8 Shreveport children killed, suspect dead in what police say was a domestic dispute: reports • Louisiana Illuminator Eight children were killed and the suspect is dead following a mass shooting Sunday morning that Shreveport police are describing as a domestic disturbance, KSLA-TV reports. Two adult women were also ...

8 Shreveport children killed, suspect dead in what police say was a domestic dispute: reports lailluminator.com/2026/04/19/s...

Federal judge rejects DOJ lawsuit against Rhode Island over voter rolls • Rhode Island Current Rhode Island is now the fifth state to reel in what a federal judge in Providence on Friday morning called a “fishing expedition” by President Donald Trump administration’s to obtain sensitive voter r...

Federal judge rejects DOJ lawsuit against Rhode Island over voter rolls rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/04/17/f...

Cherokee chief won’t be allowed to speak on Oklahoma House floor again, chamber leader says • Oklahoma Voice The head of the Cherokee Nation will not be invited back to speak on the House floor after he took a “political position” defending Medicaid expansion, the House speaker said Thursday.

Cherokee chief won’t be allowed to speak on Oklahoma House floor again, chamber leader says oklahomavoice.com/2026/04/16/c...

Homeland Security’s SAVE program divides election officials as November nears As the midterms approach, Republican and Democratic election officials are split over a powerful federal computer program at the center of President Donald Trump’s quest to expose noncitizen voters an...

Homeland Security’s SAVE program divides election officials as November nears www.newsfromthestates.com/article/home...

DoHS seeks $175K for outside company to address ‘urgent’ backlog of vendor payments; kids impacted • West Virginia Watch The Department of Human Services needs $175K in emergency funding to hire an outside company to address a backlog of delayed vendor payments.

West Virginia DoHS seeks $175K for outside company to address ‘urgent’ backlog of vendor payments; kids impacted westvirginiawatch.com/2026/04/16/d...

Ballots become battlegrounds for voting rules, redistricting, election power • Stateline More than a third of state ballot measures that voters will be asked to consider this year relate to democracy, with questions on voting rights, election processes, redistricting and similar issues.

Ballots become battlegrounds for voting rules, redistricting, election power stateline.org/2026/04/16/b...

This medication saved a Mississippi lawmaker’s fertility. Her colleagues criminalized it Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story.Sen.

This medication saved a Mississippi lawmaker’s fertility. Her colleagues criminalized it www.newsfromthestates.com/article/medi...

GOP-led states move to punish enforcement of red flag gun orders • Stateline ERPO laws, also known as red flag laws, once enjoyed support from across the political spectrum. Now, six states have prohibited enforcing the orders — and in some cases, prescribed fines or criminal ...

GOP-led states move to punish enforcement of red flag gun orders stateline.org/2026/04/16/g...

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, then himself, police say • Virginia Mercury Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife, Cerina Fairfax, before taking his own life early Thursday at the family’s home in Annandale, Fairfax County police said, in what authorit...

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, then himself, police say virginiamercury.com/2026/04/16/f...

Two Kansas nominees for U.S. District Court answer questions about ties to Marion newspaper raid • Kansas Reflector U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee puts through the confirmation process three Kansans nominated by President Donald Trump to become federal judges.

Two Kansas nominees for U.S. District Court answer questions about ties to Marion newspaper raid kansasreflector.com/2026/04/15/t...

Civil rights advocates fear citizenship verification law could block 'many' naturalized voters • Indiana Capital Chronicle A recent state law takes aim at voters who weren't born U.S. citizens.

Civil rights advocates fear citizenship verification law could block ‘many’ naturalized voters indianacapitalchronicle.com/2026/04/16/c...

Sen. Tina Smith leads opposition to mining near the Boundary Waters during late night speech • Minnesota Reformer Environmental protection groups like Save the Boundary Waters say mining for copper and other heavy metals inevitably leaches sulfuric acid, toxic metals and other pollutants into surrounding water sy...

Sen. Tina Smith leads opposition to mining near the Boundary Waters during late night speech minnesotareformer.com/2026/04/15/s...

Trump says he’s going after Medicaid fraud, but is mostly focusing on blue states • Stateline The Trump administration is taking aim at what it calls rampant fraud in state Medicaid programs. But by focusing almost exclusively on Democratic-led states, it has handed ammunition to critics who s...

Trump says he’s going after Medicaid fraud, but is mostly focusing on blue states stateline.org/2026/04/16/t...

Stein calls for full Medicaid funding during Black maternal health event • NC Newsline Gov. Josh Stein called on lawmakers to close a $319 million Medicaid funding gap during a Black Maternal Health Week event.

Stein calls for full Medicaid funding during Black maternal health event ncnewsline.com/briefs/stein...

Stricter abortion ban advances in SC Senate, months after previous plan rejected • SC Daily Gazette The only woman senator on the subcommittee objected with an emotional story about her own pregnancy before senators advanced the bill.

Stricter abortion ban advances in SC Senate, months after previous plan rejected scdailygazette.com/2026/04/15/s...

How TN Republican lawmakers insulated Musk’s Boring Company tunnel in Nashville from local officials • Tennessee Lookout Since the Boring Company announced it would create a tunnel in Nashville, the Tennessee GOP officials have sidestepped local ones.

How TN Republican lawmakers insulated Musk’s Boring Company tunnel in Nashville from local officials tennesseelookout.com/2026/04/16/h...

Many states don’t report losses from data center tax breaks, study says | Arkansas Advocate Though public scrutiny of data centers is growing, 14 states do not disclose how much revenue they lose to data center tax breaks.That’s according to a new report from Good Jobs First, a watchdog grou...

Many states don’t report losses from data center tax breaks, study says arkansasadvocate.com/2026/04/16/r...

DeSantis delays redistricting special session, expands it to AI, vaccines • Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis delayed Wednesday a long-anticipated special session to redraw the state's congressional maps, instead pushing it back by one week and expanding the call to address artificial intell...

DeSantis delays redistricting special session, expands it to AI, vaccines floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/15/d...

For a Boise family of medical providers, Idaho criminal trans bathroom ban was the last straw • Idaho Capital Sun After the Idaho Legislature and Gov. Brad Little pass a criminal transgender bathroom ban, medical providers with a trans kid plan to move.

For a Boise family of medical providers, Idaho criminal trans bathroom ban was the last straw idahocapitalsun.com/2026/04/16/f...

Stricter abortion ban advances in SC Senate, months after previous plan rejected • SC Daily Gazette The only woman senator on the subcommittee objected with an emotional story about her own pregnancy before senators advanced the bill.

Stricter abortion ban advances in SC Senate, months after previous plan rejected scdailygazette.com/2026/04/15/s...

Forest Service restructure will see Idaho managed under new state office • Idaho Capital Sun Recent changes to the U.S. Forest Service are prompting concern from Idahoans interested in protecting Idaho's forests.

Forest Service restructure will see Idaho managed under new state office idahocapitalsun.com/2026/04/15/f...

Legislature sends bill to Gov. Mills to restrict ICE access to schools, hospitals • Maine Morning Star The Maine Legislature passed a bill on Tuesday that would prevent immigration agents from entering public schools, state libraries and hospitals without a judicial warrant. The legislation, which was ...

Maine legislature sends bill to Gov. Mills to restrict ICE access to schools, hospitals mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/14/l...

How Republicans in Congress could fully fund ICE for years to come — and maybe do more WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress are once again looking toward the complex budget reconciliation process as a way to achieve some of their policy goals without Democratic votes.

How Republicans in Congress could fully fund ICE for years to come — and maybe do more www.newsfromthestates.com/article/how-...

Student violence causes SC teachers to quit. Legislators are working on a solution. • SC Daily Gazette Advocates worried the bill as introduced would prevent students with behavioral and emotional disabilities from getting the help they need.

Student violence causes SC teachers to quit. Legislators are working on a solution. scdailygazette.com/2026/04/15/s...

Proposal fizzles to place air monitors at Louisiana industrial facilities A proposal to require environmental air monitoring systems at high-emission industrial facilities in Louisiana was left in limbo Tuesday and faces steep odds of moving forward.

Proposal fizzles to place air monitors at Louisiana industrial facilities lailluminator.com/2026/04/15/a...

Repeal of UA School of Social Work law concerns social workers, students | Alabama Reflector Currently, the University of Alabama is the only school mandated to have a school dedicated solely to social work.

Repeal of UA School of Social Work law concerns social workers, students alabamareflector.com/2026/04/15/r...

Alleged FSU shooter consulted ChatGPT on when to attack, sexual scenarios with a minor • Florida Phoenix Two hours before he went on a shooting rampage, Phoenix Ikner had a question for ChatGPT.

Alleged FSU shooter consulted ChatGPT on when to attack, sexual scenarios with a minor floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/15/a...

Trump administration denies fire and flood disaster assistance for Colorado | Colorado Newsline The Trump administration denied Colorado's disaster declaration appeals, which would have opened up funding for wildfire and flood recovery.

Trump administration denies fire and flood disaster assistance for Colorado coloradonewsline.com/briefs/trump...

Immigration enforcement to be funded for 3 years under US Senate GOP plan WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday he plans to use the complex reconciliation process to fund immigration enforcement for the next three years, though it wasn’t immediate...

Immigration enforcement to be funded for 3 years under US Senate GOP plan www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immi...

Ballot initiative to end Idaho’s abortion ban close to 100,000 signatures • Idaho Capital Sun The group behind a proposed ballot initiative to end Idaho’s strict abortion ban says it is close to qualifying for November ballots.

Ballot initiative to end Idaho’s abortion ban close to 100,000 signatures idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/ballo...