Good morning, it’s Friday, June 12, 2026. In today’s edition, states ban AI therapy chatbots; Wisconsin court to hear another redistricting challenge; Becerra leads Hilton in first California governor poll:
Top Stories
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Lawmakers in Colorado, Maine and Tennessee this year approved new legislation banning AI chatbots from providing therapy, joining Illinois, Nevada and Utah, which passed first-in-the-nation versions last year. Recent studies show one in eight adolescents and young adults use AI chatbots for mental health guidance. (Pluribus News)
REDISTRICTING: The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear an appeal over a lower court’s dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the state’s congressional district map lines. It’s the second appeal the court has agreed to hear; this appeal will consider whether map lines were drawn as an illegal partisan gerrymander. (State Affairs)
MORE: Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson (R) has ordered his office to begin preparing for the potential return to legislative district maps drawn in 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Portions of the map were redrawn in 2024 under a federal court order that required the state to add Black-majority districts. (Supertalk)
ENERGY: The Ohio House will consider data center legislation later this month, but action isn’t likely until after the midterm elections. Senate-passed legislation would revise sales and use tax exemptions and establish water use regulations. Sticking points remain over language governing nondisclosure agreements with local governments. (State Affairs)
ELECTIONS: The Ohio House fast-tracked legislation creating a statewide ballot measure that would amend the constitution to require voters to show a photo identification at the polls. The amendment will appear on the November ballot. (Columbus Dispatch)
LGBTQ RIGHTS: The Illinois legislature approved a measure in the final days of session that would require the Department of Children and Family Services to take into consideration the reproductive and gender-affirming health care needs of out-of-state children placed in foster care. Children over 8 years old would be allowed to object to out-of-state placements. (Capitol News Illinois)
CRIME: Minnesota man Vance Boelter pleaded guilty to the murder of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband and the shooting of Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife last year. Boelter entered the plea after federal prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. (Los Angeles Times)
In Politics & Business
CALIFORNIA: The first University of California-Berkeley poll of the gubernatorial matchup between former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra (D) and conservative commentator Steve Hilton (R) shows Becerra leading 52%-31%. Both candidates take more than 80% of their partisans, while independent voters break for Becerra by a 43% to 28% margin. (Los Angeles Times)
MORE: Former state Sen. Gloria Romero (R) will face Treasurer Fiona Ma (D) in the race for lieutenant governor. With 95% of the votes counted, Ma led with 19%, followed by Romero at 18%. Former state volunteer corps director Josh Fryday (D) took 15% to finish third. (Sacramento Bee)
EVEN MORE: As many as 18 measures may qualify for November’s ballot. Among the most contentious measures are a tax on billionaires, a measure restricting local governments’ ability to raise tax revenues, a measure requiring voters to show identification at the polls and three competing measures related to hospitals and unionized health care workers. (State Affairs)
CRIME BLOTTER: South Dakota Rep. Travis Ismay (R) has been arrested and indicted on felony charges of intentionally damaging a public road. The indictment doesn’t offer details except for the allegation that the crime occurred on Friday, three days after Ismay won his primary election. (South Dakota Searchlight)
By The Numbers
14%: The decline in SNAP enrollments in Oklahoma between February 2025 and 2026, higher than the 10% national average. About 97,000 Oklahomans who were receiving SNAP benefits last year no longer are. (KOSU)
177: The number of invasive Burmese pythons captured outside Naples, Fla., in the last six months. The snakes total 8,080 lbs., beating the previous record of 6,500 lbs. of pythons captured last year. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Off The Wall
At least six states — Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Oregon — will not send delegations to the Great American State Fair celebration on the National Mall ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Pennsylvania and Washington remain uncommitted to sending delegations just two weeks before the fair is scheduled to open. (NOTUS)
Hawaii has a new governor — for now. Department of Budget and Finance Director Seth Colby is temporarily in charge of the state while Gov. Josh Green (D), acting Lt. Gov. Keith Regan (D) and Attorney General Anne Lopez (D) are all out of state for separate trips. Colby, who was just confirmed to his post, is fourth in the state’s line of succession. (Honolulu Star Advertiser)
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees have filed a grievance over several employees clearing brush at a wastewater treatment plant in Ohio. The employees — Kevin, Wilson and Marti among them — are goats. The union cited a “blatant disregard” for labor through subcontracting out the brush clearing. (New York Times)
President Woodrow Wilson brought in sheep to graze the White House lawn during World War I.
Quote of the Day
“There needs to be some introspection there.”
— North Dakota House Majority Leader Mike Lefor (R), on the number of candidates endorsed by the state Republican Party who lost primary elections. Every statewide elected Republican, including Gov. Kelly Armstrong (R), skipped the party’s endorsement convention over policy schisms. (North Dakota Monitor)