Good morning, it’s Friday, January 30, 2026. Good riddance, January. In today’s edition, states try new tack to spur rural health care; California seeks to regulate AI therapy; Kansas, South Carolina advance transgender bills:
Top Stories
HEALTH CARE: More than a dozen states have advanced or are considering legislation to scale back regulator controls over where health care providers open or expand hospital facilities. The overhaul of so-called certificate of need laws are meant to spur construction of medical facilities, especially in underrepresented rural areas. At least a dozen states have repealed CON laws or allowed them to expire already. (Pluribus News)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: California Sen. Steve Padilla (D) has introduced legislation to regulate AI therapy chatbots. The bill would prohibit algorithms from providing or advertising therapy unless a licensed professional is responsible for care. It would bar AI systems from independently making therapeutic decisions. (State Affairs)
TECHNOLOGY: The Kansas Senate is considering legislation to require app stores to verify user ages and to provide parental consent features for accounts linked to minors. App stores would be required to allow parents to withdraw consent. App developers would be required to ask app stores to verify user ages. (State Affairs)
LGBTQ RIGHTS: The Kansas House and Senate approved legislation to require residents to put their biological sex at birth on their driver’s license. It requires residents to use bathroom facilities that align with their biological sex. Gov. Laura Kelly (D) is likely to veto the measure, though it won enough support to overcome a veto. (KSNT) The South Carolina House approved a bill expanding a transgender bathroom ban to public colleges. (SC Daily Gazette)
ABORTION: Florida’s Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice has approved a bill expanding the state’s Wrongful Death Act to cover the death of a fetus, allowing parents to sue for damages. Democrats objected, saying the bill is a step toward declaring fetal personhood. (Florida Politics)
EDUCATION: The New Hampshire Senate has approved a bill allowing students to attend any public school they want. The universal open enrollment plan will take effect in the 2026-2027 school year. The state House is expected to take up the measure next week. (WMUR)
MORE: The Mississippi House Education Committee approved legislation requiring local school boards to enact policies restricting or prohibiting the use of cellphones during the school day. A similar bill won passage in the Senate Education Committee last week. (Associated Press)
PUBLIC HEALTH: The Alabama Senate has endorsed legislation banning vaping in all indoor public spaces. The bill adds “electronic nicotine delivery systems” to the state’s existing ban on smoking indoors. (Alabama Reflector)
In Politics & Business
CALIFORNIA: San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan (D) will run for governor, pitching himself as a moderate Democrat. Mahan, a regular critic of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), is expected to raise big bucks from Silicon Valley. (Los Angeles Times)
There are at least eight serious Democrats running for governor, and two prominent Republicans. In a state with a top-two primary system, Democrats run the real risk of being shut out of a general election.
TEXAS: A new Texas Public Opinion Research poll finds state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D) leading the Democratic field to take on Gov. Greg Abbott (R) with 29% of the vote. Former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell (D) takes 4%, while retired firefighter Bobby Cole (D) took 3%. (Texas Tribune)
PENNSYLVANIA: Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R), the likely GOP nominee for governor, has endorsed Allegheny County attorney Jason Richey (R) as her preferred lieutenant governor running mate. Richey announced his bid for the number-two spot on Thursday. (Harrisburg Patriot-News)
RHODE ISLAND: State Republicans have elected former state Senate candidate Allyn Meyers as their new chairman. Meyers won a close vote to replace outgoing chair Joe Powers, who led the party since 2023. (Providence Journal)
By The Numbers
38.5 million: The number of visitors to Las Vegas in 2025, down 7.5% from 2024 and the lowest annual total since the pandemic-hit 2021 year. Average daily room rates on Strip hotels fell almost 5% to less than $200 a night. (Associated Press)
4.17 million: The number of Texans who selected a health care plan under the Affordable Care Act marketplace, up about 200,000 from last year. Through Jan. 15, Texas is one of only nine states to see total enrollment grow. (Texas Tribune)
Off The Wall
Former Washington Post reporter Laura Vozzella has gone from covering Virginia’s General Assembly to working there. Vozzella, an award-winning correspondent, came out of retirement to work as an aide to Sen. Bill Stanley (R). “I’ve got The Vozz, we’re cool,” Stanley said. (Cardinal News)
A semi crash on a Dodge County, Wis., highway left the road strewn with littered kegs of beer. The truck had been carrying 264 half-barrel kegs for distribution when it hit a guardrail and overturned. One person had minor injuries. (UPI)
Quote of the Day
“What we think happened here was not only is sports wagering more prevalent, but some of the local teams had some tough outcomes, and therefore the house retains more money and pays more tax upon it in the fourth quarter.”
— Matthew Knittel, executive director of Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office, explaining an 81% growth in sports betting tax revenue in the last three months of 2025. (State Affairs)