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As the nation’s housing crisis continues, many cities are altering their policies for affordable housing developments. But some states are trying to rein in the incentives.
In places as varied as Tucson and Bangkok, ways are being found to replenish shrinking aquifers. It’s a matter of “water consciousness.”
The nation currently has more than 1,000 federally designated primary care shortage areas. More than 180 areas have had a primary care shortage for at least 40 years.
The top finance official in Massachusetts announced that the administration does not plan to downgrade revenue expectations through June or implement budget cuts, despite a recent drop in tax collections.
The city is scaling down its spending for sheltering immigrants to save money. But the move will force hundreds of people out of their temporary housing.
The initiative will run in eight schools and hopes to boost performance, especially among Black and economically disadvantaged students. More than 40 percent of Atlanta third graders were reading below grade level last year.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, regarding his opposition to an industry request to raise homeowners’ insurance premiums by an average of 42 percent. Causey said that he and his department received more than 25,000 emails, phone calls and letters about the proposal and “almost nobody was in favor of it.” (Associated Press — Feb. 6, 2024)
An analytic tool known as a long-term budget assessment can help states anticipate the fiscal challenges that lie ahead and change course in time to avoid them. Unfortunately, only a minority of states do this.
The home health-care industry is lucrative — but lightly regulated.
Do cameras on our porches, at traffic lights, in our parks and along our streets really contribute to our overall security? The data are unpersuasive.
The state’s computer chip industry cut nearly 2,000 jobs last year, after hitting its highest point in more than two decades at the end of 2022 with 35,100 jobs.
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.
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