State lawmakers

The US Senate has passed a bill that would create national rules for college sports, an area currently governed by the NCAA and a patchwork of state laws. The legislation aims to standardize issues such as athlete compensation and eligibility across the country. The measure now moves to the House, and debate is expected over how far Congress should go in regulating college athletics.

California has enacted a new law tightening regulations on explosive chemicals, a measure passed in response to an incident in Garden Grove that raised safety concerns. The legislation imposes stricter controls on the sale and storage of such substances. Details of the Garden Grove incident and the law's specific provisions remain limited in available reporting.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation creating a label for foods that are not ultra-processed, part of a broader package of health bills that his office describes as advancing the state's nation-leading healthcare strategy. The move makes California the first US state to adopt such a labeling standard, and comes as lawmakers and health advocates nationwide push for greater transparency around ultra-processed foods and their links to chronic disease.

California has adopted new laws that make incremental adjustments to its mental health court system, while proposals for more sweeping structural changes failed to pass. The legislation refines how the court, which diverts people with serious mental illness away from jail and into treatment, operates, but leaves its broader framework intact after larger reform efforts were rejected.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have provided support for immigration attorneys working in rural parts of the state. The measure aimed to expand legal representation for immigrants in underserved areas. The veto is likely to draw criticism from immigrant advocacy groups and Democratic lawmakers who backed the legislation.

A union representing Montana state employees and the governor's office have reached an agreement over state employee healthcare costs, according to Montana Free Press. The deal is expected to settle disputes over how much workers contribute to their health coverage. Details of the terms, and reactions from union members and lawmakers, are not yet fully known.

Ohio Republicans have introduced a bill that would establish a $360 million fund to reimburse school districts for special education costs. The proposal aims to ease the financial burden on districts that say state support has not kept pace with the actual expense of serving students with disabilities. Debate is expected over funding levels and how reimbursements would be distributed.

The United States Senate has defeated a proposal that would have limited increases in ticket prices for college sports. The rejection means schools and athletic programs remain free to raise ticket prices without the proposed restrictions. Little detail has been reported so far on the vote's margin, the proposal's sponsor, or which lawmakers backed or opposed the measure.

The advocacy group Transportation For America is asking what Congress should do to address pedestrian deaths, which it calls a scourge on US roads. The group is pushing federal lawmakers to take action on street safety, likely through funding and design policy. The question comes amid growing concern in the United States about rising numbers of people killed while walking.

Republican lawmakers in Arizona are questioning the state Land Department over its handling of solar energy leases on state trust land, arguing that alternative uses such as grazing, mining, or development could generate better returns for the trust beneficiaries. The exchange reflects growing GOP scrutiny of renewable energy projects on public lands, with critics pushing for a broader review of how the department prioritizes solar development over other land uses.

State lawmaker Toney is calling for legislative action on automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology after Flock cameras were dropped in northeastern Wisconsin. The withdrawal of the cameras has raised questions about how the surveillance technology is regulated and used, and Toney wants the state to set clearer rules governing its deployment by local agencies.

Congress is moving to address the growing impacts of data centers, which are expanding rapidly across the United States. Lawmakers are examining concerns over their heavy energy and water use, strain on local grids, and effects on surrounding communities as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence continues to rise.

The Texas Education Agency has requested roughly $97 billion in funding for the 2028-29 biennium to support K-12 education initiatives across the state. The request will now go to state lawmakers, who will decide final appropriations during the legislative budget process. Details on which specific programs would receive priority have not yet been fully laid out.

US lawmakers are examining what was achieved at the recent summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with questions over whether the meeting merely preserved the existing state of US-China relations rather than producing concrete breakthroughs. Congressional review focuses on trade, tariffs and strategic commitments agreed at the leaders' meeting.

A Washington state lawmaker is stepping down from office just three days before the election, according to reporting from Washington State Standard. The timing of the departure, so close to voting day, is drawing attention, as it leaves constituents and party officials with little time to respond and raises questions about who will represent the district and how the seat will be filled.

Republican lawmakers in Arizona are raising questions about how state trust land is being leased for solar energy developments. The scrutiny centers on whether the lease terms and rates for renewable energy projects on public land serve the state's interests. The debate touches on broader tensions between promoting clean energy and protecting revenue from state lands, which help fund public institutions including schools.

Bill Poole is stepping down as director of the Alabama Department of Finance. Poole, a former state lawmaker who led the agency overseeing state budgeting and finances, has not announced his next move, and state officials have not detailed a timeline or successor for the post.

Pennsylvania lawmakers are pushing for greater transparency from the state's wildlife agency, citing two videos of agency meetings. They argue the recordings raise questions about how the agency conducts its business and want the footage released to the public. The issue has drawn coverage from regional outlets in Beaver County and Erie, though details of the lawmakers' specific demands and the agency's response remain limited.

A US Senator from Washington state is spearheading the first federal effort to regulate college sports, according to regional reporting. The move would bring national oversight to a field long governed by the NCAA and state-level laws, touching issues like athlete compensation and NIL rights. Details of the proposal remain limited, but the involvement of federal lawmakers marks a notable shift in the college athletics debate.

Republican lawmakers in Arizona are pushing to change how state trust land is used, favouring housing development over large-scale solar projects. The proposal signals a shift in priorities at the legislature, where Republicans argue land should go to homes as the state grapples with housing costs. Critics are likely to see it as a setback for renewable energy expansion on public land.

Maryland lawmakers are weighing new taxes on electric vehicles to help fund the state's bridges, roads and highways. The proposal reflects a broader funding challenge: as more drivers switch to EVs, states collect less in traditional gasoline taxes that finance transportation projects.

Republican lawmakers in Arizona are pushing to shift how the state manages its trust lands, favoring residential development over large-scale solar projects. The proposal would make it easier to open state-owned parcels to homebuilding while limiting renewable energy leases. Supporters frame it as addressing the state's housing shortage; critics argue it works against Arizona's growing solar industry.

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have introduced a Progressive Taxation bill, pitched as a way to build an economy that 'works for everyone.' The proposal would restructure the state's tax system so that higher earners contribute a larger share. Details on rates, revenue projections and the bill's prospects in the legislature remain limited, and debate over its fairness and economic impact is expected.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that a high court ruling has brought an end to the prolonged legal battle over the state's voter maps. The decision settles the dispute over district boundaries in Arkansas, closing out a case that had drawn sustained attention from lawmakers, voting-rights groups and residents concerned about how electoral districts are drawn.

US lawmakers are struggling to craft policies that keep pace with the rapid spread of artificial intelligence. As AI tools reshape jobs, privacy, copyright and national security, Congress faces pressure to regulate a technology that is evolving faster than legislation can be written, leaving gaps that states, agencies and companies are trying to fill in the meantime.

The US Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act by a vote of 77-22, legislation aimed at setting national rules for name, image and likeness payments to college athletes. The strong bipartisan margin signals broad agreement in Congress on the need to rein in the current patchwork of state NIL laws, though the bill still needs House approval before becoming law.

State health officials in Pennsylvania have paused a proposal outlining a disease-control strategy, according to City & State Pennsylvania. The report gives no details on why the plan was shelved or when it might move forward. Little additional information is available, and reaction from lawmakers or public health experts has not yet emerged.

Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, together with fellow lawmakers, is urging Congress to support a federal film tax credit aimed at bolstering the American film and television production industry. The appeal comes as US production work faces competition from other countries and states offering generous incentives, prompting renewed debate in Washington over federal support for domestic film jobs.

Reproductive Freedom for All has announced its endorsement of a slate of candidates it calls reproductive freedom champions running for seats in the U.S. Senate. The advocacy group framed the endorsements as part of its effort to elect lawmakers who will protect abortion access and reproductive rights. The full list of endorsed candidates and the states involved were not detailed in the announcement.

Senators from Kansas and Missouri have come out in support of the Protect College Sports Act, federal legislation concerning college athletics. The measure would set national rules for college sports, an area currently shaped by a patchwork of state laws on issues such as athlete compensation and eligibility. Lawmakers in both states frame their backing as protecting student-athletes and the stability of college programs. Details of the bill's provisions and its chances of advancing in Congress remain to be seen.

Idaho senators, joined by college leaders in the state, are backing a sports reform bill that they say would bring 'clarity and consistency' to the rules governing college athletics. The measure has drawn support from both lawmakers and university administrators, who argue a unified framework is needed.

A new opinion piece in The Center Square argues that Louisiana should avoid heavy-handed regulation of artificial intelligence, warning that strict rules could drive AI investment and jobs to other states. The author frames the issue as an economic competitiveness question for the state, urging lawmakers to weigh the cost of regulation against the opportunity to attract a growing technology sector.

Governors from Missouri River basin states are pushing back against a bill in Congress that would limit their authority to manage and allocate Missouri River water. The governors argue the legislation could restrict longstanding state control over water use decisions. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between federal lawmakers and state leaders over who holds final say on the river's water resources, which support agriculture, navigation, and municipal supply across the region.

Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Tim Kaine and Peter Welch have called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to respect free elections in Brazil. The three Democratic lawmakers issued the appeal through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pressing the Trump administration's top diplomat to back democratic processes in the South American country amid tensions between Washington and Brasília.