Gov. Ron DeSantis has been confronting a lot of issues dealing with race and inclusion. The latest is his signing into law his version of Florida's new Congressional district maps which heavily benefits Republicans and slashes the number of Black districts in half, from four to two.

DeSantis claims the districts were racially gerrymandered, but his proposed "race-neutral" map caused a sit-in protest by mostly Black lawmakers in the Florida House at the end of the redistricting special session.

Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, expressed her frustration.

"Ron DeSantis is disrespectful, Ron DeSantis is a bully, Ron DeSantis does not care about Black people," Nixon asserted. "I will not bite my tongue. There is an incessant attack on Black people in the state of Florida."

The League of Women Voters of Florida and a number of Democratic-aligned redistricting groups filed suit the same day the governor signed his maps into law. The League successfully challenged the state during the last redistricting process, and its president now vows to fight for "the votes and voices of hundreds of thousands of Black voters."

The DeSantis administration also stirred controversy when it announced a ban of 54 of 132 math textbooks it said included references to "critical race theory" and other "prohibited" topics, but offered no details.

Bacardi Jackson, interim legal director for the children's rights project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said she thinks ongoing pushback from the Black Lives Matter movement sparked conversations about the impact of systemic and structural racism.

"We seem to be in an era and a moment that said, 'White supremacy now, White supremacy always. We will resist every effort to make our society diverse,' " Jackson contended.

Jackson filed a public-records request for the administration to reveal its criteria for rejecting books. The Department of Education only lists four examples on its website and is unclear about specific concerns.

DeSantis has long pledged to take a stand against what he calls "state-sanctioned racism" and on Friday he signed into law what he calls the "Stop WOKE Act," which restricts how race is discussed in schools, colleges and workplaces.

DeSantis also signed a bill just days after it was introduced revoking the Walt Disney Company's special district status in the state.

Daniel Uhlfelder, a former Republican turned Democratic activist and candidate for Attorney General, called the move reckless.

"That seems to be a pattern with the leadership we have where they make these very quick, rash, impulsive decisions when someone or something does something that they don't agree with," Uhlfelder remarked. "That is a dangerous precedent. "

Tax experts and legislators said eliminating the district could have unintended consequences for county taxpayers, underscoring Uhlfelder's point the decision needed the careful analysis of experts, not a surprise issue for lawmakers in special session to address congressional redistricting.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of the signing of the federal infrastructure law.

Groups pushing for support for Wisconsin towns and cities say implementation is providing hope overlooked areas will get the jolts they need.

Zach Vruwink, deputy executive director of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, said so far, nearly $3 billion in projects for the state have been announced with funding from the law. Most are transportation-related, and Vruwink argued it is badly needed, as many areas have backlogs for priorities like road and bridge repairs.

"Many of the municipalities have had projects delayed, or had to shelve them, due to lack of funding," Vruwink pointed out. "By having a real strong federal partnership in the area of infrastructure helps address some of the backlog."

The law will also provide states funding for clean water infrastructure and expansion of high-speed internet. Funding from the $1.2 trillion package was scheduled to be spread out over five years. The plan had some Republican opposition, but has otherwise been hailed by political analysts as a bipartisan achievement.

Despite the significance of the law, some analysts said it has not stayed on the public's radar, especially during the recent election, but supporters are still getting the word out.

Meghan Roh, program director for Opportunity Wisconsin, which has spent the last year educating communities about the benefits of these projects, said people need to understand the effect of such a significant investment.

"Whether we're spending less on car repairs due to updated roads and bridges, having access to safe drinking water or improved mass transit opportunities, this law is a once-in-a-generation investment in our state's infrastructure and competitiveness," Roh stressed.

And as more projects are announced, Roh noted it means additional, well-paid union jobs for distressed areas. She added the long-term benefits from various improvements should particularly help rural areas and underserved communities.

An interactive online map from the White House shows the projects so far are spread fairly evenly across Wisconsin.

Educators across the Commonwealth say voters showed their commitment to public education in the midterm election by passing the Fair Share Amendment.

It creates a 4% tax on annual incomes above $1 million to help pay for public education and transportation.

It's expected to generate at least $2 billion in revenue for schools, universities and vocational training, as well as the roads and trains to help get the students there.

Joanna Gonsalves - associate professor at Salem State University and member of the Massachusetts State College Association - said the new funding is no 'magic bullet,' but a start to addressing system failures in the state.

"I think we need to start to address some of the crumbling infrastructure in our public campuses and the buildings, in our roads and in MBTA," said Gonsalves. "And that's going to require some additional funding, beyond Fair Share."

Many business groups opposed the Fair Share Amendment, warning it would make the Commonwealth less economically competitive and drive away employers. They also question the need for more revenue when the state is already running a large budget surplus.

The decision about where the new tax revenue is spent ultimately rests with state lawmakers, and even future lawmakers are under no obligation to spend the money as requested.

Still, Gonsalves said lawmakers would be wise to respond to the public's concerns about the cost of higher education in Massachusetts and the wellbeing of its students.

"We need to address the most basic things, like class size," said Gonsalves. "We want to make sure we have enough staff and services for our students."

That includes the great need for increased mental-health services as schools continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic. And Massachusetts faces a critical shortage of school counselors, with one counselor for every 364 students.

New York voters approved the state borrowing $4.2 billion for robust climate-friendly projects.

The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act will provide funds for school districts to get electric school buses and develop the infrastructure to charge them, make state-owned buildings green, and preserve farmland, just a sample of the projects the new funding will support.

Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, said the law is a culmination of a multiyear effort, but as much as it accomplishes, she argued incentives for electric vehicles are needed.

"There's not money specifically in here for incentives to have New Yorkers buy electric cars, and I think that's going to be something that we need," Reynolds contended. "The plan is to phase out internal-combustion engine vehicles over time, but in order to get people to get started on that, they're going to have some incentives to have people buy electric cars."

The bond act was met with little opposition in the state Legislature and in the voting booth. According to unofficial data from the State Board of Elections, 59% of voters approved it. 28% voted against it and 12% left the option blank.

Although climate change was not a top issue for New Yorkers, it has been a necessity for the state. Reynolds pointed out there has been a need to update water infrastructure, among other improvements. She noted the money is not just for large statewide projects, but at the local level.

"A lot of the money will be helping communities, like municipalities," Reynolds explained. "For example, $150 million for farmland preservation, and some communities might have a farmland preservation plan; they might have a town goal to maintain farmland. But, this is the money that's going to help them do it."

Reynolds does not see another ballot measure like this one coming about in the near future, but if it should, she would want to see money allocated for upgrading New York's electric grid to make it more climate friendly.