North Dakota
How governments can get agencies to stop using foreign drones: Pay up.
A proposed bill in North Dakota offers an effective model for other states looking to cut ties with foreign-made drones.
North Dakota lawmakers discuss adding computer-generated images to definition of child pornography
Possessing a computer-generated image of child pornography would be punishable as a felony in North Dakota under a bill discussed Monday by state lawmakers.
Cross-state partnership looks to boost drone use and research
The Tennessee Department of Transportation announced this week it would partner with North Dakota to build its own testing site and figure out potential uses for the technology.
Ballot questions tackle high property taxes that come with rising home values
Colorado’s new cap on property tax revenue isn’t enough for some activists. Conservatives elsewhere agree.
North Dakota Governor for President?
What the U.S. Supreme Court rulings mean for states and localities; watching the debt limit drama; and more news to use from around the country in this week's State and Local Roundup.
The Country’s Most Cost-Effective Highway Systems
North Dakota’s highways are in the best condition for the least amount of money, according to an annual report released this month.
How Common Are Ransomware Attacks? Lawmakers Want to Find Out.
Nobody knows how often government agencies are hit.
Timber, Condos, Glamping? States Debate Land Use to Fund Schools
Some states are getting into the development business.
Oil-Friendly States Fight Back Against Sustainable Investment Trend
New bills would force states to stop investing in companies that use sustainable strategies.
Americans Aren’t Actually Quarantining
Many states have quarantine requirements for visitors, but only one really enforces them: Hawaii.
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Study: The Best—and Worst—State Highway Systems
North Dakota maintained its first-place ranking in the 25th Annual Highway Report, which uses 13 categories to evaluate the condition and cost-effectiveness of state-run highways.
North Dakota Will Allow Covid-Positive Hospital Staff to Keep Working
STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Money runs out on Honolulu rail project … El Paso County plans to set up 10 mobile morgues as Covid deaths rise … Most Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical of ACA challenge.
One Republican Governor Reversed Course on a Mask Mandate. Others Are Still Resisting.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert declared an indefinite statewide mask mandate on Sunday as coronavirus cases continue to spike around the country, but other governors—including those in states hit hardest by the virus—haven't budged.
Covid-19 Cases Dropped by 75% in One State After Local Leaders Were Allowed to Require Masks
A CDC report said the drop followed a spike in cases in Arizona after the state's stay-at-home order expired, underscoring the utility of face coverings in curbing spread of the disease.
In Slumping Energy States, Plugging Abandoned Wells Could Provide an Economic Boost
North Dakota may be the only state using CARES Act money to plug abandoned oil wells.
Coronavirus Sparks New Debate Over City's Fireworks Ban
City officials in Bismarck, North Dakota may ask voters whether they'd like to repeal a ban on home fireworks within the city limits, a proposal the mayor said was partially motivated by his desire to provide families with more activities to do together at home.
Governors Ask Residents to Stop Mask-Shaming
Two Republican governors asked residents to stop harassing people who choose to wear face coverings in public, saying the decision to do so should be separate from politics.
States Take the Reins in Resilience Planning
Governors say states are taking steps to assure their long-term resiliency in the face of worsening climate change—and in the absence of sweeping federal action.
A Tourism Campaign Centered on a Lack of Tourists
In its 2020 advertising campaign, North Dakota urges travelers to "follow your curiosity—not the crowds," a nod to the state's wide-open landscape and sparsely populated attractions.
How Communities Can Build Psychological Resilience to Disaster
As climate change makes disasters more severe, researchers say we can prepare by being informed, volunteering, and staying socially connected.
