Social Justice / Public News Service

There are around 1.5 million children, or 1 in 49, living with a parent in prison, according to the advocacy group Prison Fellowship. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Thursday, February 6, 2025

KY lawmakers propose alternatives to incarceration for primary caregivers

A bill introduced by Kentucky lawmakers would increase alternatives to prison or jail for parents convicted of nonviolent offenses. Most of the …

Hundreds of protesters, worried about the barrage of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump, gathered at Michigan's state Capitol Wednesday. Similar demonstrations were held across the country. (Photo courtesy of Kelsey Brianne)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Initial Trump actions spark nationwide protests

In rural states such as South and North Dakota and large urban centers around the U.S., protests were held Wednesday amid fears about the first wave …

Cincinnati Public Schools serves approximately 35,000 students, with more than one in 10 being English learners who do not speak it as their first language. (Sundry Photography/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Educators, Ohio leaders react to new ICE rules

A new federal policy allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into public schools has sparked concerns nationwide, including here in Ohio…

In 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the U.S. Constitution generally permits states to strip people convicted of felonies of their right to vote. (Pexels)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

MS advocates fight on after Supreme Court upholds voting ban

Mississippi voting rights advocates said their fight is not over, even after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging the state's …

Rental application fees alone create $276 million in profits for landlords each year, far above the actual cost of background checks and processing applications, according to a Biden-era report. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Cost of living tops Denver lawmaker’s priorities

Addressing Colorado's rising cost of living and protecting clean air and water are priorities for Democratic Representative Emily Sirota of Denver in …

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, nearly 48 million Americans provide care to an adult family member or friend, with 61% also holding jobs. (ChayTee/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Push for caregiver tax relief gains momentum in Ohio, nationally

During his campaign, President Donald Trump promised tax credits for family caregivers. With Trump now in office, advocates in Ohio and across the …

Among Wyoming Republican voters surveyed, 86% believe state funding should be provided to public school systems to prevent cuts in services to existing students and to prevent tax increases to local taxpayers, according to a poll from the Wyoming Education Association. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Poll: 68% of Wyoming Republicans oppose universal school vouchers

A Wyoming bill to expand a school voucher program passed the House last week, despite a new survey showing most Republican voters in the state oppose …

Some 40% of fourth grade public school students in Arkansas reported confidence in their math knowledge and skills. (AdobevStock)

Monday, February 3, 2025

Nation's Report Card: Student test scores not budging in Arkansas

Arkansas kids are still feeling the negative educational impacts of the pandemic, even though it was declared over a year-and-a-half ago. New data …

California's state attorney general recently released guidance that ICE agents must have a judicial warrant to enter school property. (Mehaniq41/Adobe Stock)<br />

Monday, February 3, 2025

CA's K-12 schools prepare for possibility of immigration authorities on campus

California school districts are working to reassure parents who may be scared to bring their kids to school - since the Trump administration made it c…

The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination, just as other civil rights laws safeguard against discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 3, 2025

Dismantling DEIA initiatives may harm PA disability rights

For Pennsylvanians with disabilities, there may be unexpected side effects to ending so-called Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility …

Data from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce showed, of the 2,540 students in Akron City who use EdChoice, almost 88% are

Monday, February 3, 2025

Debate intensifies over OH school vouchers as Trump advocates expansion

As Ohio's private school voucher program nears $1 billion in funding, the Trump administration is pushing to expand school choice nationwide by …

In December, the Montana Supreme Court ruled a 2023 law restricting life-saving gender-affirming care for transgender youth was unconstitutional. Lawmakers have introduced a slate of related bills in the 2025 session. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 3, 2025

‘A dangerous proposition’: MT lawmakers could decide on three gender bills

Montana lawmakers are considering three bills on gender. They are all versions of previous bills, which either failed or were struck down in court…

In 2025, women occupy 34% of Ohio's 132 legislative seats, with the General Assembly welcoming seven additional female lawmakers. (Adobe Stock)

Scholarships help OH women in public service amid diversity program cuts

The gender gap in Ohio politics persists, and President Donald Trump's new executive order eliminating federal diversity programs is expected to …

In 2020, nearly every victim service provider in Ohio experienced a 37% cut in their Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, significantly impacting their ability to support survivors. (ozerkina/Adobe Stock)

Federal funding instability challenges Ohio's crisis support services

Service providers and advocacy groups in Ohio and across the country are facing uncertainty following recent executive orders that have thrown federal…

Attorneys general from 18 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit blocking President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship. (Adobe Stock)

NY, U.S. elected officials file legal motion opposing end to birthright citizenship

Elected officials in New York and nationwide joined an amicus brief filed by the Public Rights Project fighting President Donald Trump's executive ord…

The Trump administration's funding freeze prevented multiple states, including Florida, from accessing federal Medicaid payments, leaving health-care providers unpaid. (vjohns1580/Pixabay)

Proposed Medicaid cuts could leave Florida’s most vulnerable without care

Florida residents who depend on Medicaid said they fear for their futures as lawmakers consider $2.3 trillion in federal cuts, which could force …

In 2022, Ohio's WIC program served an average of 160,145 participants per month, including 38,097 women, 40,358 infants and 81,690 children. (Adobe Stock)

WIC benefits in Ohio unaffected, but federal spending review sparks concern

The White House has rescinded a directive that froze federal grants and loans after a federal judge ruled it unlawful. While the freeze was lifted…

More than half of all Americans will use SNAP benefits at least once in their lifetime. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Oregon SNAP users no longer protected from theft

People who receive food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will no longer be reimbursed if their benefits are stolen…

According to the Montana Budget and Policy Center, about 21% of Montana renters, about 27,985 households, are severely cost-burdened. (Adobe Stock)

Advocate: Federal grant freeze would shake fair housing in Montana

The Trump administration has rescinded a Monday memo to freeze federal grants. A week of confusion over fiscal policy has left some groups uncertain …

We Don't Waste serves more than 100 hunger relief organizations across Denver, and has so far saved 220 million servings of food. (Galatas)

Denver nonprofit tackles food waste, hunger

By Taylor Haelterman for Triple Pundit.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-P…

The average cost of caring for a toddler at a Washington child-care center has increased 83% in the past decade. (ink drop/Adobe Stock)

Bill would refund WA businesses for covering child care costs

New legislation in Olympia aims to ease the burden of child-care costs for Washington families by allowing businesses to help their employees pay for …

Numerous studies have shown immigrants are far less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado legislators stand up for immigrants

As President Donald Trump makes good on his promises for mass deportation, some Colorado lawmakers are standing up to protect immigrant families now …

In 2024, at least 10 states enacted 19 restrictive voting laws, according to the Brennan Center for Justice and 21 states enacted 32 expansive ones. (Adobe Stock)

U.S. Supreme Court declines Montana voting rights case

The nation's highest court has declined to hear a case about Montana voting laws which would have disproportionately affected Native people. Last …

A new Ohio State University study found Ohio households paid an estimated $1.2 billion more over the past decade by choosing retail electricity suppliers instead of staying with the utility's default service. (Adobe Stock)

Study reveals market failures in Ohio electricity

Ohioans have long had the ability to choose their electricity providers but new research highlighted the financial consequences of such decisions…

Advocates called on lawmakers at the Oregon State Capitol to pass Food for All Oregonians, Senate Bill 611, this legislative session. (Oregon Food Bank)

New bill would extend food benefits to undocumented Oregonians

In the face of rising hunger across the state of Oregon, new legislation would extend food assistance benefits to undocumented children and older …

Ohio has nearly 750,000 lead service lines, the third-highest number in the U.S. out of over 6 million such lines still in use nationwide, according to the EPA. (PikePicture/Adobe Stock)

Ohio communities look to update water systems

Lead contamination in drinking water continues to be a significant concern in Ohio. With new federal regulations to tackle the issue, local water …

Research shows counties with higher levels of immigration enforcement experience persistent reductions in the construction workforce, residential homebuilding and increases in home prices. (Adobe Stock)<br />

ME faith leader responds to new immigration directive

Faith leaders nationwide are pushing back against President Donald Trump's assertion that churches are no longer considered safe spaces for undocument…

The North Carolina race for Supreme Court justice from November is the only election in the state that's yet to be certified. (DiscoA340/Adobe Stock)

'Unprecedented' attempt to throw out 60,000 NC votes could damage democracy

The saga over votes in a North Carolina Supreme Court election continues, with potentially damaging effects for the state's democracy. While the …

The North Carolina Legislature heads back to the Capitol this Wednesday. The 2025 session lasts to the end of July. (Farragutful/Wikimedia Commons)

NC lawmakers prioritize school vouchers over Helene relief, critics say

Programs like school vouchers have become a higher priority for lawmakers than Hurricane Helene relief for western North Carolina schools, critics …

Studies suggest up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually. (motortion/Adobe Stock)

NM bill would help domestic abuse survivors get legal assistance

Women surveyed about why they stayed in an abusive relationship often said they did not have the money to leave. Now, a bill introduced in the New …

Wyoming's House Bill 62 would amend the crimes of prostitution and solicitation to include acts of sexual contact. The state remains one of few in the country to approve criminalizing child survivors of trafficking, according to Shared Hope International. (Adobe Stock)

WY energy industry has opportunity to track down human traffickers

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and educators are training workers in key industries to recognize and report the crime…

Health providers in rural Colorado, which operate on thin margins, could see more uncompensated care costs if proposed Medicaid cuts clear Congress. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Medicaid cuts would disproportionately affect rural Coloradans

As the new Congress considers cutting Medicaid by more than $2 trillion, a new report details how the move would disproportionately affect rural …

The United States makes up roughly 4% of the world's population but holds an estimated 40% of the world's life-sentenced population, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Kentucky sees increase in life without parole sentences

Kentucky has seen one of the largest percent increases in its incarcerated population serving life without parole sentences. According to a new …

The hottest year on record was 2024, as average global temperatures continue to rise due to the use of fossil fuels. (Adobe Stock)

Worker's coalition aims to address climate emergency, economic inequality

As President Donald Trump abandons a promise the U.S. made in Paris nearly a decade ago, organized workers across Colorado are joining forces to …

In 2021, Ohio spent approximately $1.3 billion on child welfare services, ranking it among the top states for reliance on local funding, with counties shouldering nearly half of the cost. (Mediaphotos/Adobe Stock)

Addressing Ohio’s youth care crisis

Finding appropriate placements for youths entering Ohio's child welfare system has become increasingly difficult. Rachel Reedy, outreach and member …

In 2023, more than 16 million workers were represented by a union, an increase of more than 190,000. (SEIU Local 49)

Union rep: SEIU joining AFL-CIO will help OR workers

The Service Employees International Union is joining the AFL-CIO, a move both groups said will make it easier for more workers to unionize. SEIU is …

Ohio State University will host events honoring Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. all week, concluding with the Legacy Awards Reception on Jan. 28. (forestgraphic/Adobe Stock)

Celebrating Dr. King and new beginnings in Ohio

Today, Ohioans come together to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with events across the state celebrating his contributions to …

Protesters in San Diego call for a just peace in Gaza on Saturday. (Joe Orellana)

CA pro-Palestinian groups express cautious optimism as ceasefire takes hold

California supporters of the Palestinian cause say they are cautiously optimistic - now that the ceasefire in Gaza has taken hold and the hostage rele…

According to America's Health Ranking, nearly 28% of Hoosiers age 16 and older volunteered in the last 12 months. (Adobe Stock)

IN DNR seeks volunteers for MLK Jr. Day of Service

Today the nation honors the "drum major for peace" - the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The civil rights leader committed his life to equal …

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. (Jon/Adobe Stock)

Tennesseans honor legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Today marks the nationally recognized birthday of the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It's a day for college students in Tennessee to …

The final phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal includes a three- to five-year plan for rebuilding Gaza under international supervision. (Adobe Stock)

NY, U.S. groups cautiously optimistic about Israel-Hamas ceasefire

New York and nationwide groups are cautiously optimistic about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. Phase one involves a 42-day ceasefire and gradual …

During the first half of 2024, more than 3,200 college students were arrested nationwide in protest of U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza. including more than a dozen students at the University of New Hampshire. (Ahsan)<br />

UNH students confirm Gaza may have cost Harris the race

A new poll shows Vice President Kamala Harris' support for Israel's war in Gaza may have cost her the 2024 presidential election. Nearly 30% of the …

stated food stamps alone kept more than 1.3 million children out of poverty last year. (paulaphoto/Adobe Stock)">

Report: Child poverty derails dream of MLK Jr.

In his 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. condemned the poverty hindering Black Americans' rights and decades later, a new …

Alabama Senate Bill 129 prohibits state agencies, schools and universities from requiring students, employees or contractors to engage in training, coursework or activities that promote

AL educators, students sue over state law's effect on higher education

Alabama professors and students, along with the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, have filed a federal lawsuit challenging Senate Bill 129…

Some Washington state lawmakers want to act as a bulwark against the incoming Trump administration's threats to undocumented immigrants. (CrackerClips/Adobe Stock)

As deportation threat looms, WA groups underscore importance of immigrants

As threats of deportation of illegal immigrants increase with the incoming Trump administration, groups in Washington say immigrants are an integral …

Nationally, just one-third of state lawmakers are women. In the 2025 session, 52% of Colorado lawmakers are women. (Adobe Stock)

Veteran CO lawmaker sets sights on climate, child care in 2025

In 2019, Colorado lawmakers set goals for cutting climate pollution by at least half by the year 2030, and by 90% by 2050 - compared with 2005 levels…

A new service in North Carolina aims to ensure success for people reentering communities from jail or prison. (Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services)

First-of-its-kind recidivism reduction center goes mobile in NC

Services for North Carolinians affected by the justice system is going mobile. The Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services mobile resource …

President-elect Trump has vowed to conduct a mass deportation of more than 13 million immigrants but Massachusetts officials, including Gov. Maura Healy and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said they will not cooperate with federal authorities, nor will state or local police. (Adobe Stock).<br /><br /><br />

Southeast Asian refugees in MA fear deportation, seek Biden pardon

Southeast Asian refugees at risk of deportation in Massachusetts are asking President Biden to pardon them before he leaves office. Deportations …

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Social Justice

KY lawmakers propose alternatives to incarceration for primary caregivers

Initial Trump actions spark nationwide protests

Educators, Ohio leaders react to new ICE rules

MS advocates fight on after Supreme Court upholds voting ban

Cost of living tops Denver lawmaker’s priorities

Push for caregiver tax relief gains momentum in Ohio, nationally

Poll: 68% of Wyoming Republicans oppose universal school vouchers

Nation's Report Card: Student test scores not budging in Arkansas

CA's K-12 schools prepare for possibility of immigration authorities on campus

Dismantling DEIA initiatives may harm PA disability rights

Debate intensifies over OH school vouchers as Trump advocates expansion

‘A dangerous proposition’: MT lawmakers could decide on three gender bills

Scholarships help OH women in public service amid diversity program cuts

Federal funding instability challenges Ohio's crisis support services

NY, U.S. elected officials file legal motion opposing end to birthright citizenship

Proposed Medicaid cuts could leave Florida’s most vulnerable without care

WIC benefits in Ohio unaffected, but federal spending review sparks concern

Oregon SNAP users no longer protected from theft

Advocate: Federal grant freeze would shake fair housing in Montana

Denver nonprofit tackles food waste, hunger

Bill would refund WA businesses for covering child care costs

Colorado legislators stand up for immigrants

U.S. Supreme Court declines Montana voting rights case

Study reveals market failures in Ohio electricity

New bill would extend food benefits to undocumented Oregonians

Ohio communities look to update water systems

ME faith leader responds to new immigration directive

'Unprecedented' attempt to throw out 60,000 NC votes could damage democracy

NC lawmakers prioritize school vouchers over Helene relief, critics say

NM bill would help domestic abuse survivors get legal assistance

WY energy industry has opportunity to track down human traffickers

Report: Medicaid cuts would disproportionately affect rural Coloradans

Kentucky sees increase in life without parole sentences

Worker's coalition aims to address climate emergency, economic inequality

Addressing Ohio’s youth care crisis

Union rep: SEIU joining AFL-CIO will help OR workers

Celebrating Dr. King and new beginnings in Ohio

CA pro-Palestinian groups express cautious optimism as ceasefire takes hold

IN DNR seeks volunteers for MLK Jr. Day of Service

Tennesseans honor legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

NY, U.S. groups cautiously optimistic about Israel-Hamas ceasefire

UNH students confirm Gaza may have cost Harris the race

Report: Child poverty derails dream of MLK Jr.

AL educators, students sue over state law's effect on higher education

As deportation threat looms, WA groups underscore importance of immigrants

Veteran CO lawmaker sets sights on climate, child care in 2025

First-of-its-kind recidivism reduction center goes mobile in NC

Southeast Asian refugees in MA fear deportation, seek Biden pardon