This week’s State of the States covers a wide range of legislative and executive actions across the country, from new laws on camp safety in Texas and crypto ATM fraud prevention in Arizona to debates on education policy in Alaska and affordable housing in Connecticut. Lawmakers are tackling issues spanning criminal justice, election reform, public safety, technology regulation, and more, highlighting how statehouses continue to shape policies that impact communities nationwide.
Alabama
Two Alabama lawmakers, Sen. April Weaver (R-Brierfield) and Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne), have prefiled bills for 2026 to expand death penalty eligibility to include certain first-degree sex crimes against children. The legislation follows their July announcement at a press conference.
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Alaska
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he will not extend the recently expired special legislative session, which focused on education policy and his proposal to create a Department of Agriculture. Lawmakers rejected his education agenda, overrode his school funding veto, and left Juneau, leaving the agriculture dispute unresolved and likely headed to court. Dunleavy warned he may call additional special sessions next year if his education priorities don’t advance.
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Arizona
Arizona is cracking down on cryptocurrency ATM fraud with a new law taking effect September 26. The law requires kiosk operators to issue refunds to fraud victims, display warning messages, and enforce daily transaction limits of $2,000 for new customers and $10,500 for existing ones. Lawmakers passed the measure after scams targeting older adults surged, with victims losing an average of $10,000 each.
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Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas schools report a smooth start to the first year under the state’s new cellphone and smartwatch ban, with students adapting quickly. Officials say the policy has boosted classroom engagement, while parents were reassured they can reach children through school offices in emergencies.
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California
A California Assembly committee has blocked “Leno’s Law,” a bill backed by comedian Jay Leno that sought to exempt classic cars from the state’s smog-check requirements. The measure, aimed at vehicles built in 1975 or earlier, failed to advance for a full vote despite Leno’s lobbying efforts.
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Colorado
During the special legislative session, legislators voted to delay enforcing the Colorado AI Act by five months, as the bill’s critics believe its language is vague and would unnecessarily burden low-risk AI systems. The Artificial Intelligence Act aims to regulate AI systems in housing, hiring, lending, insurance, and government by requiring companies to conduct bias risk assessments on their systems.
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Connecticut
Connecticut lawmakers are weighing topics for a potential special session, including revisiting a vetoed affordable housing bill, addressing federal spending cuts, and strengthening protections for immigrants. Gov. Ned Lamont and Democratic leaders say progress is being made, but no final deals have been reached on housing or revisions to the state’s Trust Act.
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Delaware
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer vetoed two bills this week, citing concerns over unintended impacts and the need for stronger partnerships. He returned SB 63, a wage enforcement measure in construction, over worries it could harm small and minority-owned businesses, instead directing the Department of Labor to propose improvements by year’s end. He also vetoed SB 75, a cannabis zoning bill, stressing that a successful retail cannabis market must respect local land-use authority and include revenue-sharing with counties.
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Florida
Florida’s new “Trenton’s Law” takes effect this fall, doubling the maximum sentence for repeat offenders in deadly DUI crashes from 15 to 30 years. The law honors Stetson University football player Trenton Stewart, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2023.
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Georgia
Georgia lawmakers have introduced House Bill 641, a bipartisan measure to standardize utility shutoff protections for medically vulnerable customers. The bill, led by Rep. Marvin Lim (D-Norcross), aims to ensure consistent safeguards across all electric providers after reports revealed uneven policies that could endanger lives.
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Hawaii
Hawaii’s new Act 259, signed by Gov. Josh Green in July, is now in effect, targeting biased 911 calls made on the basis of race, gender, religion, or other protected identities. The law allows victims of such “discriminatory reporting” to seek at least $1,000 in damages plus attorneys’ fees.
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Indiana
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has signed legislation into law to ease child care licensing restrictions and expand access statewide. The law allows school-based programs to serve children across entire school districts, rather than limiting enrollment to children of students or staff.
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Iowa
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is investing $200,000 in the Choose Iowa Farms to Food Banks Program, which helps food banks buy directly from local farmers. The 2025 program expands on last year’s pilot and now includes flour and grains among eligible products for dollar-for-dollar matching.
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Kansas
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has proclaimed September 2025 as “Kansas Preparedness Month,” urging residents to create emergency kits and plans to stay ready for severe weather and disasters year-round. The National Weather Service emphasized the importance of knowing emergency procedures in advance and will host Kansas Preparedness Day on Sept. 8.
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Kentucky
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear pushed back against a proposal from Rep. Savannah Maddox to eliminate regional driver’s licensing centers and return the process to county circuit clerks. Beshear said the centers were established because clerks did not want to manage Real ID requirements and warned that reversing course could create years of challenges.
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Louisiana
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry announced the state will spend $7 million to bring a Saudi-owned LIV Golf League event to New Orleans next summer. The tournament, set for June 26-28 at Bayou Oaks, aims to boost summer tourism and showcase Louisiana to international audiences in markets the state is targeting for business deals.
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Maryland
Maryland Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard) has introduced a proposal to redraw the state’s congressional districts, citing Republican-led redistricting efforts in other states like Texas. Lam described the move as a necessary response ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, though Republicans in Maryland have criticized it as highly partisan.
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Massachusetts
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced that 44 of 47 proposed ballot questions have cleared constitutional review, setting up a potentially crowded 2026 ballot. Voters could weigh in on issues ranging from housing and taxes to election reforms.
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Michigan
Michigan Rep. Nancy Jenkins-Arno (R-Clayton) has introduced House Bill 4755 to strengthen the state’s Consumer Protections Act against deceptive ticket sales. The bill targets fake or misleading ticket websites, requires upfront disclosure of all fees, and prohibits price increases after the initial display, except in limited cases.
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Minnesota
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is weighing a special legislative session to consider an assault weapons ban and other gun control measures after a mass shooting in Minneapolis left two dead and 18 injured. An announcement from the governor’s office could come as soon as next week.
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Missouri
Three Missouri Democratic lawmakers staged an overnight protest in the state House chamber to oppose GOP-led efforts to gerrymander the congressional map and change the ballot initiative process. Reps. Ray Reed, Elizabeth Fuchs, and Jeremy Dean said they plan to continue camping out through the weekend during the special session called by Gov. Mike Kehoe.
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Nebraska
More than 100 new Nebraska laws took effect this week, impacting areas from education to veterans’ services and public safety. Highlights include adopting the School Psychologist Licensure Compact (LB84), enacting the “Stand With Women Act” on school sports (LB89), requiring parental access to library information (LB390), expanding veterans’ mental health programs (LB150, LB414), updating criminal justice measures (LB530), and banning the sale of fake meat (LB246).
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Nevada
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said Assembly Bill 432, which would centralize state cybersecurity operations and allow local governments to opt in, will “absolutely” be reintroduced, though likely not until the next regular session. While no special session has been scheduled, Lombardo noted lawmakers may still reconvene this year to address other unfinished bills on crime and film tax credits.
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New Jersey
State lawmakers are turning their attention to microbetting, a fast-growing form of sports wagering that lets gamblers place rapid-fire bets on in-game events like a football play or a tennis set. Officials warn the trend may be especially addictive for younger people engaging in online gambling.
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New Mexico
Two Republican state senators, Crystal Brantley and Nick Paul, defended New Mexico’s Otero County Processing Center during a tour this week, opposing proposals to ban federal immigration detention facilities. Their visit comes as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham considers pushing such a ban in a potential special legislative session.
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New York
New York Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-116th) is renewing calls for passenger bus safety reforms following the Aug. 22 Thruway crash in Pembroke that killed five people. Gray plans to sponsor new legislation when lawmakers return to Albany in January.
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Ohio
A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill that classifies crimes motivated by another’s political affiliation as hate crimes. This bill was inspired by the increased amount of threats against Ohio’s lawmakers.
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Oklahoma
The state government has funded a feasibility study to gain insight into transitioning to nuclear energy. This is the first action the state has taken towards nuclear energy since 1973.
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Pennsylvania
Sen. Tracy Pennycuik (R-24) introduced SB 984 to address the alarming rise of truancy, which will require schools to track and publicly report truancy rates while promoting early intervention with support for at-risk students.
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Rhode Island
The state is taking on increased action in preventing political deepfakes with H5857, which makes it illegal for a political group to distribute deceptive fake media of a candidate before an election, but it does not apply to media created via AI.
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Texas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed new laws aimed at improving summer camp safety after July’s devastating Central Texas floods killed 136 people, including 27 at Camp Mystic. The measures ban youth cabins in floodways, require camps to adopt emergency plans and warning systems, and allocate $240 million for disaster relief and improved forecasting. Families of the victims, who pushed lawmakers to act, said the legislation ensures their children’s legacy will help protect others.
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West Virginia
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey has signaled interest in a special legislative session to address the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), but no date has been set. Lawmakers remain divided, with Democrats questioning Morrisey’s leadership and some Republicans suggesting action could come as soon as upcoming interim meetings beginning Sept. 7.
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Wisconsin
Wisconsin lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 414, which would require animal testing facilities and breeders to make unneeded cats and dogs available for adoption through shelters or humane societies before euthanasia. The bill also establishes record-keeping requirements and allows institutions to run their own adoption programs to comply with the three-week rule.
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Wyoming
Wyoming’s Joint Education Committee met in Casper to review potential education legislation, with student discipline as a key focus. Lawmakers considered four draft bills aimed at refining how schools administer and manage punishments.
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