California inspired a wave of plastic bag bans—with an unfortunate loophole
The Golden State finally fixed its ban last month, but at least five other states still allow the distribution of extra-thick "reusable" plastic bags.
20 states sue feds to block staffing mandates for nursing homes
The states say the new staffing requirements pose "an existential threat to the nursing home industry" and will force nursing homes to go out of business.
Survey: Americans think cities can't arrest their way out of the homelessness crisis
Supportive services and more government action is needed to reduce and prevent homelessness, according to a recent public opinion poll.
How do you vote amid the hurricane damage? States are learning as they go.
North Carolina’s Board of Elections has made it easier for for residents in counties affected by Hurricane Helene to vote by maiI. In Florida, a federal judge declined to extend the voter registration deadline.
Election skeptics are running some county election boards in Georgia. A new rule could allow them to exclude decisive votes.
An examination of a new election rule in Georgia suggests that local officials in just a handful of rural counties could exclude enough votes to affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential race.
Ohio voters will once again weigh in on redistricting reform
After previous efforts to stop gerrymandering failed, Ohioans will try again—this time completely removing lawmakers and other politicians from the redistricting process.
Woman’s suicide after repeated 911 calls reveals gaps in one city's pioneering crisis response system
Public health departments can tell you how many people they've referred for help and, possibly even, how many people have sought that help. But in Bend, Oregon, officials say it is harder to know how much of a difference the crisis response teams are making in actually saving lives.
Several states could change how their elections are run
Six states and Washington, D.C., will vote on ranked choice voting. Is the increasingly popular voting method’s honeymoon over?
California’s rent control ballot measure could reverberate across the US
Proposition 33 would allow cities to limit rent increases. Some economists doubt that’s a good idea.
Election-year politics color hurricane recovery efforts
A week after Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast, some elected officials have been reluctant to put on a united front.
Crime is down, FBI says, but politicians still choose statistics to fit their narratives
Murder in the United States fell nearly 12% in 2023 compared with 2022.
Can happy hour attract people downtown again?
States that once banned the afterwork ritual are rethinking their stance as they try to entice people back to the city.
In this battleground state, a fight is raging over ballot drop boxes
In one city, the mayor faces a criminal investigation for carting away its lone drop box. Others are citing claims about fraud and opting out of using drop boxes for November’s election.
Responding to post-pandemic norms, more states are lowering test standards
The changes have renewed criticism of a testing "honesty gap" and have sparked calls for states to level with parents about poor student performance in the aftermath of COVID.
Abortion is on the ballot in 10 states this year. Here's why that matters.
Voters have approved every ballot measure initiative protecting the right to abortion since the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Could voters in Missouri reverse the trend?
Flood-ravaged North Carolina races to restore voting access after Helene
With voting underway, election officials must mail new ballots and replace destroyed polling places.
Democrats cast doubt on whether the ‘Montana Miracle’ is making housing affordable
Gov. Greg Gianforte spearheaded a bipartisan and widely applauded effort to make it easier to build homes, but his Democratic opponent says housing shortages and high property taxes are still hammering Montana residents.
Election workers may need to become whistleblowers this fall
Legal groups stand ready to help election workers navigate the legal realities of “see something, say something.”
Governors' salaries are absurd—but not for the reason you think
COMMENTARY | Objecting to pay raises for governors and mayors is an empty gesture.
The states where climate progress is on the ballot
Getting laws passed is one thing. Protecting them from Republican opposition is another.
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