With fourth grade reading scores dropping across the nation from 2019 to 2022, and the gap between high and low performers increasing, states are turning to free book delivery programs to boost literacy skills.

Joyce W. Jones is an attorney and team leader in the Legislative Drafting Division of the North Carolina General Assembly.

Twenty-nine states, in addition to Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, allow sports betting, and 27 of those also allow betting on mobile devices.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say legislative effectiveness, supermajority or not, hinges on two things: a willingness to maintain personal relationships and a determination to focus on good ideas over partisan ideals.

With evidence of deep political divisions turning up daily on social media and in the news, a growing number of national organizations are dedicated to promoting bipartisanship and civility among state legislators.

Responding to drought and water scarcity, several Western states have passed legislation to help agriculture adapt by incentivizing efficient irrigation practices, promoting improved soil health and providing technical assistance to producers.