Governing: State and local government news and analysis
Negotiations over revising the first-in-the-nation law collapsed and now it won’t be enacted until at least June 2026.
High school students’ math and reading proficiency levels are the lowest in decades. Only rigorous accountability and proven improvement strategies can turn that around.
Two big political blocs have different ideas when it comes to health.
Changing federal guidelines are creating uncertainty about access to the updated COVID-19 vaccination. Connecticut has found a way to bring clarity.
A forthcoming state law will create the single largest new pool of workers with collective bargaining rights in decades.
Updates enacted by Congress will make this successful program for low-income communities even more attractive to investors, particularly for housing. But there are plenty of ways to take advantage of the current program.
Blame Ozempic. And maybe tariffs.
Innovators, investors and practitioners are on the hunt for fruitful applications of blockchain and other evolving financial technology. Undoubtedly some of their ambitions will involve government finance. Which ones might actually pan out?
Congress has substantially increased support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. That should help finance thousands more units.
These programs are under relentless attack but there is no evidence that they’ve given Black Americans any disproportionate benefit.
President Donald Trump has taken aim at cashless bail, arguing it encourages crime.
Cooperative federalism recognizes that states are best positioned to balance environmental goals with the practical realities of keeping the lights on. A few states are showing the way.
A new report from the Government Accountability Office details the ways that recent changes have diminished FEMA capacity. Local officials responsible for response and recovery want to be part of the conversation about what comes next.
There are advantages to allowing more workplace flexibility. It’s particularly helpful for recruiting and retention.
Charlie Kirk's murder is part of a thread that runs through American politics today, as well as much of the nation's history.
States introduced far more bills and passed many more into law than Congress has, acting in key areas such as tech, finance and health.
Adoption of the technology remains fragmented across states and localities. Getting the most out of it requires proactive steps.
In a heavily Republican area of Missouri, residents credit him for changing the country’s direction.
Florida showed the way decades ago by adopting a single statewide standard, saving lives and billions of dollars and showing that hazard resistance is achievable and affordable.
President Donald Trump's declaration of a crime emergency for Washington, D.C., ends Wednesday. But a city Council member warns that the occupation will not end.
It’s one of the most robust paid leave laws in the country and has required the state government to build out a sprawling administrative apparatus.
Despite federal pullbacks, the transition to clean energy is coming. Here's a road map for state and local leaders.
Turnover rates in election offices are at an all-time high. Training for these jobs has new importance.
When it comes to generating a revival, trying to copy what has succeeded somewhere else usually doesn’t work.
Having so many senior politicians is off-putting to many voters, particularly the young. There is a solution.
Federal funding and streamlined community college curriculum could make it easier to get on track for steady, well-paid employment.
Mobilizing troops in L.A. against the governor’s wishes and deploying troops to D.C. to respond to crime tests new ground for how the Guard is used.
After Katrina, most of the city's schools became charters. Although the change brought results, the importance of accountability measures should not be forgotten.
States are spending a lot of their federal TANF money on things that don’t help families that need it the most, and work reporting requirements keep too many families from accessing benefits.
While other states struggle to fund major transportation projects, Texas’ 10-year transportation spending plan has surpassed $100 billion for the third year in a row.
