In a week marked by significant legislative developments across multiple states, Alabama stands out as Governor Kay Ivey (R) signed into law a measure banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public schools. Meanwhile, other states also witnessed notable actions, from addressing housing crises to criminal justice reforms. Let’s delve into the latest legislative updates from across the nation.

Alabama

Governor Kay Ivey (R) signed legislation into law to place a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public schools. 

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Arizona

Governor Katie Hobbs (D) has vetoed legislation that looked to address the state’s housing crisis. The legislation would restrict how cities regulate building design and size. 

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California

The California General Assembly passed a bill making changes to the state’s fast food minimum wage law. Assembly Bill 610 creates exemptions for workers at certain types of establishments, including restaurants in airports, hotels, event centers, theme parks, museums, gambling spots, corporate campus cafeterias, and ports, piers, beaches, and parks on publicly owned land. 

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Colorado

Lawmakers advanced legislation that looks to ban the use of the term “excited delirium” as the cause of an individual’s death within police training manuals and autopsy reports. 

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Connecticut

Lawmakers advanced legislation to regulate the production and selling of per and polyfluorinated substances. This bill attempts to limit the use of PFAS in the state. 

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Delaware 

Delaware, one of six states without a health care facility assessment for its hospitals, has been hindered in accessing federal Medicaid funds. Senator Sarah McBride (D) has unveiled a proposal that would allow the state to utilize federal funding to improve and expand Medicaid services.

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Florida 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation banning local municipalities from permitting camping or sleeping on public property. The legislation aims to provide homeless individuals with necessary resources to regain stability.

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Georgia

The Georgia Senate and House committees approved bills (SB 157 and HB 909) to enhance employment and housing opportunities for people with minor criminal histories. SB 157 aims to expand access to professional licenses, and HB 909 seeks to increase the number of individuals eligible to have their criminal records sealed. Criminal justice reform advocates support these measures, anticipating they will positively impact thousands of people.

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Hawaii

Lawmakers advanced legislation that would legalize and regulate marijuana in the state. Under this bill, adults aged 21 and older would be permitted to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. 

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Idaho 

Lawmakers advanced two pieces of legislation that look to address the state’s foster care system. SB 1380 would establish oversight for child welfare systems and SB 1379 would restrict the use of short-term rentals for children under the age of 13. 

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Indiana

Governor Eric Holcomb (R) has signed a bill that alters how Indiana’s public access counselor and future counselors interpret Open Meetings and public records law. The new legislation is the result of discussions held during the final weeks of the 2024 session. It limits the counselor’s interpretations to the law’s plain text when issuing opinions.

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Iowa

Iowa senators passed a bill to restructure the state’s Area Education Agencies, but the plan differs from the House’s version. The bills have different details, particularly in handling contracting for special education services. Leaders in both chambers must collaborate to find a compromise if they want to fulfill Governor Kim Reynolds’ (R) priority this session.

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Kansas

Lawmakers introduced a bill that would establish a pilot medical cannabis program in the state. The program would allow patients diagnosed with one of 16 covered medical conditions to seek relief through their primary care physician. Hundreds of thousands of Kansans suffer from these medical conditions and often have no treatment option other than prescription narcotics. Kansas is one of only 10 states that does not currently have a medical marijuana program.

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Kentucky 

Lawmakers advanced legislation to regulate “sexually explicit” performances hosted in “adult-oriented businesses,” which opponents label as being “anti-drag.”

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Louisiana

The Louisiana House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure passed a bill allowing lawsuits against companies and public entities that mandate the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Maine

Lawmakers advanced legislation that establishes new requirements for landlords to comply with in the state. This bill would require that landlords provide a disclosure of all rental costs for tenants prior to a lease being signed. 

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Massachusetts

State lawmakers are considering a bill to limit the period of time people and families can stay in shelters. If passed, the bill will place a 9 month limit on stays in emergency housing with 90 day extensions granted to certain families.

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Minnesota

Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz (D) proposed a $226 million supplemental budget, which focuses on children’s policies, public safety, and water quality. This additional spending would come on top of the already approved $72 billion budget, the largest in state history, which was approved last year.

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Mississippi

Governor Tate Reeves (R) signed multiple pieces of legislation into law this week, including bills to declare a Tuskegee Airmen Day, declare a Mississippi Musicians Month, and to allow hunters to wear specified bright colors while hunting.

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New Hampshire

Lawmakers advanced two pieces of legislation that look to address landfill use in the state. HB 1145 would prohibit the private ownership of landfills, and HB 1632 would cap the out-of-state trash amount to being 15% of landfill waste. 

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New Jersey

Lawmakers advanced legislation that looks to address affordable housing in the state. The legislation would provide new streamlined guidelines to institute affordable housing within municipalities.  

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New Mexico

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed five bills into law this week. These pieces of legislation include expanding tuition-free college, funding university research, providing career training to students, and adopting consent policies on college campuses. 

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New York

Lawmakers advanced legislation aimed at simplifying the process of paying utility bills. Under the NY Heat Act, utility regulations will be aligned with state emission reduction targets going forward. 

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Oklahoma 

The Oklahoma Senate has passed Senate Resolution 31, a budget transparency measure, by a 41-3 vote. The resolution serves as the foundation for negotiations with the House and Governor Kevin Stitt. Based on budget estimates certified by the state Board of Equalization in February, the Legislature will have approximately $14 billion for appropriations, with $11.6 billion being recurring revenue. The resolution also includes the estimated $313 million cost of the grocery tax cut in FY 2025.

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Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania House State Government Committee advanced two bills that would reform campaign finance laws by expanding reporting requirements for independent expenditures and candidates running for the state Legislature.  House Bill 1472 would require civic leagues and 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organizations to report campaign finance reports.

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Rhode Island

Lawmakers advanced legislation to require gun owners to store firearms in safe spaces when not being used. This bill would fine individuals who do not lock their firearms when not in use. 

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South Carolina

Lawmakers advanced legislation that will reform how the legislature currently chooses judges. This bill would add individuals to the legislature that are responsible for selecting judges for the state courts and implement oversight in the process. 

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South Dakota

Governor Kristi Noem (R) signed numerous pieces of legislation into law, including measures related to the state budget, taxes, and establishing a legal services office. 

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Tennessee

Lawmakers advanced legislation that looks to address juvenile crime in the state. Under the Juvenile Organized Retail Theft Act, youth would be sent to criminal court for stealing, and under the Parental Accountability Act, parents would be fined for numerous delinquent acts committed by their children. 

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Utah

Governor Spencer Cox (R) signed legislation into law that intends to address road rage on the streets. This legislation seeks to allow for the removal of a person’s driver’s license for committing an act of road rage. 

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Vermont

Lawmakers advanced legislation that would require social media platforms to establish privacy settings for children. This bill aims to limit youth access to social media as well as prohibit companies from selling children’s personal information to third parties. 

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Washington

Governor Jay Inslee (D) signed numerous fentanyl-related bills into law this week, looking to address the crisis taking place in the state. The bills look to improve overdose prevention methods, treatment access, recovery support, and education surrounding the opioid crisis. 

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West Virginia

Previously, in West Virginia, all students, except homeschooled or medically exempt, were required to be vaccinated for diseases such as polio and measles. House Bill 5105 now permits exemptions for virtual public school students and empowers private and parochial schools to establish their own vaccination policies. West Virginia was one of five states that previously only allowed medical exemptions before the passage of House Bill 5105.

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