Governing: State and local government news and analysis
The pandemic has broken commuter rail’s business model, which relies on boutique services for white collar workers. Fixing it means more trains, better platforms, high-tech fare systems and fewer workers. Can it be done?
Some legislatures are moving to restrict what health departments can do. This ill-advised political interference can cost lives now and aggravate inequities in the post-pandemic era.
During the COVID-19 health crisis, states suspended limitations on telemedicine and scope of practice. A number are now making those changes permanent.
It's been with us for nearly four decades, but we still can't definitively answer the question of whether it prevents crime in our cities.
We've priced parking too low for decades. As competition for the curb heats up, here's what needs to change.
As a divided country wrestles with its future, it may be a good time to think about how we constitute a more perfect Union.
In most states and nationwide, collections overcome early pandemic losses.
States are announcing incentive programs to encourage residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. What started as small benefits, free doughnuts and beer has grown into significant prizes, such as five chances to win $1 million.
The U.S. was once king of semiconductor manufacturing. Today, not so much. In an interview, Skanda Amarnath discusses what went wrong with our chip-making prowess and if government intervention is needed.
A report analyzes which states are the best for police careers based upon opportunity, training requirements and protections from job hazards. But a trouble-plagued year may spark deeper changes for the future.
How states choose to regulate insurance and liability for self-driving cars may impact how quickly consumers adopt them, but many questions remain around how and when to set these new policies.
Cities want modern light rail trains and vintage-style streetcars. Most are built by foreign firms. Few know they also are manufactured by an American company with deep roots in Rust-Belt western Pennsylvania.
Two-thirds of Americans over 25 don't have a bachelor’s degree or higher. A Harvard study uncovers inconsistent efforts to give these workers skills for economic mobility and calls for improving the problem.
The Senate is considering a bill that would devote billions to create new tech hubs around the country. It faces an uncertain future, since picking winners makes other regions jealous.
Digital marriage licenses. Zoom ceremonies. Everyday citizens becoming wedding officiants. Utah County, Utah's online marriage license system became a big hit after COVID-19 shut down most offices that issue marriage licenses.
High-rise buildings made out of timber have long been judged flimsy and fire-prone. That isn’t true anymore. But their construction depends on how amenable government regulators are to wooden towers.
While Washington politicians argue over the latest White House proposals, governors and local leaders should promote achievable federal plans that would reduce their costs of funding health care.
It leaves families living in squalid conditions, trapped in segregated neighborhoods. Rather than spending billions on socialized shelter, we need to put money in their pockets to give them choices.
With Americans increasingly unhealthy because of the highly processed foods they eat, there’s more talk about the need for quality over quantity of food.
As the definition of literacy evolves to include digital and technological literacy, libraries are also evolving to include new technologies in their offerings to meet a wide range of community needs.
With Democratic voters already packed into a small number of districts, reducing voter turnout won't really lower the chances of Democrats winning – or help Republicans win.
Billions of dollars will be flowing to states and localities from opioid lawsuit settlements and court rulings. They need to set up a framework for dedicating the money to programs that save lives.
Arguments among themselves about concepts like “wokeness” and “cancel culture” are divisive and demonstrate racial insensitivity. A new generation of leaders should be allowed to define and use its own terms.
The U.S. Department of Transportation isn’t considered one of the federal government’s stronger agencies. But change and innovation has happened in recent years and could accelerate under new leadership and with more money.
President Biden seeks to broaden the definition of a crucial piece of government. It’s part of a debate that's been going on more than two centuries.
Making it easier for professionals to practice across state lines is appealing, but if it isn't done right, it can endanger the public's health and safety.
In the early years of the Republic, wives of politicians were often helpmates and could wield power despite their gender. Today, spouses challenge traditional gender norms in politics and have broad work portfolios.
In the wake of unproven claims about voting fraud, a record number of bills seek changes in election law. Some could enable legislatures to interfere with election administration.
By building on a decade-old federal effort, the just-launched StateRAMP promises to standardize and simplify procurement of cloud services that have already undergone rigorous security testing.
It’s clear that adding lanes to urban expressways or building new ones doesn’t reduce congestion. Sometimes it makes things worse. So why do we keep doing it?
