Good morning, it’s Tuesday, July 28, 2026. In today’s edition, AI takes the stage at NCSL; voters are voting in South Dakota, Wisconsin; judge blocks Minnesota’s prediction market ban:
Top Stories
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: The disruptive force of AI is a key focus at this year’s NCSL Legislative Summit, where state lawmakers showcased their ability to respond to the new technology’s impacts on the workforce. Data from LinkedIn shows sluggish hiring outside of healthcare, as lawmakers worry that AI will be the first technology to cost jobs rather than create them. But lawmakers said they are positioned to implement policies to prepare students for jobs of the future and “upskill” existing workers. (Pluribus News)
CHILDCARE: A bipartisan group of lawmakers issued a list of seven broad recommendations to make childcare more affordable. The NCSL report suggests boosting subsidies for families, scrapping unnecessary regulations and improving training for childcare workers. Blue New York and New Mexico and red North Carolina and Indiana all made big investments in childcare programs this year. (Pluribus News)
SOCIAL MEDIA: Opening arguments began in a civil trial between Tennessee and Meta, Instagram’s parent company, over allegations the firm designed the popular app to be harmful and addictive to children. Documents presented on the trial’s first day showed CEO Mark Zuckerberg decided to prioritize teen use of the app in 2017. (State Affairs)
GAMBLING: A federal judge has blocked Minnesota legislation banning prediction markets from operating in the state, siding with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission which argues it has sole authority to regulate such markets. The law, which was to take effect on Saturday, will remain on hold until a final ruling in the case. (New York Times)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: The California legislature is considering a measure to allow survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence to cite abuse as a legal defense when facing charges for violent crime. The bill would allow those already convicted to petition a judge to vacate their convictions. The bill has died in each of the last three years. (CalMatters)
TRANSPORTATION: The Massachusetts Senate has adopted provisions in an economic development bill that would presume liability for truck drivers involved in fatal crashes if their vehicles do not include safety equipment like side guards and backup cameras. The liability presumption would apply in fatal crashes involving a “vulnerable road user” like a cyclist or a pedestrian. (State Affairs)
In Politics & Business
SOUTH DAKOTA: Voters head to the polls today in a runoff election to decide the Republican nominee for governor. Gov. Larry Rhoden (R) faces businessman Toby Doeden (R). It’s the first time a runoff election has taken place since South Dakota implemented a 35% threshold requirement for governor, U.S. House and Senate races in 1985. Doeden finished first in the primary with 31%, followed by Rhoden at 25%. (South Dakota Searchlight)
WISCONSIN: Early in-person voting begins today in the race for governor. The Democratic candidates for governor meet tonight for their only debate. State Rep. Francesca Hong (D), Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D), Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley (D) and state Sen. Kelda Roys (D) are the leading contenders to take on U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) in November. (Associated Press)
NEVADA: Attorney General Aaron Ford (D) is going up with his first major ad buy of his gubernatorial campaign with a seven-figure purchase focused on what he calls the Gov. Joe “Lombardo-Trump economy.” Lombardo’s (R) campaign and supportive groups have already spent $18 million on ads, and Lombardo has more than three times as much cash in the bank as Ford. (Nevada Independent)
KENTUCKY: Senate President Robert Stivers (R) will not run for governor in 2027, he said Monday. Stivers has led the state Senate since 2013. U.S. Rep. James Comer (D) and Secretary of State Michael Adams (R) are among the rumored Republican candidates. (Kentucky Lantern)
RHODE ISLAND: A state Superior Court judge has allowed former House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi (D) to jump directly from the General Assembly to the state Supreme Court without serving a one-year “revolving door” wait. The judge ruled such a pause would violate the state constitution, which gives the governor sole authority over appointments. (Providence Journal)
CRIME BLOTTER: West Virginia Rep. Elliott Pritt (R) has submitted his resignation after being arrested on charges of enticing a minor. Pritt has waived preliminary and detention hearings and will remain in federal custody. (WV Metro News)
By The Numbers
20%: The decline in new immigrants enrolling in Massachusetts high schools over last year, according to a report from Brown University’s Annenberg Institute. (Boston Globe)
76: The number of large fires reported this year in Oregon, the second-highest number in recent history following 2024’s devastating fire season. So far this year, more than 1.4 million acres have burned in Oregon. (Oregonian)
Off The Wall
A new poll finds 40% of U.S. adults are buying or eating less produce after the cyclospora outbreak. The poll found 47% do not trust the Food and Drug Administration to handle the outbreak, which was initially linked to lettuce grown in central Mexico. (The Hill)
Police in Seattle are searching for two men who climbed over the glass wall on the observation deck of the Space Needle and parachuted down 605 feet. The BASE jumpers purchased tickets to enter the Space Needle on Friday before going to the bathroom, emerging in helmets and jumping off the structure. (Associated Press)
Quote of the Day
“Congress moves Congress-speed — there’s not even a word for how slow they move.”
— Utah Rep. Doug Fiefia (R), on the federal government’s inaction on AI legislation. (Pluribus News)