Author Archive

Alex Brown

Alex Brown is a staff writer for Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Management

California Legalizes Human Composting

Starting in 2027, the state will allow human composting, a green-burial option that is also legal in Colorado, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

  • By Alex Brown, Stateline
Emerging Tech

California legalizes human composting

Starting in 2027, California will allow human composting, a green-burial option that is also legal in Colorado, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

  • By Alex Brown, Stateline
Infrastructure

Many state capitols have security holes

With less than two-thirds of state capitol buildings employing metal detectors, and about 20 statehouses specifically allowing guns inside, there are many security gaps that rioters could exploit.

  • By Alex Brown and Elaine S. Povich
Infrastructure

This disaster season, ‘everything is complicated by COVID-19’

As summer brings hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters to much of the country, the novel coronavirus has upended nearly every plan in the disaster response playbook.

  • By Alex Brown
Management

Cities, legislatures learn to govern by conference call

Some of the most important legislation states and cities enact to fight the coronavirus pandemic will be passed on grainy video chats or glitchy conference calls, using processes that have never been tested.

  • By Alex Brown
Infrastructure

As states prepare for disasters, they acknowledge things will get worse

Cities and states are facing tough funding and regulatory questions, including deciding which locations have an urgent need for protection and which are too expensive to save.

  • By Alex Brown