The Pew Charitable Trusts
10/18/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/18/2021 08:44
Top State Stories 10/18
Facing criticism over the latest unemployment debacle, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the state's jobless agency not to send Floridians to debt collectors if they've been issued an overpayment notice for their unemployment claims.
Dozens of cargo ships are anchored outside clogged ports in Southern California waiting to unload parts for factories, merchandise for retailers' shelves and online orders destined for consumer doorsteps.
Tennessee lawmakers are in a rush to make changes to the state's sex offender registry to avoid parts of it being deemed unconstitutional. This comes after a federal judge in Michigan removed thousands of people from that state's list.
Although adult pot use and possession are no longer illegal in a growing number of states, they remain so in Iowa. State leaders have been reticent to expand the state's medical cannabis statute, one of the most restrictive in the country.
Under a new Maine law, people with vanity license plates adorned with swear words, crude references or slang will likely have to give up their plates. People will be able to appeal any decision that their plates are too coarse.
Washington, D.C., plans to spend nearly $40 million to hire additional contact tracers, substitute teachers and workers who would handle coronavirus logistics in schools, marking an attempt to address staffing shortages that have hampered the reopening of campuses.
Massachusetts' state employees must be vaccinated starting today or risk termination. The mandate was issued by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.
The latest data show about 1 in 4 nursing home residents in Nevada have yet to be fully vaccinated. State officials point to vaccine hesitancy coupled with reporting challenges.
Over 60% of Hawaii businesses require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested-and more than 84% say they have employees who have gotten vaccinated, according to a new survey.
Thanks to a faulty computer database, government regulators have no idea how many of Georgia's 34,000 elevators, escalators and moving sidewalks are overdue for inspections-or for how long.
Louisiana will phase in visitation at state prisons and screen visitors for symptoms of COVID-19. Visitation was last suspended in July during an infections surge.
The Nebraska ranchers' goal is to capture some of the record profits now being reaped by large meatpackers. While packers and grocers capture a bigger share of record consumer beef prices, ranchers' portion of the retail dollar has slipped.
Key computer systems used by Missouri are so outdated officials are worried some of the only programmers who know how to work with the antiquated technology will retire.
Lummi Nation officials say a triple whammy of warm water, low flows and bacteria killed 80% or more of Chinook salmon returning to Washington's South Fork Nooksack River.
The worst could be over in the next two months-at least for the delta variant in Oregon. Because the variant now has fewer and fewer willing hosts in the state, another surge that would stretch hospitals to their limits probably isn't in the cards.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, argued the measures perpetuate conspiracies and misinformation to prevent some people from successfully voting.
"There are some people that believe that you need government to do the right thing," said Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican. "I don't believe in mandates, especially putting something into someone's arms."
Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker again pushed back the deadline for state workers in prisons, veterans homes and other group facilities to get vaccinated as negotiations with unions drag on.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, pitched a $150 million boost in state spending on police and public safety. Hogan's "Re-Fund the Police Initiative," riffed on calls from some activists to "defund the police."
West Virginia is ready to move forward with a plan to expand long-sought broadband access in rural communities at a potential cost of more than $1 billion.