Good morning, it’s Thursday, December 4, 2025. In today’s edition, why states have to worry about the penny; Florida House kicks off redistricting fight; Swalwell shakes up new California governor poll:
Top Stories
ECONOMY: State leaders may need to create new rules surrounding cash transactions after the federal government stopped minting new pennies. Retail groups are urging Congress to set national rules allowing businesses to round cash sales to the nearest nickel, but ten states and localities have laws on the books that prohibit the practice.
A new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures urges states to set their own rounding rules. Economists typically recommend “symmetrical rounding,” in which transactions that end in 1, 2, 6 or 7 are rounded down to the nearest nickel, and those that end in 3, 4, 8 or 9 are rounded up. (Pluribus News)
MORE: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) says he will prioritize legislation to give every baby born in the state $1,000 to invest in the stock market. The program is modeled on a provision in the Trump administration’s reconciliation bill that creates investment accounts for children. (Texas Tribune) Patrick’s announcement came the day Michael and Susan Dell, of Austin, said they would give $6.25 billion to partially fund the federal program.
REDISTRICTING: A Florida House select committee is holding the first hearing Thursday on a potential effort to redraw congressional district maps ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Senate President Ben Albritton (R) says his chamber has yet to take up any potential remapping. (Associated Press)
WORKFORCE: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has vetoed legislation expanding youth work hours. The bill would have enabled 14- and 15-year olds to work between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. all year. In his veto message, DeWine objected to allowing those teens to work so late during the school week. (State Affairs)
EDUCATION: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) has released $19 million in grants to hire more teachers and to encourage more men to enter the teaching profession. Previous initiatives have cut Maryland’s teacher shortfall in half, from 1,619 vacancies in the 2024-2025 school year to 886 this year. (Maryland Matters)
REGULATIONS: The New Jersey Senate State Government Committee has unanimously approved legislation to require a cost-benefit analysis of any new proposed regulation. The bill is backed by the business community and opposed by environmental interests. It would create a 12-member commission staffed by cabinet members to review regulations and executive orders. (New Jersey Monitor)
In Politics & Business
CALIFORNIA: A new Emerson College poll finds a virtual four-way tie in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). The poll has Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R) at 13%, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D) and businessman Steve Hilton (R) at 12%, and former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter (D) at 11%. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D), businessman Tom Steyer (D) and former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra (D) all clock in around 5%. (Emerson)
MINNESOTA: MyPillow founder Mike Lindell (R) has filed papers to run for governor next year, though he said in an interview he isn’t making a formal declaration just yet. Lindell has reestablished residency in his native Minnesota after living in Texas for a while. (MPR News)
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) has raised more than $2.1 million ahead of her re-election bid next year, including more than $1 million in the last reporting period. (WMUR) No major Democrat has yet to announce a challenge to Ayotte next year.
NEW YORK: Sen. James Skoufis (D) and Assemb. Landon Dias (D) announced new legislation that would move the state’s presidential primaries to Super Tuesday in 2028. New York’s primaries are usually held in April, after the nomination is effectively decided. The lawmakers said they hoped to boost New York’s influence on future presidential nominating fights. (State of Politics)
NEW JERSEY: A top advisor to Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill (D) said she is open to mid-decade redistricting, but not before the midterm elections. At a forum, Sherrill’s incoming chief of staff said the state would consider redrawing maps via constitutional amendment in time for the 2028 elections. (Politico)
By The Numbers
$107 million: The increase in Massachusetts tax collections in November, up 4.4% over last year. Total revenue is up the same 4.4% in the first five months of the new fiscal year. (State Affairs)
$200 million: The estimated revenue Delta lost because of the government shutdown, CEO Ed Bastian said Wednesday. Bastian said refunds “grew significantly,” while bookings slowed amid uncertainty over air travel. (Associated Press)
Off The Wall
The Florida House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee has advanced legislation naming the American flamingo the official state bird. Florida’s current state bird, the mockingbird, is also the emblem of five other states. “I feel bad for the mockingbird, and not really,” bill sponsor Rep. Jim Mooney (R) told fellow lawmakers. (Florida Politics)
Americans gave $4 billion to nonprofits on Giving Tuesday this week, up from $3.6 billion last year, according to the nonprofit that promotes the charity drive. A whopping 11.1 million people volunteered that day, up from 9.2 million last year. (Associated Press)
Quote of the Day
“I’ve had some of the most productive conversations about legislation at the bar after hours compared to the kind of debates we have on the floor.”
— New Hampshire Rep. Jessica Grill (D), chair of the just-for-fun Karaoke Caucus that meets once a week at a bar in Concord after legislative sessions. (Concord Monitor)