Stateline

Stateline

@stateline.org

Daily reporting and analysis on trends in state policy. Part of @statesnewsroom.com. Suscribe to Stateline Weekly: https://stateline.org/subscribe/

9.2K followers331 following1.3K posts

Stateline
@stateline.org

The Department of Justice plans to send election monitors to every state ahead of Election Day, @jonshorman.bsky.social reports. stateline.org/2026/10/27/r...

stateline.orgTrump's DOJ sends 1,000 election monitors to 50 states, locations not yet disclosed • StatelineThe U.S. Department of Justice plans to send election monitors to every state ahead of Election Day, expanding a longstanding practice that’s spurred concern this year among Democrats and voting right...
Stateline
@stateline.org

More than 900 women faced criminal charges for conduct related to their pregnancies since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to a new report. stateline.org/2026/10/27/9...

stateline.org900+ women criminally charged for their conduct during pregnancies • StatelineIn the first three years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to an abortion in June 2022, more than 900 women faced criminal charges for conduct related to their pregnanc...

Stateline reposted

Jane Norman
@janenorman.bsky.social

ICYMI--last night the Trump administration suffered its first defeat in its last minute suit against California over noncitizen voting. Today @jonshorman.bsky.social will be following a hearing in the case so stay tuned to our feeds. @statesnewsroom.com DC

Jane Norman@janenorman.bsky.social

BREAKING: The first defeat for the Trump DOJ’s legal action against California over noncitizen ballots @jonshorman.bsky.social @statesnewsroom.com DC www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

newsfromthestates.comTrump DOJ’s demand for emergency order in California vote counting dismissed by appeals courtPresident Donald Trump’s 11th-hour campaign to intervene in California’s vote counting encountered its first resistance from federal courts on Monday, with appellate judges ruling against the effort.

Stateline reposted

Madyson Fitzgerald
@maddyfitz.bsky.social

"They are not crazy. They're not making it up." Really insightful story from @stateline.org

Stateline@stateline.org

As affordability defines this election, a new analysis underscores just how expensive everyday life has become. stateline.org/2026/10/26/r...

stateline.orgRising prices squeeze more Americans ahead of pivotal midterm elections • StatelineAmericans’ growing frustration over high prices has defined many political campaigns ahead of November’s midterm elections. As the political environment continues to sour for Republicans, a new analys...
Stateline
@stateline.org

This year’s statewide ballot measures are written, on average, at a graduate-school reading level, according to a new report. stateline.org/2026/10/23/2...

stateline.org2026 ballot measures are written at a graduate-school reading level, report finds • StatelineThis year’s statewide ballot measures are written, on average, at a graduate-school reading level, according to a new report. The readability of 2026’s ballot questions — which ask voters to weigh in ...
Stateline
@stateline.org

The current Trump administration claims its mass deportation efforts have expelled nearly a million people through July of this year, but those include both voluntary returns and people turned around at the border. stateline.org/2026/10/22/a...

stateline.orgAnalysis: Trump deportations near 1M, but few are criminals • StatelineThe current Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts claims to have expelled nearly a million people through July of this year, but those include both voluntary returns and people turned around...
Stateline
@stateline.org

A string of high-profile deaths and injuries involving electric scooters and bikes is spurring states and cities across the country to crack down on them. stateline.org/2026/10/21/e...

stateline.orgE-bikes now rival motorcycles for speed. State and city laws haven’t caught up. • StatelineEarlier this month, a 50-year-old man riding his personal electric scooter in Washington, D.C., was killed when he collided with a woman on a rideshare scooter. In June, a 12-year-old Massachusetts gi...

Stateline reposted

Kelcie Moseley-Morris
@kelciemmorris.bsky.social

I missed posting this last week, but better late than never. States Newsroom collaborated with @19thnews.org on a series exploring trends among Gen Z voters leading up to the midterms, and I teamed up with Anna Spoerre at @missouriindependent.com to talk about

19thnews.orgTwo states, two abortion ballot measures — and many challenges in reaching Gen Z votersMissouri voters could reinstate a near-total abortion ban; Idaho voters could undo one. Some young voters are more concerned with economic issues.
Stateline
@stateline.org

The Department of Justice is intensifying its campaign against voter fraud with a spree of arrests in the final weeks before Election Day, an effort that voting rights advocates warn risks instilling fear among voters. stateline.org/2026/10/21/r...

stateline.orgTrump’s DOJ steps up pressure on California over noncitizen voters 2 weeks from election • StatelineThe U.S. Department of Justice is intensifying its campaign against voter fraud with a spree of arrests in the final weeks before Election Day, an effort that voting rights advocates warn risks instil...
Stateline
@stateline.org

Voters in six states are considering ballot measures in the midterm elections that would make it clear that only U.S. citizens may vote — and block local governments from expanding that right to others. stateline.org/2026/10/21/i...

stateline.orgIn 6 states, ballots include bans on noncitizen voting • StatelineVoters in six states are considering ballot measures in the midterm elections that would make it clear that only U.S. citizens may vote — and block local governments from expanding that right to other...

Stateline reposted

Kelcie Moseley-Morris
@kelciemmorris.bsky.social

NEW from me: A new report shows 10 states have zero birth centers — Arkansas, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island and Vermont.

stateline.orgBirth centers are linked to better health outcomes, research shows, but 10 states have none • StatelineBirth centers are an option for those with low-risk pregnancies and are correlated with more positive health outcomes, but 10 states do not have any birth centers at all, and more could be built with ...
Stateline
@stateline.org

Birth centers are an option for people with low-risk pregnancies and associated with better health outcomes, but 10 don't have any, according to a new report. stateline.org/2026/10/20/b...

stateline.orgBirth centers are linked to better health outcomes, research shows, but 10 states have none • StatelineBirth centers are an option for those with low-risk pregnancies and are correlated with more positive health outcomes, but 10 states do not have any birth centers at all, and more could be built with ...

Stateline reposted

States Newsroom
@statesnewsroom.com

The 2026 election is already underway. The midterms will serve as a bellwether for Trump’s final years of presidency as voters weigh in on policies from the first part of his term. Keep up with all the latest news below. www.newsfromthestates.com/rising-trend...

newsfromthestates.comElection 2026 | News From The StatesThe 2026 election is already underway, with primary races kicking off across the states. The midterms will serve as a bellwether for Donald Trump’s final years of presidency as voters weigh in on…
Stateline
@stateline.org

For decades, manufactured home builders have been working to shed the old image of boxy trailer homes reserved for the outskirts of cities and suburbia. Now, a small change in federal regulations could open the door for architecture welcomed in more neighborhoods. stateline.org/2026/10/20/c...

stateline.orgCheaper manufactured homes could be having a moment, if only states can catch up • StatelineFor decades, manufactured home builders have been working to shed the old image of boxy trailer homes reserved for the outskirts of cities and suburbia. Now, a small change in federal regulations coul...

Stateline reposted

New Hampshire Bulletin
@newhampshirebulletin.com

"From California to Connecticut, desperate bears have raided garbage cans, broken into homes and cars, torn through chicken coops and pulled down bird feeders." From Alex Brown via @stateline.org

newhampshirebulletin.comBear killings skyrocket as garbage, bird feeders draw them into conflict • New Hampshire BulletinBears are having a very bad year. Across much of the United States, a warm winter and persistent drought have decimated the natural foods black and brown bears rely on. Wildlife officers in many…
Stateline
@stateline.org

Experts say humans are almost always the guilty party when conflicts with bears occur, leaving out unsecured garbage cans and birdfeeders that can lure the animals into developed areas. stateline.org/2026/10/19/b...

stateline.orgBear killings skyrocket as garbage, bird feeders draw them into conflict • StatelineBears are having a very bad year. Across much of the United States, a warm winter and persistent drought have decimated the natural foods black and brown bears rely on. Wildlife officers in many state...
Stateline
@stateline.org

Organizers launched more than 2,500 No Kings events across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., on Saturday, this time focusing their efforts on the midterm elections. stateline.org/2026/10/17/n...

stateline.orgNo Kings shifts strategy from streets to ballot boxes with early voting day of action • StatelineOrganizers launched more than 2,500 No Kings events across all 50 states and the District of Columbia Saturday, this time focusing their efforts on the midterm elections.From roadside rallies to lette...
Stateline
@stateline.org

Party control is up for grabs in 15 state legislative chambers this November, with all 10 of the latest rating changes favoring Democrats, according to a new analysis. https://stateline.org/2026/10/16/democrats-could-flip-legislative-chambers-break-gop-supermajorities-analysis-finds/

stateline.orgDemocrats could flip legislative chambers, break GOP supermajorities, analysis finds • StatelineParty control is up for grabs in 15 state legislative chambers across the country as Republicans are increasingly on the defensive this midterm election cycle, a new analysis found.
Stateline
@stateline.org

A $10 trillion data center boom is prompting states to rethink tax breaks as projects strain power grids and compete with housing for investment. https://stateline.org/2026/10/16/data-centers-are-now-the-largest-financial-bet-in-us-history/

stateline.orgData centers are now the largest financial bet in US history • StatelineThe sheer size of investment in data centers is drawing concern as it surpasses all other historical booms and crowds out other more job-creating ventures. Until now, no industry had driven the U.S. economy with such force since the railroad expansion of the late 1800s, when titans battled one another to lay the transcontinental tracks that would connect America from coast to coast.
Stateline
@stateline.org

In Idaho and Missouri, abortion rights campaigns are competing with rising living costs for young voters’ attention ahead of November’s election. https://stateline.org/2026/10/15/2-states-2-abortion-ballot-measures-and-the-effort-to-win-over-gen-z-voters/

stateline.org2 states, 2 abortion ballot measures, and the effort to win over Gen Z voters • StatelineIn Idaho and Missouri, where Gen Z voters are among those who will decide the future of abortion access on Election Day, campaigns are trying to reach a generation dealing with rising living costs and skepticism toward politics.
Stateline
@stateline.org

Inflation rose to 3.7% in September, its highest annual rate since May, as surging energy prices squeezed household budgets ahead of the midterm elections. https://stateline.org/2026/10/14/powered-by-spikes-in-energy-prices-inflation-surges-to-3-7-in-last-report-before-midterm-elections/

stateline.orgPowered by spikes in energy prices, inflation surges to 3.7% • StatelineInflation grew to a 3.7% annual rate in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, up from 3.4% in August. Spikes in energy prices were largely responsible: Gas is now up 34% for the year, and fuel oil, which includes diesel, is up 72% as the Iran war drags on. 
Stateline
@stateline.org

Public defenders across the country are facing growing caseloads and a shrinking pool of attorneys, leaving some defendants waiting months for a lawyer. https://stateline.org/2026/10/14/with-fewer-public-defenders-indigent-defendants-pay-the-price/

stateline.orgWith fewer public defenders, indigent defendants pay the price • StatelineAUSTIN, Texas — It was a good day for the defense. Standing in front of a judge in Austin’s Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, attorney Matthew Shrum secured a ruling that spared his client from serious punishment on a shoplifting charge. In the hallway immediately afterward, the defendant thanked Shrum with an appreciative hug. “She walked […]
Stateline
@stateline.org

A new study found that labor guides helped pregnant patients feel more satisfied and in control during childbirth, potentially countering misinformation from social media and AI. https://stateline.org/2026/10/13/labor-guides-can-help-dispel-myths-pregnant-women-find-online/

stateline.org‘Labor guides’ can help dispel myths pregnant women find online • StatelineProviding “labor guides” to pregnant women helps combat misinformation that an increasing number of patients are getting from social media or artificial intelligence, according to a recent study. Dr. Samuel Melville, a resident-physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University and the lead author of the study, said he frequently hears patients […]
Stateline
@stateline.org

As the U.S. faces a growing physician shortage, some worry new immigration policies could deter foreign-trained doctors from practicing in the country. https://stateline.org/2026/10/13/trump-immigration-policies-could-turn-away-much-needed-foreign-doctors-critics-say/

stateline.orgTrump immigration policies could turn away much-needed foreign doctors, critics say • StatelineAs the nation’s physician shortage worsens, some fear the Trump administration’s immigration policies will dissuade or prevent doctors who earned their medical degrees in foreign countries from practicing in the United States. Among all U.S. doctors, an estimated one quarter were educated abroad. But they make up an even larger proportion of physicians in many […]
Stateline
@stateline.org

What drove the historic drop in homicides across the U.S.? A new survey points to community violence intervention, pandemic recovery and focused deterrence strategies. https://stateline.org/2026/10/12/researchers-point-to-community-violence-programs-pandemic-recovery-in-historic-homicide-decline/

stateline.orgResearchers point to community violence programs, pandemic recovery in historic homicide decline • StatelineAs candidates debate public safety ahead of the midterm elections, a new assessment of the nation’s historic homicide decline suggests there is no single explanation for the drop — and that some widely discussed enforcement strategies may have played little role.
Stateline
@stateline.org

U.S. measles cases surpassed 4,000 this year for the first time in decades, with Pennsylvania accounting for more than 1,100 cases and reporting five deaths. https://stateline.org/2026/10/09/measles-cases-reach-4080-for-the-year-the-highest-in-decades/

stateline.orgMeasles cases reach 4,080 for the year — the highest in decades • StatelineMeasles cases for the calendar year surpassed 4,000 for the first time in decades, with as many as five deaths in Pennsylvania, as the federal government steps in with financial help for states but also fans vaccination fears and skepticism. 
Stateline
@stateline.org

Backlash over data centers is reshaping races across the country, with 39 ballot measures in eight states this November as bipartisan opposition grows over costs, pollution and tax breaks. https://stateline.org/2026/10/12/data-center-backlash-set-to-sway-midterm-elections/

stateline.orgData center backlash set to sway midterm elections • StatelineIn the course of a single election cycle, the backlash against data centers has grown from an issue at local planning commission and city council meetings to become a flashpoint in state and federal races across the country. Candidates who once touted data centers as an economic boon have backtracked, and voters in at least three dozen […]
Stateline
@stateline.org

A former Cornell University student’s rape allegations are renewing debate over how states define intoxication and consent under sexual assault laws. https://stateline.org/2026/10/09/cornell-case-highlights-the-patchwork-of-state-laws-governing-intoxication-sexual-consent/

stateline.orgCornell case highlights the patchwork of state laws governing intoxication, sexual consent • StatelineA Cornell University student’s allegations of gang rape in 2024 have renewed attention on a difficult area of sexual assault law. A person can be awake, responsive and even able to move during a sexual encounter while still being so intoxicated or impaired that they cannot understand what is happening or make an informed decision about sex. But whether that person is considered legally incapable of consenting can depend on the state. 

Stateline reposted

Kelcie Moseley-Morris
@kelciemmorris.bsky.social

The FDA said it expects to complete its safety review of abortion pills by mid-December and issue a report by March 2027. “Instead of the promised gold-standard study, the FDA is trying to peddle fool’s gold," said Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America's president. Story by @sofiaresnick.bsky.social

stateline.orgFeds unlikely to change abortion pill policy before next year • StatelineThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration said late Wednesday that it expects to complete its  long-awaited safety review of abortion pills by mid-December and issue a report evaluating the results by Mar...
Stateline
@stateline.org

Urban hospitals are closing at roughly the same rate as rural ones, and the shuttered hospitals are more likely to have served communities with high poverty rates and fewer transportation options, according to a new study. stateline.org/2026/10/08/u...

stateline.orgUrban, rural hospitals closing at similar rates, study finds • StatelineUrban hospitals are closing at roughly the same rate as rural ones, and the shuttered hospitals are more likely to have served communities with high poverty rates and fewer transportation options, acc...
Stateline
@stateline.org

The FDA said late Wednesday that it expects to complete its review of the abortion drug mifepristone by mid-December and issue a report evaluating the results by March 2027, @sofiaresnick.bsky.social reports. stateline.org/2026/10/08/f...

stateline.orgFeds unlikely to change abortion pill policy before next year • StatelineThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration said late Wednesday that it expects to complete its  long-awaited safety review of abortion pills by mid-December and issue a report evaluating the results by Mar...
Stateline
@stateline.org

A perfect storm of harsh immigration enforcement, aging journeymen and a building boom for data centers is wreaking havoc on the nation’s supply of skilled trade workers. https://stateline.org/2026/10/08/aging-workforce-immigration-crackdown-are-depleting-skilled-workers/

stateline.orgAging workforce, immigration crackdown are depleting skilled workers • StatelineA perfect storm of harsh immigration enforcement, aging journeymen and a building boom for data centers is wreaking havoc on the nation’s supply of skilled trade workers. Automakers and construction contractors say they need more access to workers through accelerated training, steady immigration and a cultural shift to encourage young people to do the hard, dirty work of skilled trades. They’re looking for plumbers, electricians, carpenters, machinists and technicians — specializations increasingly in short supply. 
Stateline
@stateline.org

New York is expanding who can administer vaccines as measles cases surge in rural counties, allowing paramedics, pharmacists, midwives and others to give shots. https://stateline.org/2026/10/06/new-york-governor-declares-measles-emergency/

stateline.orgNew York governor declares measles emergency • StatelineNEW YORK — Facing a surge of measles cases in New York state’s rural counties, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order on Monday allowing paramedics, pharmacists, midwives and other non-physicians to administer vaccines. Hochul’s decision to declare a “state disaster emergency” comes amid the nation’s worst measles outbreak in more than 30 years […]
Stateline
@stateline.org

As the FDA reviews telehealth abortions, anti-abortion groups are pushing states to require in-person visits, ultrasounds and waiting periods. https://stateline.org/2026/10/07/abortion-foes-plan-to-push-pill-restrictions-in-the-states/

stateline.orgAbortion foes plan to push pill restrictions in the states • StatelineAs they await a federal decision on a potential nationwide ban on telehealth abortions, anti-abortion activists plan to push more states to require women to visit a doctor’s office, get an ultrasound or wait before they can get abortion pills. Under its current guidelines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require in-person visits, […]
Stateline
@stateline.org

New research found an association between higher out-of-pocket health insurance expenses and states with abortion bans, with data showing differences were even higher for Black and Hispanic women. stateline.org/2026/10/06/r...

stateline.orgResearch suggests women living in states with abortion bans bear higher health insurance costs • StatelineNew preliminary research from the University of Michigan shows women living in states with post-Dobbs abortion bans may be more likely to shoulder costs for employer-sponsored health insurance premium...
Stateline
@stateline.org

Lawmakers in several states are suspending gas taxes or rolling back regulations on diesel fuel as voters grow increasingly frustrated with rising fuel costs. stateline.org/2026/10/06/w...

stateline.orgWith election pressure mounting, states move to suspend fuel taxes • StatelineWith Election Day less than a month away, lawmakers in several states are suspending gas taxes or rolling back regulations on diesel fuel as voters grow increasingly frustrated with rising fuel costs ...

Stateline reposted

Nevada Current
@nevadacurrent.com

Some of the most competitive races are in divided states such as Nevada and Wisconsin. But widespread dissatisfaction with Trump over the Iran war and the economy is also putting Republican gubernatorial candidates on defense in red states such as Alaska, Iowa and Ohio. Via @stateline.org

nevadacurrent.comDemocrats could win majority of governor’s offices for first time in 16 years • Nevada CurrentAs the political prospects for Republicans worsen ahead of November’s midterm elections, the GOP is increasingly playing defense over its yearslong grip on state governments. That’s particularly true ...