California governor signs law to limit police shootings
California is changing the standards for when police can use lethal force under a law signed Monday that seeks to reduce officer-involved shootings.
United States
This archive collects solutions-journalism stories and milestones from the United States — covering policy wins, community-led efforts, scientific advances, and social progress happening across the country. Each entry highlights what’s working and why it matters.
California to open world’s largest highway overpass for wildlife
Hoping to fend off the extinction of mountain lions and other species, transportation officials and conservationists will build a wildlife crossing over a major Southern California highway.
PNC Bank will no longer finance private prisons that profit from mass incarceration and immigrant detention
This decision was announced in the wake of a petition directed at PNC circulating from the Families Belong Together coalition of over 250 activist groups, representing over 11 million people.
Illinois passes law requiring LGBT history curriculum be taught in schools
The law requires all schools in the state include “the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State” in official textbooks.
Researchers develop method to convert heat into light that could significantly boost solar efficiency
Recycling the thermal energy from solar cells using carbon nanotube technology could increase the efficiency from 22% to 80% according to the researchers.
Denver City Council kills contracts with private prison giants
Taking an extraordinary stand against the nation’s two largest private prison companies, GEO Group and CoreCivic, Denver City Council voted not to renew contracts with them worth a cumulative $10.6 million.
Victoria’s Secret hires Valentina Sampaio, its first openly transgender model
Victoria’s Secret has hired Valentina Sampaio as its first transgender model, her agent said on Tuesday, as the struggling lingerie brand seeks to modernize its image.
Barclays cuts finance ties with private prisons
Barclays Plc will stop providing future financing to companies that manage private prisons and immigration holding facilities, joining other major lenders in shunning the industry.
Texas is generating more electricity from wind than coal for the first time ever
Data released this month by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas shows wind created 22 percent of the electricity used in the first half of the year, edging out coal by 1%.
First Step Act frees many formerly incarcerated individuals in the U.S. from Bureau of Prisons custody
The First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform law passed in Congress last year, was the catalyst for the release of more than 3,100 formerly incarcerated individuals from federal custody on July 19.