J. Bennett Johnston, senator who was ‘man to see’ on energy, dies at 92

The conservative Louisiana Democrat served four terms on Capitol Hill and guided American energy policy for decades

Voters deliver mixed verdicts on increasing minimum wage, but support paid sick leave • Stateline

Voters in two red states agreed to increase their minimum wage in steps to $15 an hour and to require employers to give workers paid sick time, and a third red state also approved sick leave. But a...

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Election 2024 | News From The States

With the election over and Republican Donald Trump headed to the White House for a second term, lawmakers on both sides of the

Election 2024 Archives • Stateline

Voting is the way we as citizens of the United States and its component states, counties and cities express our opinions and preferences. We are periodically asked to mark our ballots for candidates...

Election 2024 | News From The States

With the election over and Republican Donald Trump headed to the White House for a second term, lawmakers on both sides of the

Crime is down, FBI says, but politicians still choose statistics to fit their narratives • Stateline

Violent crime and property crime in the United States dropped in 2023, continuing a downward trend following higher rates of crime during the pandemic, according to the FBI’s latest national crime...

How Joe Biden’s grace brought Jimmy Carter in from the cold

Elaine Povich writes: Jimmy Carter was exiled from politics for almost a decade after his presidency, until a presidential candidate came to Atlanta.

Hotter August days push some schools to delay start dates • Stateline

Owen Driscoll, a 17-year-old senior at Rufus King International High School in Milwaukee, was skeptical about starting school after Labor Day this year, three weeks later than before. But he is...

Voters will decide minimum wage ballot measures in several states • Stateline

A half dozen states have measures related to wages and benefits on the ballot this November.

Potential threats to IVF push political novices into election-year advocacy • Stateline

Democrats are hoping that increased engagement on the issue of in vitro fertilization will translate into voter turnout at the polls in November. Republicans have dismissed warnings of IVF bans as...

When ‘universal’ pre-K really isn’t: Barriers to participating abound | Alabama Reflector

Personnel shortages, limited hours and transportation difficulties are obstacles in making pre-kindergarten fully accessible.

When ‘universal’ pre-K really isn’t: Barriers to participating abound • Stateline

Forty-four states offer some free preschool, and states from Colorado to Mississippi are expanding their programs. But even when states claim to have “universal” pre-K for 4-year-olds and sometimes...

For child care workers, state aid for their own kids’ care is ‘life-changing’ • Stateline

Child care workers are some of the lowest paid. Often, they can’t afford child care for their own kids. A few states are working to underwrite some or all of the cost for early educators so their...

For child care workers, state aid for their own kids’ care is ‘life-changing’ • Stateline

Child care workers are some of the lowest paid. Often, they can’t afford child care for their own kids. A few states are working to underwrite some or all of the cost for early educators so their...

Despite GOP headwinds, citizen-led abortion measures could be on the ballot in 9 states • Stateline

Even as more states prepare for abortion-related ballot measures this fall, Republican lawmakers are trying myriad tactics to make it harder for citizens to put constitutional amendments to a public...