Welcome to the DMGS Weekly State of the States! This week, we highlight various legislative developments, including Alabama’s proposal for state oversight of local police departments, Arizona’s budget adjustments to address a financial shortfall, and Arkansas’ tax cuts. We also cover California’s advancing bill on restaurant pricing transparency, Connecticut’s updated cosmetology licensing standards, and Delaware’s early recreational marijuana sales.

Alabama

One lawmaker has proposed legislation that would grant the state the authority to take over local police departments under certain circumstances. The proposed bill aims to address issues of mismanagement and ensure consistent law enforcement standards across the state. However, the bill will not be formally discussed until next session unless the governor were to call for a special session.

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Arizona

Governor Katie Hobbs (D) has signed a budget into law after intense negotiations to address a financial shortfall. The budget includes cuts to various programs and reallocates funds to balance the state’s finances, aiming to stabilize the economy while maintaining essential services.

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Arkansas 

The Arkansas House and Senate passed identical tax cut bills that reduce the top individual income tax rate from 4.4% to 3.9% and the top corporate income tax rate from 4.8% to 4.3%. Despite opposition from some Democrats who argued the cuts favored the wealthy, the legislature has been working with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and former Gov. Asa Hutchinson for years to reduce taxes.

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California

Senate Bill 1524, aimed at exempting restaurants from including add-on fees in quoted prices, is rapidly advancing through the legislature. On Tuesday, two Assembly committees endorsed the bill, which seeks to overturn last year’s SB 478, a major reform intended to increase consumer awareness of final bills.

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Connecticut 

Connecticut is updating cosmetology licensing standards to require training on all hair types and textures, following New York’s lead. Signed by Gov. Ned Lamont on Monday, the new law aims to improve service inclusivity and address the previously overlooked skills in many salons.

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Delaware

The Delaware House has approved a bill to start recreational marijuana sales early through existing medical cannabis dispensaries, addressing some equity concerns from advocates. Passed in a 29-11 vote, the bill allows current medical providers to convert to dual licensees, serving both patients and adult-use consumers ahead of the planned timeline.

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Florida 

Governor Ron DeSantis (R) highlighted significant state investments and signed three bills focused on enhancing health care and cancer treatment in Florida. The legislation includes provisions for pediatric rare disease research, expanding cancer-related resources, and ensuring coverage for biomarker testing under Medicaid and state insurance​.

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Kansas 

In a special session, the Kansas Legislature approved a tax reduction bill negotiated by Gov. Laura Kelly (D) and top Republican leaders, projecting $2 billion in state income and property tax cuts over five years. The bill, which precedes legislation for economic incentives to attract the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals to new stadiums in Kansas, faced dissent for excluding $55 million in property tax cuts and repealing the state’s 2% grocery sales tax. It also includes a $6 million expansion of the state’s childcare tax credit.

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Louisiana 

Governor Jeff Landry (R) signed a series of education reform bills, dubbed the ‘Dream Big Education Plan,’ aimed at improving Louisiana schools. Among the new laws is a mandate to display the 10 Commandments in all classrooms and a requirement for teachers and administrators to use pronouns assigned at birth rather than preferred pronouns.

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Michigan

A House committee has passed two “Taylor Swift bills” (HB 5661 and 5662) aimed at combating ticket scalping and the use of ticket bots. The legislation seeks to make it illegal for automated software to purchase large quantities of tickets for resale at inflated prices, ensuring fair access to event tickets for consumers.

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Mississippi 

The Mississippi House approved House Bill 799 last Friday, a tax collection proposal that could reduce state revenue by over $100 million next year. Supported by the Mississippi Economic Council, the proposal aims to cut interest rates on overdue taxes and limit the state Revenue Department’s ability to collect tax penalties and dispute taxes from multistate corporations. The Revenue Department opposes the bill, citing potential administrative issues.

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Nebraska 

Governor Jim Pillen (R) has announced a special session on property taxes, scheduled for July. The session aims to address concerns and potential reforms related to property tax relief for Nebraska residents.

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New Jersey

Governor Phil Murphy (D) signed an executive order in an effort to start a new clemency program. The program, once in effect, could wipe thousands of people’s criminal records clean who have been unfairly treated by the criminal justice system.

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New York

​​The Legislature has passed two bills aimed at protecting children’s privacy online. These measures require enhanced data protections for minors and impose stricter regulations on how companies can collect and use children’s personal information. The legislation seeks to safeguard children’s digital privacy and ensure their online activities are secure.

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Ohio

Several bills aimed at improving Ohio’s child care system are progressing through the legislature, focusing on partnerships between employers and the state, and providing tax relief for parents. State Rep. Andrea White introduced three bills in the Ohio House Ways and Means Committee, all addressing tax credits for businesses and households to tackle the workforce and child care crises.

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Oklahoma 

Governor Stitt signed 488 bills and vetoed 32 in the latest legislative session, approving measures for local law enforcement funding, judicial pay raises, and new regulations on medical marijuana facilities, while also introducing a business court system and overhauling felony sentencing for consistency. Some vetoes were overridden, and notable bills included protections for poultry producers and extending the challenge period for initiative petitions.

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Pennsylvania 

On Tuesday, Governor Josh Shapiro (D) signed multiple bills into law, addressing a range of issues including public safety, healthcare, and education.

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Rhode Island 

During the nearly six-month legislative session that ended last week, lawmakers introduced over 2,500 bills, resolutions, acts, condolences, and congratulations. However, only 240 out of 350 “essential” bills managed to pass through committee hearings, floor votes, and concurrence by the session’s end on June 14, a number consistent with the 2023 and 2022 sessions.

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Vermont 

The Vermont Legislature has overridden Governor Phil Scott’s vetoes on several bills related to climate change, housing, and criminal justice reform.

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Utah

Utah lawmakers convened on Juneteenth for a special session to declare the state’s intent not to follow a forthcoming federal rule providing antidiscrimination protections to LGBTQ+ students under Title IX. The resolution asserts that state laws restricting restroom access for transgender individuals and barring transgender girls from women’s high school sports take precedence, testing a new state law (SB57) that allows the Legislature to reject federal directives deemed to violate state sovereignty.

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