Given easy accessibility, more young people are using cannabis. Public health experts recommend lawmakers combat misinformation, expand prevention programs, set stricter potency limits and enhance law enforcement against false advertising and repeated use by minors.
The bill calls on utilities to meet wildfire protection standards. In return, they'd gain legal protection.
Residents of red counties in blue states wish they had a new political home. Also, in Florida, the Legislature is starting to stand up to Ron DeSantis.
Human services officials say more treatment options are needed to place children, but lawmakers are concerned lighter regulations will create more problems.
Arizona is the only state to require all jurisdictions to livestream ballot processing, but there are other places to watch.
The initiative commonly known as the Oregon Rebate would increase the minimum tax on large businesses by 3 percent and send the cash to all residents, guaranteeing them a minimum income.
Voting reform advocates say ranked-choice voting will give voters more voice in their elections. But clerks of small counties worry that any advantages will be undermined by more cost and confusion.
Too many jobs that have nothing to do with driving require it. It’s an unnecessary employment barrier, and other states should follow the lead of two that have moved to prohibit it.
The bipartisanship that Cecil Andrus, Dan Evans and Tom McCall practiced decades ago sets them apart from many of today’s political leaders. It helped that they had shared values — and that they liked each other.
The Legislative Emergency Board approved the funding last week. Spending on wildfires this year has reached $250 million, which is more than double the amount budgeted for the response.
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.
As many as 450,000 barred owls could be killed across three Pacific Northwest states over the next 30 years to prevent the extinction of another type of owl. The program aims to kill less than 1 percent of the current barred owl population.
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.
Six years ago, state police made a big push to catch up on a massive backlog. Now, waiting times exceed eight months and the number of untested kits is three times higher than in 2019.
The state’s Board of Education agreed to require high schoolers to take and pass stand-alone classes on financial literacy and college and career preparation to graduate, starting with this fall’s sophomores.
The new program aims to close health-care gaps when people are released and tackle addiction problems.
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