U.S. State Policy

The fiscal challenges facing all levels of government are focusing attention on the federal-state relationship and leading to discussions about how costs should be allocated among local, state, and the federal governments. Pew provides policymakers...

Managing a state’s finances—whether working to erase a budget deficit or reaching consensus on what to do with a surplus—is challenging. But planning for fiscal threats beyond the immediate budget cycle is not only far more complex, it’s often...

The Pew Charitable Trusts’ evidence project works with funding organizations, researchers, policymakers, and others to transform how research and evidence are generated, valued, and used....

Nearly everyone involved with the civil legal system—judges, attorneys, and litigants—agrees it must be made more fair and efficient. However, no consensus exists regarding what local and state policymakers can or should do to accomplish that goal. ...

Crime and correctional control—any court-ordered supervision of an individual, whether in the community, as with probation or parole, or in a facility, such as a jail or prison—create substantial burdens for governments and taxpayers, as well as for...

Pew’s retirement savings project studies the challenges and opportunities for increasing retirement savings. The initiative, which fosters policy discussion on how best to ensure that everyone can save a sufficient amount for retirement, examines...

The energy modernization project works with state and federal policymakers to advance the nation’s transition to electric vehicles; build a clean, reliable electric grid; and expand renewable energy solutions, such as offshore wind....

Broadband connects communities to an increasingly digital world. It has transformed industries, changed the way we access goods and services, and become an indispensable part of modern life. Yet despite more than two decades of public and private...

More than 2 million people with mental health conditions—including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and severe depression—are jailed each year, often for misdemeanor crimes. Three-quarters of these individuals have co-occurring substance use...