Author

Amanda Hernández

Amanda Hernández

Amanda Hernández is covers criminal justice for Stateline. She has reported for both national and local outlets, including ABC News, USA Today and NBC4 Washington.

Sexual assault survivors can now track their rape kits in most states

By: - September 9, 2023

It can take hours for a sexual assault victim to undergo the multiple swabs, hair samples, blood and urine collections, and other invasive procedures of a sexual assault examination. And then it can take months, sometimes years, for investigators to process that evidence kit. But now, responding to demands from survivors and their advocates, more […]

Customers queue outside of Chesapeake Apothecary in White Plains, Md., on the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales. More states are legalizing or expanding access to marijuana, but testing and regulations vary widely across the country, raising safety concerns. (Photo by Barbara Barrett/Stateline)

As more states legalize pot, their uneven safety rules can pose a risk

By: - July 10, 2023

Amid the growing acceptance and legalization of cannabis use across the country, a concerning reality has emerged: The state-by-state patchwork of safety regulations can leave marijuana consumers wandering through a haze of uncertainty, exposing them to potential risks. Under federal law, marijuana is illegal — period. So, it’s up to individual states to determine their […]