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States Target School Cell Phone Use At least four states have banned or severely restricted the use of smart phones in schools in the current legislative biennium. Florida became the first state to do...
Compounded Weight-Loss Drugs Creating Headaches for State Regulators With popular weight-loss drugs like Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy in short supply, many doctors, pharmacies and other providers have...
In their seminal book on the American health care system, legendary investigative reporters Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele offered a disturbing metaphor for the illogical nature of medical pricing...
PA Lawmakers Pass Bill Regulating PBMs The Pennsylvania legislature passed a bill ( HB 1993 ) aimed at increasing oversight of pharmacy benefit managers. If signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), the measure...
In a sign of the times, states have begun pursuing bills that require disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence. In March, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed SB 149 , making the state the first...
On an 8-3 vote, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors authorized police to deploy robots with lethal force in very rare cases involving violent suspects such as mass shooters. A minority of the board opposed the policy out of concern that it could let police kill too easily. The board adopted an amendment requiring a high-ranking SFPD leader to authorize the actual use of such a robot. (GOVERNMENT TECH)
As of November 23 Twitter is no longer stopping users from spreading misinformation about Covid-19 on the social media platform, according to a recent update of its content moderation policies. Since 2020, the platform’s Covid-19 misinformation ban had led to over 11,000 account suspensions. (POLITICO)
The New Jersey Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill (SB 588) providing for the establishment of statewide guidelines for information literacy, including “digital, visual, media, textual, and technological literacy.” If signed by Gov. Phil Murphy (D), students from kindergarten through 12th grade would be taught how to identify trustworthy information sources and distinguish fact from opinion. Supporters of the measure say it's necessary because of the rise of misinformation on social media. (NJ ADVANCE MEDIA, STATE NET)
The California Public Utilities Commission approved a $1 billion electric vehicle charging program directed mainly at increasing the use of midsize- and heavy-duty all-electric trucks, which account for a disproportionate share of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. The rebate program, which will be funded by utility ratepayers across the state, will remain in effect for five years. (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE)
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas charged 21 people in a transnational network that laundered over $300 million in cryptocurrency annually. Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Bill Mack said the “case proves that we can track these people down and charge them.” (CNBC)
-- Compiled by KOREY CLARK