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Marijuana in the States
© The Associated Press ‘Cannabis Equity’ Runs Into Roadblocks December 28, 2018 In the spring, Alexis Bronson made weekly trips to the redwood forests of Humboldt County to buy marijuana wholesale from renegade growers with farms hidden in the hills of Northern California. Hemp Industry Celebrates as Farm Bill Passes December 13, 2018 The […]
Statehouse Sexual Harassment Tally: At Least 18 Lawmakers Gone or Punished
Republican Kentucky state Rep. Jeff Hoover, left, is sworn in as House speaker. Hoover resigned his post as speaker this month after he was accused of sexual harassment. Timothy D. Easley, The Associated Press The movement that has empowered women across the country to levy sexual assault and harassment allegations against powerful men continues to […]
Technology Is Turning Wrong-Way Drivers Around
The suspected wrong-way driver in this Tempe, Arizona, crash had a blood alcohol content of .32. Highway officials across the country are installing new technology to try to prevent wrong-way crashes. Arizona Department of Public Safety Editor’s note: This story was updated 12/19 to correct information about Rhode Island’s spending on impaired driving education and […]
Gig Economy Gives Child Support Scofflaws a Place to Hide
A driver displaying Lyft and Uber stickers on his front windshield drops off a customer in downtown Los Angeles. Some state child support officials say they have struggled to get the ride-hailing companies to comply with reporting requirements for new hires. Richard Vogel, The Associated Press Editor’s note: This story was corrected 12/1 to say […]
Sexual Harassment Training Lacking in Many Statehouses
Republican Kentucky state Rep. Jeff Hoover, left, is sworn in as House speaker. Hoover resigned his post as speaker this month after he was accused of sexual harassment. Timothy D. Easley, The Associated Press In most of the state capitols recently roiled by allegations of sexual assault or harassment, lawmakers have not been receiving regular […]
Legislator Who Stood Up to Sexism in ’73 Sees Some Progress
Texas state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a Democrat, says female lawmakers in Texas don’t face nearly as much sexual discrimination as when she first took office, in 1973. © The Associated Press Colleagues warned Senfronia Thompson that speaking out would jeopardize her political future. It was the spring of 1973, and 34-year-old Thompson had just started […]
Bounce House Regulations, Enforcement Lacking as Injuries Soar
A deflated bounce house sits where it fell after soaring into the sky with two children inside at a Halloween festival in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 2014. Across the country, state regulations on inflatables are lacking, while injuries on the attractions are increasing. © Nashua Police Department This story has been updated to clarify the […]
Tennessee Reinstates Work Requirements for Food Stamps
A volunteer unloads donated baked goods at a food bank in Des Moines, Iowa. Food banks could become strained as states like Tennessee reinstate work requirements for food stamp recipients. © The Associated Press Following in the footsteps of other Republican governors, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is reinstating work requirements for many food stamp recipients. […]
Why It’s Hard to Punish ‘Bad Samaritans’
Thousands attended a funeral for Jamel Dunn, a Florida man who drowned in a pond while teens recorded and mocked him. Lawmakers in Florida and Arizona now want to make it illegal to not try to help someone in an emergency. © Malcolm Denemark/Florida Today In the video, Jamel Dunn can be seen flailing in […]
Oregon Cancels Medicaid for Thousands After Eligibility Checks
A patient applies for Medicaid at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Many states are trying to address backlogs in checking eligibility for Medicaid. © The Associated Press Oregon canceled Medicaid benefits for nearly 55,000 residents after completing long-overdue eligibility checks, according to The Oregonian. The state was one of many to face a backlog […]
How Dog Lovers Sparked Laws That Could Save Kids in Hot Cars
Police investigate an SUV where a toddler died in Georgia in 2014. At least 16 states have enacted laws to help save children in cars in the last four years. © The Associated Press By the time Steven Eckel spotted her, the baby girl in the back seat was drenched in sweat. The 4-month-old had […]
For Rural Veterans, New Approaches to Health Care
Lynn Graham sits on his porch in Redwater, Texas, after returning from an appointment at the closest U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs medical center, which is 85 miles from his home. The VA is testing new programs to ensure that veterans in rural areas get health care. © The Pew Charitable Trusts REDWATER, Texas — […]