Taylor Swift’s Instagram post has caused a massive spike in voter registration
The singer waded into politics on Sunday with a social media post encouraging her fans to register to vote before it was too late.
North & Central America
This archive covers progress stories from North and Central America, spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the countries of Central America. The 1,760 articles here track milestones in areas such as public health, conservation, policy, and community-led initiatives across the region. Browse to find reported evidence of what is working and why.
Minnesota now offers ‘X’ for gender option on driver’s licenses
In addition to “M” and “F,” “X” can now be checked by any applicant who does not want to identify as male or female.
Austin bans restaurants from throwing food waste into landfills
Austin’s Universal Recycling Ordinance requires all food-permitted businesses to divert discarded organic material, including food scraps and soiled paper, from landfills.
California bans gun sales to people under 21
The bill will prevent people under 21 from buying rifles and other types of guns.
Pennsylvania to toughen gun laws in domestic violence cases
The bill will force people in Pennsylvania with a domestic violence ruling against them to more quickly surrender their gun.
California becomes first U.S. state to require women on corporate boards
California will be the first state to require publicly traded companies to have at least one woman on their board of directors.
$19 per hour minimum wage approved for New York and New Jersey airport workers
This policy is said to bring the wages of thousands of workers, approximately 40,000, to $19 per hour by 2023.
California becomes first U.S. state to ban sale of animal-tested cosmetics
The bill prohibits manufacturers from trying to “import for profit, sell, or offer for sale” any cosmetic that is tested on animals. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Connecticut Green Bank has provided over $1 billion for clean energy projects since 2011
The Connecticut Green Bank was established in 2011, and since then has been working to accelerate the deployment of clean energy.
Paralyzed patients walk again with help from new, revolutionary pain stimulator
The new research shows that electrical stimulation of the spine can re-educate the body and help move the legs even though signals from the brain are cut off.