Good morning, it’s Wednesday, June 4, 2025. In today’s edition, state lawmakers object to federal AI preemption; North Carolina House backs crypto bill; new governor candidates in Iowa, Georgia, New Mexico (maybe):
Top Stories
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A bipartisan group of 260 state legislators from all 50 states have written to Congress urging them to abandon a proposal in President Trump’s “big beautiful bill” to place a 10-year moratorium on state and local AI regulations. State attorneys general in both parties have also called on Congress to drop the proposal. (Pluribus News)
MORE: Illinois lawmakers have approved a bill requiring the state Board of Education to develop statewide guidance for districts and teachers to use AI in elementary and secondary education. The bill requires guidance on evaluating bias, privacy and risk assessments for AI use. (WAND)
EVEN MORE: The California Senate has approved legislation requiring operators of companion chatbot platforms to remind users every three hours that the chatbots aren’t human. Operators would be required to implement protocols addressing suicidal ideation or self-harm. (Los Angeles Times)
CRYPTO: The North Carolina House has approved legislation creating a five-member board of appointees to manage $127 billion in investments. Another bill would allow the board to invest up to 5% of that portfolio in cryptocurrency. (NC Newsline)
IMMIGRATION: The North Carolina House also approved legislation requiring state law enforcement agencies to participate in the federal 287(g) program, which allows state officials to carry out federal immigration enforcement. The bill would direct state agencies to make sure noncitizens do not receive state benefits. (Raleigh News & Observer)
MARIJUANA: The Massachusetts House will consider legislation today to regulate and tax hemp-based drinks and gummies. The measure would consolidate control of the state Cannabis Control Commission under the governor, after years of frustration that the agency wasn’t moving fast enough to create new regulations for the legal pot industry. (Boston Globe)
ELECTIONS: Nevada’s Democratic-controlled legislature has approved a bill expanding mail ballot drop boxes in exchange for adding new voter ID requirements backed by Gov. Joe Lombardo (R). Lawmakers also approved a bill allowing nonpartisan voters to cast ballots in Republican or Democratic primary elections. (Associated Press)
STADIUMS: A Missouri Senate committee has approved legislation to pay for up to 50% of new or improved stadiums for the Kansas City Royals and Chiefs, sending the measure to the full Senate. During hearings, lobbyists for the two teams declined to commit to staying in Missouri even if the measure passes. (Kansas City Star)
In Politics & Business
GEORGIA: State Rep. Derrick Jackson (D) will run for governor next year. He will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) and state Sen. Jason Esteves (D) in the Democratic primary. (Associated Press)
IOWA: State Rep. Eddie Andrews (R) has filed papers to run for governor and plans to announce his campaign today. He joins a crowded field of Republicans that includes U.S. Rep.Randy Feenstra (R), who is already advertising on television. (Des Moines Register) Democratic activist Julie Stauch (D) will run too; she faces Auditor Rob Sand (D) in the Democratic field. (Des Moines Register)
NEW MEXICO: Lt. Gov. Howie Morales (D) will decide this week whether to run for governor or to pursue the presidency of Western New Mexico University in his home town of Silver City. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (D), Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman (D) and former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima (D) are all running. (Santa Fe New Mexican)
UTAH: House Republicans have elected Rep. Casey Snider (R) to serve as majority leader. Snider takes over for former Rep. Jefferson Moss (R), who resigned last month to become the head of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. (Salt Lake Tribune)
SOUTH CAROLINA: Bishopville City Council member Keishan Scott (D) won an easy victory in a special election in Sumter County on Tuesday, easily keeping the seat in Democratic hands. Scott, 24, is the youngest member elected to the South Carolina House since 2016. (SC Daily Gazette)
By The Numbers
Nearly $5 billion: The amount tourists spent in Montana in 2024. A record number of visitors, 13.8 million, traveled to Montana last year. (Daily Montanan)
$314 million: The amount of individual income tax Kansas took in last month, $144 million — or 85% — above estimates for the month. (Kansas Reflector)
Off The Wall
Maine resident Mark Ancker, who passed away recently at 77, is the first person in the United States to be buried in a mushroom casket. The casket is made entirely out of mycelium, which decomposes in about 45 days. (Maine Public Radio)
An 11-year old girl vacationing in Florida has found a message in a bottle that had been thrown in the ocean off Oahu eight years ago. The girl’s mom sent a text message to a phone number found in the bottle, and a 21-year old Hawaiian woman responded. (UPI)
Quote of the Day
“As much as many of my colleagues think we can do better, I dare them to try without screwing up the system.”
— Connecticut Sen. Norm Needleman (D), on legislation to cut residential electric bills by up to $350 million annually. (Hartford Courant)