Good morning, it’s Wednesday, December 18, 2024. In today’s edition, a lobbying fight over concert tickets; Ohio to pass parent’s bill of rights; Texas GOP feuds over next House speaker:
Top Stories
CONSUMER PROTECTION: A new lobbying battle is set to break out over legislation aimed at regulating the live events ticket market. At least six states passed bills regulating ticket sales and the use of bots this year, while more than a dozen others considered similar legislation.
On one side of the battle to come: Live Nation, parent company of Ticketmaster, which backs bills that regulate sales, resales and transfers of tickets. On the other: Tech companies and one of their industry groups, Chamber of Progress, which says Live Nation’s bills are meant to consolidate their near-monopoly in the market.
The snafu around Ticketmaster’s handling of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour poured gasoline on already-smoldering embers; ticket prices to live events have risen faster than inflation for decades. Now the incumbent finds itself on defense against the insurgent disruptors. Read more at Pluribus News.
EDUCATION: The Ohio Senate plans to vote Wednesday on a parent’s bill of rights package that would require schools to notify parents of sexuality content in curriculum, and allow students to be released from school for religious education. Today is the Senate’s last planned day of session. (Ohio Capital Journal)
ENERGY: The federal Department of Energy has approved a $15 billion loan to Pacific Gas & Electric, to support the California utility’s climate change and grid improvement projects. It’s the largest loan in the history of the Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office. (Sacramento Bee)
TAXES: Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) has proposed a tax on personal wealth over $100 million, a tax that would apply to about 3,400 residents including Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The proposal would bring in $10.3 billion over four years. No other state has a tax on personal wealth. (Associated Press)
Inslee leaves office next month. His successor, Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson (D), is “reviewing” the proposal, a spokesperson said.
PUBLIC HEALTH: Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill (R) is launching an anti-vaping campaign with the help of college athletes at LSU in name, image and likeness deals. The program, which has spent $218,000 so far, is funded by a settlement with vape maker Juul Labs. (Louisiana Illuminator)
In Politics & Business
COLORADO: A survey of Democratic voters finds respondents split between potential 2026 gubernatorial candidates. U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D) leads the field with 20%, followed by Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D) at 16%, former U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D) at 11% and Attorney General Phil Weiser (D) at 8%. (Denver Post)
None of the four have said publicly they will run to succeed term-limited Gov. Jared Polis (D).
TEXAS: Leaders of the Texas Republican Party are texting members of the legislature to back Rep. David Cook (R) for speaker over Rep. Dustin Burrows (R). Cook won a vote among Republican lawmakers, while Burrows says he has enough votes from Democrats and Republicans to claim the gavel. Texas GOP chair Abraham George issued a veiled threat of a primary challenge in his texts to members. (Texas Tribune)
MICHIGAN: The state House is unlikely to achieve a quorum today, one of their final days in session this year, in the midst of a walkout by House Republicans and Rep. Karen Whitsett (D). That would leave just 55 legislators in attendance, one short of the number they need to pass legislation. (Detroit News)
Whitsett said she would boycott session until leadership agrees to vote on retaining tipped wages, changes to a sick leave program and more road funding.
By The Numbers
2%: The share of renters in Washington state who faced an eviction filing last year, the highest rate in the nation. (Washington State Standard)
35%: The share of Americans who say they have confidence in the judicial system, down from 59% as recently as 2020. (Gallup)
Off The Wall
Missouri Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R) has proposed naming big stretches of state highway systems after President-elect Donald Trump. Coleman’s bill makes exceptions for highways in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Boone and Jackson counties — all of which voted for Vice President Harris in November. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Ohio resident Florence Hackman celebrated her 106th birthday at a senior living facility in Loveland on Monday. She credited her long life to her positive attitude and to her love of Fireball whiskey. Hackman still attends daily happy hours with friends. (UPI)
Quote of the Day
“Turns out when you’ve got a nearly 5-ton statue, answers aren’t easy.”
— Washington Lt. Gov. Denny Heck (D), on efforts to relocate a 9,000-lb. statue of missionary Marcus Whitman inside the state capitol building. Whitman, once one of Washington’s representatives in Statuary Hall, was replaced in 2021 with a statue of Native American activist Billy Frank Jr. (Washington State Standard)