Governing: State and local government news and analysis
The Trump administration concedes it ended too many Department of Education contracts but critics say it hasn’t restored enough congressionally approved programs.
A majority of departments rely on volunteer help but the number of people willing to devote time has dropped substantially over the past decade.
Too often they fall victim to political expediencies. If it’s not the answer that will garner votes at election time, it’s not going to happen.
Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was shot and killed on Saturday. She had previously spoken with Governing about the challenges of leading in difficult times.
It could slow growth in crucial sectors and cost states jobs across industries, according to a new report.
Since 2020, more than 100 hospitals in a majority of states have shut down their labor and delivery units.
Millions are likely to lose health insurance, and there is no credible data that imposing such rules would save money. They would hurt rural communities and red states as much as blue ones.
States are taking a look at tax credits, cost-sharing, regulation reductions and more as they look to support families and their economies.
There are places we shouldn’t be living. With federal disaster aid uncertain, states and localities should build voluntary buyout programs to relocate residents from floodplains.
A statue in Times Square depicting an ordinary Black woman has held up a mirror to people's attitudes about race and celebration.
Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard against anti-deportation protesters is sadly familiar after other attacks on the First Amendment.
The latest technology revolution will eventually eliminate some of the public funds’ internal staff. To avoid being AI roadkill, pension systems and key employees need to take the initiative collectively.
Abbott has won a number of major legislative victories over the past couple of sessions, including a long-awaited expansion of school choice this year. His re-election next year is all but assured.
Rather than pulling special education kids out for separate instruction, it’s putting special ed teachers in classrooms with the general student population. Test scores are improving.
Cities are banning landlords from setting rental prices based on algorithms and non-public data, which tenants complain have led to drastic spikes.
Like other states, North Dakota urgently needs more teachers. It’s among the first to adopt a model other sectors have used for decades.
Work requirements through welfare have helped recipients find meaningful jobs. America has a vast workforce network at the ready to provide job placement services.
More than 5 million teenagers take care of older adults as part of their day, including nearly a third of high school students in at least one state. Their numbers may grow if Medicaid gets cuts.
A survey shows that more than half of manufactured homeowners on rented land have no lease.
Because reporting practices and requirements vary so much, extreme weather’s true damage cost is often a mystery. There are several ways to get better numbers.
Texas offered the benefit for 24 years. The move came in response to a federal lawsuit, but state leaders hailed it as a win.
History suggests Republicans have a real shot, despite the state's blue leanings. In San Antonio, the mayoral election is also turning on partisan concerns.
A community foundation chose to take a chance on downtown rebirth.
Not everyone who wants to live in a dense walkable neighborhood is able to do so. A morass of regulations stands in the way.
The one-time grant funding let cities and counties demonstrate new ideas and expand existing efforts to curb gun violence. When the ARPA sunsets, some efforts may scale down, but local governments have been planning to maintain the bulk of the work.
Older, sick prisoners cost far more to incarcerate. Since they pose little or no risk to public safety, states should ease the path to medical parole.
Hundreds of Alabama church leaders are being certified as substance use support specialists, gaining insight into the nature of these disorders and connections with professionals who treat them.
A new cost-cutting law will move the system toward managed care, likely over a period of about four years.
In recent years, conservatives have championed family-friendly workplace policies as “pro-life” measures.
Funding for a half-dozen tech hubs has been canceled in a setback for promising industrial policies. Local and regional actors must continue the work these valuable projects have begun.
