Good morning, it’s Tuesday, November 12, 2024. In today’s edition, blue states prepare for Trump; California AG seeks social media warning labels; record number of women governors:
Top Stories
TRUMP: Blue states are ramping up preparations to challenge key elements of President-elect Trump’s policy agenda as governors and attorneys general sound warnings reminiscent of the resistance eight years ago. Legal officers in Massachusetts and New York have already pledged to oppose the new administration’s plans to deport undocumented immigrants.
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has called a special session to provide additional funding to the state Justice Department, money that would allow Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) to file legal challenges against the new administration. Lawmakers will return to Sacramento on Dec. 2 to consider new legislation.
Legal challenges from Democrats helped stymie Trump’s first term; blue states filed more than 130 multi-state actions against Trump initiatives during his first four years in office, and they won more than 80% of those cases. Expect another litigious four years ahead. Read more at Pluribus News.
SOCIAL MEDIA: California Attorney General Bonta is drafting first-in-the-nation legislation to require warning labels on social media platforms. Bonta wants the labels to warn of potential mental health harms posed to adolescents. (Pluribus News)
LGBTQ RIGHTS: The Ohio Senate is set to take up legislation that would ban transgender students from using bathroom or locker room facilities that match their gender identity. The measure, which applies to both K-12 schools and colleges, passed the state House earlier this year. (Ohio Capital Journal)
GUN POLITICS: A federal judge in Illinois has struck down the state’s ban on assault weapons. Judge Stephen McGlynn stayed his order for 30 days to give the state a chance to appeal. (Capitol News Illinois) A federal judge has allowed a constitutional challenge to New York’s ban on the sale of bulletproof vests to move forward, rejecting a motion to dismiss filed by Attorney General Letitia James (D). (State of Politics)
ENERGY: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) says his push to double the state’s power production probably rests on the future of nuclear energy. Cox and the governors of Idaho and Wyoming have been working on a coalition to speed the production of new nuclear plants to handle surging demand from data centers. (KSL)
EDUCATION: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) says he will ask lawmakers to address school aid formulas in 2025. Lawmakers will have to address the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act, a 1990 funding formula that determines how local districts are funded. (Nebraska Examiner)
In Politics & Business
REPUBLICANS: Red state legislatures got even redder last Tuesday as Republicans secured their first-ever supermajority in South Carolina, their largest majorities in Iowa since 1970, and unprecedented numbers of seats in West Virginia and Idaho. The GOP maintained existing supermajorities in Indiana, Kansas, North Dakota and Tennessee, while Democrats broke the GOP supermajority in North Carolina. (Pluribus News)
PENNSYLVANIA: Democrats will maintain a 102-101 majority in the state House after a late count gave state Rep. Frank Burns (D) a 51%-49% win over challenger Amy Bradley. Republicans maintained their 28-22 majority in the state Senate. (Pluribus News)
RHODE ISLAND: Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D) fended off a challenge from Majority Leader Ryan Pearson (D) in a Democratic caucus meeting Thursday to hold his leadership position. Senate Democrats picked Sen. Valarie Lawson (D) to replace Pearson as majority leader. (Boston Globe)
LEADERSHIP: Hawaii Democrats are set to choose Rep. Nadine Nakamura (D) as House Speaker, the first woman to hold the post. (Civil Beat) Colorado Democrats selected Sen. James Coleman (D) to serve as Senate president. (Colorado Sun)
MORE: Delaware Democrats have chosen Rep. Kerri Evelyn Harris (D) to serve as Speaker, after incumbent Valerie Longhurst (D) lost a primary. (Delaware Public Media) Maine Democrats picked Sen. Mattie Daughtry (D) to become Senate president. (Maine Public Radio)
By The Numbers
13: The number of states that will be governed by women next year, a new record. New Hampshire Gov.-elect Kelly Ayotte (R) will add to the 12 women who currently hold gubernatorial office. (Associated Press)
More than a dozen: The number of Oregon cities that voted to ban the regulated sale of psilocybin mushrooms. State law legalizing psilocybin allows municipalities to opt out; measures passed in all but one community, the small town of Nehalem on the coast. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Tourism tip: Nehalem, population just 300, has a surprisingly cool pinball arcade.
23: The age of Kansas state Rep.-elect Angel Roeser (D), the youngest lawmaker in the coming session. (KSNT)
Off The Wall
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (R) plans to ask President-elect Trump for clemency. Householder is serving 20 years in prison after being convicted of accepting $60 million in bribes to advance a 2019 energy law that included a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear power plants. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) is considering another political comeback, this time as a city council member. Weiner said this weekend he is thinking about running for term-limited Council Member Carlina Rivera’s seat in lower Manhattan. (City & State)
Like a bad penny…
The toy maker Mattel has apologized for a misprint on packaging for a new line of dolls from the hit musical Wicked. The packaging directed purchasers to a website that was supposed to belong to the new film, but the misprint instead featured the URL of an adult website. (UPI)
Quote of the Day
“Tried that.”
— Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), after he appeared to slip up by referring to the time he got elected president. (Florida Politics)