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.
“We talk about structures, but in the end, it’s about people and making sure that they are safe,” said Key Biscayne Village Manager Steve Williamson
After a 2016 school shooting in the district, the Madison school board enacted a policy allowing 10 staffers to carry weapons on campus
Brian Dunn, attorney for Jacorey Shaw’s parents, says there was both negligence and a cover-up conspiracy involved in Shaw’s death investigation
Hawaii’s governor has signed a bill to make his state the first to raise the legal smoking age to 21
Electronic cigarettes will no longer be allowed aboard Metropolitan Transit System buses and trolleys, or at transit centers and bus stops
Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill in April that bans the use of most unmanned speed cameras on Tennessee roads
The Supreme Court has struck down a Los Angeles ordinance that permits the police to check guest registries at motels and hotels at any hour of the day or night
The law will address the predatory revenue-generating practices of Ferguson’s police and court system that were detailed in a Justice Department report
The Colorado Supreme Court found that the federal prohibition on pot makes the drug unlawful even though marijuana use is legal in the state
An analysis of Illinois juvenile offenders revealed vast differences in the outcomes of those charged as adults and those who remained in juvenile courts
California cities have broad authority to require builders to include a percentage of affordable housing in new projects, the state Supreme Court ruled
The Los Angeles City Council gave preliminary approval to two ordinances designed to make it easier to break up homeless encampments
Local governments would be prohibited from setting local minimum wages or other employer requirements under a new Michigan bill
Car washes in New York City must get licenses to operate thanks to a new bill combating labor violations.
San Francisco may become the first city to impose a warning on ads for sugary soda pop
AZ taxpayers are already paying an estimated $45 million for a racial-profiling lawsuit and the cost is expected to grow by millions in the coming years
Minneapolis wiped away ordinances that banned lurking and spitting in the city, responding to critics who said the local laws unfairly targeted minorities
New York City could become the first city in the U.S. to require a warning label on high-sodium menu items at chain restaurants
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has signed an executive order creating gender-neutral restrooms inside City Hall
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