As a critical deadline approaches, the Biden administration issues a flurry of regulations
The new rules cover subjects as varied as marijuana policy, vehicle pollution, civil rights for transgender students, and drinking water safety.
Don’t pull the plug on internet access for 23M families
COMMENTARY | No family should be forced to choose between one essential and another. And they don’t have to, as long as Congress acts to renew the Affordable Connectivity Program.
As cities ban them from public spaces, homeless people scatter in search of refuge
Attorneys say bans could become more common nationwide if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns lower-court rulings in Oregon and Idaho that protect homeless people from being ticketed, charged or arrested for sleeping on public property.
States get streamlined access to Treasury’s Do Not Pay system for unemployment
The move comes as federal agencies work with states to combat the rise in jobless aid fraud following the pandemic.
Illinois' child welfare agency goes on a hiring spree
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has reduced hiring times for frontline workers from nine months to just a few weeks. Agency leaders hope a bigger staff will help improve the lives of kids it serves.
State, local govs crack down on menthol cigarettes by pumping prices up
Setting minimum retail prices and increasing taxes can help officials address public health concerns surrounding menthol cigarettes.
As property tax bills rise, states look for long-term solutions
Lawmakers in the Mountain West seek to provide permanent tax relief without harming local revenue.
AC, power banks, mini fridges: State equips Medicaid patients for climate change
Oregon wants to be proactive and pay for equipment that will help an estimated 200,000 residents manage their health at home before extreme weather or climate-related disaster hits.
New Maryland law enables local jurisdictions to impose higher taxes on vacant properties
The legislation aims to reduce the number of lots and houses that sit vacant for years on end in an effort to solve the state's affordable housing shortage.
Measuring and managing risk in the quest for resilience
COMMENTARY | Incidents like the Baltimore bridge collapse should motivate local leaders to think carefully about risk management, prevention and mitigation.
E-bikes are a ‘game changer’ for bike shares
Ridership on the systems in cities big and small after the pandemic is stronger than ever, and bike-share operators say the electric devices are a big reason why.
Federal broadband subsidy cut amid fears over its future
The Affordable Connectivity Program will pay some households just $14 in May, down from $30. Unless Congress acts on a $7 billion extension bill, it will run out of money at the end of the month, plunging some families, supporters warn, into “digital darkness.”
LGBTQ students wonder what’s next as conservative states seek to block new Title IX rules
Days after the new Title IX rules protecting LGBTQ youth from discrimination at school were published, top officials in 15 states announced they were suing to block the rules from going into effect.
A water crisis in Mississippi turns into a fight against privatization
Thanks to a federal judge, residents of Jackson will have a say in how the city resolves its yearslong water crisis.
Virginia's 'tech tax' ignites debate on business taxes
Many states are extending sales tax to digital services, but the Virginia Senate’s attempt to expand it to cover business-to-business transactions raised eyebrows.
State-level conservation action sparks hope for nature
COMMENTARY | Spurred by strong local support and successful conservation ballot initiatives, elected leaders are collectively building a menu of policies that could turn the tide of nature loss.
This state’s ‘unsexy’ AI policy takes transparency to the next level
From AI “nutrition labels” to keeping an inventory of artificial intelligence tools, Connecticut is embracing sweeping rules that would “talk to people about why we're using it, how we're using it.”
States rethink data centers as ‘electricity hogs’ strain the grid
Worries are rising over what data centers mean for demand, renewable energy goals.
US long-term care costs are sky-high, but one state's plan to help pay for them could be nixed
COMMENTARY | Washington state's WA Cares Fund collects a 0.58% tax out of residents’ paychecks to fund a new long-term care social insurance program. It’s not clear, however, whether the state’s strategy is going to work out.
90 years after 'Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,' are workers any safer?
COMMENTARY | Extreme heat and new technologies have created less obvious but equally potent new dangers in workplaces. State and local governments can address ongoing and new threats.
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