Budget
You might need an ambulance, but your state might not see it as ‘essential’
When someone with a medical emergency calls 911, they expect an ambulance to show up. But sometimes, there simply isn’t one available. Most states don’t declare emergency medical services (EMS) to be an “essential service,” meaning the state government isn’t required to provide or fund them. Now, though, a growing number of states are taking […]
Top State Stories: Washington bans sale of AR-15s and other semi-automatic rifles
WA: Washington bans sale of AR-15s and other semi-automatic rifles, effective immediately seattletimes.com Washington has become the 10th state to prohibit sales of AR-15s and dozens of other semi-automatic rifles, as Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee signed the ban into law, effective immediately. The state Capitol was closed to the public for the signing ceremony out […]
With fire departments struggling for volunteers, states respond to the alarm
When firefighters show up to a blaze or medical emergency across much of the United States, they most likely are volunteers. It’s also likely the department is understaffed, struggling to replace old equipment and facing uncertainty about its next generation of firefighters. “So much of our country relies on the volunteer fire service,” said Kimberly […]
Voting to Raise Their Own Pay Puts State Lawmakers in a Bind
Persistently low salaries discourage everyday citizens from serving in state legislatures, say legislators who face an uphill battle to raise pay. “Could a single parent be a state rep? Absolutely not. If you are the sole wage earner in a family, you can’t afford it — or even if you’re the primary wage earner,” Louisiana […]
Top State Stories 3/16
AR: Arkansas House sends public school bathroom bill to governor’s desk arkansasonline.com Arkansas House Republicans approved a bill that would limit transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice at public schools. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ spokesperson said earlier this week that Sanders “believes that schools are no place for the radical left’s […]
Top State Stories 12/1
FL: Florida may tweak resign-to-run law to aid governor’s potential 2024 presidential run tampabay.com Just four years after Florida’s legislature made sure politicians would have to resign before running for federal office, they seem poised to change the rules again. The impetus is Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely speculated to be eyeing a […]
Top State Stories 11/15
US: 40 states settle Google location-tracking charges for M apnews.com Search giant Google has agreed to a $391.5 million settlement with 40 states to resolve an investigation into how the company tracked users’ locations. The states’ investigation was sparked by a 2018 Associated Press story, which found that Google continued to track people’s location data even […]
Top State Stories 11/4
CA: California governor halts B in homeless funding, calling local approaches ‘unacceptable’ sacbee.com Frustrated by California’s mounting homeless crisis, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he was withholding $1 billion in state funding for cities and counties until local leaders can prove they have aggressive plans for getting people off of the streets and into […]
Top State Stories 10/17
OR: Oregon gun control measure attracts national attention as one of the strictest in the US oregonlive.com One of the nation’s strictest gun control measures will go before Oregon voters next month. Measure 114 would require a permit to purchase a gun in the state and ban the sale or transfer of gun magazines that hold […]
Top State Stories 10/11
DE: Delaware governor signs wage theft and other labor protection bills into law delawarepublic.org Delaware Democratic Gov. John Carney signed a bill into law defining wage theft as a crime and setting financial penalties for violators. The new law is one of the most detailed in the country, targeting an array of strategies used by […]
Top State Stories 10/7
FL: Ian shakes up election preparations, could hurt Florida turnout orlandosentinel.com Running an election in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian is going to be a monumental challenge for elections officials in the Florida counties hit hardest by the storm as they face poll worker shortages, damaged polling places and voters who lost their homes. NY: Federal judge […]
Top State Stories 9/27
MS: Federal DOJ to file charges against Jackson, Mississippi, in safe water case clarionledger.com The U.S. Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division sent a letter to the City of Jackson, Mississippi, stating the agency is “prepared to file action” against the city over violations of the federal Safe Water Drinking Act. CA: California governor […]