Good morning, it’s Friday, April 12, 2024. In today’s edition, Colorado rolls out AI regulation bill; poll shows Braun running away with Indiana gubernatorial primary; get ready for another costly Wisconsin court fight:
Top Stories
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Colorado Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez (D) introduced an AI regulation bill requiring developers to take “reasonable care” that their technologies do not discriminate. The bill would require disclosure of design specifications and watermarking of synthetic digital content. It also requires AI developers to create a policy for compliance with copyright laws. (Pluribus News)
LGBTQ RIGHTS: The Alabama House approved legislation defining sex under state law. The bill declares there are only two sexes and includes definitions of male, female, boy, girl, mother and father into state law. (Associated Press) Louisiana’s House has approved legislation barring transgender people from bathrooms that conform to their gender identity. The bill allows shelters and facilities to designate single-occupancy restrooms for use by anyone. (Baton Rouge Advocate)
MARIJUANA: The New Hampshire House approved legislation legalizing marijuana for recreational use. The measure does not include the franchise model — in which the state controls sales — that Gov. Chris Sununu (R) has said he needs to see to support the bill. Sununu’s office said he looks forward to working with the Senate on their version. (Boston Globe)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Kansas legislators approved updated civil asset forfeiture rules in unanimous votes. Police would no longer be able to seize assets for offenses related to the possession or use of controlled substances. The bill would also allow courts to determine whether forfeitures were constitutionally excessive. (Kansas Reflector)
Minnesota is poised to act on property forfeiture rules after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down their system in 2023. (Minnesota Reformer)
GUN POLITICS: The Nebraska legislature approved a bill to allow smaller school districts to authorize security staff to carry firearms in schools. The provision was part of a larger package of education measures that includes money for safety infrastructure in schools. (Omaha World-Herald)
CONSUMER RIGHTS: Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) signed bipartisan bills prohibiting the use of bots to purchase tickets in bulk and preventing resellers from selling multiple copies of one ticket. Resale would be banned before tickets are made available to the public. (Arizona Republic)
VOTING RIGHTS: The Nebraska legislature approved a bill Thursday to restore voting rights to those convicted of felonies upon completion of their sentences. About half the states allow former felons to regain their right to vote. (Associated Press)
Correction: In yesterday’s edition, we included an incorrect amount that libraries in Idaho can be fined if they fail to move library books deemed harmful to children. The fines would be $250, not $2,500.
In Politics & Business
INDIANA: U.S. Sen. Mike Braun (R) leads the GOP field in the race to replace outgoing Gov. Eric Holcomb (R), a new poll finds. The survey shows Braun winning 44% of the primary vote, ahead of Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch (R) at 10%, and Brad Chambers (R) and Eric Doden (R) at 8%. (Howey Politics Indiana)
FLORIDA: A new Emerson College poll finds 42% of Florida voters back a proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights, while 25% will vote against the measure. It needs to reach 60% of the vote to pass. (Emerson)
COLORADO: Supporters of abortion rights say they have collected enough signatures to qualify a constitutional amendment for November’s ballot. Backers say they have 225,000 signatures; they need 124,238 of those signatures to be valid to secure a spot. (CBS News)
WISCONSIN: Liberal Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley will not seek a new term in 2025, sparking another battle for ideological control of the court. Former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel (R) has already said he will run, and Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor — a former policy director for Planned Parenthood — is considering a bid of her own. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
A reminder that the last battle for ideological control of the court, in an election last year liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz won, cost the two sides a whopping $51 million.
MICHIGAN: Voters head to the polls Tuesday in two Metro Detroit-area districts where incumbents quit to become mayors. The two districts are heavily Democratic; the results are likely to restore Michigan Democrats’ control of the state House, after months of a 54-54 tie. (Detroit News)
By The Numbers
$524,625: The amount the average American pays in taxes over their lifetime, according to a new study. Residents in New Jersey pay the highest lifetime average, $987,117, while West Virginia residents shoulder the lowest burden at $358,407 in lifetime taxes. (USA Today)
More than 570: The number of bills relating to artificial intelligence introduced in legislatures this year. At least half the states have already adopted restrictions on election-related or sexual deepfakes. (Pluribus News)
More than $6.2 billion: The amount Massachusetts gamblers have wagered on sports in the year since sports betting became legal. The bets have generated $118.5 million in tax revenue over that year. (Boston Herald)
93%: The share of guns confiscated by the Transportation Security Administration at airport security checkpoints this year that were loaded. TSA agents have confiscated more than 1,500 firearms so far this year. (Los Angeles Times)
Off The Wall
Colorado Rep. Don Wilson (R) left a loaded 9mm Glock in a single-occupancy restroom Tuesday in the state capitol. Security footage showed the gun was unattended for about 23 minutes before janitors found it. Wilson apologized and took responsibility for the mistake. (Colorado Sun)
Need to fly to London with your dog? Now there’s a solution: Bark Air, a new service that will charter dog-friendly flights between Los Angeles, New York and London. A ticket is yours for the low, low cost of just $6,000. (Washington Post)
Woof.
Quote of the Day
“I hope it’s safe to say that in 2024, we can close this loophole.”
— Tennessee Rep. Darren Jernigan (D), on his bill to ban marriage between first cousins. The bill passed Thursday, heading to Gov. Bill Lee’s (R) desk. (Associated Press)