The States Forum
@statesforum.bsky.social
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Catalyzing policy ideas to achieve the American Promise in states. Learn more at StatesForum.org
pinned post!
As the very foundational values of our country are being attacked, achieving the American Promise has never been more urgent. Last month, we convened policy thinkers and state leaders in Philadelphia to explore how we keep that promise alive in the states. Take a look:
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Welcome to The States Forum
YouTube video by The States Forum
https://youtu.be/TgZecPHz7H8
8 months ago
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Robots are, to put it frankly, just better at some things than humans, and can do many things humans cannot. Read Matt Lackey's Latest for The States Forum, Democracy After The Algorithm, at the link in bio
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19 days ago
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âYou are what you eat, what you eat is information, and if you eat bad information you do crazy stuff thatâs anti-social.â Read Matt Lackey's Latest for The States Forum, Democracy After The Algorithm, at the link in bio
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20 days ago
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Is a pro-social media environment even possible in the future? Thatâs what Matt Lackey tackles in this weekâs Substack, Democracy After The Algorithm
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20 days ago
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Great piece from States Forum Network member
@robertgo.bsky.social
on how governors and mayors need to get serious about delivering excellent public services.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/o...
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Opinion | Mamdani Will Need to Change How He Governs
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/opinion/democrats-public-sector-unions.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
25 days ago
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What if the thing that saves American democracy. . .isn't Washington?
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about 1 month ago
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Youâll see 3 things on your power bill: ⢠Supply â making electricity ⢠Transmission â big lines ⢠Distribution â neighborhood wires For years T&D drove costs. Now? Supply costs are rising because weâre not building power fast enough. States can fix this.
statesforum.substack.com/p/the-year-o...
about 1 month ago
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Grid reliability. Utility bills that work for consumers, not investors. Bad Bunny's half time show sent a message about power: all Americans deserve to be able to keep the lights on.
thehill.com/blogs/in-the...
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https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5729747-super-bowl-bad-bunny-halftime-show-puerto-rico/
about 1 month ago
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If your immigration message fits on a yard sign, youâre losing. Nuance creates consensus. Slogans create backlash. New polling on immigration in this weekâs Substack:
statesforum.substack.com/p/americans-...
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Americansâ Views on Immigration Arenât at OddsâTheyâre Complex. And Adult.
Slogans create backlash. Nuance builds consensus.
https://statesforum.substack.com/p/americans-views-on-immigration-arent
about 2 months ago
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AI is already in classrooms. Now we need to decide: whose rules, whose safeguards. States are starting to write the playbook.
www.multistate.us/insider/2026...
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How States Are Tackling Artificial Intelligence in Education Policy
AI in education policy is evolving, with most states issuing educational AI guidance rather than passing binding state AI legislation for schools. Generative AI classroom regulations remain limited, b...
https://www.multistate.us/insider/2026/1/21/how-states-are-tackling-artificial-intelligence-in-education-policy
about 2 months ago
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January is long, dark, and freezingâbut the ideas in our January Book arenât. States have real power to take on the cost-of-living squeeze and defend our rights. Weâre ending this month with ideas built for this moment. Read below.
www.statesforum.org/january-book/
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January Book - The States Forum
States have power to take on everything from the cost of living crisis to the federal assault on our rights and freedoms. We're embracing solutions for our
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/
about 2 months ago
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Former National Security Advisor @AmbassadorRice on authoritarianism, federal power, and the erosion of democratic guardrails. Read an excerpt from her full interview in next monthâs edition of The States Forum Journal in this week's Substack:
open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...
about 2 months ago
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The Virginia state legislature is back â and the early agenda is a clear statement of priorities: civil rights, mental health care, and cost-of-living relief. Not culture wars - governing.
wjla.com/news/local/v...
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A look at bill proposals in the Virginia state legislature
7News is taking a closer look at some of the legislation Democrats in Virginia are focused on off the bat.That includes House Bill 863, which as it stands right
https://wjla.com/news/local/virginia-state-legislature-richmond-mandatory-minimum-sentences-offense-dui-felony-assault-intellection-disability-mental-illness-accountability-jail-prison-crime-safety-driving-drinking-commonwealth
about 2 months ago
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Alex Brennan of
@futurewise.bsky.social
&
@cityjane.bsky.social
talk about the American housing nightmare and how states can step in to define best practice regulation that increases supply and brings down costs.Â
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
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Abundant Housing Options Near Opportunity - The States Forum
Download this chapter The idea Across the United States, from big cities to growing suburbs to college, beach, and mountain towns, families and workers are struggling to find and keep homes they can a...
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/housing/
2 months ago
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Colleges play a vital role in our democracy, and preserving freedom of expression on campus is essential to our future. Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath discusses how states can help protect our students and facultiesâ voices.Â
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
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Protecting Free Expression and Free Inquiry on Campuses - The States Forum
Download this chapter The idea A robust culture of free expression and free inquiry is a central component of democracy, and key to continued development of science, technology, and humanistic ideas f...
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/free-expression/
2 months ago
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âAll we say to America is, âBe true to what you said on paper.ââ â Martin Luther King, Jr. Teaching U.S. history requires being clear-eyed about our challenges & how we've worked to overcome them. More on what civic education *should* look like:
statesforum.substack.com/p/being-true...
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Being True to America
Towards a Healthy Civic Education
https://statesforum.substack.com/p/being-true-to-america
2 months ago
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Citizen-led ballot initiatives can be a key way to institute the change we want to see at the state level. Read more in
@newamerica.org
about how everyone can join the governing process.Â
www.newamerica.org/political-re...
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Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the 21st Century
This report explores opportunities and strategies for expanding ballot initiative access to more states.
https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/reports/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking/executive-summary/
2 months ago
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More from our January book!
@robertgo.bsky.social
discusses how we hire the right people to do the peopleâs work. Delivering on democracy requires getting the best talent into government - efficiently.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
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Fixing Government Hiring - The States Forum
Download this chapter The idea If democracy is going to deliver for its citizens, government needs the right people doing the peopleâs work. Strong staff matterâin the classroom1 or on the beat,2 in c...
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/government-hiring/
2 months ago
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In this weekâs Substack, Marissa Gillett talks investor-owned utilities, why (and how) rates are skyrocketing, and how YOU can get involved in fixing this cost of living crisis.Â
statesforum.substack.com/p/is-the-sky...
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Is the Sky Blue?
A call to public action for utility rate case intervention
https://statesforum.substack.com/p/is-the-sky-blue
2 months ago
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In this piece, Danielle Allen argues that President Trumpâs recently coined âDonroe Doctrineâ is a dagger aimed at the heart of American democracy.
statesforum.substack.com/p/on-the-don...
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On the Donroe Doctrine
And Its Domestic Implications
https://statesforum.substack.com/p/on-the-donroe-doctrine
2 months ago
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From the January Book: Paul Monteiro writes about service and helps us deeply engage in civic life, and how states like Maryland, California, and New York are instituting programs to support young people in strengthening their communities.Â
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
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The Service Year - The States Forum
Download this chapter The idea Service has been a defining American characteristic that has long provided a path of opportunity. For more than 30 years, AmeriCorps has formally engaged more than 1.4 m...
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/service/
2 months ago
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As the cost of living continues to increase, January Book contributor
@choprausa.bsky.social
is looking to the states & the powerfulâ& often overlookedâtools they have to drive down the costs families face. And, the benefits come much sooner than youâd think.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
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De-Gouging the Economy - The States Forum
Download the full paper The idea Since the pandemic, families are angry about the increasing costs of everyday essentials and monthly bills. Given the lack of meaningful rationale for rising prices, m...
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/cost-of-living/
2 months ago
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Itâs simple: cheap and abundant electricity is good! In our January Book,
@janeaflegal.bsky.social
discusses the growing need for energy, the policy challenges thwarting new supply, and how we move towards more cheap AND clean energy.Â
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
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Cheap and Abundant Electricity Is Good - The States Forum
Download the full paper The idea Energy is the lifeblood of the modern economy. Electricity powers homes, factories, and our digital world, allowing us to enjoy comfortable lives in a competitive coun...
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/energy/
3 months ago
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âStates create new possibilities. Meaningful civil rights infrastructure at the state level includes nondiscrimination protections & a functioning & transparent enforcement apparatus.â Catherine E. Lhamon & Katy Joseph talk about how states protect civil rights.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
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State-Based Civil Rights Enforcement to Fill the Federal Vacuum - The States Forum
Download the full paper The idea At a crucible moment in American history, after the nation witnessed firehoses wielded against children seeking justice, a governor blocking a schoolhouse door, and br...
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/civil-rights/
3 months ago
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Kicking off the new year the only way we know how: with a collection of policy ideas sure to make life better and more affordable! IntroducingâŚThe January Book!
www.statesforum.org/january-book/
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January Book - The States Forum
States have power to take on everything from the cost of living crisis to the federal assault on our rights and freedoms. We're embracing solutions for our
https://www.statesforum.org/january-book/
3 months ago
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Effective government means thinking not just about policy design but also policy *implementation*. An interesting read on how we streamline state government systems.
law.yale.edu/yls-today/ne...
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Students Take a Deep Dive into Connecticut Policymaking
A new course taught by Professor Zachary Liscow uses Connecticut as a case study for understanding how state government can work more effectively.
https://law.yale.edu/yls-today/news/students-take-deep-dive-connecticut-policymaking
3 months ago
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A more efficient state government is a more effective state government! More from
@pahlkadot.bsky.social
on how we clean up policy clutter to deliver for Americans.Â
www.statesforum.org/journal/issu...
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Letâs Tidy Up State Government - The States Forum
As the pandemic put millions of people out of work, states developed a backlog of unemployment insurance claims. Many governors blamed COBOL, a programming
https://www.statesforum.org/journal/issue-1/lets-tidy-up-state-government/
3 months ago
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We disagree with Vivek Ramaswamy on a lot of things, but here's one thing he's saying that we agree with wholeheartedly: what makes you an American is your embrace of American ideals, not your heritage or your ethnicity.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/o...
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Opinion | What Is an American?
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/opinion/republican-identity-divide.html
3 months ago
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reposted by
The States Forum
3 months ago
Really proud that I could contribute some ideas to add to the incredible portfolio that The States Forum have been putting together!
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So many states (especially in the South!) have found efficient and effective ways to address education and literacy for their kids. Weâre excited to see how that can be adapted and adjusted for teens.
coloradosun.com/2025/12/11/o...
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Opinion: Colorado must ring the alarm bells on our stateâs adolescent literacy crisis
New study in Colorado aims to use research to fight for literacy legislation that expands focus to include 9-to-13-year-old students
https://coloradosun.com/2025/12/11/opinion-colorado-adolescent-literacy-crisis-alarm-bells/
3 months ago
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While the chasm between citizens & government widens with every news cycle, how do we rebuild trust in our democracy? From fixing the 311 system to crowdsourcing policy suggestions, Dae Yi explains how we renovate our democracy, digitally.Â
open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...
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Rebuilding Trust, One Pothole at a Time
The State-Level Apps That Renew Democracy
https://open.substack.com/pub/statesforum/p/rebuilding-trust-one-pothole-at-a?r=5x6dqv&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
3 months ago
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As the federal government cuts funding and access to Medicaid, states can continue to step up in creative ways to ensure their people are getting the care they need.
www.milbank.org/publications...
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Policy Strategies for State Medicaid Agencies to Advance Community Health and Well-Being  | Milbank Memorial Fund
Copublished with the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy Abstract Recent federal policy reforms and funding reductions pose significant
https://www.milbank.org/publications/policy-strategies-for-state-medicaid-agencies-to-advance-community-health-and-well-being/
3 months ago
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For too many American families, finding affordable child care is nearly impossible. In
@the-renovator.bsky.social
, TSF contributor Danielle Allen talks about child care as a public good & how states like New Mexico are passing policies to make it accessible.
substack.com/@thestatesfo...
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The States Forum (@thestatesforum)
For too many American families, finding truly affordable child care is nearly impossible. In the latest edition of The Renovator, TSF Journal contributor, @Danielle Allen talks to @Anne-Marie Slaugh...
https://substack.com/@thestatesforum/note/c-186732199?r=5x6dqv&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
3 months ago
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In just 10 years, 1 million workers have saved $2 billion for retirement with State Automated IRA programs. Thatâs a big deal. We talk to Kim Olson of
@pewtrusts.org
and Hunter Railey about how Auto-IRAs work, and why every state should be adopting them.
open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...
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How Workers in Some States are Saving Billions
Automated Retirement Savings Programs, explained
https://open.substack.com/pub/statesforum/p/how-workers-in-some-states-are-saving?r
3 months ago
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State governments are central to housing reform: they build infrastructure, allocate funding & set regulatory standards. But most states lack the policy infrastructure to support needed change.
@dcpolicycenter.bsky.social
chimes in with some solutions.
www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications...
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Strengthening state-level policy for growing housing supply - D.C. Policy Center
Strengthening state-level policy for growing housing supply - D.C. Policy Center
https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/strengthening-state-level-policy-for-growing-housing-supply/
4 months ago
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One area with actual bipartisan support (yes, really!) is the ongoing effort to curb social media companiesâ grip on children. Rep.
@repauchincloss.bsky.social
âs trio of new tech bills could prove that on some topics, bipartisan consensus isnât 100% impossible.
time.com/7337866/big-...
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Lawmakers Unveil New Bills to Curb Big Techâs Power and Profit
Rep. Jake Auchincloss and bipartisan co-sponsors introduced three bills to curb social media companiesâ legal immunity, strengthen safeguards for kids, and tax their ad revenues.
https://time.com/7337866/big-tech-social-media-regulation/
4 months ago
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A new way to track policies moving across all 50 states? Weâll be keeping both eyes on this new tool. đ And you should too - check out what's moving in your state âŹď¸
www.reuters.com/press-releas...
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USLege Now Tracks Legislation in All 50 States, Expanding Real-Time Policy Intelligence Nationwide
AI-powered platform brings full nationwide visibility to state legislative action, helping policy professionals stay informed, ahead, and everywhere policy is happening.
https://www.reuters.com/press-releases/uslege-expands-real-time-policy-intelligence-nationwide-2025-12-01/
4 months ago
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Have you heard of balcony solar panels? Well, more and more states are passing policies to make alternative energy more accessible (and lower energy bills!) with these plug-in solar panels.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
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Power surge: law changes could soon bring balcony solar to millions across US
Tweaks to state laws mean many Americans will be able to benefit from small, simple plug-in solar panels
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/30/balcony-solar-power-states-laws
4 months ago
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States are reshaping the non-compete landscape, and for good reason. Noncompetes snuff competition, consumers suffer, and small businesses canât get off the ground. State lawmakers are finding innovative policy solutions to curb their impact.Â
www.promarket.org/2025/12/01/s...
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States Are Reshaping the Noncompete Landscape Even as a Federal Ban Disappears - ProMarket
In new research, Norman Bishara and Lorenzo Luisetto analyze the nature and proliferation of state legislative activity to regulate noncompete agreements since 2009. In the absence of a federal rule, ...
https://www.promarket.org/2025/12/01/states-are-reshaping-the-noncompete-landscape-even-as-a-federal-ban-disappears/
4 months ago
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Liberals may not like what Trump is doing, but as TSF contributor Marc Dunkelman argues, "heâs effectively freeing the stuck wheels of bureaucracy." Change requires elected leaders learn to deploy the resources they have to actually...make it happen!
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/o...
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Opinion | What the Left Could Learn From Trumpâs Brutal Efficiency
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/opinion/trump-liberals-government.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
4 months ago
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@auffhammer.bsky.social
offers some simple advice to energy companies to⌠simplify their messages. As energy bills spike, the least companies could do is help us understand what weâre actually paying for:
energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/a...
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A Small Beautiful Bill
It would be nice if I could understand my energy bill. This is the time of the year where we are gathered around tables â mostly with loving family and tasty food- and then someone saysâŚ
https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/a-small-beautiful-bill/
4 months ago
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A harrowing report on the aftermath of the Texas abortion ban shows how, when state policy is deliberately vague and punitive, doctors are completely at the mercy of their own legal departments.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
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Why Hospital Policies Matter in States That Ban Abortion
Our first-of-its-kind data analysis found that a seismic split emerged in how medical institutions in Texas' two largest metro areas, Houston and Dallas, treated miscarrying patients â and in their ou...
https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-sepsis-rates-dallas-houston
4 months ago
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From consulting with the stateâs Public Service Commission on reducing the environmental impact of data centers to protecting kids, hereâs how Kentucky state lawmakers are stepping up to protect people when it comes to AI policymaking.
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/13/p...
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Protecting kids, planning for data centers among AI issues KY legislature urged to tackle ⢠Kentucky Lantern
Kentucky lawmakers studying artificial intelligence issue recommendations to protect minors exposed to AI online and laws about data centers.
https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/13/protecting-kids-planning-for-data-centers-among-ai-issues-ky-legislature-urged-to-tackle/
4 months ago
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A topic for Thanksgiving dinner for sure: New Jersey governor-elect Mikie Sherrill floated the idea of no longer paying federal taxes if the White House keeps cancelling state funding: âIf theyâre not gonna run the programs, then what are we paying them for?â
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
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New Jersey may stop paying federal taxes under new governor
Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill said on a podcast with Jon Stewart it's a "great idea."
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/21/sherrill-considers-new-jersey-stop-paying-federal-taxes-00665244
4 months ago
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Last week in Atlanta, we hosted our first-ever policy accelerator. It was⌠electric! Energy policy experts and a few great lawmakers gathered to talk about whatâs on everyoneâs mind right now: how we make energy bills affordable. Read more about our policy solutions:
substack.com/home/post/p-...
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The Energy Bill Affordability Moment is Here
And weâve got the ideas to meet it
https://substack.com/home/post/p-179868674
4 months ago
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When it comes to AI, balancing innovation, regulation, and the public interest is increasingly urgent. States are taking action to protect elections, regulate deepfakes, and keep kids safe.
www.ncsl.org/state-legisl...
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As AI Tools Become Commonplace, so Do Concerns
As technology continues to transform society, expect more challenges to arise from the complex intersection of innovation, regulation and the public interest. Legislators will continue to respond to t...
https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/as-ai-tools-become-commonplace-so-do-concerns
4 months ago
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With healthcare premiums set to spike, what can states do to help keep healthcare costs down?
@carmitage.bsky.social
examines three BOLD proposals:
cmarmitage.substack.com/p/the-super-...
4 months ago
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reposted by
The States Forum
Charles Hua
4 months ago
âĄď¸ is the new đł: More in
@statesforum.bsky.social
đ
add a skeleton here at some point
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When the federal gov. drops the regulation of employment-related debt policies like âStay-or-Payâ (forcing employees to pay back training costs), states like NY & CA are picking up the baton to stop these predatory tactics & protect their constituents.Â
news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-...
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http://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/states-tackle-stay-or-pay-contracts-as-federal-efforts-wane
4 months ago
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Rising energy costs arenât the result of scarcity â they are a deliberate policy choice. Here are some ideas on how to lower costs from PowerLines
@charlesxhua.bsky.social
:
open.substack.com/pub/statesfo...
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Move Over, Eggs â The Politics of Electricity Are Here
How energy prices motivated change in this yearâs elections
https://open.substack.com/pub/statesforum/p/move-over-eggs-the-politics-of-electricity?r=5x6dqv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
4 months ago
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States are facing a key opportunity to rebuild trust in government & election processes. Michigan is moving to tackle concerns by revisiting their petition process & addressing election disinformation.
michiganadvance.com/2025/11/13/m...
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Michigan Senate passes petition collection, election disinformation reforms ⢠Michigan Advance
Updated at 6 p.m. The fight against election disinformation and changes to Michiganâs petition circulation process cleared the upper chamber of the state Legislature on Thursday. Senators moved the le...
https://michiganadvance.com/2025/11/13/michigan-senate-passes-petition-collection-election-disinformation-reforms/
4 months ago
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