Crisis pregnancy centers fight for ultrasound use in clinics without government oversight • Stateline

Anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers routinely offer free ultrasounds, but there is little oversight. OB-GYNs, state lawmakers, government officials, reproductive health advocates, and current and former pregnancy center staffers told States Newsroom – as part of our ongoing series, Billion Dollar Baby Bump – that internal protocols are likely not enough to ensure all centers are offering high-standard health care to girls and women potentially unsure what to do about their pregnancies or facing difficult circumstances.  

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States begin banning ‘surveillance pricing’ that uses personal data to charge more • Stateline

Three states this year became the first ones to enact laws restricting companies from using personal data such as browsing history or shopping habits to set individualized prices on goods and services...

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Wildfire veterans fear federal tactics, extreme fires could put crews at risk • Stateline

As millions of acres burn across the western United States, some wildland fire veterans are fearful that aggressive fire suppression tactics ordered by the Trump administration — coupled with extreme,...

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When families question a death investigation, getting a second autopsy can be complicated • Stateline

Independent autopsies have often emerged from a deep distrust of official systems — particularly in cases involving Black victims killed by law enforcement, where families have questioned whether inve...

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When families question a death investigation, getting a second autopsy can be complicated • Stateline

Independent autopsies have often emerged from a deep distrust of official systems — particularly in cases involving Black victims killed by law enforcement, where families have questioned whether investigators treated their loved ones’ deaths with the scrutiny they deserved.

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DHS removes interview requirement for asylum seekers, possibly speeding removals • Stateline

WASHINGTON — Federal asylum officers can deny interviews to asylum seekers and send them immediately to an immigration judge, speeding up deportation proceedings, under a rule U.S. Citizenship and Imm...

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Rise in US preteen suicide rate alarms mental health experts • Stateline

The number of preteens — ages 8 to 12 — who die by suicide in the United States each year is relatively small. But the total in 2025 was 194 — the most since at least 2001, according to preliminary da...

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States expand fight against organized retail crime, gift card fraud • Stateline

From hijacked freight shipments to tampered gift cards hanging on store racks, states are responding to new forms of organized retail crime with a fresh round of legislation.

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State AGs expand consumer work as prices rise and Trump guts federal protections • Stateline

Since President Donald Trump has gutted much of the federal government's consumer protection work, state attorneys general are increasingly left to fight high prices and investigate businesses themselves. The change follows Trump’s dismantling of the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau and persisting concerns about the high prices of housing, groceries and fuel.

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Crime continues historic decline as homicide rates approach century lows • Stateline

Crime rates continued falling across a sample of large U.S. cities in the first half of 2026, with homicide rates dropping enough to put the nation on track for another historic low in killings.

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Federal judge says certain abortion drug restrictions are unlawful • Stateline

A federal judge in Virginia ruled Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not sufficiently justify restrictions imposed in 2023 on a drug used to terminate early pregnancies, adding an...

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Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Medicaid and the Road Ahead: Spending Cuts, Work Requirements and What's Next for States, Providers and Families. After registering, you will receive a conf...

This event is scheduled from Noon to 1 PM Eastern. There will be time for audience questions.

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Trump administration ramps up pressure on indefinite immigrant detention • Stateline

Seeking to stop a “flood” of court cases freeing immigrants from mandatory detention, the Trump administration is asking an appeals court to put three immigrants back in detention.

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The feds no longer protect endangered species habitat. States say they can’t pick up the slack. • Stateline

The Trump administration is removing protections from the key places where endangered species live, saying states can keep the areas safe. But experts say states aren’t equipped for the task. Earlier this month, the Trump administration finalized a major change to the Endangered Species Act, rolling back protections for the forests, wetlands, deserts and other critical habitats that many plants and animals rely on.

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Late on rent? New Virginia law gives tenants more time and protection from eviction  • Virginia Mercury

Under previous Virginia law, tenants had five days to pay overdue rent before landlords could begin eviction proceedings.  A new law, House Bill 15, by Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, extends that gra...

virginiamercury.com

Democrats have a shot at flipping state legislatures across the country • Stateline

Following a string of special election victories, Democrats have a path to flip several Republican-held legislative chambers and break GOP supermajorities in states across the country this November. High prices and overall voter dissatisfaction with Washington have put control of the U.S. House and Senate in play this year — a dynamic that has trickled down, with heightened Democratic enthusiasm in many state contests.

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Home • Stateline

Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. (See full republishing guidelines.)

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New York governor orders first statewide data center moratorium • Stateline

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, issued an executive order Tuesday that puts a moratorium on the construction of large-scale data centers. The pause, which will last up to a year, is the nation...

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Salad greens scrutinized as cyclosporiasis outbreak spreads • Stateline

As state and federal officials work to identify the source of the recent outbreak of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, Michigan health officials have identified lettuces or salad greens as one potential culprit. “Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive […]

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Relief from energy bills unlikely as utilities request billions in rate hikes • Stateline

Consumers are unlikely to see any relief in gas and electric bills as utilities proposed more than $18 billion in rate hikes across the country over the first half of the year. The consumer advocacy group PowerLines reported that utilities asked regulators for a record $9.2 billion in cumulative rate increases during the second quarter of this year. Those requested rate increases could affect more than 56 million U.S. customers.

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States split on whether juvenile justice should prioritize punishment or rehabilitation • Stateline

A teenager charged with the same crime can face dramatically different consequences depending on where they live. More states have passed new laws reshaping their juvenile legal systems, with some adopting measures to divert more young people from incarceration, and others imposing stiffer penalties and expanding authority to pursue adult charges. 

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Appeals court reverses decision on immigrant detention, leaving no-bond policy in place • Stateline

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a July 2 panel decision requiring bond hearings for immigrants held under the Trump administration’s mandatory detention policy.

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Gun homicides declined in 2024 as firearm suicides hit record high, data shows • Stateline

Firearm homicides in the United States fell sharply in 2024, but gun suicides reached a record high, according to a new analysis of federal mortality data by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

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15 states sue Trump administration to block school mental health funding cuts • Stateline

Fifteen states on Friday sued the Trump administration to prevent millions of dollars in cuts to school-based mental health funding. The new lawsuit is part of an ongoing legal battle between Democratic-led states and the U.S. Department of Education over a mental health grant program that Congress established following the 2018 school shooting at Marjory […]

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Democrats, Republicans alike focus on states’ rights as a way out of America’s political woes

Democrats are seizing the mantle of states’ rights to oppose the agenda of President Donald Trump, who has sought to reset Washington’s relationship with the states.

newsfromthestates.com

Daybreak | News From The States

Start your day informed with our 50-state snapshot.

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US Supreme Court case says police need warrants for cellphone location data - Maryland Matters

U.S. Supreme Court rules law enforcement searches for the location history of cellphones near crime scenes are covered by the Fourth Amendment

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