State and Local Politics and Policy
It’s especially hard to get low-income Americans living in multifamily buildings across the digital divide. But states and nonprofits are finding ways to do it.
States keep trying to rein in the offensive language people want to affix to their cars, but issues of free speech come up again and again. What are reasonable societal boundaries?
The federal government’s historic investment in broadband could fall short of its goals if it doesn’t improve digital skills. A leading expert explains the importance of digital human capital.
Despite a series of federal measures requiring greater efforts to preserve family unity, many policies make life harder for people swept up in the system.
The Justice in Forensic Algorithms Act aims to ensure that when algorithmic analyses are used as evidence in court, defendants get to know how the tools reached their conclusions and allow them to contest the results.
The U.S. House passed the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act on Thursday in an attempt to keep gas prices under control during the global oil shortage. But some say the measure will have little impact on costs.
Nearly 35 states have ended their health emergency declarations, which have given governors authority to mandate pandemic mitigation measures, and most of those remaining are set to expire before August.
In Idaho, one of the most conservative states in the nation, GOP voters largely backed incumbent Brad Little for governor. Progressives in Oregon now represent the mainstream, but a moderate Republican can still win.
The result highlights extremist tendencies growing within the Republican Party, which may boost the general election prospects for Attorney General Josh Shapiro who won the Democratic nomination for governor.
Boosted by an unprecedented infusion of federal funds, they have an opportunity to bring innovative collaborative efforts to bear on issues of economic inequality and mobility that cross jurisdictional lines.
County Clerk Don Blevins Jr. has confirmed that voters in at least two precincts received the wrong paper ballots for Tuesday’s primary election and, therefore, voted in the wrong district, which will nullify their vote.
The Massachusetts attorney general hopeful is the first Black woman who has passed the signature threshold for statewide office. She must receive at least 15 percent of the delegate vote in June to officially make the ballot.
Housing advocates want HUD to push the state’s planning board to open up housing options in the region’s more affluent suburbs and, in doing so, help tackle a growing segregation problem.
As the summer months encourage people to take a vacation and get outside more, city officials predict that e-bike injuries from collisions, speeding and improper use are likely to increase.
Wisconsin’s largest city suffers from a soaring murder rate and serious budget problems. Cavalier Johnson, the first new mayor in nearly 20 years, can’t wait to turn the city around.
The California Coastal Commission denied approval to construct a $1.4 billion plant after 20 years of debate. Gov. Newsom supported the plans, but it wasn’t enough to overcome worries about water costs and environmental damage.
Counties and their public health officials have been on the front lines of the COVID pandemic, struggling amid white-hot politics that has weakened the nation’s response. Can we do better when the next pandemic strikes?
The Colorado River provides water and electricity to 40 million people in the western US, but falling water levels threaten both of those resources.
Approximately 33 percent of Americans age 65 who completed their initial vaccination round have not received a first booster shot. Some believe the stagnation could be due, in part, to federal vaccine distribution.
While the GOP struggles for its soul and debates MAGA versus RINO, Democrats are in disarray. Also, lawmakers who simply do not copy and paste legislation from other states are more likely to find success.
While Dr. Mehmet Oz and David McCormick have spent millions of dollars campaigning against each other, Barnette has, for two years, been building grass-roots support and establishing herself as a MAGA movement star.
The state has been under total Democratic control for four years, but a tumultuous two years with law enforcement, workforce development and the pandemic has some predicting that Republicans could regain control in November.
As the nation approaches a grim milestone, public and political will to do much about the disease has faded. But absent health measures, the devastation could have been far worse.
Local governments and transit agencies are going to have to come up with matching funds, and to boost revenues, they’ll need to find ways to bring riders back. That will require some bold decisions.
Questions about the Republican Registration Coalition’s interference in Philadelphia with voters’ mail-in ballots has resulted in several firings. Republicans have weaponized the situation to sow election mistrust.
In anticipation of the predicted overturn of Roe v. Wade, Gov. Kathy Hochul has directed millions to increase access to safe abortions, particularly for low-income and uninsured women who may be travelling from out of state.
To accommodate COVID restrictions, states gave restaurants permission to sell alcoholic beverages “to-go” during the pandemic. But now as life returns to normalcy, 18 states plus D.C. have made cocktails to-go permanent.
Pharmacists and pharmacist technicians have administered hundreds of millions of vaccinations during the pandemic, but federal emergency authorization for their wider role could end soon. States should make it permanent.
On Monday, Vanessa Roberts Avery was sworn in as Connecticut’s 54th U.S. attorney. President Joe Biden nominated Avery to fill the role in January and the Senate confirmed the pick last month.
Our public education system is too focused on preparing students for four-year colleges. When an auto mechanic can pull down a six-figure salary, it’s clear that career and technical education should be getting a lot more support.
Red states have filed 27 lawsuits or appeals against Biden’s immigration policies.
