Budget Policy & Priorities / Public News Service

Solutions to high U.S. prescription drug costs include preventing companies from setting prices as high as they want and to curb monopoly power, according to the advocacy group Public Citizen. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, May 27, 2022

New Yorkers Demand Better Rx Legislation This Session

Advocates are contending the New York State Senate is not doing enough to lower the price of prescription drugs. Recently, lawmakers dropped bills …

Of 62 large districts surveyed, 98% identified challenges with supply-chain disruptions and labor shortages, and said providing school meals would be even greater if not for USDA child-nutrition waivers. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Report: School Meal Waivers a Game Changer During Pandemic

During the COVID health emergency, Congress removed a lot of red tape in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) school meals programs, and a new …

In a 2020 survey conducted during the pandemic, 52% of military veterans and service members said their mental health had worsened since socially distancing. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

During Mental Health Awareness Month, 'Be There' for Military Vets

May marks both Mental Health Awareness Month and Military Appreciation Month. In Pennsylvania, officials want to ensure that veterans know mental-…

A UNLV study found Nevada has only one mental health professional for every 460 residents, and the shortage of pediatric providers is particularly severe. (Zinkevych/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Mental Health Awareness Month: NV Advocates Press for Resources

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and advocates in the Silver State said drastic changes are needed to improve access to services. The latest …

Kids in 10th and 12th grades in New York City shelters had attendance rates below 70%, meaning they missed the equivalent of more than a week of school in a single month (Oct. 2021), according to a new policy brief. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

NYC Youth in Shelters Face School Attendance Challenges

New York City students in insecure housing situations continue to have alarmingly low school attendance rates, heightened by the pandemic. Youth …

While some tribal governments, including the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority, have been able to accelerate internet accessibility, service affordability is still a barrier for tribal members. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Closing Tribal Connection Gap: SD Reservations Get Internet Funds

Native American communities say the pandemic severely limited their ability to communicate with the rest of the world and each other, largely because …

RAFI-USA launched the Fresh Bucks consumer incentive program in 2015, in partnership with the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. The Double Bucks incentive program began in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

NC Farmers’ Markets Double Buying Power for Food-Insecure Households

People in North Carolina who need to stretch every dollar spent on food can get double the value of fresh produce and other goods through government a…

A plan to update the Coos Bay port could make it among the top ten busiest in the country. (mdurson/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Infrastructure Funds for Port Could Boost Rural OR Community

Funding from the infrastructure measure Congress passed last year could benefit a struggling rural community in Oregon. Lawmakers in the state have …

The annual value of terrestrial ecosystem services globally, including watersheds that filter and clean drinking water, is estimated to be roughly equivalent to the annual global Gross Domestic Product. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

State Lawmakers Press Biden to Create National Biodiversity Strategy

More than 350 state lawmakers from across the U.S. are urging President Joe Biden to create a national strategy to protect, restore and secure the …

The Food4All Campaign is a coalition of more than 50 groups fighting to eliminate hunger in California. (Haylee Burgess/CIPC)

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Food4All Campaign Ramps Up as Gov, Lawmakers Finalize Budget

The Food4All campaign is calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand access to food assistance to all undocumented Californians when he submits his final …

Maine's Climate Action Plan cites supply disruptions during the pandemic as a wake-up call to improve the state's local food systems. (Adobe Stock)

Maine Seeks Proposals to Increase Access to Local Food

Maine is seeking proposals for a grant opportunity to support local food producers and production and assist low-income residents in accessing local f…

An Ohio River Valley Institute brief found retrofitting the nation's coal- and gas-fired power plants for carbon capture and sequestration would add approximately $100 billion per year to Americans' electric bills, an increase of 25%. (Adobe Stock)

PA Moving Ahead to Secure Regional Hydrogen Hub

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Pennsylvania is moving forward with plans for industrial-sector decarbonization, with a proposal to the federal government …

The West Virginia Flood Tool is designed to provide floodplain managers, insurance agents, developers, real estate agents, local planners and citizens with an effective means by which to make informed decisions about the degree of flood risk for a specific area or property. (Adobe Stock)

WV Has 'One Chance' To Improve Flood Preparedness

The mayor of Huntington, where more than 200 homes were recently damaged by severe flooding, said now is the state's "one chance" to prevent other …

Examples of brownfield sites include an out-of-business gas station, or an old dry-cleaning business which may have disposed chemical solvents down the drain, contaminating the groundwater. (Adobe Stock)

MN Communities Get Helping Hand to Re-Work Contaminated Sites

Minnesota has more than 10,000 brownfield sites, which are abandoned or idled properties in need of contamination removal. State officials will soon …

The Census Bureau is reporting both population undercounts and overcounts, were likely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, natural disasters and decisions by the Trump administration that disrupted normal counting efforts. (GerdAltmann/Pixabay)

TX One of Six States that Undercounted Population in 2020 Census

A new report found Texas likely undercounted the number of people who actually live in the state when gathering information for the 2020 census…

Gov. Kathy Hochul's budget includes funds for the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes as part of the state's plan to electrify 1 million homes and make another 1 million electrification-ready by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Elected Officials Call on NY to Pass All-Electric Building Act

New York elected officials are calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation to transition new buildings off fossil fuels, saying it would make …

Connecticut's National Estuarine Research Reserve is expected to provide economic benefits as well. Long Island Sound is responsible for about $9.4 billion annually in economic impact in the region, according to a study. (Adobe Stock)

CT to Commemorate Securing First National Estuarine Research Reserve

Connecticut is celebrating its first estuary reserve, which will help identify environmental threats to waterways and natural resources. …

In 2020, Connecticut had 219 firearm deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Hartford Launches Hospital-Based Gun-Violence Intervention Program

With firearm deaths in Connecticut and across the country on the rise, a new initiative in Hartford aims to interrupt gun violence through a …

A revised federal spending plan for Community Action Agencies creates a new Broadband Navigator discretionary program to help connect low-income families to high-speed internet. (Adobe Stock)

Congress Considers Providing More Local Support to Fight Poverty

May is Community Action Month, and local agencies helping low-income families hope Congress signs off on a plan to bolster and modernize their …

According to city documents, Madison's new electric bus fleet will cost about $70 million. In its 2022 budget, the city set aside roughly $26 million in local funding for the project. (Jonah Chester)

WI Communities Prepare to Receive Federal Infrastructure Funding

Six months ago this week, President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure law, and Wisconsin's towns and cities are planning how best to …

Philadelphia lawmakers present a check for $1 million to Tracy Wood, executive director of Black Doctors Consortium. (Screenshot via Facebook Live)

Philadelphia Lawmakers Secure $13.8M for Health Equity

The gaps in the U.S. health care system were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with racial health inequities laid bare. On Monday, Philadelphia …

Experts estimate that 1,000 children are born with hearing loss in California each year. (Michael Khachadoorian/Be Kind Studios)

Advocates Press CA Lawmakers to Better Fund Kids' Hearing-Aid Program

Groups fighting for children's rights say they are disappointed Gov. Gavin Newsom's May budget revision did not include more money for the Hearing …

Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed Pennsylvania Opportunity Program is meant to help families still recovering economically from the pandemic or the increasing costs of living. (Commonwealth Media Services)

Wolf, Community Leaders Seek $2,000 Payments for Pennsylvanians

Gov. Tom Wolf, lawmakers and community leaders are calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation that would send checks of up to $2,000 to …

It's estimated about 0.2% of Washingtonians would be subject to the recently passed capital-gains tax. (Dilok/Adobe Stock)

Initiative to Repeal WA Capital-Gains Tax Failing to Gain Support

An initiative that would repeal Washington's capital-gains tax on the state's richest residents is struggling to gain traction. Initiative No…

The use of peripheral catheters in patients with late-stage kidney disease costs more than $14,000 per incidence and has a high risk of actually harming patients. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Use of Low-Value Health Services High Even During Pandemic

During the first year of the global pandemic, medical consumers in Colorado received more than one million low-value healthcare services - diagnostic …

The Pennsylvania Council for Children, Youth and Family Services says a $94.7 million one-time funding increase would break down to about $5,000 for each filled and vacant position in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Child and Family Providers Request $94M to Address Staff Shortage

Advocates for juvenile-justice and child-welfare providers in Pennsylvania want the General Assembly to approve one-time funding to boost staff recrui…

In New Mexico, 32% of roads are in poor condition and each motorist pays $767 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair, according to the 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. (suwichanpralomram/Pixabay)

USDA Pilot Program Launches in Nine NM Counties

New Mexico will be one of the first states to receive help from the Rural Partners Network, a new government initiative aiming to reset the way …

Overtime pay will be phased in for farmworkers in Oregon over the next five years. (Bob/Adobe Stock)

Farmworkers Rights a Ballot Issue as OR Primary Approaches

Ballots are due for Oregon's primary election on Tuesday, and one key issue for voters is the rights of workers who grow the state's food. …

The utility company Consumers Energy has a program to reward consumers who charge electric vehicles during off-peak hours. (TheSupporter/Adobe Stock)

EV Business Leaders Highlight MI Infrastructure, Innovation Progress

Electric vehicle (EV) industry leaders in Michigan are touting the state's progress toward electrifying the transportation sector and improving infras…

Many Minnesota government workers, including epidemiologists, feel they have yet to be adequately compensated for their sacrifices during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

MN Government Workers Demand Action on Contracts

Minnesota's legislative session is scheduled to end in less than two weeks, and government workers are still seeking final approval of their latest …

Kentucky's jails are again over capacity, with 21,831 people in jail at the end of April, and an additional 9,835 people incarcerated in state prisons, according to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)

Post-Pandemic, KY Returns to World-High Incarceration Rate

After a drop due to the COVID pandemic, new research found Kentucky is once again crowding more people into jails and prisons. The Bluegrass State …

The White House announced this week plans to invest an additional $250 million in domestic fertilizer production, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has limited the supply of fertilizer globally. (Adobe Stock)

President Highlights Agriculture Initiatives During IL Visit

President Joe Biden used his trip to Illinois Wednesday to tout several new initiatives he said will support American farms. The president's trip …

The state has $1.7 billion in unspent American Rescue Plan dollars. It must be used by 2024 or returned to the federal government. (Adobe Stock)

PA Officials Call for Boosting Property Tax Rent Rebate Program

Pennsylvania lawmakers and community leaders gathered in Montgomery County Wednesday, urging the General Assembly to use $204 million in unspent …

The letter from Business for America, signed by more than 60 small businesses in Pennsylvania, asks the state Legislature to focus on addressing rising costs due to inflation, labor shortages and supply-chain challenges. (Adobe Stock)

Businesses to Lawmakers: Prioritize COVID Recovery Over Ballot Challenges

More than 60 businesses across Pennsylvania signed a letter to legislative leaders, calling on them to focus on improving the economic climate and …

In a recent survey, 69% of Minnesota nursing homes and 29% of assisted living locations placed limits on new admissions because of staffing shortages. (Adobe Stock)

MN LTC Workers: Hero Checks Help, But More Support Needed

Minnesota officials announced this week that frontline workers can likely start applying for hero checks sometime in June. As those plans take shape…

All told, five states -- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Illinois -- accounted for nearly 70% of the nation's more than 3.6 million shutoffs from 2020 to 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IN Utilities Cut Power More Than 260,000 Times from 2020-2021

From January 2020 to December 2021, utility companies shut off power to Hoosier homes more than 260,000 times. According to a new report from …

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 26 states are certain or likely to ban abortion if the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case Roe v. Wade is overturned. (Adobe Stock)

CT Gov Signs Law Protecting Medical Providers, Patients Seeking Abortion Care

Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut lawmakers held a ceremonial bill signing Tuesday for a new law protecting doctors who provide and patients who seek …

The massive Dixie Fire is one of many to ravage the Golden State in recent years. Climate advocates want more funds in the budget for smoke warning systems and community readiness. (Gajendra/Adobestock)

Advocates Press for CA Climate-Change Budget

The May revision of Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget is due at the end of this week, so conservation groups are speaking out, calling for what they call a …

A recent poll found that 73% of voters in Colorado and New Mexico supported wildlife crossing solutions, including building overpasses on highways. (Adobe Stock)

Safe Wildlife-Crossing Bill Clears Colorado Legislature

The Colorado General Assembly has passed legislation to fund wildlife road-crossing projects across the state. Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Gunnison…

Recent data show the number of young people in Connecticut admitted to juvenile-detention centers dropped 87% between 2005 and 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Youth-Justice Advocates Concerned as Crime Bill Heads to Gov's Desk

A youth crime bill passed by the Connecticut General Assembly has been sent to Gov. Ned Lamont's desk, even as some youth-justice advocates view the …

Participants in the Little Scandinavia program at SCI Chester will be chosen through a lottery system with the goal of creating a population that reflects the greater prison population. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA's 'Little Scandinavia' Prison Unit to Focus on Rehabilitation

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has officially launched "Little Scandinavia," a unit in a state prison to focus on rehabilitation and reint…

A 2020 survey found 81% of older Connecticut residents say if they ever need long-term care, they'd prefer to receive that care at home. (Adobe Stock)

New State Budget Helps CT's Older Residents Age at Home

The Connecticut General Assembly has passed a $24 billion state budget this week, which now awaits Gov. Ned Lamont's signature. It includes multiple …

The outside pool's slide and lily pad in the Township of Upper St. Clair. (Courtesy Township of Upper St. Clair)

PA Communities Gearing Up for Public Pool Season

Recreation departments across Pennsylvania are preparing to kick off their outdoor public pool seasons starting Memorial Day Weekend, marking for …

Gov. Tom Wolf, lawmakers and reproductive-rights advocates gathered at Independence Mall in Philadelphia Wednesday in the wake of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA Officials, Advocates Rally for Abortion Access After Leaked SCOTUS Draft

Advocates from Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania and state officials gathered in Philadelphia Wednesday to stand firm on protecting abortion access…

Almost 5,000 oil and gas wells have been developed under the Polis administration, whose Greenhouse Pollution Reduction Roadmap includes plans to increase oil and gas production while mitigating methane leaks. (Adobe Stock)

Polis Pressed to Act Faster on Climate Change

A coalition of more than 60 environmental and community groups are calling on Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other elected officials to act faster to …

Nebraska is one of just 12 states that taxes Social Security income, but the practice will be phased out by 2025. (Adobe Stock)

State Taxes on Social Security Benefits to Phase Out Faster

Older Nebraskans will be keeping more of their hard-earned Social Security benefits even sooner, after Gov. Pete Ricketts signed Legislative Bill 873 …

Reproductive Freedom Defense Act Heads to CT Governor's Desk

Connecticut lawmakers, state officials and pro-choice advocates gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday, one day after a leaked draft opinion …

May is Asian American/Pacific American Heritage Month. Minnesota advocates say 2022 would be a great year for the state to make investments in communities they feel have been historically overlooked. (Adobe Stock)

AAPI Community Hopes for MN Investment Deemed Long Overdue

Asian American leaders in Minnesota say some community members still are struggling to recover from economic slides during the pandemic. They're …

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