Massachusetts seeks $100 million in Fair Share school aid as districts prepare for fall
Gov. Maura Healey is seeking $100 million in one-time school aid, but lawmakers have not approved it as districts make fall staffing and program decisions.
State News
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Maryland jobs grew in June, but transportation and manufacturing employment declined
Maryland added an estimated 900 jobs in June and 17,800 during the first half of 2026, but transportation, manufacturing, retail and wholesale employment fell.
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Maine’s new license plate deadline has passed. What drivers should know
Maine’s July 31, 2026 deadline for issuing new plates has passed, but public BMV materials do not provide a final tally confirming every required Chickadee replacement.
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Louisiana congressional candidates face Aug. 5-7 qualifying deadline after map fight
Louisiana U.S. House candidates must qualify by 4:30 p.m. Friday for races moved to a Nov. 3 open primary after earlier congressional elections were canceled.
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Why August 3 matters in Kentucky’s debate over a possible McConnell Senate vacancy
Mitch McConnell remains in rehabilitation and says he intends to return. No vacancy has been documented, but Kentucky law would require a special election if one were formally created.
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Kansas lawmakers begin interim work with KanCare, claims and rule reviews ahead of 2027 session
A preliminary Kansas legislative schedule lists August meetings on KanCare oversight, claims against the state and administrative rules, with residents urged to verify agendas and times before participating.
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Iowa’s state IT outsourcing begins today as about 192 jobs enter transition
Cognizant begins managing Iowa executive-branch IT operations on August 3, while AWS’s larger cloud migration remains ahead and about 192 state layoffs are scheduled.
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Indiana evaluates June storm damage while federal disaster aid remains unavailable
Indiana and FEMA are evaluating damage from June storms and flooding, but no federal disaster declaration or FEMA assistance has been approved for the events. Here is what the assessments mean and what residents should do now.
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Illinois Medicaid changes for many noncitizens are approaching. Notices will arrive in August
Illinois will send personalized Medicaid notices in August before coverage ends Sept. 30 for some noncitizens under new federal eligibility rules.
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Idaho wildfire closures make same-day travel checks essential
A BLM closure near Brownlee Reservoir is scheduled through Aug. 17. Idaho travelers should check roads, fire restrictions, land closures and local emergency notices before leaving.
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Maui wildfire survivors face narrower state aid and higher FEMA housing costs
A Hawaii relief program now limits new applications to eligible households with minor dependent children, while FEMA is raising rents for some of the roughly 600 survivors still in temporary housing.
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Georgia school phone restrictions begin shaping the 2026-27 academic year
Georgia’s K-8 bell-to-bell device restriction is active for the 2026-27 school year. District rules vary, while a statewide high-school mandate begins no later than July 1, 2027.
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Florida court orders DHS to restore SAVE voter-verification access as appeal continues
A Northern District of Florida judge ordered DHS to restore SAVE bulk-upload and Social Security-number search features, but conflicting federal rulings leave the system’s legal and technical status unsettled.
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Delaware’s new housing law is changing Sussex County subdivision hearings
Senate Bill 23 moves qualifying by-right residential applications into administrative review. Sussex County paused major-subdivision hearings while officials work out the process.
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Connecticut awards $16.8 million for 13 local bridge projects
Connecticut awarded $16.8 million in state matching grants for 13 bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects in 11 municipalities. The grants cover half of eligible costs, but no construction or closure dates were announced.
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Colorado’s new gun restrictions take effect. What changes for firearm buyers and owners
Colorado’s restrictions on specified semiautomatic firearms took effect August 1, 2026. Here are the covered firearms, required sheriff and training steps, fees, deadlines and pending lawsuit.
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California lawmakers return for final month of 2026 session
California lawmakers return August 3 with fiscal, floor and passage deadlines compressed into the final weeks of the 2025-26 legislative session.
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Arkansas cyclosporiasis cases reach 123 as lettuce investigation continues
Arkansas reported 123 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases by July 30, including 75 in Benton County. Recalled iceberg lettuce was distributed in Arkansas, but officials have not linked every state case to the product.
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Oracle’s Wisconsin data-center fight moves into court over billions in financial guarantees
Oracle is challenging Wisconsin’s financial-support rules for very large electricity users in Ozaukee County court, where collateral costs and ratepayer risk could shape future data-center projects.
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Wyoming’s $205 million rural-health program moves from applications to provider awards
Wyoming’s first-year federal rural-health award is moving into provider selection and contracting after the main application deadline passed Aug. 2, with first-year funds expected to be obligated by Oct. 30.
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D.C. begins testing reflective pavement at five heat-island sites
DDOT launched a five-site pilot of three reflective pavement products, with daytime closures during application and an evaluation report planned by the end of 2026.
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Spokane-area wildfires leave hundreds of structures destroyed as evacuations continue
The Old Trails, Fairview and Meadowview fires are being managed as the Spokane Complex after preliminary reports put structure losses at roughly 600 to 640 and evacuations at about 60,000 people.