Legal
Legal matters are a core focus for local and state government agencies, encompassing the creation, interpretation, and enforcement of laws and regulations that govern public affairs. Legal frameworks ensure that government actions are consistent with the rule of law and protect citizens’ rights. Though by no means a perfect system – enforcement inequities continue to make the headlines – local leaders strive to create laws that work fairly for all.
Improving staffing at Georgia’s prisons is one of the biggest challenges facing the system; A senator said it was important to study the staffing issue and come up with solutions to attract qualified COs
San Francisco Police Department leaders and city officials expect to launch the task force in the spring of 2024 to investigate opioid deaths and illicit drug operations as potential homicide cases
The court’s opinion cited developmental differences between adults and children and their differing capacities for rehabilitation
Officials were left using photos of hand-written tallies to validate results and ensure accuracy after the new — and untested — mobile app that was supposed to streamline this process failed spectacularly.
While they won’t be employing the same app or vendor used in the Iowa caucus, the Nevada Democratic Party hasn’t ruled out using another app to tabulate results
It’s not just campaigns running ads. With the click of a button and a few hundred dollars, ordinary people or businesses can now purchase political ads that are directed at specific groups of people to see.
Previously, the effort to require sprinkler retrofitting faced objections from building owners who said the fixes would be too expensive and would drive up rents.
States throughout the U.S. will be monitoring Ohio’s results because reducing nutrient pollution from farms has been a much bigger challenge than slowing it from sewage plants and factories.
According to a Johns Hopkins study, states that have implemented gun licensing laws on top of comprehensive background check requirements have seen promising drops in annual gun violence, including suicides
A group of high school students brought the idea to state Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, who worked with others in the General Assembly, including state Rep. Nick Smith D-Chicago, to pass it into law.
“We’ve tried it the NRA’s way for a decade. I think we need to try it a different way,” said Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue. If the law passes but doesn’t produce results “then we can re-evaluate.”
Proponents have argued there is a constitutional right to publish the blueprints for making guns on 3D printers, but critics counter that making them readily accessible online could lead to an increase in gun violence.
Lawyers for plaintiffs say people should file claims even if they’re not sure Purdue’s drugs were involved in their injuries.
“Super Tuesday has never really been March 3 for us,” said Pete Kavanaugh, an adviser for Joe Biden’s campaign. “In our minds and from a resource allocation perspective, Super Tuesday begins in early February.”
Registered voters will log in to an online portal using their name and date of birth to get access to their ballot.
“The simple fact is: Local governments cannot decide willy-nilly that if they don’t like a state law, they don’t have to enforce it.”
Human Rights Watch has published studies that found the pretrial release of defendants who pose no threat to public safety did not result in increased crimes or more missed court dates
“I’m a 50-year-old-black woman, and I tend to be middle of the road,” Dalhi Myers said. “I’m voting what I think is best for all of us, not just me. ... I’m not a left-wing liberal. I’m not even a left-wing Democrat. But I am a realist.”
State Rep. Chris Lee, chairman of the House judiciary committee, wants to examine how someone who was “clearly identified as having mental health issues” was able to accumulate weapons and ammunition.