Policy
This coverage will look at how public leaders establish new policies in a range of crucial areas of government – health, education, public safety, for example – and how these policies impact people’s lives through better services, effective regulations and new programs. This will include stories examining how state and local government approaches policymaking around emerging areas, including artificial intelligence.
The public likes what lawmakers around the country are doing, but the industry’s lobbyists are working hard to embed provisions into trade deals that would undermine much of the progress states have made.
The emergency declaration would kick off a “public education” campaign about road safety for drivers and pedestrians and would jumpstart the implementation of “quick-build” safety projects.
Sonoma County officials hope the new policy will act as a guide for how to appropriately use AI technology for emails, reports, job descriptions, spreadsheet calculations and more. But the policy prohibits using confidential or specific county information.
Other states look to Texas as the state psychology board pushes against the new national licensing requirements.
A poll found that 56 percent of California Latinos see artificial intelligence as “just a new tool,” while the remaining 44 percent said the tech was a bad idea and would cost people jobs.
While environmentalists say the new rules don’t do enough to protect groundwater, oil and gas operators are contesting stricter requirements for waste pits near wells.
Across California there have been concerted efforts to ban or restrict cellphone use in schools to limit distractions from learning. But given the most recent school shooting, some are questioning the safety risk of such bans.
A year ago, state Democrats blocked efforts to combat and prevent retail theft, but now the Legislature has created a select committee to study its cause. Last month, lawmakers sent 10 retail-theft-related bills to Gov. Newsom’s desk.
As they expanded eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, some skirted the law by misclassifying new enrollees to maximize revenue from Washington while doing little to help those who need care. It will take federal legislation to end this behavior.
Before the pandemic, most court proceedings took place in person at the Deschutes County courthouse. While remote court appearances improve efficiency, some argue that for serious crimes there are clear disadvantages.
The Legislative Auditor has found that the state does not have an adequate review process to ensure changes to prisoners’ release dates are accurately calculated. This is the fourth time an audit has made such findings.
Designating them by law would go a long way toward addressing the many issues these critical services face. They have evolved over decades to encompass a multitude of responsibilities.
California is one of seven states that fund schools based on average daily attendance instead of how many students are registered for the year. But that could change if proposed legislation gets Gov. Newsom’s signature.
In 2020 and 2022, annual spending on the issue didn’t exceed $7 million and between 2013 and 2017, Philly spent an average of $9 million annually to settle police misconduct cases. But misconduct spending has since skyrocketed.
Deepfake images and videos are just one way AI could disrupt the upcoming election. Experts are highlighting risks that could cause bigger problems and helping election officials prepare for them.
Despite the forces working against fair elections, coalitions and grassroots organizations in several states have achieved a lot for democracy.
Insurers have wide latitude on when and how they can deny mental health care. An analysis of all 50 states shows that some are charting new paths to secure mental health care access.
California is notorious for its lack of affordable housing. Still, it's seen a dramatic expansion of one type of housing over the past five years, known as ADUs, offering lessons for other states.
Courts have upheld some bans but struck down others. Some cities and at least one state have considered restricting panhandling in traffic medians due to safety reasons.
After months of searching for a policy, the Durango, Colo., Fire Department was able to find a company that would write an affordable policy to cover the construction of its new firehouse.
The new policy says universities should remain neutral on “issues of the day” while allowing students, faculty and staff to express their ideas.
The state has expanded its school vouchers to cover nearly every student with at least a partial scholarship, increasing Ohio’s spending on private school funds to nearly $1 billion.
The Biden administration’s Keeping Families Together program will now allow eligible noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for lawful permanent residence without leaving the country.
The new policy went into effect on Aug. 20 and blocks Texans from changing the listed sex on state IDs even if presented with a court order or amended birth certificate. Critics say the policy will endanger transgender individuals.
California officials have warned students for years that for-profit schools may make misleading career claims, leaving them with “a mountain of debt” but no job. Still, many for-profit schools remain on the state’s list of recommended job training programs.
Since Vermont lifted its residency requirement for dying with medical assistance in May 2023, at least 26 people have traveled to the state to die. In Oregon, the other state that allows the practice, 23 travelers have done it.
State Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has issued major changes to how police officers should handle situations involving barricaded individuals after several instances in which people experiencing mental health crises have been shot.
Her poll numbers mean down-ballot Democrats have more hope than they would have under President Joe Biden. Democrats will also be supporting abortion ballot measures in at least eight states.
The median Detroit household spends 1 out of every 7 dollars earned on car insurance. In 2019, Michigan passed a law to improve the situation—but the state’s Black neighborhoods still paid the highest prices.
Despite free speech challenges, state legislators have continued passing laws that age gate websites or override platforms' terms of service. Experts say there are ways to protect users without drawing First Amendment lawsuits.
As surveys old and new show, support for it falters when it comes to speech that goes against people’s values or beliefs. But the First Amendment was intended to protect unpopular speech.
