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.
In February, President Trump claimed that reinforcing the border wall would prevent the virus from entering the U.S., but COVID-19 was already beginning to spread in the states. “I don’t think the virus checks on borders.”
Politics is increasingly nationalized, with more people voting the same way up and down the ballot. With nearly all campaigning and fundraising now happening online, that trend is likely to accelerate.
In fighting for the downtrodden and the forgotten, not only on the national stage but also in local government, he led a life that ought to provide a moral imperative for today's public officials.
Some states are experiencing delayed test results as thousands of tests from the nation’s hot spots are flooding testing labs. But even when it isn’t competing for lab space, Washington continues to have testing issues.
Hospitals are still required to report COVID-19 data to the state even as the Trump Administration tries to switch public data reporting away from the CDC and to a private contractor through a no-bid deal.
As Black Lives Matter protests collide with anxiety about COVID-19’s disproportionate Black death toll and concerns about a coming wave of evictions, will these overlapping crises accelerate California’s Black exodus?
As unemployment numbers rise, many newly uninsured Wisconsinites are turning to free clinics for COVID-19 care. But some clinics don’t have the technology to provide telemedicine and volunteers are wary of exposure.
In May, 17 counties submitted requests to reopen even though they lacked the minimum number of contact tracers per 100,000 people. California reopened anyway, and now the tracers are overwhelmed and outnumbered.
The Harford County Sheriff's Office has participated in this agreement since October 2016 and it endows some immigration enforcement authority to correctional deputies. But not everybody agrees with the renewal decision.
Homicides are up in major cities. The combination of pandemic, recession and the two-way street of distrust between police and the communities they serve has created a "toxic mix of despair."
The state is currently one of the world’s hot spots for COVID-19. Lack of testing, knowledge and preparedness have all contributed to the growing case numbers and inability to keep up with testing.
Hit hard by the pandemic, the Navajos have turned to their self-run government and strong family ties to overcome health problems, soaring unemployment and financial obstacles that have slowed recovery.
A bill that increased mail-in voting due to the coronavirus had an unrelated provision for photo ID requirements. Now, Republican legislators want it enforced. If they succeed, voters will be required to show ID to vote.
In response to protests following the death of George Floyd, Wisconsin’s state capital has proposed that police be banned from using tear gas, mace and projectile devices for crowd control. But not everyone agrees.
Gov. Lujan Grisham signed a bill this week that requires police officers to wear body cameras and orders the state board to decertify officers that are convicted of unlawful use of force.The law takes effect on Sept. 20.
President Trump insists schools must reopen in the fall. It's a widely shared priority in terms of both childhood development and the economy, but there are serious challenges with the coronavirus still on the rise.
Smartphone-wielding citizens and the ease of video conferencing have largely taken the place of the public-access television of earlier decades. They raise new questions for public officials.
The president says vote by mail is riddled by fraud. Gov. DeSantis, who supports Trump, agrees, but the elections supervisor for Palm Beach County, who DeSantis appointed to the job, refutes that claim.
A collaboration between tech companies and several states got off the ground early in the pandemic using emergency contracts for testing. After a rocky start, the programs have entered their next phase.
Several Bay Area cities have cut millions from their police budgets, but the plans don’t stop there. They’re looking to remove police from schools and put money toward mental health services.
We need to invest more in physical education and access to youth sports. For children of color, it's a way to tackle obesity and other health disparities while building their self-esteem.
Legal experts are questioning our current system of “law and order” based on punishment. They are calling for restorative justice programs that can demonstrate how investments in accountability yield rewards.
Governors are battling with local leaders over mask requirements. Some state executives have enacted a statewide mask requirement while others are leaving it up to local leaders to decide.
As COVID-19 cases surge, there could be growing interest in the technology. But states planning to roll them out need to vet them rigorously for privacy protections and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
As states continue to allow residents to return to gyms, restaurants and bars, the contact tracing caseloads have soared. But even when contact tracing works, the method still relies on people’s cooperation.
Border towns are concerned with the health risks as workers come into their neighborhood to continue working on the Mexico-border wall. Many believe the work and millions in spending should be paused during the pandemic.
Gov. Newsom has required that all Californians wear face masks to try to prevent further spread of COVID-19, but many local leaders are refusing to enforce the order, claiming that Newsom is overstepping his authority.
A moment captured by Governing’s David Kidd is about to become history. Over the weekend, the state Legislature passed by a large majority a bill to remove the Confederate symbol from the official flag.
Allissa Richardson, a pioneer in mobile journalism, discusses the emergence of smartphones and social media as tools to fight back against the mistreatment of marginalized citizens by law enforcement.
An attempt to expand vote-by-mail ahead of the fall election failed last week as South Carolina shifted funds to coronavirus relief and broadband. The same day, the number of reported cases reached a single-day record.
