Politics and Elections
Covering topics such as governors, legislatures, local government, redistricting and voting.
Families and medical professionals say that the test strips are one of the cheapest and most effective tools at combating the fentanyl crisis. But there’s no pathway in Texas for legalization, which frustrates many.
Gov. Maura Healey announced on Monday, Sept. 18, that the state will ban the purchase of single-use plastics by state agencies with an executive order that will be effective immediately upon issue.
The long-sought reform took effect on Monday and abolished cash bail as a potential condition for release, changing the way pretrial hearings are conducted. State Republicans who mostly oppose the measure still have concerns about the legislation.
With the general election a year away, officials say they need more than 1,200 people to sign up for training on electronic poll books for in-person voting.
His acquittal makes Paxton a dominant player in Republican primary politics, where hard-right conservatives that share his ideology influence the small primary electorate.
Energy efficiency can save customers and utilities money, keep supply stable and reduce emissions. But a new survey finds that utilities are doing less to support it.
The Greater Idaho movement, which wants to secede from the Beaver State and become a part of its neighbor to the east, had sputtered along for years, gaining little traction. But then, the coronavirus hit in the spring of 2020.
The state faces a potential impeachment battle. As in Washington, the battle lines are nakedly partisan.
Local leaders say changing directives and confusing guidance from state officials are hampering efforts to comply — even as potentially heavy penalties await them if they don’t.
Virginia is one of just two states in which legislative control is divided between the parties. Then, what makes special elections so special, Pennsylvania Democrats' struggle to maintain control and attorneys general keep getting in trouble.
It once was widespread in the U.S. We should try it again, at least in a limited way. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Mayor Jacob Frey’s 2024 budget includes millions set aside over the next two years to comply with court orders to end racist and unconstitutional policing in a plan for new spending and new positions.
Three years after the first-in-the-nation law was passed, a record number of opioid overdoses, bad press and a growing homelessness crisis could slow the movement to treat addiction as a public health matter.
The state Supreme Court dismissed two lawsuits, ending legal challenges against the use of 2022 congressional district maps previously deemed unconstitutional. The move could benefit both parties, especially three Democrats who won competitive races last year.
A task force has recommended making cash payments to the descendants of American slaves to address over-policing, mass incarceration, housing discrimination and health disparities. But a majority of voters oppose the idea.
There’s much that state lawmakers can do to prevent it from undermining democracy. Some states are already putting stronger safeguards in place, and more should do the same.
