Impact

Journalism in the Public Interest

Impact has been at the core of ProPublica’s mission since we launched in 2008, and it remains the principal yardstick for our success today. Our investigative journalism does more than expose wrongdoing and injustice; we intend for it to spark real-world change.

We’ve written a whole white paper on the topic, and examples of how our stories have produced such change — from the resignation of corrupt officials to the passage of new laws — are compiled in our annual reports. On this page, you’ll find our reporting on the impact of our work.

Featured Impact

The Supreme Court Has Adopted a Conduct Code, but Who Will Enforce It?

Experts say it is unclear if the new rules, which come after reporting by ProPublica and others revealed that justices had repeatedly failed to disclose gifts and travel from wealthy donors, would address the issues raised by the recent revelations.

by Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott, Brett Murphy and Alex Mierjeski

Dozens of Museums and Universities Pledge to Return Native American Remains. Few Have Funded the Effort.

Reporting from nearly 50 local newsrooms, based on ProPublica’s “Repatriation Project,” has sparked a wave of apologies and commitment to returning ancestral remains. But without funding for the work tribal nations could still face empty promises.

by Logan Jaffe, Mary Hudetz and Ash Ngu

Texas Legislature Closes Gun Background Check Loophole

State lawmakers passed a bill requiring courts to report involuntary mental health hospitalizations of juveniles for inclusion in the federal gun background check system. The law closes a gap revealed by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune in 2022.

by Jeremy Schwartz

Legislation to Support Stillbirth Prevention Heads to House After Unanimous Senate Approval

Following ProPublica’s reporting on the nation’s stillbirth crisis, a bipartisan group of senators reintroduced a bill to fund prevention. After the Senate passed the legislation unanimously in September, the House is expected to take it up next.

by Duaa Eldeib

More Impact

Lawmakers in at Least Seven States Seek Expanded Abortion Access

Some of the bills were filed in direct response to ProPublica’s reporting on the fatal consequences of abortion bans.

by Ziva Branstetter and Cassandra Jaramillo

Hydroelectric Dams on Oregon’s Willamette River Kill Salmon. Congress Says It’s Time to Consider Shutting Them Down.

The newly signed legislation follows reporting from Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica that underscored the risks and costs associated with a plan to migrate salmon past hydroelectric dams using a giant fish collector and tanker trucks.

by Tony Schick, Oregon Public Broadcasting

New York Attorney General Launches Investigation of Guardianship Providers

Investigators for the state’s top law enforcement official have begun probing the practices of several organizations that serve as guardians to hundreds of New York’s most vulnerable residents. The inquiry follows a ProPublica investigation.

by Jake Pearson

El DMV y los principales legisladores de Connecticut prometen revisar las leyes de remolque

Los planes para reformar las leyes de remolque en la sesión legislativa de este año siguen a una investigación de The Connecticut Mirror y ProPublica que descubrió que los remolcadores pueden vender los autos tan solo 15 días después de recogerlos.

por Ginny Monk y Dave Altimari, The Connecticut Mirror

Justice Department Sues Six of the Nation’s Largest Landlords in Effort to Stop Alleged Price-Fixing in Rental Markets

Federal prosecutors allege that the landlords have used RealPage pricing software to collude and artificially raise rents. The legal action is the latest development stemming from a 2022 ProPublica investigation.

by Heather Vogell

Feds Fine Baker College $2.5 Million for Deceptive Marketing That Left Students With Debts and Regrets

A 2022 investigation detailed how the once-growing Michigan school built its reputation on slick advertising despite low graduation rates and leaving many students burdened with heavy debt.

by Anna Clark, ProPublica, and David Jesse, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Connecticut DMV and Top Lawmakers Vow to Review Towing Laws

The plans to reform towing laws in this year’s legislative session follow a Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica investigation that found people’s cars can be sold just 15 days after they’re towed.

by Ginny Monk and Dave Altimari, The Connecticut Mirror

Microsoft Bundling Practices Focus of Federal Antitrust Probe

The Federal Trade Commission has demanded information from Microsoft and interviewed competitors as the agency’s antitrust investigation heats up. The probe follows ProPublica reporting on how the company skirted and potentially violated federal law.

by Renee Dudley

Thailand Bans Advertising for Toddler Milk

With new rules, Thailand joins three dozen countries that have taken steps to regulate toddler milk ads. The action follows a ProPublica investigation that detailed how the U.S. helped the formula industry fight regulation in 2017.

by Heather Vogell

Report: Hospitals Rarely Advise Doctors on How to Treat Patients Under Abortion Bans

Doctors described hospital lawyers who “refused to meet” with them for months, were hard to reach during “life or death” situations and offered little help beyond “regurgitating” the law, according to a Senate Finance Committee report.

by Kavitha Surana

U.S. Senator Urges EPA to Release “Science-Based” Report on Formaldehyde Health Risks

Citing a ProPublica investigation that found formaldehyde causes far more cancer than any other toxic air pollutant, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a letter that “the agency has an obligation to protect the public from the chemical.”

by Sharon Lerner

As the Olympics Approach, Los Angeles Considers Crackdown on Illegal Vacation Rentals

City officials are proposing stricter enforcement, higher fines and new technology in part to prevent rent-controlled apartments from being listed on Airbnb and Booking.com, the subject of a Capital & Main and ProPublica investigation.

by Robin Urevich, Capital & Main

A Tribal Lender Charging 800% APR Has Agreed to Stop Operating in Minnesota

The Lac du Flambeau tribe of Wisconsin settled a civil suit filed by Minnesota’s attorney general that alleged its triple-digit interest rates violated state caps. The tribe is under increasing legal pressure nationally over its lending practices.

by Megan O’Matz and Joel Jacobs

Maine Proposes Major Staffing Increases for Assisted Living and Residential Care Facilities

The proposed regulations come after an 18-month investigation by The Maine Monitor and ProPublica found dozens of violations at the state’s largest facilities.

Rose Lundy, The Maine Monitor

Illinois’ AG Said It’s Illegal for Schools to Use Police to Ticket Students. But His Office Told Only One District.

Despite the attorney general’s declaration that Illinois schools should stop using police to discipline students, officers statewide continue to ticket kids with costly fines. One lawmaker will again pursue legislation to end the practice.

by Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards

Texas Lawmakers Push for New Exceptions to State’s Strict Abortion Ban After the Deaths of Two Women

The new legislation, prompted by ProPublica’s reporting, comes after 111 Texas doctors signed a public letter urging that the ban be changed because it “does not allow us as medical professionals to do our jobs.”

by Cassandra Jaramillo, Kavitha Surana, Lizzie Presser and Ziva Branstetter

Senator Slams Gun Industry’s “Invasive and Dangerous” Sharing of Customer Data With Political Operatives

In response to a ProPublica investigation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal demanded answers from the gun industry about its “covert program” to collect information on gun owners for political purposes.

by Corey G. Johnson

Courts Appoint Special Counsel to Oversee Reform of New York’s Troubled Guardianship System

Judicial leaders in New York created two new oversight positions as they work to reform the state’s guardianship system. The personnel additions follow a ProPublica investigation that spotlighted lax monitoring of court-appointed guardians.

by Jake Pearson

She Supports Trump’s Anti-Immigration Policies. Texas Incorrectly Flagged Her as a “Noncitizen” on Its Voting Rolls.

Mary Howard-Elley is the 10th U.S. citizen identified by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and Votebeat whose registration was canceled after her citizenship was questioned. Her saga shows how tough it can be for eligible voters to get reinstated.

by Lexi Churchill, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, James Barragán, The Texas Tribune, Vianna Davila, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, and Natalia Contreras, Votebeat

After Mass Dismissals in Anchorage, Alaska Officials Step in to Help Prosecute Crimes

The state offered to send up to 10 prosecutors to Anchorage days after the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica reported that hundreds of misdemeanor cases had been dropped since May because the city couldn’t hit court deadlines for speedy trials.

by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News

Latest Stories from ProPublica

North Carolina Supreme Court Candidate Wants Military Absentee Votes Tossed. Years Earlier, That’s How He Voted.

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Following a Series of Government Hacks, Biden Closes Out His Administration With New Cybersecurity Order

Lawmakers in at Least Seven States Seek Expanded Abortion Access