Good morning, it’s Monday, October 21, 2024. In today’s edition, the war over lawn equipment; GOP AGs seek to block abortion drug; new poll, same tight race in New Hampshire:
Top Stories
ENVIRONMENT: The next front in the culture wars is becoming lawn equipment, as blue states pass restrictions on gas-powered mowers, leaf blowers and other tools while red states preempt local governments from passing their own bans. Opponents of new restrictions say the battery power just isn’t there yet, while supporters say battery-powered devices make less noise and are better for the environment.
California, Colorado and Vermont have approved restrictions on gas-powered tools, and new measures are pending in Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Washington, all states where Democratic lawmakers are trying to hasten the shift from gas devices to battery-powered equipment. Georgia and Texas passed preemption legislation.
It’s another sign of our polarized electorate — and the fact that we’ll seize on anything to amplify those divides, rather than our commonalities. Read more at Pluribus News.
ABORTION: The attorneys general of Kansas, Missouri and Idaho have filed a complaint to prohibit the abortion drug mifepristone after seven weeks of pregnancy. The lawsuit seeks to require three in-person doctor visits to obtain the drug, a requirement that the Food and Drug Administration eased in 2016 and 2021. (Kansas City Star)
HEALTH CARE: Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) has signed legislation requiring private insurers and the state Medicaid program to cover annual mammograms for women over the age of 40. The law prohibits insurance carriers from requiring referrals for mammograms. (Delaware Public Media)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) has signed legislation increasing penalties for burglaries to combat home invasions. The new law allows juveniles charged in home invasions involving a firearm to be tried as adults. (New Jersey Monitor)
MORE: New York lawmakers are considering legislation to require catalytic converters to be marked with serial numbers. The bill would establish strict standards for scrap metal recycling facilities that accept catalytic converters in a bid to cut down on theft. (State of Politics)
GUN POLITICS: The Arkansas Legislative Council has given final approval to a proposed legislative package that would bar local governments from enacting firearm restrictions, allow firearms at school bus stops and permit adults to carry firearms near school grounds. Lawmakers must approve the package when the legislative session begins next year. (Arkansas Advocate)
EDUCATION: A federal judge hears arguments today in a lawsuit seeking to block Louisiana from requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in public school classrooms beginning in 2025. Republican lawmakers approved the bill earlier this year. (Associated Press)
In Politics & Business
EARLY VOTING: More than 14.3 million Americans have voted in the 2024 presidential election as of late Sunday, including 4.5 million who cast ballots early and in person and 9.7 million who have voted by mail. More than a million voters have cast ballots in Michigan, Virginia, Florida, Georgia and California. Follow the early voting count with our friends at the University of Florida’s Election Lab.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: A new UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion survey shows former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) and former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig (D) statistically tied, 42% to 41%. Ayotte leads by 17 points among men while Craig holds an 8 point lead among women. (Real Clear Politics)
PENNSYLVANIA: Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is raising concerns over billionaire Elon Musk’s announcement that he would give away $1 million a day to Pennsylvania voters who sign a petition from Musk’s super PAC. Federal law does not allow payments for registering to vote or for voting. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
By The Numbers
6 gigawatts: The amount of solar power that New York State can generate using panels installed under a 2019 climate law. That’s enough power to light more than a million homes. New York hit its six gigawatt goal a year early, officials said. (State of Politics)
11: The number of times the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers have faced off in the World Series. The Dodgers punched their ticket on Sunday, setting up their 12th showdown. The Yankees have won eight of the 11 matchups so far. (Associated Press)
Off The Wall
Political nerds have heard of Dixville Notch, the tiny New Hampshire community that casts the first votes in the presidential election. Now meet Adak, Alaska, in the far western Aleutian Islands — where the last voters will cast their ballot. When polls close in Adak, it will be 1 a.m. Eastern Time. (Associated Press)
John Kinsel, one of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers of World War II, has died at 107. Kinsel served in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Only two Code Talkers remain alive. Navajo President Buu Nygren ordered flags lowered to half staff in honor of Kinsel’s life. (Arizona Republic)
Lobsters in Maine are altering their preferred habitats. A new study from the University of Maine found more lobsters are spending their time in sandy open spaces or under beds of algae, rather than in rocky outcroppings. The shift in habitat comes as the average water temperature in the Gulf of Maine has risen by three degrees Celsius in the last several decades. (Maine Public Radio)
Quote of the Day
“We as New Jerseyans, as well as the rest of the country, all of a sudden became aware of something that Europeans have known for hundreds of years: That it’s enjoyable to eat outside.”
— New Jersey Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D), who sponsored legislation to extend a pandemic-era program allowing restaurants to build outdoor dining areas. (New Jersey Monitor)