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Local officials are looking for ways to help boost the area’s population, which is largely stagnant. The city is hoping to change the nation’s perceptions of Cleveland by pursuing three new goals.
Since the last presidential election, 16 million Americans have reached voting age for the first time. Some experts believe millennials and Gen Z voters will bring a lot of sway to November.
The region will host nine FIFA World Cup matches, including a semifinal, two years from now. Although some are worried about the infrastructure capabilities for thousands of fans, others are confident the area will be ready.
Trent Rhorer, executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency. A local public safety proposal that will appear on the March 8 ballot would require single adults on welfare to be screened and treated for illegal drug addiction, or lose the cash assistance. (Associated Press — Feb. 5, 2024)
About a dozen states have passed legislation to promote sales of water and wastewater utilities. Although private money can fund upgrades, environmentalists say drinking water shouldn't be a for-profit enterprise.
What you need to get up to speed in terms of how state lawmakers are addressing education, energy, health, housing and even international affairs.
There are millions of them, many of them still want to work, and they have a lot to offer. It’s time to rethink laws and pension rules that prevent them from contributing.
Proposed legislation in Hawaii would reshape the way short-term rentals are regulated and allow counties to phase them out completely over time. Currently, 5.5 percent of Hawaii’s housing units are short-term rentals.
The overdose reversal medication is only required in larger high schools under current law. The bill is a response to rising opioid-related deaths among young people.
Companies are still trying to get their workers back into offices across the nation, while the percentage of San Antonians working from home continues to decline. By comparison, more than twice the share of workers are still remote in Austin.
April Rochford, an Anchorage, Alaska, resident, in a letter to the Legislature regarding a bill proposed by state Sen. Shelley Hughes that would require Alaska school districts to train a volunteer to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds. No public testimony for the bill, but 51 letters, 49 of which were opposing, were received prior to the meeting. (Alaska Beacon — Feb. 2, 2024)
Tech entrepreneurs make the case that government and big tech will both benefit by sharing a focus on the public good.
They’re a complex tangle of technology and services with multiple stakeholders, so regulation is messy. There is a particular decision-making process that could help.
On the heels of a recent report from the state’s AI Task Force, Gov. Kevin Stitt is advocating for the removal of human workforce redundancies in favor of artificial intelligence systems.
Washington provided $800 billion in pandemic relief. With most of that money spent, states now face major funding gaps for Medicaid, while school districts, child care providers and transit agencies are also struggling.
Future in Context
Mental health, climate and workforce are at the core of a complex cluster of issues confronting lawmakers this year.
The court’s unanimous decision means one-third of the Oregon’s Senate cannot run for re-election. Republicans have slammed the decision, calling the court “Democrat-stacked.”
The state has settled a lawsuit filed on behalf of low-income students of color from Oakland and L.A. They claimed the state offered insufficient support for remote learning.
Tennessee state Sen. Richard Briggs, who is fighting to undo some of the abortion-related legislation that he helped put in place. When he co-sponsored legislation to enact some of the nation’s strictest abortion restrictions five years ago, he never thought it would actually be implemented. This is Briggs’ second attempt to amend his previous work. A similar effort last year did repeal some of the harshest restrictions in the 2019 law. (NPR — Feb. 1, 2024)
A few states are proposing massive cash infusions to help struggling transit systems. But most aren’t — at least not yet.
Tens of billions in federal funds are on the way to spread high-speed Internet across the countryside. States should structure their grant programs to make sure markets are competitive.
In 2020, Black homeownership jumped to nearly 46 percent, the highest rate since 2010, and held close to that in 2021 and 2022. But as borrowing costs and home prices rise, it’s unlikely their gains will hold.
The industry paid the highest total of state and local taxes and state royalties last year in all of Texas history, breaking last year’s record by more than $1.5 billion. The taxes translate to $72 million daily for schools, roads, first responders and more.
A pilot program would provide $3,000 to people leaving Colorado prisons for basic living expenses if they agree to participate in a workforce development program. The proposal faces an uphill battle in the Legislature.
The state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has advised Gov. Jeff Landry that he should declare a state of emergency for coastal Louisiana. This would prod agencies to advance the state’s 50-year Coastal Master Plan.
Georgia state Rep. Steve Tarvin, regarding the proposal to include watermarks on ballots to ensure authenticity. The state House voted 167-1 on Wednesday, sending the bill to the Senate for more debate. (Associated Press — Jan. 31, 2024)
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