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 goal is to add 4 million acres of farmland to the Conservation Reserve Program, which takes land out of production to blunt agriculture’s environmental impact.
So, is it election year again in California? Will voters be asked to toss a governor just a year shy of the end of his term? It’s now all but certain, because recall supporters have submitted the signatures necessary to get it on the ballot.
As their economies reopen, neither state has plans to implement a statewide vaccine passport system. But there could still be some instances where private companies require vaccination records.
The American Recovery Plan differs from past stimulus efforts with more targeted funding for women and minority-owned businesses. Whatever the outcome, small employers are likely to be more dependent on technology.
President calls on Congress to support his plans for economic equity, gun safety, policing, education, energy, rural broadband, biotech, clean energy, immigration, and paid leave - all of which come with local impacts.
Community and technical colleges are particularly well-suited to partnering with governments to bring broadband and digital literacy to underserved urban and rural communities.
Severe flooding two years ago inspired some in northwest Missouri to build back differently.
The Supreme Court recently dealt defeat to Florida in its 20-year legal battle with Georgia over river water. Other interstate water contests loom, but there are no sure winners in these lawsuits.
As Congress debates the massive investment in American infrastructure, President Biden announces the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
Gov. Kristi Noem has signed an executive order that preemptively bans any federally-mandated vaccine passports within the state. The Biden administration has said it would not implement such a system.
While the plunge in ridership has left some wondering if commuter rail is dying, others see a rare opportunity to reinvent the suburb-to-city service into something very different. But it won’t be cheap or easy.
State lawmakers will begin using the latest census data to redraw legislative and congressional district lines in an attempt to help the majority party maintain control. New district lines will be used in 2022.
From 2010 to 2018, Black and Latino people accounted for 7 and 47 percent, respectively, of jail bookings in Orange County, despite being just 2 and 35 percent of the county’s population.
While conservatives favor blunt language, progressives are more attuned to its potential harm, sometimes to the point of denying words their simple meaning.
Jessica Benham has faced disadvantages that would keep most people out of politics. She hasn’t let that stop her from getting elected to the state Legislature.
Democratic and Republican states have sparred over COVID-19 regulations since the pandemic began more than a year ago. But the state competitions overshadow the fact that the nation, overall, should have fared better.
The role of Asian citizens in politics and public life is a story that will surprise a good many Americans.
The coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 elections have increased the number of states preempting local laws and ordinances, especially where cities and states were run by different political parties.
Colleges make billions from the feats of student athletes. Recent bills could open the door for athletes to receive compensation beyond their scholarships.
If 60 percent of the county’s residents get at least one dose by May 11, public health officials will change the mask mandate to a recommendation. If COVID numbers worsen, the county will reinstate the mandate.
Despite the dry conditions, Gavin Newsom has not yet declared an official drought emergency. Many believe that the recall threat against the governor is preventing the declaration.
Usually, companies use this power to secure financial benefits for themselves, such as tax or regulation relief. But increasingly, they're using it for social causes as well.
Ken Burns and his team have helped put American history in context through documentaries on topics ranging from the Civil War and Vietnam to jazz and baseball. Their latest takes on one of America’s greatest and complicated writers.
Diesel fumes spewed by the buses we're using poison children, drivers and neighborhoods. Transitioning to electric buses also can create good jobs and healthier communities.
A prolific and outspoken author contends the term "populism" has been turned on its head, and not since Franklin Delano Roosevelt has the White House been occupied by a man of the people.
Billions of dollars in the American Rescue Plan could be used to close the persistent digital divide in urban and rural communities. But how can these investments be “future-proof”?
The new law will allow the state to enact “more stringent” environmental standards than the federal policies. The state hopes the new law will put a prioritization on public health and the environment.
The American Rescue Plan includes significant federal dollars that can support library programs and services that play a larger role in recovery than is generally understood.
California’s history of gun restrictions started in 1967, when 30 members of the Black Panther Party marched into the Capitol with loaded handguns, shotguns and rifles. Today, gun control has turned into a legal battle.
President George Washington was the first to issue proclamations or executive orders. Their use peaked under Franklin Roosevelt, but they have been used fewer times in recent presidencies. Will Biden reverse the trend?
