Hawaii becomes first U.S. state to declare climate emergency
According to the Climate Mobilization Project, such declarations have been made by over 1,900 jurisdictions worldwide, including 144 within U.S. 24 states.
States & provinces
This archive collects stories where U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and subnational governments around the world are the driving force behind meaningful change. Across 467 articles, you’ll find accounts of state and provincial lawmakers, agencies, and coalitions enacting policies, launching programs, and achieving results that improve people’s lives. From environmental protections to public health wins, these are the places where regional leadership makes a difference.
Multnomah County, Oregon bans natural gas in new county buildings
Multnomah county’s decision is one of the first Oregon fronts in the expanding “gas wars” which began in California in the summer of 2019 when Berkeley became the first city to ban gas in new construction.
New Mexico legalizes recreational cannabis
Home cannabis cultivators can grow up to six plants per person, or 12 plants per household. Police will no longer be able to use the scent of cannabis as grounds for arrest.
Washington State bans use of for-profit detention facilities
Under the new law, the Northwest Detention Center, a 1,575-bed immigration jail in Tacoma, will be forced to shut down. The facility is run by GEO Group, a private prison company under federal contract.
California announces U.S.’s first incentive project for zero-emission truck and bus infrastructure
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has announced approval of a $380 million, first-of-its-kind project to accelerate the deployment of infrastructure needed to fuel zero-emission trucks, buses and equipment.
California pledges $536 million to fight wildfires
The $536 million Wildfire Prevention and Resiliency package earmarks $350 million for forest management, including vegetation thinning, as well as $25 million to help homeowners pay for prevention measures on their properties, The Guardian reported.
In 24 years, California has cut toxic air pollution by 78%, resulting in 82% fewer attributable deaths
Scientists at UC Berkeley are hailing the state’s diesel engine standards and other measures imposed over a number of years, even in the face of loosened environmental regulations in recent years.
Virginia bans the gay/trans panic legal defense
It’s the 12th state to ban defendants from arguing they “panicked” when they found out their victim was LGBTQ.
Massachusetts passes sweeping climate legislation to reduce emissions
The law, which was passed last week by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, sets emission limits at 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 75 percent below by 2040 with interim limits every five years.
Virginia bans cosmetic testing on animals
Senator Jennifer Boysko and Delegate Kaye Kory introduced the bill. Its passage makes Virginia the fourth state in the U.S. to make a law prohibiting cosmetic animal testing.