Policy
This coverage will look at how public leaders establish new policies in a range of crucial areas of government – health, education, public safety, for example – and how these policies impact people’s lives through better services, effective regulations and new programs. This will include stories examining how state and local government approaches policymaking around emerging areas, including artificial intelligence.
Survey findings point to uncertainty around costs, federal guidance and administrative demands.
A lack of trained workers continues to strain health system staff and affect consistent, quality health services for people in crisis. Needs assessments, financial incentives, and career pathways can help close the gaps.
More than 500,000 residents have lost ACA plans, intensifying pressure on providers already operating on thin margins.
The new tool provides weekly attendance data, aiming to help schools spot trends early and intervene before students fall behind.
Algorithmic price setting and wage discrimination are threats to privacy and well-being, as well as to state revenues. Some states are moving to protect workers and consumers.
State officials and partners are deploying sensors to improve tracking of pollution, especially during wildfire season.
New laws aim to streamline guardianship and prevent children from being placed in foster care when parents are detained.
It’s where some of the country’s best-known companies got their start, but in too many places regulations make running a business from home difficult or impossible. Some states and localities have begun to lower the barriers.
Teachers say low-rigor industry certifications have become a common pathway to diplomas, particularly in under-resourced schools.
The rollout follows fraud investigations and whistleblower claims of weak oversight in Massachusetts’ benefits system.
Coverage losses and reduced funding coincide with a surge in uninsured patients seeking care.
Trump’s expansion of executive power is fueling unprecedented conflict with states, raising questions about the future of federalism.
It depends on the quality of the program and on what the children would be doing if they weren’t in care. Both political parties have failed to capture these nuances.
State actions outside the typical legislative process are cutting undocumented immigrants off from school, work and driving.
The state required counties to sign 287(g) agreements and pressured cities to do the same. Some local sheriffs say it's making their jobs harder.
A proposed ordinance targeting single-serve alcohol sales in select neighborhoods has sparked debate over whether it would improve safety or hurt local businesses.
Lawmakers are targeting development in fire-prone areas and investing more in mitigation as wildfire risk intensifies.
Lawmakers are moving to regulate or ban the use of personal data in pricing, amid concerns consumers could be charged different amounts for the same items.
The full impact of changes to Medicaid won't come into perspective until 2027. RAND researchers estimated how many could lose coverage in each state.
A new on-site center for infants and toddlers marks an early step toward expanding universal child care.
Charter and school choice advocates celebrate the change as common sense and a solution to financial problems for charters. Critics see an attack on traditional public schools.
States have been watching a digital advertising tax in Maryland that has been tied up in litigation for years. Utah thinks its new approach will work.
Complying with the new federal rules will be a challenge for states and contractors alike.
The Trump administration released the framework on Friday after months of speculation about what it would contain.
An investigation found that suicides in 2025 were tied to isolation, substance use and inconsistent clinical care.
The initiative comes as federal proposals to require proof of citizenship raise concerns about voting access in rural areas.
The effort follows earlier battles over social studies and could spread to other states reviewing academic standards.
For the third straight year, efforts to crack down on low-performing programs have stalled, even as concerns about student outcomes persist.
Oregon has one of the highest SNAP enrollment rates of any state. The One Big Beautiful Bill is likely to introduce new issues for administrators.
State incentives and mandates are helping renewable projects move forward even as federal grants are cut and tax credits are scaled back.
Why the "Mississippi miracle" vanishes by eighth grade.
