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.
The state knew something special had to happen if it wanted to revive intercity passenger rail service. A coalition of political and private support created the highly successful Downeaster.
Most of downtown Mayfield was destroyed and dozens of residential blocks have been wiped out. “War zones don’t look this bad,” Gov. Beshear said, but residents were optimistic about rebuilding.
Minnesota attorney general warns lenders: Don’t be surprised if you’re investigated.
As the country grew, each Census required greater effort than the last. That problem led to the invention of the punched card – and the birth of an industry.
Seven months after the state Supreme Court barred judges from blocking public access to records without explanation, court records continue to disappear from public view without reason.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the state will soon release a voluntary digital vaccination verification system that local governments and businesses can enact as they see fit. The state will not reinstate a mask mandate.
Billions of dollars available to state and local governments might be enough to bring affordable broadband to all Americans. But some states have yet to produce plans for these funds.
Public health, justice and safety suffer when we reflexively deploy police to respond to mental health crises, “quality of life” disorder and other societal ills beyond officers’ training.
More than a dozen current and former Torrance, Calif., police officers and recruits exchanged racist text messages for years. The discovery could undermine hundreds of cases in which those officers either testified or made arrests.
The Los Angeles School District has struggled to increase school enrollment with a shortage of teachers and staff. That has left many students with disabilities without the assistance they need.
The avowed socialist came in behind after initial results in a special election were counted Tuesday night, but a larger-than-expected turnout makes it harder to predict the final results.
A climate bill that is being negotiated in the U.S. Senate would dedicate $14 billion over the next decade to clearing vegetation and debris to prevent wildfires. More than 7 million acres burned in California in the last two years alone.
Vaccinations are rising in response to the new variant. While much is unknown, health officials hope the public — and politicians — will be inspired to get back to the basics of protection.
They’ve been around a lot longer than you might think. They keep changing, but they still run on loyalty, as they always have.
Natural gas powers the majority of electricity in Texas, especially during winter. Some power companies say the state’s gas system is not ready for another deep freeze.
Approximately 1 million Texans submitted their ballots by mail for the 2020 presidential election and about 8,000 of those were discounted for administrative errors. Now the state will allow voters to fix errors and track ballots online.
State lawmakers have proposed seven ways to fix the state’s unemployment system and help claimants receive better aid. But some of the proposals aren’t feasible and others could be too expensive.
More frequent service in low-income neighborhoods, fewer buses to affluent areas, even fare-free transit, are all on the table as transit agencies try to figure out the future, according to a new report from the Urban Institute.
The federal government is sending billions to cities and counties to overcome pandemic setbacks. Plans from 150 local governments offer a preview of how these dollars might be spent.
Voters in several states created redistricting commissions. Some have had their work overridden by the legislature or they’ve failed to produce maps entirely.
The White House is showing the way. Building on that, state and local policymakers have the opportunity to improve well-being for women — and for everyone.
Gov. Dan McKee said the state will soon allow residents to prove their vaccination status with an app, which will be voluntary and businesses will still decide if they want to require proof of vaccination.
Three candidates’ 2020 campaigns were funded by dark money and one received funds illegally from a former state senator to help skew the election for the Republican candidates, yet no official penalty has been served.
Against all odds, election officials delivered a safe and secure election during a public health crisis. But a year later, they are looking for innovative ways to restore public trust in their work.
The state’s 2007 repeal of the requirement to obtain a permit to purchase a handgun is connected to an increase in the number of stolen firearms, firearm deaths and further gun deregulation.
Last spring, a majority of lawmakers approved removing some supplies from the list of banned drug equipment but it wasn’t a large enough margin to overturn the veto from Gov. Hogan. Efforts to overturn the veto continue.
The over-65 population is growing faster than the generations who will take their place. Demographer James Johnson Jr. discusses the opportunities for growth given current demographic trends.
COVID-19 has helped to highlight the racial disparities in health-care services that stem from implicit bias from doctors and medical algorithms. But for many Black patients, the discrimination goes beyond negative attitudes.
Before the pandemic, Marin County had the lowest vaccination rates in California. Now, more than 90 percent of its adults are protected against COVID-19.
For decades, toxic runoff from abandoned coal mines has left streams and rivers lifeless in the Mountain State. Then two men decided to reverse the damage taking place in their own backyards.
