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.
Florida and Texas have passed social media censorship legislation, but both face legal pushback from advocacy groups. If their cases move forward, it could set a precedent for other states to propose similar legislation.
“Teach-ins” were inspired the first Earth Day. Andra Yeghoian of the San Mateo County Office of Education is leading efforts to make environmental and climate literacy top priorities throughout K-12 systems.
To work around the state’s immigration enforcement laws, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has worked with private data brokers to receive real-time alerts about when people are being released from jail.
A number of states are seeing dozens of lawmakers retire all at once. Reasons differ, but there’s wide agreement partisanship has poisoned the atmosphere.
From regulation to restoration, the work of environmental stewardship falls largely on the shoulders of those in government. For Earth Day 2022, Governing asked public-sector leaders how they see the path forward.
The state announced it would use federal pandemic funds to give one-time bonuses to health-care workers but it omitted the largest group of health attendants, who provide services to about 130,000 low-income Texans.
A federal appeals court ruled that California’s local governments can proceed with lawsuits against major oil companies for their sale of fossil fuel products and allegedly deceiving the public about the products’ effects.
New Jersey became the 14th state to legalize recreational marijuana use on Thursday, though public smoking is still banned. Now local police, who will provide security for the dispensaries, must adjust for the new law.
The Twin Cities have always been alike in some ways, very different in others. Their mayors reflect the differences and similar monumental challenges.
Jocelyn Benson’s office retracted its previous statement about no longer releasing driving records of “victims of violence,” like that of Patrick Lyoya, to the media after the policy sparked transparency concerns.
Our system is too open to frivolous lawsuits intended to squelch free speech. There’s a lot that state lawmakers could do to protect Americans’ First Amendment rights.
The City Council appointed residents to create a redistricting map that would make the process more politically independent. Some want the city to consider an independent commission for future maps.
The city is an outlier among major metropolitan areas for its decision to reinstate its mandate for indoor masking as of April 18, but not everyone agrees that it’s the best way to respond to recent data.
Smaller cities. Soaring water prices. Scorched desert towns. Arizona confronts a highly uncertain future.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill appears to transform how the federal government subsidizes broadband infrastructure. But evidence suggests that big companies may not allow the status quo to change without a fight.
Advocates worry that the transition to 988, the National Suicide Hotline telephone number, is underfunded and understaffed, which could limit some callers’ ability to get through when the switch is made in July.
Plus a look at how redistricting reduces competition; why Trump remains the price of admission into GOP primaries; and, the trouble Democrats are in ahead of the midterms.
State Republicans gave initial approval to the so-called “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which would allow parents to see the curriculum used in their child’s classroom. Democrats have said the bill is just political strategy.
To protest Gov. Greg Abbott’s increased vehicle inspections, truckers have blockaded a key Texas border crossing that sees $35 billion in annual trade. The disruption could severely impact local and regional supply chains.
The $900 million project will be developed by the utility firm Cleco and is part of the state’s campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Louisiana is the only state in the Gulf South region to put forth such a plan.
Performative politics is failing our cities, crowding out the substantive policy debates we need to produce better outcomes. Where are the modern-day “Sewer Socialists”?
The defense argued that there was never any plot to kidnap or harm Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and that the scheme was manipulated by the FBI. But the prosecution insisted the threat was real.
Approximately 92 percent of the sewage that reached an ocean-connected waterway was spilled after 2015; more than half came from two spills that occurred last year. L.A. officials say they are far below the state average.
New data from the Governors Highway Safety Association reports an additional 507 people were struck and killed by U.S. drivers in the first half of the year, continuing a decadelong trend of increasing pedestrian deaths.
The city has become the state’s most watched police department with both a federal monitor and strong civilian oversight. After a scandal exposed abuses, Oakland’s civilians have the power to overrule the police department.
The lawsuit, filed by Americans for Prosperity and the Advance Colorado Institute, argues that the new fees, which aim to raise funds for highways, transit systems and EV expansion, violate the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
Researchers found that state residents looked up social media platforms more than 9 million times per month, amounting to 867.87 searches per 1,000 residents. Facebook had 6.12 million average monthly searches.
Often overshadowed by its neighbor Minneapolis, the other twin city has survived the pandemic and racial tensions and is ready to move on. Governing talked to Mayor Carter, early in his second term, about the city’s new momentum.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the state will respond to “unprecedented” illegal immigration by implementing additional inspections of vehicles crossing the border and will transport migrants directly to D.C.
Several states have proposed bills that would protect health-care professionals from punishment if they promote COVID-19 misinformation or unproven treatments. So far only North Dakota has approved similar legislation.
