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Good morning, it’s Wednesday, March 6, 2024. In today’s edition, Super Tuesday election results; Florida moves to restrict public camping; New Mexico to adopt clean fuel standards:
Top Stories
HOMELESSNESS: Florida lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that would ban local governments from allowing people to regularly camp or sleep on public property in an effort to crack down on homelessness. Residents or business owners would be allowed to bring civil claims against municipal and county governments that don’t enforce bans. (Pluribus News)
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case out of Grants Pass, Ore., in April that challenges the town’s enforcement of a public camping ban. Advocates call it the most important case dealing with homelessness in 40 years.
ENERGY: New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed legislation Tuesday to adopt clean transportation fuel standards, making it the fourth state to allow producers and importers of low-carbon fuel to generate clean fuel credits they can sell to producers of higher-carbon fuels. The law sets goals of reducing emissions by 20% by 2030 and 30% by 2040. (KOB)
IMMIGRATION: The Iowa Senate approved a bill to make it a crime for someone to attempt to enter the state after previously being deported or denied entry into the United States. A House committee approved its version of the bill, too. The bill is modeled on Texas legislation the U.S. Supreme Court halted this week. (Des Moines Register)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: The Indiana legislature gave final approval to a bill that would require candidates running for office to disclose whether they have used AI-generated material in their campaign advertisements. Candidates depicted in fabricated media that isn’t disclosed can bring a civil action against those who generated the images. (WTHI)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) on Tuesday signed 11 bills approved during a special session on crime. The measures include new methods of execution, concealed carry of firearms without a permit and a bill that virtually eliminates parole for those jailed in the future. (Associated Press) The Florida legislature gave overwhelming approval to legislation requiring rape kits to be held for 50 years. (Florida Politics)
EDUCATION: Alabama’s Senate Education Committee has advanced an education savings account program that will provide up to $7,000 for children to spend on education-related expenses including tuition. The program will initially be limited to those making less than 300% of the federal poverty line, or about $75,000 for a family of three. (AL.com)
HEALTH CARE: Rhode Island lawmakers have introduced a package of 25 bills to address rising health care costs. One measure would allow the state to use federal money to cancel medical debt. Another would create a drug affordability commission. A third would allow Rhode Island to join an interstate licensure compact for social workers. (Boston Globe)
MORE: Kentucky’s state House approved so-called Momnibus legislation meant to improve maternal health. The bill expands home visitations for up to three years after birth, educates mothers on the benefits of breast feeding and safe sleep, and provides for care via telehealth. (Kentucky Lantern)
In Politics & Business
REPUBLICANS: Former President Donald Trump carried 14 of 15 states in Super Tuesday voting, while former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) won Vermont. Trump has 995 of the 1,215 he needs for the nomination. (Associated Press) Haley is expected to suspend her campaign Wednesday morning.
President Biden actually lost a contest on Tuesday, when an unknown candidate named Jason Palmer scored 51 of 91 votes cast in American Samoa. (Associated Press) So Jason Palmer has more delegates than Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.).
TEXAS: At least nine House Republicans lost primary election contests and eight more — including House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) — were headed to runoffs after Gov. Greg Abbott (R), Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) funneled money to conservative challengers. Abbott wanted to oust Republicans who opposed his school voucher plans, while Paxton was seeking revenge over his impeachment. (Texas Tribune)
CALIFORNIA: Proposition 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) $6.4 billion plan to build mental health infrastructure, is clinging to a lead with about half the votes counted. As of press time, 50.5% voted yes, and 49.5% voted no — a difference of about 34,000 votes out of more than 3.6 million counted. (CalMatters)
NORTH CAROLINA: Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) won the Republican primary for governor Tuesday, claiming 65% of the vote. Attorney General Josh Stein (D) won the Democratic primary with 70% of the vote. (Charlotte Observer)
This is going to be the marquee gubernatorial contest of the year. While North Carolina usually votes Republican for president, Republicans have only held the governorship for 16 of the last 120 years.
CRIME BLOTTER: Kansas Rep. Carl Maughan (R) has been booted from his post as vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and possession of a firearm. (Kansas Reflector)
By The Numbers
240 megawatts: The amount of energy consumed by Atlas Power, a data center and crypto mining near Williston, N.D. That’s roughly the amount of energy consumed by all of Fargo, North Dakota’s largest city. The facility isn’t complete yet; when it is, it would consume up to 700 megawatts. (Fargo Forum)
1,400: The number of times Oregon school bus drivers reported other drivers illegally passing them in 2023. The legislature on Tuesday approved a bill to allow school districts to install cameras on school buses that police could use to ticket drivers who fail to stop. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Off The Wall
A new app developed by researchers at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh uses artificial intelligence to accurately diagnose ear infections. The app analyzes videos of an eardrum captured by an otoscope connected to a smartphone, at a 94% accuracy rate. (CBS News)
Now there’s a great application of AI technology.
Scientists from the New England Aquarium got a happy surprise last week when they spotted a gray whale off the coast of Nantucket. Gray whales disappeared from the Atlantic Ocean in the 18th century. (Boston Globe)
Quote of the Day
“We have before us two bills that reflect a major manufacturing sausage that has not been easy.”
— Alabama Sen. Greg Albritton (R), on legislation that would expand gambling options in the state. (Alabama Reflector)