Good morning, it’s Thursday, July 31, 2025. In today’s edition, Texas Republicans offer redistricting plan; California poised to redraw its own lines; ex-VP Harris won’t run for governor:
Top Stories
REDISTRICTING: Texas House Republicans unveiled a proposed new congressional district map that would shift as many as five seats from Democratic to Republican control. The district lines alter seats in the Rio Grande Valley, the Dallas Metroplex and the Austin-San Antonio corridor. Texas Democrats have begun fundraising to cover the fines they would face if they leave the state to break quorum. (Pluribus News)
MORE: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has told aides he will attempt to redraw state district lines to elect more Democrats if Texas approves its plan. Newsom’s proposal would require both approval in the legislature and approval from voters, circumventing the independent redistricting commission. (Texas Tribune)
PUBLIC HEALTH: California Gov. Newsom has signed an executive order directing the state Health and Human Services Agency to recommend ways to address suicide rates among young men. The order directs the state to connect boys and young men with education and career opportunities. (Associated Press)
MARIJUANA: The Texas Senate has given initial approval to a measure banning hemp-derived THC. The bill would create a blanket ban on products with any detectable amount of any cannabinoid other than CBD and CBG. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed an earlier ban, saying it wouldn’t hold up to legal scrutiny. (Texas Tribune)
LOBBYING: The Texas Senate has approved legislation barring cities, counties and school districts from using public money to hire lobbyists. The conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation estimates local governments spent $98.6 million to hire lobbyists in 2023. Previous efforts to ban local lobbying have died in the state House. (Texas Tribune)
HOUSING: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) has signed five new laws to boost housing supply. The laws bar local governments from blocking construction of multi-family units on land zoned for single-family homes; provide local governments with more infrastructure funding; and create a state loan program to provide financing for mixed-income residential housing. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
LEGISLATURES: More than 8,000 attendees have registered for the National Conference of State Legislatures annual Legislative Summit next week in Boston. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) will address Democratic legislators, while Trump campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita will speak to Republican lawmakers. (State Affairs)
We’ll be reporting on the ground in Boston next week. Don’t miss our conversation with NCSL chief executive Tim Storey previewing the summit.
In Politics & Business
CALIFORNIA: Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not run for governor in 2026, she said in a statement Wednesday. Harris said Democrats “must be willing to pursue change through new methods and fresh thinking,” a possible hint at a third presidential campaign. (Pluribus News)
Half of California is already running for governor, it seems.
MICHIGAN: A group supporting citizenship verification when registering to vote has launched a petition drive to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. The initiative would require new voters to show proof of citizenship when registering. (State Affairs)
KANSAS: Lawrence attorney Chris Mann (D) will challenge Attorney General Kris Kobach (R) again in 2026. Mann lost his race in 2022 by just 15,000 votes, or 1.6 percentage points, the closest race in the state that year. (Kansas Reflector)
PEOPLE: Former Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh (D), the longest-serving governor in state history, died Wednesday at 98. As a state legislator, Nigh introduced a bill designating the song “Oklahoma,” from the musical, as the official state song. (The Oklahoman)
By The Numbers
$572 million: The size of Virginia’s surplus at the end of the fiscal year, the fifth consecutive year of surplus budget revenue. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
152: The number of retail pot shops in New York that are too close to schools under state law. Lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) administration are considering whether to allow those shops to remain open until the legislature comes back in January to change a misinterpretation in state law. (Albany Times Union)
Off The Wall
Idaho state Treasurer Julie Ellsworth (R) is reinventing the state mascot ahead of next year’s America250 celebration. Ellsworth has unveiled “Spudjamin Franklin,” a new version of the Spuddy Buddy potato mascot. (Idaho Capital Sun)
The alcohol manufacturer High Noon is recalling two production lots of a Beach Variety pack because some contain a mislabeled energy drink that includes vodka. The packs include some drinks labeled as Celsius Astro Vibe Energy Drink, which mistakenly contain vodka seltzer. (Associated Press)
Quote of the Day
“If I were alive in the 30s, would I have been a prohibitionist? I probably would have knowing what I know today.”
— Texas Sen. Charles Perry (R), advocating for a ban on THC products. (Texas Tribune)