Pennsylvania Lawsuit Puts Nearly $6 Million in Emergency Funding at Issue
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s July 23 lawsuit challenges federal election-related grant conditions. It does not change how Pennsylvanians register, vote or have ballots audited.
State News
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Oregon Animal-Cruelty Initiative Fails to Qualify for 2026 Ballot
Oregon election officials found Initiative Petition 28 lacked enough valid signatures for the November 3, 2026, ballot. A state estimate outlined potentially large fiscal effects if the measure had passed.
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Oklahoma AG demands delayed roof-claims report by July 31
Attorney General Gentner Drummond asked Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready to release Oklahoma’s delayed roof-claims examination, findings and workpapers by July 31.
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Ohio Medicaid Work Requirements: What Enrollees Need to Know Before 2027
Ohio Medicaid’s new 80-hour monthly community-engagement requirement begins January 1, 2027. Here is who may be affected, how Ohio plans to verify eligibility and what enrollees should do before notices arrive.
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North Dakota expands harmful-algae advisories and warnings to seven waterbodies
North Dakota added Lake Tschida to its harmful-algal-bloom advisory list, bringing active advisories and warnings to seven waterbodies statewide.
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North Carolina Audit Finds Child-Care Inspections Too Predictable
A July state audit found that required child-care visits were completed but often followed repeat timing patterns. It also flagged older star ratings and delays in parent notifications, while DHHS disputes parts of the assessment.
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New York’s $1 Billion POWER Rebates Are Moving Toward Fall Payments
New York’s enacted FY 2026-27 budget provides automatic $100-to-$200 POWER rebate checks for eligible taxpayers whose 2024 state returns meet the residency, income and filing-status rules. The state expects to mail checks from September through December 2026.
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New Mexico Medicaid Costs Rose as Enrollment Fell, LFC Analysts Find
New Mexico Medicaid spending more than doubled through fiscal 2026 even as enrollment fell after its fiscal 2023 peak, putting attention on per-member costs, hospital payments and managed-care accountability.
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New Jersey creates pathway to seek new nuclear power under ratepayer safeguards
The Power NJ Act directs the BPU and NJEDA to seek at least 1,100 megawatts of new nuclear generation, but no plant, site or developer has been approved and future customer costs remain unknown.
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New Hampshire Medicaid Members Should Prepare for 2027 Work-Requirement Changes
New Hampshire is preparing Granite Advantage members for federal Medicaid changes beginning January 1, 2027, including an 80-hour monthly community-engagement standard for applicable adults.
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Nevada Medicaid prepares for 2027 work requirements and six-month renewals
Nevada plans September notices to about 280,000 Medicaid expansion members before a January 1, 2027 federal work requirement, while exemptions and a lawsuit could change implementation.
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Nebraska Revolving Water-Fund Program Nears $2 Billion as Capacity Tightens
Nebraska’s water-financing program is nearing $2 billion in cumulative commitments, while its FY2027 plan maps more than $175 million in assistance for at least 40 projects and warns of tighter capacity after 2028.
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Montana Extends Driver License Fee Waiver Through September
Montana extended its credential fee waiver through September 30, 2026, but residents adding the citizenship marker must apply in person and may still owe REAL ID fees.
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Missouri Amendment 4 Would Make Citizen-Led Constitutional Changes Harder
Missouri voters will decide Aug. 4 whether citizen-led constitutional amendments must win majorities in all eight congressional districts.
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Mississippi Youth Court Overhaul Takes Effect With $29.5 Million in New Spending
Mississippi’s enacted youth-court overhaul adds nine judicial positions, changes hearing and records rules, expands diversion and begins a transition away from referees by July 1, 2027.
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Federal Judge Puts Minnesota Prediction-Market Ban on Hold
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction July 27 blocking Minnesota from enforcing specified prediction-market restrictions before their August 1 effective date, allowing Kalshi and Polymarket to operate in the state for now.
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Massachusetts House Rejects Senate Economic Bill Version, Sending Housing and AI Rules to Conference
The Massachusetts House rejected the Senate’s version of a $575.4 million economic-development package on July 30. Conference committees must now negotiate unresolved housing, AI, cryptocurrency-kiosk, micromobility and research-funding provisions.
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Maryland approves voting-system contract worth up to $109.4 million for 2028
Maryland approved a statewide voting-system contract with a five-year base value of $84,909,900.53. Optional renewals could raise the contract’s maximum value to $109,381,984.13 as officials prepare for the 2028 presidential election.
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Maine Immigration Laws Now Limit Police, Landlords and Public Facilities
Four Maine laws took effect July 29, limiting some cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and setting new rules for police, jails, public facilities and landlords.
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Louisiana AI Laws Take Effect Aug. 1 for Deepfakes and Political Ads
Two Louisiana laws taking effect Aug. 1 create new criminal penalties for sexual deepfakes and require disclosures on certain AI-generated political ads.
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Kentucky Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Over Unredacted Voter List
A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s Kentucky lawsuit seeking an unredacted statewide voter-registration list, but the department’s appeal keeps the dispute active.
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Kansas Opens Statewide Water Meetings as Officials Plan for Future Supply
Kansas has begun a seven-meeting regional water consultation process. Five scheduled sessions remain, giving residents opportunities to discuss conservation, water quality, infrastructure funding and long-term planning.