Good morning, it’s Monday, June 8, 2026. In today’s edition, AI fuels cybersecurity fears; New York bans surveillance pricing; Becerra advances in California governor’s race:
Top Stories
CYBERSECURITY: Rapid advances in artificial intelligence are forcing state and local governments to shore up cybersecurity operations to prevent hacks. Both Anthropic and OpenAI have offered previews of powerful cyber tools to some entities responsible for cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. A recent survey of state chief information security officers found only 22% were confident they could protect public data. (Pluribus News)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: New York lawmakers have sent legislation to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) that would expand on first-in-the-nation chatbot protections for minors. The bill would prohibit “unsafe” features for children including generating human-like outputs, offering personal opinions or emotional appeals, and operating as a sycophant. (Pluribus News)
CONSUMER PROTECTION: The New York legislature approved a bill banning the use of algorithmic pricing, also called surveillance pricing. The bill would bar companies from offering different prices to consumers based on their purchasing history or online activity. Maryland and Connecticut have passed similar bills this year, while Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) vetoed his state’s measure. (Albany Times Union)
MORE: The Massachusetts House unanimously passed a data privacy bill that would require affirmative consent before sensitive data can be sold or shared. The bill would ban the sale of precise geolocation data and create special, heightened protections for minors. The Senate passed a separate version of the bill in September. (MassLive)
ENERGY: The Ohio Senate Energy Committee will hold three hearings this week on a legislative package aimed at reining in data centers. Details on the bill’s contours are yet to come, but House Speaker Matt Huffman (R) said it could include a ban on nondisclosure agreements and reporting requirements around energy and water use. (State Affairs)
TAXES: The Rhode Island House has approved a $15.2 billion budget that would phase in a millionaire’s tax on incomes over $1 million. Revenue from the 3% tax increase on million-dollar salaries is projected to be $142 million by the end of the decade. (Rhode Island Current)
ENVIRONMENT: The New Jersey Assembly’s environment committee has advanced legislation that would order energy companies to pay $50 billion to make up for harm caused by climate change. The bill would apply to fossil fuel extraction between 1995 and 2024 that are deemed responsible for at least 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Those provisions would likely apply to Shell, ExxonMobil and BP. (New Jersey Monitor)
HEALTHCARE: Pharmaceutical giant Amgen is suing Colorado’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board over its decision to cap the price of Enbrel, a drug that treats rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. It’s the first PDAB to place a cap on a specific drug. The company has asked a state judge to issue an injunction blocking the cap while a lawsuit plays out. (Colorado Sun)
In Politics & Business
CALIFORNIA: Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra (D) will advance to November’s general election, the Associated Press projected. With 72% of the votes counted, Becerra leads the field with 27.2% of the vote. Conservative commentator Steve Hilton (R) is at 25.9%, while billionaire Tom Steyer (D) is still in contention at 21.5%. (Sacramento Bee)
MAINE: A new SurveyUSA poll for the Bangor Daily News shows former state CDC chief Nirav Shah (D) leading the Democratic field with 25%, followed by former Senate President Troy Jackson (D) at 20%, former House Speaker Hannah Pingree (D) at 19%, energy executive Angus King III at 14% and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) at 11%. In ranked-choice voting scenarios, Pingree beats out Shah by a 52%-48% margin. (SurveyUSA)
TEXAS: A new Quantus Insights poll shows Gov. Greg Abbott (R) leading state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D) 49% to 41%. The poll found Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) leading state Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D) 49% to 40%. In the race for attorney general, state Sen. Mayes Middleton (R) leads state Sen. Nathan Johnson (D) 47% to 39%. (Quantus Insights)
SOUTH CAROLINA: Two new polls show Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R) leading the GOP field for governor by slim margins. An InsiderAdvantage poll has Evette at 19%, followed by Attorney General Alan Wilson (R) at 16%, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R) and businessman Rom Reddy (R) at 13% and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman at 12%. (InsiderAdvantage) A co/efficient poll has Evette at 23%, Reddy at 17%, Wilson at 16%, Norman at 15% and Mace at 11%. (co/efficient)
Without a majority, the top two finishers on Tuesday will head to a June 23 runoff.
CRIME BLOTTER: A Louisville judge has issued an arrest warrant for former Gov. Matt Bevin (R) after Bevin failed to turn in financial documents in an ongoing family court case. The judge had ordered Bevin to attend a May 29 hearing in person, but he appeared via Zoom, saying he couldn’t attend because a boulder had fallen on a home he owns in Maine. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
By The Numbers
978: The number of confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts in 2025, the first time the death toll has fallen below 1,000 since 2013. The final tally represents a 27% decrease over 2024. (State Affairs)
1,049: The elevation, above sea level, of the water level at Lake Mead. That’s just 74 feet above the level at which the reservoir will stop generating hydroelectric power. Projections estimate the lake could drop another 28 feet by next July, due to reduced outflows from Lake Powell. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Off The Wall
Researchers at 23andMe say they have identified the remains of Maryland’s second colonial governor, Thomas Greene, who lived from 1609 to 1651. In a study published in the journal Current Biology, the researchers said they used DNA data to identify 1.3 million living genetic relatives of Maryland’s first colonists. (Maryland Matters)
An amateur historian has lost some prized artifacts tied to Abraham Lincoln after he left a folder of documents on the roof of his car as he drove off from a documentary shoot at Connecticut College. The documents included an invitation to the 1864 inaugural ball and a letter discussing Lincoln’s assassination from Gen. William Sherman. (CT Insider)
Quote of the Day
“We look forward to building a partnership as strong as the ’85 Bears defense.”
— Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R), after the Chicago Bears board of directors voted to advance a stadium development project in Hammond, Ind. The team’s move out of Illinois isn’t a done deal, but the development vote is a big step for the Hoosier State. (State Affairs)