Good morning, it’s Thursday, April 9, 2026. In today’s edition, local opposition to data centers grows; New Jersey ends nuclear moratorium; Texas Lt. Gov. worried about November elections:
Top Stories
ENERGY: Voters in Port Washington, Wis., on Tuesday became the first in the nation to adopt a ballot measure aimed at limiting the proliferation of data centers. They won’t be alone for long: Similar measures are on the ballot in at least three other cities, and a proposed initiative is circulating in Ohio as opposition to the energy-hungry and water-intensive projects magnifies. (Pluribus News)
MORE: Maryland lawmakers have reached a deal on an energy package aimed at reducing consumer costs. The bill will cut an energy efficiency program. It will require any employee of a utility making more than $285,000 to be paid by shareholders rather than ratepayers. (Maryland Matters)
EVEN MORE: New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) has signed legislation adjusting waste-disposal requirements for new nuclear plants. The state Department of Environmental Protection can now approve compliant waste storage systems, effectively lifting a 40-year moratorium on nuclear development. (New Jersey Globe)
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) has suspended the state’s 7% gas sales tax for 30 days. (State Affairs)
GOVERNANCE: Minnesota lawmakers are advancing bills to prohibit local governments from signing nondisclosure agreements with corporate giants. Some local governments have signed deals with companies like Meta that shield information about proposed data centers, leading to local backlash. (Minnesota Reformer)
SOCIAL MEDIA: A bipartisan pair of Ohio lawmakers introduced legislation to require social media platforms to display a warning label when users log in. Platforms that do not comply with the bill would face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. Other legislation in the state Senate would require parental controls on social media apps. (State Affairs)
PUBLIC HEALTH: The Tennessee House has approved a total ban on kratom and its derivatives. Companion legislation advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote. The measure would create a misdemeanor offense for possession of kratom for personal use, and a felony offense of manufacturing or selling the product. (State Affairs)
TRANSPORTATION: The Arizona House has approved a bill allowing “roadable aircraft” to be registered like a motorcycle. The bill applies to flying vehicles that can also be operated like motor vehicles. The House will consider another bill modifying the definition of advanced air mobility to include ultralight vehicles. (State Affairs)
CRYPTO: Georgia lawmakers have approved legislation to create a regulatory framework around stablecoins, joining Florida and Alabama, which passed similar bills last month. The bill would allow only federally qualified payment stablecoin issuers to make the coins available. Stablecoins are tokens pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar. (State Affairs)
In Politics & Business
NEW YORK: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R) and his running mate are suing the Public Campaign Finance Board over its decision to deny him millions in campaign matching funds. At stake is up to $3.5 million in matching funds. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who has more than $20 million in the bank, is not participating in the matching program. (Albany Times-Union)
TEXAS: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) said the Republican Party will have a difficult time holding control of the state House this year. Republicans control 88 of 150 seats in the House, meaning Democrats will need to flip at least 14 seats to win a majority. House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) said on social media his party would maintain control. (Texas Tribune)
We don’t typically include election analysis, but it’s notable that even Dan Patrick is worried about the GOP’s fate in November.
ALABAMA: The state Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment requiring schools to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and allowing students to initiate and lead school prayer. The measure will go before voters in November. (Alabama Reflector)
WASHINGTON: Opponents of a new millionaire’s tax will formally launch their legal challenge today over the measure’s constitutionality. The challenge will be led by former Attorney General Rob McKenna (R), former Supreme Court Justice Phil Talmadge and the head of the Citizen Action Defense Fund. (Washington State Standard)
By The Numbers
$2.15 million: The median home price in San Francisco in March, a record high and 18% higher than last year. The country’s hottest market is being driven by a surge in AI spending and a tech hiring surge. (Los Angeles Times)
$3.2 billion: The amount Texas will lose in sales tax revenues over the next two years under an exemption for the state’s data center industry — though that figure could be a vast underestimate. Exemptions are projected to increase 33% in the next five years. (Texas Tribune)
$3.3 billion: The amount Americans were expected to wager on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, according to the American Gaming Association. In Ohio alone, more than $26 billion in bets have been placed since sports wagering was legalized in 2023. (State Affairs)
Off The Wall
A tractor-trailer hauling manure spilled across the Outer Loop of I-695 in Baltimore County on Wednesday. No injuries were reported. But come on, folks, you were so close to the D.C. Beltway, which would have provided a much better metaphor. (Baltimore Sun)
In other tractor-trailer-related news, a truck carrying 80,000 lbs. of potatoes tipped over in King County, Wash., on Tuesday, temporarily shutting down the highway. We hope you like your potatoes pre-mashed. (KIRO)
The makers of a new video game adaptation of the Halloween movies gathered 254 people dressed as Michael Myers to set a new Guinness World Record. The company is hyping the first playable demo of the video game at an exposition in Boston. (UPI)
Quote of the Day
“I had to check out for a little while for my mental health, to be honest.”
— Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), on taking a break from social media after the last presidential election. (State Affairs)
Even governors need to touch grass once in a while.