Good morning, it’s Friday, September 26, 2025. In today’s edition, states prepare for government shutdown; DOJ sues over voter data; North Carolina considers redistricting:
Top Stories
BUDGET: Congress must pass a budget by Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown, which could disrupt grants and benefits states rely on to fund programs like food stamps and cash assistance. A memo issued this week by the Office of Management and Budget orders agencies to halt funding for some programs and lay off workers who run them.
The federal government has shut down at least partly 14 times since 1980, including during the first Trump administration. But the OMB memo indicates this time could be different: It’s not clear that the administration would direct agencies to use surplus dollars to keep programs for low-income Americans operating beyond a few weeks. (Pluribus News)
ELECTIONS: The U.S. Justice Department has sued California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania for allegedly illegally blocking access to voter rolls. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon (D) said the Justice Department never responded to questions about its request for voter information before suing. (Associated Press)
The new lawsuit comes after DOJ sued Oregon and Maine last week.
REDISTRICTING: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) will sign new congressional district maps into law on Sunday. The new maps face a trio of lawsuits and a referendum campaign that, if it earns enough signatures, would put the new law on hold ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The bill would carve up a seat held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) into a Republican-friendly seat. (Kansas City Star)
MORE: North Carolina Senate President Phil Berger (R) said he would be open to redrawing congressional district lines this year, ahead of next year’s midterm elections. North Carolina’s congressional delegation includes ten Republicans and four Democrats; a seat held by U.S. Rep. Don Davis (D) is the lone competitive district in the state. (NC Newsline)
PUBLIC HEALTH: A working group convened by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has recommended banning the use of SNAP benefits for purchasing sugar-sweetened beverages. The panel recommended banning purchases of products for which sugar is the first or second ingredient listed. The state must submit a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture by Oct. 28. (State Affairs)
ENVIRONMENT: Wisconsin lawmakers are considering legislation banning the release of ten or more Mylar balloons. The bill would impose a $500 fine for such releases, which have knocked out power to more than 120,000 customers since 2020 after getting caught in power lines. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
In Politics & Business
ILLINOIS: Former state Sen. Darren Bailey (R) will challenge Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) again next year, he said Thursday. Bailey took 42% of the vote against Priztker in 2022. This time, he will campaign with running mate Aaron Del Mar, the youngest-ever councilman in the Village of Palatine. (WAND)
NEW JERSEY: The National Archives released a mostly unredacted version of U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s (D) military records to an ally of Assemb. Jack Ciattarelli (R), Sherrill’s opponent in this year’s gubernatorial contest. The documents include Sherrill’s Social Security number, life insurance information and other information that is supposed to remain private. The Archives said it is investigating the incident. (CBS News, New Jersey Globe)
ALABAMA: Former University of Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron is considering a bid for lieutenant governor or U.S. Senate. McCarron, 34, led Alabama to back-to-back national championships in 2011 and 2012; someone is testing McCarron’s chances in a poll fielded this week. (AL.com)
NEW YORK CITY: A new Suffolk University poll finds Assemb. Zohran Mamdani (D) leading the mayoral field with 45% of the vote, ahead of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (I) at 25%, Curtis Sliwa (R) at 9% and Mayor Eric Adams (I) at 8%. (Suffolk)
By The Numbers
$832 billion: The amount of debt states hold in unfunded pension obligations, according to Truth in Accounting, a group that advocates for more transparency in public finance. The group said states hold $2.2 trillion in assets and $2.9 trillion in debts. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
20%: The share of Americans who say they regularly get news from TikTok, up from 3% in 2020. Nearly half of 18-29 year olds, 43%, get their news from the app. (Pew Research Center)
95: The number of whales reported entangled in fishing nets, lines and buoys of the coasts of the United States in 2024, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That’s well above the average of 71 entangled whales each year. About a quarter of all reports came from California. (Los Angeles Times)
Off The Wall
A “very mean squirrel” has sent at least two people in one San Francisco neighborhood to the emergency room. Animal control officials say squirrels can become aggressive when they are regularly fed by humans. The good news is that squirrels are not vectors for rabies. (KSL)
The skateboard Tony Hawk used to land the first-ever 900 trick — two-and-a-half turns during the 1999 X Games in San Francisco — has sold at auction for $1.15 million, the highest price ever fetched for a piece of skateboard memorabilia. Scraped knee pads Hawk wore during the 1999 games went for $57,000 in the same auction. (Associated Press)
Quote of the Day
“When I propose amendments to the bill, I read aloud the language in detail.”
— Hawaii Rep. David Tarnas (D), the most loquacious legislator in the state. Tarnas spoke more than 173,000 words during the last session, more than four times the total words spoken in every Beatles song. By contrast, Rep. Sam Kong (D) spoke just 1,130 words during committee hearings and floor sessions this year. (Civil Beat)