Maine just banned medical debt collectors from putting liens on people’s homes or garnishing their wages. Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 2129 into law this month—after nearly half of Maine households reported taking on medical debt in the last two years.
Colorado just expanded its red flag law. Gov. Polis signed SB004, letting schools, colleges, and health-care providers—not just family and police—petition courts to temporarily restrict firearm access for people deemed a risk to themselves or others.
What does the Commission on Presidential Capacity Act actually do? Understand and engage with it on Amendment.
Massachusetts just dissolved its troubled Cannabis Control Commission and replaced it with a three-member board appointed by the governor—and doubled legal possession from one ounce to two. H5350 passed both chambers unanimously and was signed Sunday by Gov. Healey.
Wisconsin just enacted a 0% interest gap loan to help working families buy their first home. The new program—funded with $10M through WHEDA—pairs with a conventional mortgage and is expected to save eligible buyers up to $270 a month.
Kentucky just enacted HB490 over Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto, giving public university boards the power to lay off tenured faculty for “financial reasons”—including low enrollment in a major. Affected professors get 30 days’ notice, and colleges must set their firing policies by Oct. 1.
Missouri just signed SB888, a sweeping criminal justice overhaul that makes it easier to try teens as adults and requires 70% of sentences served before parole on Class A felonies. The state’s own corrections department says it could fill every prison by 2029.
New Jersey just ended its 50-year de facto ban on new nuclear plants. S3870 rewrites coastal permit rules so the state can approve reactors based on NRC-compliant waste storage—the old standard required a federal long-term solution that never came.
Oregon just became the first state to let users sue AI chatbot companies directly. Under SB 1546, any “AI companion” that fails to flag itself as a bot or ignores a user’s suicidal ideation owes $1,000 per violation—plus attorney fees—to the person it hurt, not just the state AG.
What’s actually in California’s clean energy permitting bill? Understand and engage with it on Amendment.
New Mexico just became the first state in the nation to guarantee free universal child care for every resident. Since the program launched last November, 12,666 more families and 16,706 more kids have enrolled—and 63 new providers have opened for business.
Alabama just banned vaping in public indoor spaces, treating e-cigarettes the same as cigarettes under the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act. The bill passed the Senate 31-1 and renames the law after Vivian Davis Figures—the Black Democratic senator who authored the original 2003 smoking ban.
Washington just banned health insurers from using AI as the sole reason to deny, delay, or modify care. Under the new law, only a licensed physician can reject a prior authorization request on medical grounds—algorithms can approve, but they can’t deny without human review.
👋 If you’re enjoying the analysis, give the app a try! You can ask questions about laws and bills in every state; create letters, call scripts, or editorials to lobby for amending anything you don’t like; and so much more is coming. Please give us feedback as we shape the product.
South Carolina just replaced its graduated income tax with a two-bracket system—1.99% up to $30,000 and 5.21% above. About 43% of taxpayers will pay less, 35% see no change, and 23% will pay more because the old bottom bracket was 0%.
The House GOP yanked a long-term extension of Section 702 spy powers off the floor after Republicans revolted over the lack of warrant protections for Americans’ communications. Leadership pushed through a stopgap to April 30—the real fight over warrantless searches of Americans is still unresolved.
Connecticut’s Senate just passed a bill that would bar law enforcement—including ICE—from wearing masks on duty and let residents sue federal agents who violate their rights. It also blocks immigration arrests at schools, hospitals, and houses of worship.
Iowa just made it permanent—child care workers can now qualify for state child care assistance for their own kids. The bill cleared 86-3 in the House and 46-0 in the Senate, and Governor Reynolds called it the single most effective way to cut turnover in child care centers.
The House just rejected a war powers resolution that would have blocked further US military action against Iran without congressional approval—by a single vote, 213-214. Rep. Jared Golden was the only Democrat to vote no; Rep. Thomas Massie was the only Republican to vote yes.
What’s actually in Virginia’s Confederacy tax exemptions bill? Understand and engage with it on Amendment.
Maryland just severed its vaccine policy from the CDC. The Vax Act gives the state’s Secretary of Health authority to set official recommendations based on science—making federal guidance elective—while keeping vaccines covered by insurance and administered by pharmacists.
The Tennessee House just voted to expand the state’s school voucher program from 5,000 to 35,000 seats—and require public schools to collect Social Security numbers from every enrolling student starting 2028 to keep state funding. Critics say the SSN rule is a backdoor to track undocumented kids.
Indiana’s governor just signed a law stripping local zoning powers to tackle the state’s housing shortage. Every residentially zoned lot must now allow at least two homes or a duplex by default—and every city and county must hold a public hearing on expanding housing supply this year.
What’s actually in Maryland’s grocery surveillance pricing ban? Understand and engage with it on Amendment.
Wisconsin just released $133.5 million to fight PFAS "forever chemical" contamination after three years of gridlock. The bipartisan deal passed unanimously—$80M for community cleanup grants and $35M to replace contaminated wells at homes, schools, and daycares.
Kentucky just signed a law banning insurers from using BMI or weight-based standards as the sole reason to deny eating disorder coverage. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental health condition—this shifts the focus from a number on a scale to the condition itself.
