The States

The Center Square

The States Powered by The Center Square is a show that highlights the work of The Center Square reporters from statehouses across the country to Washington D.C. all with an eye towards the impacts of today's news on the taxpayer.

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English

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#220
August 17 · 47 min
Union Bosses Make 7x More Than Starting Teachers — Students Score 30% Proficient | The States
A new Urban Institute tool tracking 2023 data found large gaps between eligibility and enrollment in means-tested programs — SNAP had the highest participation rate nationally at about 57-60%, while LIHEAP had the lowest at 17%, with wide state-by-state variation. Senior fellow Linda Giannarelli said non-participation stems from lack of awareness, application hurdles, and underestimating one's own eligibility, and that entitlement programs like SNAP have no funding caps while block-grant program
#219
August 15 · 47 min
Taxpayer Philanthropy: Tax cash to nonprofits more than doubled since 2016 | Weekend Edition
On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, In the past decade, government grants to nonprofits and the number that receive tax money has doubled, raising questions about whether public money is being wasted. Illinois state officials awarded more than $170,000 in taxpayer money to a nonprofit that paid for PTSD injections that don't have strong evidence backing them up. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that could determine the future of legal actions over energy companie
#218
August 14 · 41 min
Georgia Governor May Suspend City School Board After 20 Years of Financial Problems | The States
Hillsdale professor Richard Samuelson discussed the distinction between inalienable rights and government-granted privileges, tracing the Bill of Rights' 1791 ratification and how it secured broader public support for the Constitution. Samuelson said modern technology and past emergencies have repeatedly tested constitutional protections, and warned that civil rights-era government oversight of associations could be a future pressure point on free speech and privacy. Also, in this episode: 22 s
#217
August 13 · 46 min
Is Publishing 3D Printer Firearm Files Protected Speech? SCOTUS May Decide | The States
Facing scrutiny over surveillance concerns and security breaches, Flock announced it's cutting license plate data retention from 30 to 7 days, adding an "evidence mode" for active investigations, letting cities restrict which offense categories other agencies can search, and requiring all customers to adopt upgraded audit-log tools by year's end. CEO Garrett Langley said Flock also added automatic account lockouts for abnormal user activity and hired security firm Bishop Fox for an independent r
#216
August 12 · 43 min
Flock Safety Rep Caught Off Guard by Lawmakers Over Hacking Claims | The States
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley won Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial nomination despite having dropped out of the race, defeating Rep. Francesca Hong and setting up a November matchup against Republican Tom Tiffany, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar won Minnesota's Democratic nomination to face House Speaker Lisa DeMuth. In Connecticut, former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin defeated 78-year-old, 14-term Rep. John Larson, while Vermont's progressive challengers largely lost to moderate incumbents
#214
August 11 · 48 min
States Range from Strict Voter ID to None, Election Attorney Weighs In | The States
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut, Vermont, and Alabama held primaries under widely varying voter ID requirements, with attorney Stephen Kaufman arguing that federal and state voter-ID/citizenship-documentation efforts amount to voter suppression rather than integrity measures. The U.S. Senate's Save America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration, remains stalled short of the 60 votes needed, while a related California ballot measure (Proposition
#215
August 10 · 39 min
Government Grants to Nonprofits Doubled From $149B to $319B in Six Years | The States
The Liberty Justice Center filed an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit ruling that upheld a Maryland school district's policy requiring teachers to use students' preferred pronouns without notifying parents, citing conflict with the Court's earlier ruling in Mirabelli v. Bonta. The group also sent demand letters to Washington, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey over similar state-level policies allowing students to socially transition at school without parental noti
#213
August 8 · 48 min
31 States Decide to Join Federal School Choice Program | Weekend Edition
On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, thirty-one states have opted in to the federal Education Freedom Scholarship Program, while 19 states and Washington, D.C. have not, ahead of the January 2027 deadline. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife released the last four years of tax returns late last week, providing a glimpse into their financial life over the last four years of Newsom’s time in office. The notary public who certified that a Georgia judge's brother signed a wi
#212
August 6 · 43 min
Federal Judge Strikes Down Gun Registration for Suppressors and Short-Barreled Rifles | The States
Confidential documents show nearly two dozen state attorneys general, including 21 Democrats, signed a plan as early as April 2024 — nine months before Trump took office — to coordinate litigation against his administration, with a former Republican AG calling the practice a politicized waste of resources. A federal judge in Texas ruled the NFA's registration requirement for short-barreled rifles and suppressors unconstitutional, reasoning that Congress can't require registration tied to a $200
#211
August 5 · 45 min
Missouri Voters Rejected Ending the Income Tax 75%-25% | The States
Yesterday several states went to the polls to decide primary contests ahead of November's midterm election. Progressive Abdul El-Sayed defeated Rep. Haley Stevens by roughly 16,000 votes in Michigan's Democratic primary and will face Trump-endorsed Republican Mike Rogers, who leads recent polling 46.7% to 42.3%, in November. In Virginia, retired Army Major General Bert Mizusawa won the Republican Senate primary with 52.5% of the vote and will face Democratic Sen. Mark Warner in November. Missour
#210
August 3 · 47 min
Texts Point to Possible Delay in Washington Shooting News Conference | The States
Former Seattle Police Chief Sean Barnes resigned following communication breakdowns after a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle Festival left three dead, with public records showing a five-hour delay before officials held a press conference. Text messages obtained by The Center Square show Washington Governor Bob Ferguson was not responsible for the delay, while reporting also revealed Barnes doesn't live in Washington state and received a $700,000+ severance package on top of a $300,000+ salar
#209
August 1 · 46 min
Democratic party fundraising organization ActBlue continues to be scrutinized after questionable campaign contributions | Weekend Edition
Welcome to The Center Square Radio Hour, your source for taxpayer centric straight news from across America. I’m your host greg bishop. Be sure to follow all of today’s stories at The Center Square dot com. On this edition of the Center Square Radio Hour, Democratic party fundraising organization ActBlue continues to be scrutinized after questionable campaign contributions are investigated. Prosecuting Animal rights activists storming a dog breeder over alleged animal mistreatment could e
#208
July 31 · 41 min
Seattle Mayor Faces Questions, Free Speech Report & Gun Battle | The States
Seattle's police chief resigns after criticism over the city's response to a deadly mass shooting, raising new questions about public safety and government accountability. Plus, a new national report grades colleges on free speech, New York Governor Kathy Hochul pushes new gun restrictions, Wisconsin's Act 10 returns to court, and President Trump launches the Freedom Haulers initiative to help veterans earn commercial driver's licenses. In today's episode of The States, powered by The Center Sq
#207
July 30 · 44 min
Illinois Ethics Scandal Grows: Lawmakers Launch New Investigation | The States
The States with Greg Bishop covers today's biggest political and economic headlines from across the country. In this episode: The U.S. Senate prepares to vote on holding Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress following his testimony before lawmakers. Florida launches an investigation into Fauci after the congressional hearing. Illinois ethics investigations continue as lawmakers examine corruption allegations involving state officials. A federal judge rules against Illinois' in-state tuition

Showing 61–74 of 74 episodes