Good morning, it’s Friday, February 20, 2026. In today’s edition, governors feud with Trump; lawmakers seek guardrails around mental health chatbots; Georgia, Wisconsin speakers to retire:
Top Stories
GOVERNORS: The National Governors Association will no longer facilitate the annual bipartisan working session scheduled for today at the White House after the Trump administration decided to exclude Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Colorado Gov. Jard Polis (D). Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), the NGA chairman, had tried to play diplomat in the fracas, but to no avail. (Pluribus News)
This is not a repeat from last week. The NGA’s participation in the meeting has been on, then off, then on again, and now off for the last time.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Lawmakers in nearly two dozen states have introduced legislation to establish guardrails around mental health chatbots. Some bills would ban chatbots from presenting themselves as licensed professionals. Others would require patient authorization before a clinician can use an AI tool or system. (Pluribus News)
MORE: The Alabama Senate has approved legislation prohibiting insurance companies from relying solely on AI systems to deny coverage for a health care claim. The bill would allow companies to use AI, but it would require a doctor or health care professional make a final decision on denials or reductions in coverage. (AL.com)
SOCIAL MEDIA: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) has signed legislation requiring parental consent before minors can download apps on their phones. The law requires app stores to verify user ages. It also requires apps to carry age-appropriate ratings similar to movie ratings. The bill passed the legislature unanimously. (Yellowhammer News)
REDISTRICTING: A Virginia judge has blocked a plan to put a redistricting proposal on the April ballot, granting a temporary restraining order sought by national Republican groups. The restraining order is in effect until March 18, 12 days after early voting is set to begin. Attorney General Jay Jones (D) has vowed to appeal. (Associated Press)
MORE: A New York appeals court has ordered the state’s independent redistricting committee to redraw the 11th congressional district, held by U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R) on Staten Island and part of Brooklyn. Republicans have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the ruling. Justice Sonia Sotomayor ordered Democrats to file a response by the end of Thursday. (State of Politics)
HEALTH CARE: The Kansas Senate has approved legislation overhauling pharmacy benefit manager companies. The bill would require PBMs to be transparent in pharmacy reimbursement and drug pricing. It would require pharmacies to be reimbursed at or above the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost. (Kansas Reflector)
MARIJUANA: The Missouri House has backed legislation banning intoxicating hemp products, including THC seltzers and edibles. The bill would prohibit hemp products from containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. It would require all hemp products to be grown in Missouri, effectively banning nearly all such products. (Missouri Independent)
TRANSPORTATION: The Florida House has approved legislation to rename Palm Beach County International Airport after President Trump. The bill would allocate $5 million for the rebrand. The state Senate has advanced a similar measure. The Trump family company has filed applications to trademark the president’s name for use on an airport, which could allow him to collect licensing fees. (Florida Phoenix)
In Politics & Business
GEORGIA: A Quantus Insights survey finds businessman Rick Jackson (R) leading the GOP field for governor with 33% of the vote, followed by 17% for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R), 8% for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) and 5% for Attorney General Chris Carr (R). More than a third, 37%, remain undecided. (Quantus)
Jackson entered the race earlier this month, pledging to spend tens of millions on his own primary campaign.
MICHIGAN: Gubernatorial candidate Anthony Hudson will leave the Republican Party and run for governor as a Libertarian. Hudson was a long shot in the GOP primary against U.S. Rep. John James (R), former Attorney General Mike Cox (R), businessman Perry Johnson (R), Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R) and others. (MLive)
DEMOCRATS: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) will deliver the Democratic response to President Trump’s State of the Union address next week. This year it was House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’s (D-N.Y.) turn to choose. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) will give the Spanish language response. (NBC News)
PEOPLE: Georgia House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones (R) will retire at the end of her current term. Jones, first elected in 2002, has served in leadership since 2010. (Georgia Public Broadcasting) Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) will not seek re-election this year, he said Thursday. Vos served as speaker for 14 years, the longest tenure in state history. (State Affairs)
By The Numbers
At least $4 million: The amount the Utah Department of Transportation has saved in snow removal costs in the midst of an unusually dry winter. The state budgeted $30 million for snow removal, but has used only $7.5 million so far. (KSL)
44%: The share of money candidates for governor in Alaska have raised … from themselves. The 17 candidates running reported raising a total of $4.3 million through the beginning of February. About $1.9 million came from the candidates themselves. Anchorage podiatrist Matt Heilala (R) leads the pack, having donated $1.28 million to his own campaign. (Anchorage Daily News)
Off The Wall
A Florida couple faces assault charges after allegedly starting a brawl on the pickleball court. Sheriff’s deputies in Volusia County, Fla., arrested the 63-year old man and the 51-year old woman after an argument over pickleball rules turned into an all-out melee at the Spruce Creek Country Club earlier this month. Both have been banned from the club for life. (New York Times)
Who wants to go whale watching … in Montana? Bennetto Fernandez, a Stevensville man, has outfitted an old Isuzu NPR to look like an orca whale for what he calls the Montana Orca Project. Fernandez hopes to use the vehicle to sell ice cream. (KPAX)
Quote of the Day
“This is a homegrown identity.”
— Georgia Rep. Eric Bell (D), on his legislation to name lemon pepper wings an official state food, alongside peaches, peanuts and pecans. (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Update: An earlier version of this story misidentified the leadership post held by Georgia Rep. Jan Jones. Jones served as Speaker Pro Tem.