visiting those individual’s homes repeatedly without a warrant or evidence of a crime. Four residents have sued the sheriff over the predictive program. (Associated Press — March 13, 2021)
The number of prison staff members that have been infected in Michigan, Kansas and Arizona. Nationally, more than 388,000 incarcerated people and 105,000 staff members have had COVID-19 in the past year. However, a high proportion of prison staff have declined getting vaccinated against the virus.
The past year has forced medical professionals to rethink how they provide care to patients. From drive-thru testing and telemedicine, many COVID innovations will have impact beyond the pandemic.
The Oklahoma city believes that surveillance cameras, such as Amazon’s Ring, help make communities safer by deterring crime and helping to identify suspects. The police department has partnered with Ring since May 2019.
With the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the state’s labor department is working to extend unemployment benefits to those who are eligible while verifying documents to prevent further fraud.
Despite statewide efforts to establish better broadband coverage, one in six Maine households still don’t have Internet access. While officials work to expand access, progress is slow.
Experts, vendors and local governments are designing online services in an accessible way while at the same time working toward community-wide banking equity.
Almost no one disputes the need for America to repair and expand its physical infrastructure. But there’s a right way to do it, and there’s a wrong way.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, regarding the recent behavior of the Republican Party, focusing primarily on opposing the Democrats, instead of the real issues at hand. (Salt Lake Tribune — March 11, 2021)
The number of people on South Dakota’s missing persons list that are believed to be indigenous, with 19 native people going missing last month alone. State Rep. Peri Pourier has proposed legislation that, if passed, would create a full-time missing indigenous persons specialist at the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
Gov. Kate Brown announced that residents could expect a wider rollout of the Exposure Notifications Express technology by January, but two months later there’s still no app and no explanation for the delay.
Beckley, W.Va., wants to welcome remote workers to the city as a part of the downtown redevelopment plans by leveraging collaborative work spaces, affordable cost of living and other lifestyle amenities.
The California city is home to heavy industry, the nation’s busiest port complex and high levels of pollution. In many cases, companies that cause the pollution aren’t held responsible for cleaning it up.
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