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Pluribus AM: Bounty hunters for undocumented immigrants

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, January 28, 2025. In today’s edition, California considers civil suits against energy firms; Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska take up immigration rules; Haaland to run for New Mexico governor:

Top Stories

ENVIRONMENT: California lawmakers will consider legislation allowing victims of climate change-fueled disasters and insurance companies to sue oil and gas companies to recover damages. Sen. Scott Wiener (D), the bill’s chief sponsor, said the measure would help victims of this month’s wildfires in Los Angeles. (Pluribus News)

IMMIGRATION: A Missouri Senate committee heard testimony Monday on a bill to create a bounty hunter program for those who report undocumented immigrants. The legislation would create a registry of bounty hunters who would apply to find and detain the undocumented for a $1,000 reward. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Oklahoma’s Board of Education will vote today on proposed rules to require parents enrolling children in public schools to provide proof of the child’s immigration status. (Associated Press)

MORE: Nebraska lawmakers have introduced legislation to create graduated penalties for employers that do not participate in an E-Verify system to check job applicants’ immigration status. The legislation would require the Department of Labor to conduct random audits of an employer’s workers. (Nebraska Examiner)

Florida lawmakers gaveled into and out of a special session on immigration called by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday, after state lawmakers said they weren’t ready to consider any new bills. (Associated Press)

HEALTH CARE: The Idaho House is advancing legislation to repeal Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Voters approved expansion in a 2018 ballot measure; a similar bill to repeal expansion died in committee in 2024. (Idaho Statesman, Idaho Press)

GUN POLITICS: The Colorado Senate will hold its first hearings today on legislation to ban the sale and manufacture of semiautomatic firearms that receive detachable magazines. The bill was introduced by Sen. Tom Sullivan (D), who opposed last year’s effort to ban assault-style weapons. (Denver Post)

PUBLIC SAFETY: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) has introduced legislation to create a felony charge for someone who obstructs or blocks a public place. The bills could be used to penalize homeless residents and organizers of unpermitted protests. (Alaska Beacon)

TRANS RIGHTS: The Montana Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony Monday on legislation that would make it a felony for parents or medical providers to provide gender-affirming treatments to minors. The bill includes surgery, puberty blockers or hormone therapy. (Daily Montanan)

HOUSING: The Connecticut legislature is considering a bill to create a statewide registry of residential landlords. The bill would place a temporary cap on rent increases when an apartment building changes hands. (Ridgefield Press)

In Politics & Business

NEW MEXICO: Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (D) will run for governor. She would be the nation’s first Native American woman to govern a state. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) faces term limits in 2026. (Associated Press)

OHIO: State Auditor Keith Faber (R) will run for attorney general, he said Monday. Incumbent Dave Yost (R) is running for governor. Faber is the first major Republican to enter the race. (Columbus Dispatch)

VIRGINIA: Conservative talk radio host John Reid will run for lieutenant governor this year. He joins Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity (R) and Navy veteran John Curran (R) in the race for the Republican nomination. Five Democrats are running as well. (Washington Post)

MINNESOTA: House Democrats have continued their boycott of the chamber after the two parties failed to reach a power-sharing agreement over the weekend. Secretary of State Steve Simon (D), acting as the presiding officer before a speaker is formally elected, declared Monday’s session short of a quorum when the chamber’s 66 Democrats failed to show up. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

NEVADA: The state Supreme Court has rejected a proposed ballot initiative to cap attorney fees in civil cases. The initiative, backed by ride share giant Uber, was “misleading and confusing,” the court ruled. (Nevada Current)

By The Numbers

3.8: The magnitude of an earthquake near York Harbor, Maine, that rattled homes and businesses on Monday morning. Residents as far away as Rhode Island reported feeling the rare New England temblor. (WGBH)

88.3 million: The number of visitors to New York State parks in 2024, an all-time record. Last spring’s eclipse, the park system’s centennial anniversary and a decision to remove swimming pool entry fees last summer all contributed to the new record. (State of Politics)

$255,798: The proposed salary Hawaii’s governor would earn under a state Salary Commission plan to raise wages for public officials. That 35% increase would make Gov. Josh Green (D) the best-paid governor in America, surpassing New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who makes $250,000 a year. (Honolulu Civil Beat)

Off The Wall

Washington House Democrats have rewritten a longstanding rule that will bar Gov. Bob Ferguson’s (D) staff from unfettered access to the House floor. The new rule comes after Ferguson’s inaugural address, in which he pledged to embrace some Republican priorities during his first term in office. (Washington State Standard)

The Alaska House has formally voted to ask President Trump to rescind his executive order renaming the state’s tallest mountain. The state Senate is expected to vote to advance the resolution supporting Denali, which Trump wants to rename in honor of the late President William McKinley. (Alaska Beacon)

Quote of the Day

“There’s plenty of stuff on the internet about it, but I think credible information is what I was looking and asking for.”

Indiana Sen. Scott Alexander (R), who filed legislation prohibiting the government from controlling the weather. Alexander said he filed the bill to kick off a discussion after constituents raised concerns over chemicals in the atmosphere. (Indianapolis Star)