State and City Relations

New York Lawmakers Demand NYPD Halt Undercover Sex Trade Stings

A dozen city and state officials also called for the disbandment of vice, the primary division that polices the sex trade; some want investigations into misconduct allegations against the unit, including withholding of evidence.

  • By Joshua Kaplan and Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica

A New Day for Queer People in the South

North Carolina’s ban on local protections for LGBTQ people expires today. But more fights lie ahead.

  • By Giulia Heyward, The Atlantic

Two Ohio Cities Sue State Over Gun Background Check System

Dayton and Columbus officials announced their lawsuit on Monday, saying the state attorney general’s office needs to fix a system that doesn’t always contain information about people with felony convictions.

  • By Emma Coleman

Florida Lifts Covid Restrictions on Bars and Restaurants, While Prohibiting Local Mask Penalties

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP | Alaskan wildlife officials responding to more bear calls … Court cases could recognize more reservations in Oklahoma … New York City to allow al fresco dining past the end of October.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

The Battle for Local Control Is Now a Matter of Life and Death

COMMENTARY | The coronavirus has raised the stakes of a long-simmering conflict between red states and blue cities.

  • By David A. Graham, The Atlantic

Virus Spikes While Local and State Officials Bicker Over Face Mask Mandates

How will state and local officials agree on safety protocols in the months ahead?

  • By April Simpson, Stateline

Democratic Governors Tell Trump They Don’t Want Military to Deal With Protests

But the Insurrection Act does give the president authority to deploy troops domestically.

  • By Bill Lucia

Testing In California Still A Frustrating Patchwork Of Haves And Have-Nots

County to county, city to city—even hospital to hospital within a city—testing capacity varies widely, as does the definition of who qualifies for testing.

  • By Anna Maria Barry-Jester, Rachel Bluth and Angela Hart, Kaiser Health News

Cities Take Lead on Coronavirus Response At Times, Leading to Friction With States

Debates over state and local authority could come into play going forward as government leaders decide on how to dial back restrictions and restart the economy.

  • By Bill Lucia

One State Becomes First in the Nation to Preempt City Natural Gas Bans

No cities in Arizona have banned gas stoves or other residential uses of natural gas. The state wants to keep it that way.

  • By Emma Coleman

U.S. Population Growing Very Slowly, Census Bureau Says

Ten states lost residents in 2019. But despite the country’s population gains slowing to a crawl, some states are attracting more residents, with Idaho and Nevada growing fastest.

  • By Andrea Noble

Planting a Family of Trees, One Seedling at a Time

A 600-year-old tree fell in New Jersey. Officials will preserve its legacy by sending its seedlings all over the state.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Featured eBooks

Government Tech & Innovation
Management in City and County Government
State CIOs in 2020

Creating an Agenda for Reform

Experts see the need for a fresh focus on thinking about the big issues in state and local governance.

  • By Timothy B. Clark

A State Agency Scraps Its Paper-Based Licensing System

In adopting a digital licensing system, officials at the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission say they moved away not just from stacks and stacks of paper, but also an old mindset.

  • By Andrea Noble

Customer Service, State and Local Partnerships Key for CIOs

The findings of NASCIO’s 2019 survey of chief information officers highlights areas of concern and evolving priorities among state information technology leaders.

  • By Andrea Noble

Sin Taxes Not a Reliable Source of Revenue, Report Says

States collected $34 million in alcohol and tobacco taxes in 2017, but a tax increase doesn’t always equate to more money as consumer behavior changes.

  • By Andrea Noble

Barred from Removing Confederate Statues, Cities Are Contextualizing Them Instead

Some cities are adding plaques and launching educational initiatives to tell a more complete story of the Civil War. But even if they aren’t removing Confederate statues, some still face pushback.

  • By Emma Coleman

To Rein in Cities, Texas Tries to Ban Their Lobbying

Anti-lobbying efforts illustrate the chasm between statehouses and cities.

  • By David Montgomery

Judge Rules all U.S. Cities, Counties Have Stake in Opioid Settlements

U.S. District Judge Daniel Polster’s ruling broadens the scope of participants in the ongoing multi-district litigation brought against prescription drug companies.

  • By Andrea Noble

State Preemption of Local Legislation Is Getting Worse

A new report shows that state legislatures have been expanding their reach in preempting cities from localized regulation on issues like gun control.

  • By Brentin Mock, CityLab

A Local Government Strategy to Reduce Smoking: Refuse to Hire Smokers

Across the country, cities and counties have instituted policies that bar people who use any nicotine products from applying to government jobs.

  • By Emma Coleman