Good morning, it’s Monday, February 10, 2025. In today’s edition, Montana’s novel approach to vacation rentals; Missouri wants to stockpile crypto; Hagerty reportedly eyes Tennessee governor bid:
Top Stories
HOUSING: The Montana House has advanced legislation that would lower taxes on property owned by full-time residents while raising taxes on part-time and vacation rental properties. The novel twist on the homestead exemption is meant to combat rising property tax payments at a time when housing costs are spiking. (Pluribus News)
The typical U.S. homeowner paid almost 13% more in property taxes in 2022 than in 2019, according to the National Association of Realtors.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: A New Mexico House panel has advanced a bill to boost prison sentences for some fentanyl trafficking convictions. Possession of more than 50 grams of fentanyl powder, or more than 500 pills, would lead to five additional years in prison. (Albuquerque Journal)
CONSUMER PROTECTION: Indiana lawmakers are considering raising the cap on payday loans from $825 to $25,000. The bill would allow payday lenders to charge a maximum 36% interest rate, up from the current 25% cap. The largest loans would have a minimum term of six months. (WRTV)
DEI: The Mississippi Senate has approved legislation to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state universities. The House approved its own measure last week, which would apply to K-12 schools as well as universities. The two chambers are set to negotiate to resolve the differences. (Mississippi Today)
TRANS RIGHTS: The attorneys general of Minnesota, Oregon and Washington have sued the Trump administration over an executive order banning federal funding for gender-affirming care for minors. The complaint alleges the order violates the Fifth Amendment’s Equal Protection clause. (Minnesota Reformer)
MORE: Nebraska lawmakers on Friday heard testimony over legislation seeking to create sex-based definitions of “male” and “female” in state law. The bill would require schools and state agencies to designate bathrooms for use by females, males or families. (Nebraska Examiner) The North Dakota House approved a bill banning K-12 schools from having all-gender bathrooms, including single-occupancy facilities. The bill would allow noncompliant schools to be fined up to $2,500 per violation. (North Dakota Monitor)
EDUCATION: The South Dakota House Education Committee has narrowly advanced a bill to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in state classrooms. The bill won approval in the state Senate by a single vote last month. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting) Georgia Rep. Emory Dunahoo (R) filed legislation to require schools to display the Ten Commandments last week. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
CRYPTO: Missouri Rep. Ben Keathley (R) has introduced legislation to create a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Fund. The bill would require the state to hold Bitcoin for a minimum of five years before it can be transferred, sold or converted to another currency. (KSDK)
TAXES: Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) has proposed adding a 10% tax on digital advertising, similar to a Maryland law approved in 2021. The Maryland law has been challenged in court by Apple, Google, Meta and Peacock, among other digital advertising giants. (Rhode Island Current)
Update on a story we brought you Friday: Hawaii lawmakers have shelved plans to legalize recreational marijuana until at least next year. (Civil Beat)
In Politics & Business
TENNESSEE: A top fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R) said Hagerty is considering a run for governor in 2026. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R) has also signaled she may run to replace term-limited Gov. Bill Lee (R). (Knoxville News Sentinel)
Trivia: Have two sitting senators ever run against each other? Let us know if you can think of an example.
RHODE ISLAND: Gov. McKee plans to announce his bid for a second full term on March 3. He is expected to face a rematch in the Democratic primary against former CVS executive Helena Foulkes (D), whose campaign raised twice as much as McKee in the last quarter of 2024. (Providence Journal)
MASSACHUSETTS: Gov. Maura Healey (D) has formally kicked off her re-election campaign. Sen. Peter Durant (R), former Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy (R) and former MBTA administrator Brian Shortsleeve (R) are all considering their own bids. (Boston Globe)
MICHIGAN: Voters will decide in 2026 whether to hold a constitutional convention to rewrite the state’s founding document. Michigan is one of 14 states that requires voters to vote on a possible convention every so often; in Michigan’s case, voters get to weigh in every 16 years. (Michigan Advance)
By The Numbers
$6 million: The amount in tax revenue Maine received from sports betting proceeds last year. The state’s top Problem Gambling Services Coordinator said Maine’s problem gambling hotline received more calls in January than ever before, particularly from men between 18-30. (Maine Public Radio)
More than $650 million: The amount charitable organizations raised to pay for wildfire relief and recovery programs in Los Angeles. A FireAid concert featuring artists like Billie Eilish and the Red Hot Chili Peppers raised more than $125 million alone. (Los Angeles Times)
68: The number of times bears entered homes in Connecticut in 2024. State officials said most of those cases were avoidable if residents had locked their doors. (CT Insider)
Off The Wall
The Alaska Senate has unanimously approved a resolution asking President Trump to reverse his order renaming America’s tallest peak. Trump wants to rename the mountain for the late President William McKinley; both chambers in Alaska want to keep the name Denali. (Anchorage Daily News)
A group of Washington State high school students has asked legislators to approve a bill requiring bars and nightclubs to have kits on hand to test for the presence of drugs in cocktails. California lawmakers passed a similar bill last year. (Washington State Standard)
The Illinois Senate is bathed in light from a new $350,000 stained glass skylight that’s been installed at the state capitol. Senators are back in the chamber after a three-year renovation. (Chicago Tribune)
Quote of the Day
“I’m embarrassed to be in this chamber at this point.”
— Montana Sen. Barry Usher (R), after the state Senate voted to refer an ethics investigation of former Senate President Jason Ellsworth (R) to the state Department of Justice. Nine Republicans joined Democrats to send the probe to authorities. (Daily Montanan)