State Intelligence Digest 2/11

From the Membership and Engagement Team at ALEC, this week’s breakdown of top stories and policy action. While not an exhaustive list of current events, we hope this glimpse into developments across the country will be of interest to members of our organization and relevant as we seek to engage with the states.

This week’s State Intelligence Digest covers the ongoing legislative sessions across the country and the proposals which are beginning to see the light of day. A number of states are renewing efforts on the sports betting and marijuana legalization fronts, as well as environmental agenda items such as single use plastic bag bans. The coronavirus still looms large with debate on federal fund allocation, vaccine rollout strategies, and a continued emphasizes by legislators and governors alike for in-person learning.

• Alabama
  • Broadband expansion bill passes first vote.
  • Everything to know about the first day of session last week.
  • ALEC Member Senate President Pro Tempore steps into the role.
  • Governor Ivey’s State of the State.
• Alaska
  • Alaska Legislators doubt they will extend COVID disaster declaration.
  • Governor Dunleavy wants to hold an election on borrowing $336 million for construction projects.
• Arizona
  • ACCE: Arizona Senate fails to hold Maricopa County Supervisors in contempt over election audit.
• Arkansas
  • State Capitol brief for February 9.
  • Senate ok’s unemployment benefits tax exemption.

• California
  • State legislature and governor continue to hammer out deal to reopen schools.
  • Amidst recall efforts, Newsom officially has a challenger to his seat.
  • The South African strain of Coronavirus officially identified in California.
• Colorado
  • Joint Budget Committee spares K-12 from cuts in 2020-21 budget.
  • ACCE: Colorado cities struggle amid pandemic pinch to keep up with road work, maintenance and other fixes.
  • Some good news on funding for water: Sports betting tax revenue gaining strength.
• Connecticut
  • Lamont’s budget agenda includes sports betting and legalization of marijuana.
  • Discussion on joining Atlantic Standard Time, or a permanent Daylight Savings with no wintertime “fallback”, being debated.

• Delaware
  • State tax waiver for unemployment benefits signed into law.
• Florida
  • ACCE: Palm Beach City Council to consider whether President Trump can continue to stay at Mar-A-Lago.
  • Update on vaccine distribution.
• Georgia
  • An updated legislative calendar through February 25.
  • Secretary of State opens probe on President Trump.
  • Update on why Georgia vaccine rollout has been so chaotic.

• Hawaii
  • Economic recovery not as robust in the state as elsewhere in the country.
  • Maui County Council among the entities pushing for legalized marijuana in state.
  • Many in Hawaii seem to be missing out on second dose of vaccine.
• Idaho
  • Legislature struggles with how to limit executive authority.
  • Little has moved the state back to Level 3 re-opening, decreasing some of the restrictions around gathering sizes.
  • ACCE: As Idaho sees population growth, the largest percentage rent price increases in the nation are coming out of Boise.
• Illinois
  • Pritzker does not include an income tax increase in budget proposal.
  • Illinois has lost population for seven years straight, 2019-2020 being the worst since WWII.
• Indiana
  • Legislature tackling executive authority.
  • List of environmental-related bills in the 2021 session.
  • Breakdown of Coronavirus stats from Gov. Holcomb’s news conference.
• Iowa
  • Iowa’s mask mandate and other Coronavirus restrictions have been lifted by Gov. Reynolds, who is facing predictable backlash for the decision.
  • Battle over the “1619 Project” emerges in Iowa.
  • From a recent trip to the state, word on the ground is that efforts for a “food freedom”, farm to consumer, bill is still in the works but raw milk is a non-starter in the state.
• Kansas
  • Lawmakers consider education savings account.
  • Kansas Senate approves over $400 million in tax cuts.
• Kentucky
  • Kentucky House gets bill to protect utility late fees.
  • Kentucky Senate takes next step on sports betting legislation.

• Louisiana
  • Sponsor of Louisiana gas tax hike insists it’s feasible.
  • Legislators to set gambling rules and rates during spring session.
• Maine
  • Maine officials eye push toward automatic absentee ballots.
  • Three Maine solar projects receive over $17 million in federal loan guarantees.
  • Maine group pushes ban on flavored tobacco products.
• Maryland
  • State Senate expected to vote on veto override of Maryland Blueprint on Friday.
  • Maryland may ban plastic carryout bags at retail shops.
• Massachusetts
  • Net-zero target for carbon emissions by 2050 included in recently passed climate bill.
  • Massachusetts now allowing those who accompany seniors to vaccine sites to also receive inoculation.
• Michigan
  • $2 Billion plan laid out by legislature for spending federal Coronavirus funds.
  • ACCE: Local authorities look to tackle untreated stormwater from polluting waterways in and around Detroit.
• Minnesota
  • Update on the legislature trying to legalize marijuana.
  • Why federal grants may set Minnesota’s rural broadband quest back several years.

• Mississippi
  • Mississippi Senate passes legislation increasing broadband connectivity, accessibility.
  • Corrections reform, transparency in appropriations among legislation approved by Mississippi Senate.
  • Universal licensing recognition advances in House committee – legislation introduced by ALEC state chair, Representative Becky Currie.
• Missouri
  • Sports betting picks up steam with three separate bills filed in the Senate alone.
  • Coronavirus lawsuit protections as well as key education initiatives on pause as one key Senator remains out of the Capitol due to illness.
  • ACCE: Challenges to executive authority come at the local level as well, Springfield’s Mayor’s race bringing a challenger centered around this very issue.
• Montana
  • Right-to-Work back in the spotlight in Montana.
  • Gianforte to allow statewide mask mandate to expire this Friday.
  • Changes to local health board authority being debated in legislature.
• Nebraska
  • Governor Rickett’s update on vaccine distribution.
  • Senators hear plan to expand sales tax base to services.

• Nevada
  • Nevada legislature urges economic diversification in 2021 session.
  • Nevada small businesses may be getting more pandemic assistance.
• New Hampshire
  • Senate Bill 13 looks to decrease business profits tax (BPT) and business enterprise tax (BET).
  • Sununu calling for return to in-person learning, citing CDC remarks about its safety.
• New Jersey
  • Names in the game for GOP Legislative leadership.
  • Everything that happened in the legislature on Tuesday.
• New Mexico
  • New Mexico broadband bill passes first committee.
  • New Mexico Senate committee backs rent, mortgage relief for businesses.
• New York
  • Cuomo has decided to reopen large arenas February 23, with limited capacity and pre-attendance Coronavirus testing.
  • Legislature touts new capital gains tax proposal as solution to closing deficit gap.
  • New York legislature and governor battle over plans for Marijuana legalization.
• North Carolina
  • Governor Cooper signs another COVID-19 relief bill.
  • NC Teachers and childcare workers will be authorized to get vaccine this month.
• North Dakota
  • Legislative panel stamps out bill to raise cigarette taxes.
  • North Dakota Legislature looks to ease taxes on coal industry.
  • Bonding bill, gas tax increase discussed by Legislature.
• Ohio
  • Senate Bill 22, sponsored by ALEC State Chair Rob McColley, would allow legislature to intervene on public health orders. Gov. DeWine does support any restrictions the Ohio Department of Health.
  • New study from the Ohio Department of Education shows children’s academic readiness has been directly affected by the past year’s adjustments to teaching, prompting Gov. DeWine to require districts to present plans to correct this by April 1.
• Oklahoma
  • Bill that prohibits traffic citation quotas moving forward in Oklahoma Senate.
  • Oklahoma state senator and ALEC member Nathan Dahm aims to exempt businesses from some state taxes.
• Oregon
  • Brown to allow middle school and high school sports to resume while continuing to emphasize in-person learning.
  • Study shows massive overdue statewide rent costs, in-part from ongoing eviction moratoriums.

• Pennsylvania
  • The governor’s budget plan is to increase taxes.
  • Governor Wolf announces $145 Million in hospitality relief funding ready for distribution to Pennsylvania counties.
  • Proposed constitutional amendment to limit disaster declarations receives final legislative approval.
• Rhode Island
  • Another NYT article released this week covering Rhode Island’s ability to mostly maintain in-person learning for students throughout the past year.
  • State Superior Court refuses to intervene in legislative hiring, contracting and spending, as challenged by GOP lawmakers.
  • While already in place in several municipalities, a statewide plastic bag ban is being put forward for the third year in a row in the legislature.
• South Carolina
  • SC Senate passes bill that allows teachers to receive COVID vaccine immediately.
  • Lawmakers are working to curb Executive powers.
• South Dakota
  • Senate Oks Deadwood sports wagering.
  • House State Affairs committee hears “Convention of States” resolution.
• Tennessee
  • Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposed $41.8B in state spending.
  • Broadband access coming to over 1,200 homes in Johnson, Carter counties; Lee proposes $200 mil broadband funding from state.
  • Tennessee bill would allow Governor to order schools open for in-person learning.
  • Proposed Tennessee laws would cap insulin costs, provide transparency in medical pricing.
• Texas
  • Judge says Texas officials need to speed up foster care reforms.
  • Breakdown of Gov. Abbott’s legislative agenda with insight on influential lawmakers.
  • Texas tenants behind on rent will soon be able to seek aid from $1.3 billion assistance program.
  • Greg Abbott open to reforming his emergency powers after months of criticism from both parties.
• Utah
  • Tax changes are coming, but don’t expect income tax changes to be a part of them.
  • Utah lawmakers show how to legislate effectively during a pandemic.
• Vermont
  • Vermont house rejects Governor Scott’s proposal to create a new law-enforcement agency.
  • The Vermont Progressive Party agenda.

• Virginia
  • Police reform advocates frustrated by defeat of ‘qualified immunity’ bills.
  • Education equity measure advances in General Assembly.
  • Virginia legislature votes to legalize marijuana.
  • Virginia General Assembly votes to abolish death penalty.
• Washington
  • Electric cars could soon be authorized to bypass dealerships for direct-to-consumer sales.
  • Personal growth of marijuana has remained illegal, despite recreational use of drug being passed in 2012. This may change this legislative session.
  • Data breach at the office of the Washington State Auditor has compromised some 1.6 million resident’s information.
• West Virginia
  • Bill would allow firing of striking West Virginia Teachers.
  • Coalition touts strong support for Education Savings Accounts in 2021.
  • IWVP: Solar energy and jobs, saving for high education.
• Wisconsin
  • Study presented in legislature emphasizes concerns about state’s population, showing only 2.4% growth over the past decade, the 35th highest rate in the country with 14 of the state’s 72 counties seeing a population decline.
  • Legislature aims to reward schools that have more in-person learning with federal funding.
  • Breakdown of where Wisconsin stands regarding the Coronavirus.
• Wyoming
  • Wyoming receives $200 million to help people pay rent and utility costs.
  • Wyoming preparing rental assistance program.
  • Proposal would reimburse home school and private school families in Wyoming.

Wyoming Legislature rejects effort to force commission to prohibit coal plant closures