Politics and Elections
Covering topics such as governors, legislatures, local government, redistricting and voting.
The proposal would bar governments from being able to mandate a COVID-19 vaccine or future potential medical technologies and it would require private employers, health facilities to provide vaccine exemptions for religious beliefs.
The legislation that awaits Gov. Beshear’s signature would increase the starting pay of security workers at juvenile detention centers, with the hopes of retaining staff, and require better mental health services for the youths.
Ridership levels on the system’s Gold and Red lines were only 30 and 56 percent of pre-pandemic levels, respectively. Meanwhile, 22 people have died on Metro buses and trains since January and serious crime increased 24 percent last year.
To combat the problem, “sign rangers” are trained by the county attorney’s office to spot and remove illegal signage. State lawmakers are considering increasing penalties against sign bandits to as much as $5,000.
An initiative in Orange County, Calif., is taking an innovative approach to reducing social determinants of poor health. Screenings are vital, but social and environmental factors set the stage for the problems they detect.
Across the nation, hate crimes hit a record high in 2021, increasing more than 33 percent from the prior year. In North Carolina alone there are 28 hate and 17 active anti-government groups.
Natural gas and electricity consumption by buildings are the city’s greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and yet there aren’t any city-mandated climate standards that buildings must meet.
The state will continue to participate in the multistate voting registration system known as ERIC, even as other Republican-led states have pulled out amid misinformation and conspiracy theories.
A 2021 investigation revealed Chicago’s deeply flawed inspection system for identifying and responding to safety issues in residential buildings. Since the report was published, 53 more people have died in residential fires.
The June ruling struck down New York’s law on who can carry a concealed weapon, expanding Second Amendment rights. Critics say the court focused too much on history and didn’t consider the ruling’s modern-day impacts.
The state has signaled its support for allocating an additional $70 million to Gov. Tina Kotek’s initial request of $130 million in emergency funds to help move residents off the streets and keep them housed.
Missouri's Legislature has a plan to take over the police force in St. Louis. It's just one example of states taking direct control of public safety in their largest cities.
A tale of two trains: When something bad happens, local and state officials increasingly are shouldered aside. The people and the pundits now expect all solutions to come from Washington.
Research has found that computer models can predict the likely fate of proposed legislative amendments and the most effective pathways for lobbyists. This technology mixed with micro-legislation could muddle transparency.
The vote will determine whether Madison, Ala., should transition from a mayor-council format to a council-manager format, which is unusual for the state. If approved, the city will have until 2025 to make the transition.
The state is among a handful of Republican-leaning states that have pulled out of the national system designed to improve voting roll accuracy known as ERIC. Many are skeptical that Missouri’s next efforts will be as efficient.
