Ohio
Offshore wind in the Midwest? Some Great Lakes leaders think so.
Years from now, when Chicagoans stroll the Lake Michigan waterfront, they may see the blades of wind turbines glinting on the horizon. Clevelanders could glimpse wind farms over Lake Erie. And cities like Milwaukee and Buffalo could be vying to attract a burgeoning offshore wind industry on the Great Lakes. That’s the vision some regional leaders have […]
Why Republican-led states keep leaving a group that verifies voter rolls
Eight Republican-led states this year left an interstate cooperative that seeks to maintain accurate voter registration rolls, and three more may join them — a move that election security experts say is fueled by conspiracy theories. Earlier this month, Virginia’s top election official said the state would become the latest to stop participating in the […]
In Rush to Fight Climate Change, Cities Coordinate to Battle Heat With Trees
From Seattle to Palm Beach, Florida, city leaders agree that urban areas need more trees to alleviate the effects of climate change. Amid the growing attention to tree canopy — and an infusion of federal funding — more than a dozen cities are convening to share ideas and plan the urban forests of the future. […]
As 988 Crisis Line Sees More Use, States Debate How to Pay for It
Editor’s note: If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Almost everyone agrees that putting money behind the national suicide and crisis hotline is a good thing. But not everyone thinks a new phone tax is the best way to pay for it. Since the crisis line’s […]
States Seek to Ease Child Care Crunch
States are spending more money and creating new incentives to ease the severe child care crisis, with most federal pandemic aid set to dry up in September. The child care shortage costs the United States billion in lost earnings, productivity and revenue each year, according to ReadyNation, a consortium of business leaders under the umbrella […]
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 […]
As Abortion Measures Loom, GOP Raises New Barriers to Ballot Initiatives
Read more Stateline coverage on how states are either protecting or curbing access to abortions. Roused by voters’ recent endorsement of abortion rights — even in conservative states — Republican legislators are ramping up efforts to make it tougher for citizens to change laws or amend state constitutions through ballot measures. Some of the GOP proposals would […]
As 2024 Election Looms, State Legislatures Consider Voting Changes
With their eyes on the 2024 presidential election, state lawmakers around the country are preparing to reshape voting rules in what election experts expect will be another busy legislative season. Republican lawmakers — many of whom are motivated by the mistaken belief that the voting system is riddled with election fraud — are looking to […]
Inflation Is Cutting Into States’ Big Infrastructure Windfall
When Ohio transportation officials got the bids back in spring for the next phase of an expansion of Interstate 75 north of Cincinnati, they had a rude awakening. Inflation had driven up the mega-project’s cost by about million above the million state engineers had estimated. Officials decided to redesign the project, break it up into […]
College Students Push to Ease Voting Access After Midterm Barriers
Young voters made their voices heard during the midterms last week, turning out in relatively high numbers in an election that produced the first congressperson from Generation Z. But university students and voting rights advocates say voters on college campuses faced far too many difficulties trying to cast their ballots. Across the country, voting rights […]
The Push to Decriminalize Marijuana Possession Continues, Town by Town
KILLEEN, Texas — As he plied the streets of Killeen in his silver Volvo SUV on a recent Sunday, Louie Minor recalled his time as a deputy constable whose duties included arresting marijuana users. Minor, a 43-year-old Iraq war veteran, wanted to reach as many voters as possible in a mission that might have seemed […]
The US Has Reversed Pandemic Job Losses. Most Individual States Haven’t.
In July, the U.S. economy regained the 25 million jobs it had lost in the pandemic. But in 31 states and the District of Columbia, employment still lags pre-pandemic levels. New York state is down 327,800 jobs as of August, as remote work has battered shops and other businesses that once catered to commuters. The […]