Education
States Are Learning on the Fly About Sports Betting Addiction
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The states that have legalized sports betting are reporting record levels of wagering and revenues, but with that growth comes questions about gambling addiction and whether regulators and sportsbooks are doing enough to fight it. Two dozen states have active online sports betting, and other states are on the verge of joining […]
Awash in Federal Money, State Lawmakers Tackle Worsening Youth Mental Health
The pandemic accelerated a yearslong decline in the mental health of the nation’s children and teens. The number of young people experiencing sadness, hopelessness and thoughts of suicide has increased dramatically, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response, states, cities and school districts are using COVID-19 relief dollars and their own money to […]
Top State Stories 3/17
IA: Iowa House passes ‘bathroom bill’ focused on transgender students desmoinesregister.com The Iowa bill would prohibit people from entering a school restroom or changing room that does not align with their sex at birth. Students would need parental consent to request a special accommodation, such as using a faculty or single-occupancy restroom. The bill now heads […]
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 3/15
SC: South Carolina women who get abortions could face the death penalty under proposed bill thestate.com The South Carolina Pre-Natal Equal Protection Act, which has 16 co-sponsors, would “afford equal protection of the laws to all preborn children from the moment of fertilization,” and reclassify any act that ends a pregnancy as “willful prenatal homicide.” An […]
As Supreme Court Considers Student Loan Forgiveness, States May Expand Their Programs
As the U.S. Supreme Court mulls the constitutionality of President Joe Biden’s broad student loan forgiveness plan, lawmakers in many states are looking to expand their own student debt repayment programs. Every state but North Dakota has at least one loan forgiveness plan. The catch is that most of the 129 state plans are tailored […]
Top State Stories 3/10
FL: Proposed Florida abortion ban would require rape victims to show proof to get exception orlandosentinel.com Floridians who are raped would need to show evidence of that crime if they want an exception under the legislature’s proposed six-week abortion ban, a requirement that advocates say would traumatize victims of sexual violence even more. AR: Arkansas […]
Top State Stories 3/6
AZ: Banning books to restricting bathrooms: Lawmakers push new rules for Arizona classrooms azcentral.com Arizona lawmakers are seeking to reach deep into classroom operations with proposals to require the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, designate which students can use which bathrooms and, once again, limit how race and ethnicity are taught. GA: Georgia Republicans seek […]
Democrats Divided Over Strikes by Teachers, Principals
Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed a bill allowing Chicago school principals to unionize and possibly go on strike. But Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, also a Democrat and in an equally liberal state, said just the other day she opposes legislation that would explicitly permit teachers to strike. Across the country, teachers and other […]
Top State Stories 3/1
IN: Indiana Senate advances bill to criminalize school books indystar.com The Indiana Senate approved a bill that would open teachers and school librarians to criminal prosecution over the content of books and other educational materials. It now goes to the state House for consideration. Should it pass, school employees could be charged with a Level 6 […]
Top State Stories 2/17
FL: Florida lawmakers move to give governor control over school athletics board tampabay.com A week after Florida’s high school sports association decided against requiring students to report their menstrual cycles, state lawmakers moved to give Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis control over the board. The private nonprofit organization oversees sports for grades six through 12 in […]
Top State Stories 2/16
CA: California’s population dropped by 500K in 2 years as exodus continues latimes.com The California exodus has shown no sign of slowing down as the state’s population dropped by more than 500,000 people between April 2020 and July 2022, with the number of residents leaving surpassing those moving in by nearly 700,000. California has been […]