Good morning, it’s Monday, April 20, 2026. In today’s edition, red states seek more ESA funding; Indiana launches health care chatbot; Steyer spends huge in California:
Top Stories
EDUCATION: Red state leaders are pushing to increase funding for private education subsidies. Lawmakers in Alabama and Tennessee approved new funding for education savings accounts, while governors in Arkansas and Louisiana have proposed expanding those programs. Most states with ESA programs face wait lists supporters say demonstrate the popularity of savings accounts. (Pluribus News)
HEALTH CARE: Indiana has launched a new chatbot to compare prices of health care services across the state. Gov. Mike Braun’s (R) administration says the first-of-its-kind chatbot can help price transparency and support informed health care decisions. Data is generated from the state’s All Payer Claims Database, which collects pricing information. (Indianapolis Star)
MORE: A bipartisan coalition of attorneys general is urging the U.S. Labor Department to require pharmacy benefit managers to disclose how they set drug prices and generate revenue. The coalition, led by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond (R), backs a rule that would require PBMs to report revenue details twice a year. (McCarville Report)
HOUSING: California’s Assembly Natural Resources Committee will hold hearings today on legislation to allow cities to build high-rise housing on underdeveloped lots in downtown metro cores. Cities would be required to designate zones near public transit where projects are a by-right use. Developers would be eligible for public financing assistance. (State Affairs)
PUBLIC HEALTH: Texas will launch its own research program into the psychedelic ibogaine after state officials couldn’t find a company to develop a drug for FDA approval. The legislature approved $50 million for a research program last year. President Trump signed an executive order this weekend to facilitate research into psychedelic drugs including ibogaine. (Texas Tribune)
ENERGY: The Colorado legislature has given final approval to a bill easing the path to so-called “balcony solar” products, one-panel solar power kits that residents can plug directly into their walls. If Gov. Jared Polis (D) signs the bill, Colorado would be the third state to allow balcony solar options for consumers. (Colorado Sun)
IMMIGRATION: The Delaware House has approved a measure barring state and local tax dollars from going to private detention facilities. About 90% of those in ICE custody are held in facilities run by for-profit private companies. The state House is considering bills to require law enforcement to display identification and to ban facial coverings. (Delaware Public Radio)
MORE: The Tennessee House is scheduled to take a final vote this week on legislation requiring immigration status checks for any applicants for public benefits at state and local agencies. The bill requires those agencies to report the names of all individuals who cannot provide proof of legal status to the new Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division. (Tennessee Lookout)
In Politics & Business
WYOMING: Gov. Mark Gordon (R) has formally decided against running for a third term in office. Gordon is still considering his options for the future, which might include bids for Congress or against U.S. Sen. Harriet Hageman (R), whom he beat in the gubernatorial primary in 2018. (WyoFile)
CALIFORNIA: Billionaire entrepreneur Tom Steyer (D) has booked more than $115 million in television advertising in his race for governor, about 30 times more than his nearest Democratic rival. Steyer is on pace to eclipse the $178 million businesswoman Meg Whitman (R) spent on her losing bid in 2010. (Associated Press)
VIRGINIA: Former President Barack Obama is starring in television advertising both in favor and in opposition to tomorrow’s referendum on redistricting. Obama recorded advertisements in favor of the remap, which would hand Democrats four more U.S. House seats, while opponents are using his past statements opposing gerrymandering in their own ads. (New York Times)
MEDIA: A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the merger between media giants Nexstar and Tegna in a suit brought by California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and seven other states. Bonta’s suit argues the merger violates antitrust laws. (Los Angeles Times)
By The Numbers
$2.9 trillion: The gross domestic product of Texas, up 2.5% from 2024, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. If it were its own country, Texas would be the world’s eighth-largest economy. (Governor’s Office)
$7,296: The amount Iowa spends per full-time student in higher education institutions, down from $13,532 in 2001. Iowa relies more heavily on student tuition than all but four other states. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
Off The Wall
Today marks the 130th running of the Boston Marathon, featuring more than 30,000 runners from all 50 states and more than 130 countries. The elite men kick off at 9:37 a.m., with the elite women following ten minutes later. (NBC Boston)
Police in Southport, N.C., came to the rescue of an alligator that made its way to the drive-through lane of a local bank. The gator had been struck by a vehicle, but it had only minor injuries. No word on whether the gator successfully deposited its paycheck. (UPI)
Police in California have arrested a man for grand theft after he allegedly replaced Lego pieces with dried pasta before returning the boxes to Target stores. Police said the man was responsible for at least 70 incidents across the country, accounting for $34,000 in losses. “If your master plan involves swapping Legos for linguine, we can promise your plan will be cooked al dente,” police said in a social media post. (CTV)
Quote of the Day
“A lack of winning makes fewer people willing to take a chance on running for office.”
— University of South Dakota political scientist Michael Card, on the state Democratic Party, which fielded candidates in just 46 of the state’s 105 legislative races up this year. (South Dakota Searchlight)