In this week’s “State of the States” update for October 4, 2024, we take a closer look at key policy decisions and legislative developments across the country. Alabama’s Governor Kay Ivey is considering a transformative economic plan, while Alaska is making strides in restoring water to the Eklutna River. Other states like Arkansas, California, and Colorado are addressing issues ranging from medical marijuana and food safety to affordable housing. Dive into this roundup for the latest updates on state-level governance, including healthcare, tax reforms, environmental policies, and more.
Alabama
Governor Kay Ivey (R) has received and is considering a new economic development plan called Catalyst, which would replace the Accelerate Alabama framework currently in place. This plan emphasizes attracting technology companies to increase employee recruitment and prioritizing distribution methods and transportation to revitalize rural communities.
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Alaska
Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) issued a decision on Sunday to restore water to most of the Eklutna River. This plan does not achieve the desires of the Municipality of Anchorage and the Native Village of Eklutna, who want the river’s flow restored along its full length. But, this decision is a significant step in this direction, as it restores flow along 11 miles of the 12 mile river.
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Arkansas
Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston (R) has been ordered to resume counting signatures for a medical marijuana ballot measure this November by the state Supreme Court. This has happened as a result of Thurston denying signatures submitted by the organization organizing for the ballot measure, and the subsequent appeal by the organization to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
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California
Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has signed a bill into law that bans the serving of food with synthetic dyes in public school cafeterias after an FDA report that showed correlation with the use of these dyes and adverse behavioral outcomes and neurological disorders in children. In order to give food service companies time to adjust, this law will go into effect in December of 2027.
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Colorado
It was announced this week that the state of Colorado is distributing $21 million to create three new low-income housing projects. The funding will create 291 new units. On this, Governor Jared Polis (D) said “Creating more housing that Coloradans can afford, where they want to live, is critical to lowering the cost of living. These new units will create new opportunities for hard-working Coloradans and families to live in our thriving communities.”
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Connecticut
The state of Connecticut has hired an outside contractor to help fix its data management issues. A law requiring the clearing of tens of thousands of criminal records has highlighted the issues with data management, as the state has had issues in following through on the law’s demands.
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Delaware
Governor John Carney (D) signed a package of bills and allowed another to go into law without his signature which all are designed to support the long-term sustainability of state retiree healthcare benefits. On this, Carney said “I am encouraged that this legislative package accelerates my administration’s commitment to funding the OPEB Trust Fund and implementing eligibility reforms.…I strongly encourage members of the General Assembly to continue their work to enact plan design and eligibility changes that will ensure the long-term sustainability of retiree health care and secure the progress we’ve made toward improving the State’s finances.”
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Georgia
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney struck down Georgia’s six week abortion ban this week, finding that Georgia’s abortion ban violated the state constitution and its rights of liberty for its citizens. A spokesperson for Georgia Attorney Chris Carr (R) said that their office would immediately appeal the ruling.
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Idaho
After coming under national scrutiny for manipulating markets, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are being targeted in a Idaho state house bill as a way to decrease costs for both patients and pharmacies. Insurance companies and PBMs are opposing this bill.
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Iowa
On Wednesday, Governor Kim Reynolds (R) signed a bill that makes it a crime to be in Iowa for a person who has been removed from or denied entry to the United States. Reynolds said that this bill is to protect Iowans from what she says the federal government is failing to do.
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Kansas
Governor Laura Kelly (R) announced that applications for the National Telecommunications Information and Administration’s (NTIA) Internet for All initiative will open on October 21. The Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) will manage the allocation of $451.7 million from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand high-speed internet access throughout Kansas, ensuring connectivity for underserved areas.
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Louisiana
Governor Jeff Landry (R) plans to call a special legislative session in November to overhaul the state’s tax system. His proposal focuses on reducing income tax and expanding sales tax to more goods and services. Landry emphasized that the current system is not benefiting residents and needs reform to make Louisiana more competitive economically.
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Massachusetts
Gov. Maura Healey (D) enacted a gun reform law Wednesday, allowing it to take effect immediately. The law, which bans ghost guns and expands red flag provisions, would have taken effect in October. Opponents sought to delay it, but Healey disagreed.
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Minnesota
Minnesota’s new Debt Fairness Act provides significant relief for those facing medical debt. The law bans reporting medical debt to credit bureaus, prevents its transfer to spouses, and ensures healthcare providers cannot deny necessary care to patients with debt. It also limits wage garnishment to 10% for minimum wage earners, while exempting those earning less than minimum wage from garnishment entirely.
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Missouri
Governor Mike Parsons (R) vetoed a bill this week that would fund a safety initiative for gun detection equipment in schools. It was a $2.5 million grant proposal, similar to the one that Governor Laura Kelly (D) vetoed in neighboring Kansas.
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Nevada
Nevada lawmakers are considering legislation to allow for the installation of traffic and speed cameras to catch traffic violators, but legislative approval is uncertain due to lawmakers’ long-standing opposition.
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New Jersey
A bill has advanced out of committee in the State Senate that would make it easier for disabled veterans in the state to access handicapped parking spots. Under this SB 2815 veterans would be able to use blue parking spaces and zones designated for those with disabilities as long as they display valid Purple Heart license plates or placards in their vehicles without having to obtain the additional verification that others with disabilities are required to get every three years.
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New Mexico
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed a bill this week that appropriates $100 million of funding to flood and fire relief. This aid money will be split across several municipalities, as well as across state departments as they all look to rebound from these events.
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New York
Governor Kathy Hochul (D) signed several bills expanding health insurance for women during and after pregnancy this week. One allows pregnant women to enroll in health insurance at any time without penalty and not be subjected to fees for pregnancy, and another to cover prescribed prenatal vitamins.
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North Dakota
Governor Doug Burgum (R) signed an executive order on Thursday declaring a statewide fire emergency and activating the State Emergency Operations Plan to preposition resources for a rapid wildfire response, given the high fire danger conditions that exist across parts of the state. In the last week alone, nearly 3,500 acres have burned in the state across 67 reported fires.
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Ohio
State Senator Niraj Antani (R) introduced legislation this week that would allow residents in the state to pay their state and local taxes with cryptocurrency. Ohio has become the most recent state to consider enabling this method of payment, following certain states like Colorado and Florida (where it is allowed in certain municipalities).
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North Carolina
President Joe Biden (D) approved Governor Roy Cooper’s (R) request for active-duty military support in Western North Carolina to aid in rescue and recovery efforts due to Hurricane Helene. This is in addition to over 1,000 National Guard soldiers already deployed, conducting search and rescue operations and delivering food, water, and supplies. The North Carolina National Guard has performed over 1,400 rescues and delivered 700,000 pounds of supplies so far, with more personnel and resources being sent to assist.
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Ohio
State Senator Niraj Antani (R) has introduced a bill allowing Ohio residents to use Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to pay state taxes and fees on Monday. The legislation also permits state universities and public pension funds to invest in cryptocurrencies. This push positions Ohio to embrace digital assets in government transactions, following a previous, short-lived attempt in 2018 to accept crypto for tax payments.
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Oregon
Oregon lawmakers have outlined their priorities for the 2025 legislative session, focusing on expanding the health care workforce, freeing up hospital beds, and increasing reimbursements for naturopathic physicians and retail pharmacies. Behavioral health remains a top concern, with plans to increase providers and facilities. Other proposed legislation includes banning flavored tobacco products and regulating pharmacy benefit managers to support local pharmacists.
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Pennsylvania
Governor Josh Shapiro (D) signed three bills into law on Wednesday. The first, HB 2328, is the capital budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025. The second, HB 2288, removes a cap on compensation for supervisors in 2nd class townships that has been stagnant since 1995. The third, HB 1567, allows tenants the right to remain in the property during maintenance, provided that it is safe to do so.
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Rhode Island
Governor Dan McKee (D) signed more than 12 bills into law this week that are designed to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis. The most important part of this package was the allowance of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which allow for an accessory flat to be built onto an existing residence. This helps in particular seniors, who can use this to make living among family or a caregiver more accessible and affordable.
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Tennessee
Governor Bill Lee (R) signed a bill that is intended to provide critical relief to victims of Hurricane Helene, which strongly impacted many residents of the eastern portions of the state. Tennessee is also requesting a Major Disaster Declaration from FEMA in order to provide impacted state counties with additional relief & resources.
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Vermont
More than 90 Vermont lawmakers have signed a letter asking Governor Phil Scott (R) to declare the state’s homeless crisis a State of Emergency and to use his executive powers to fast-track funding to build more temporary housing. The letter says the lack of “safe shelter” for thousands of unhoused Vermonters is a humanitarian emergency that will only get worse as the weather turns colder.
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Virginia
This week Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) signed 20 bipartisan bills to support Virginia’s military and veteran community and their families. This package of bills improves access to early childhood education for military families, streamlines essential services, removes housing barriers, and strengthens protections and benefits for service members.
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West Virginia
The Senate began its second Special Session of 2024 by considering 28 pieces of legislation, focusing mainly on supplemental appropriations. After a recess, they suspended constitutional rules to pass one Senate bill and six House bills. Key bills include HB 201, which allocates $10 million for Communities in Schools, HB 202, granting the Division of Highways $150 million, HB 203, providing $1.2 million for the Veterans’ Home, and HB 204, which allocates $375,000 for the West Virginia State Police for improvements.
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Wisconsin
Northeast Wisconsin lawmakers have reintroduced the “2025 Tax-Free Retirement Act” to eliminate retirement income tax for most seniors. The bill would exempt $75,000 for single filers and $125,000 for married or joint filers from state income tax. A similar bipartisan bill, which exempted $150,000 for joint filers, passed earlier but was vetoed by Governor Tony Evers (D) in March.
Learn more here
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