The study found that the lawmakers used a pragmatic approach to reforming the state’s law. A combination of moral and fiscal arguments proved to be the “magic formula.” Data quantifying the policy’s financial burden to the state and incarcerated individuals and their families emerged as the true bipartisan catalyst. Moral appeals alone, like fairness or reducing harm to incarcerated individuals, rarely changed minds.

Policies supporting specific industrial sectors are said to have sparked huge growth in East Asia, but new research suggests their impact on overall GDP growth is relatively limited.

Asians, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics were significantly less likely than whites to use obesity-management medications to lower their weight compared with whites. The differences could not be fully explained by income or education level, health insurance coverage or clinical need.