0:00
News Story
CA: California approves wave of aggressive new climate measures
California legislators approved a record $54 billion in climate spending and passed sweeping new restrictions on oil and gas drilling as well as a mandate that California stop adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by 2045. They also voted to extend the life of Diablo Canyon, California’s last nuclear power plant, by five years.
KS: Kansas abortion defeat set voting record
The unprecedented turnout in the Aug. 2 Kansas primary election was driven by extraordinary voter interest in the abortion amendment, state officials said as they met to formally certify the vote.
MS: No timetable for return to regular water in Jackson, Mississippi, officials say
There is no set timeline for water pressure returning to normal for all Jackson residents. City of Jackson officials say the situation has improved. More than half of the city’s water tanks, many of which emptied entirely over the last few days, have begun filling back up.
WY: Wyoming ranked No. 1 among states for borrowers whose student debt will be eliminated
Wyoming ranks first in the nation for the percentage of federal student loan borrowers whose debt will be eliminated by a new federal loan forgiveness initiative. If the administration follows through with the plan, 37.8% of Wyomingites who took out federal student loans will have a zero balance.
TX: Texas’ heat index could reach 125 degrees over the next 30 years, study finds
Texans can expect a greater annual number of dangerous days of heat — when the heat index crosses 100 degrees — according to a study predicting the ramifications of climate change. The heat index will reach 125 degrees at least once per year within the next 30 years in most Texas counties.
NE: Nebraska to get new lake to fight flooding
A proposed new Nebraska lake got federal funding to fight increased flooding that came with climate change. The planned $7.5 million lake south of Gretna is the first project in the four-state area to win funding in a Federal Emergency Management Agency program.
MD: Court ruling limits Maryland police use of phone data
A Court of Appeals ruling mandates that police in Maryland be more specific when applying for warrants to search people’s cell phones. Experts say cell phones have become a primary target in police investigations.
MN: Minnesota no-knock searches decline, disparities remain
The use of no-knock searches by police appears to have declined sharply across Minnesota after a Minneapolis officer fatally shot 22-year-old Amir Locke during a raid in February, though stark racial disparities remain in whom law enforcement targets.
DE: Delaware’s new health care professional loan forgiveness program is low on applicants
A new state program offering debt forgiveness to Delaware medical professionals has yet to choose any awardees with only one month until its final round of applications for 2022 closes.
WA: Free transit starts for most youths across Washington
Young transit riders in most of Washington won’t have to pay their bus fares on any day until they turn 19, as agencies across the state pivot toward providing free rides for people 18 and under. While there are many examples of individual cities offering free rides to young people — or to everyone — Washington’s actions as a state are unique.
PA: Unreliable Pennsylvania lobbyist disclosure website is getting upgrade
An initiative to improve the online system that Pennsylvania lobbyists use to disclose which organizations hired them and how they spend money to influence policy got a major boost in this year’s state budget, a 150% increase.
MI: Michigan abortion rights advocates ask state Supreme Court to put amendment on ballot
Supporters of a proposed amendment to the Michigan Constitution that would guarantee the right to an abortion asked the Michigan Supreme Court to overrule a state regulatory board and put their measure on the ballot for the election this fall.
CT: Connecticut reserved K pandemic bonuses for 30K workers. At least 255K want them.
Interest in the new $1,000 pandemic bonuses that Connecticut officials dangled before essential, private-sector workers this spring is more than eight times the program’s maximum capacity to issue full grants.
ID: Idaho legislature passes tax cut, education funding in special session
Some argued the legislation, which Republican Gov. Brad Little signed into law, didn’t offer enough tax relief to Idahoans. Others argued the state is in such a hole when it comes to education funding that the bill is only a start to paying teachers more and fixing dilapidated school infrastructure.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
Related News
