Good morning, it’s Thursday, August 8, 2024. In today’s edition, Illinois approves new abortion protections; New York Gov signs voting rights bills; Sununu backs Ayotte in New Hampshire race:
Top Stories
ENERGY: The federal government is doling out $2.2 billion in funding for projects in 18 states to improve the reliability of the nation’s electrical grid. The eight projects are mostly focused on ways to maximize electricity transmission across existing systems; they will build more than 600 miles of new lines and replace 400 miles of existing lines with advanced material. (Pluribus News)
ABORTION: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed three bills meant to expand protections for reproductive health care. The bills protect abortion patients from housing and workplace discrimination; shield out-of-state patients from investigations launched by other states; and protect patients who need emergency care. (Chicago Tribune)
EDUCATION: Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) has signed legislation requiring schools to increase the ratio of school counselors and social workers to one for every 250 high school students. Schools will be required to hire a full-time school psychologist for every 700 students. Delaware schools currently employ one counselor for every 2,547 students. (Delaware Public Media)
MORE: The North Carolina Board of Education has given final approval to rules granting paid parental leave to public school employees. New parents will be eligible for up to eight weeks of leave. The General Assembly approved $10 million in recurring funds to pay for leave and hiring new substitute teachers. (NC Newsline)
VOTING RIGHTS: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed a suite of voting rights bills into law. Among the bills are measures to allow 17-year olds to pre-register to vote if they turn 18 by Election Day; creating standard ordering criteria for candidates appearing on the ballot; and bringing the state into compliance with the federal Electoral Count Reform Act. (Spectrum News)
INSURANCE: Five Louisiana legislative committees met Wednesday to consider causes of and solutions to the state’s high insurance rates. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple (R) said he is looking at recent Florida laws that limited options for policy holders as a way to keep costs low. (Louisiana Illuminator)
In Politics & Business
DEMOCRATS: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) will replace Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) as chair of the Democratic Governors Association. Kelly has been vice chair since 2022. Walz suddenly finds himself with bigger fish to fry. (Topeka Capital-Journal)
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Gov. Chris Sununu (R) is backing former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) as his replacement ahead of next month’s GOP primary. Ayotte faces former Senate President Chuck Morse (R) in the September 10 primary. (New Hampshire Bulletin)
VIRGINIA: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) is starting to test her message before Republican voters ahead of a likely 2025 run for governor. Earle-Sears has appeared at events with GOP voters across the state in recent weeks. Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) is also said to be considering a run. (Daily Progress)
COLORADO: A group of Colorado Republicans have collected enough signatures to force a vote on whether to remove state party chair Dave Williams. A state judge ruled Tuesday the vote can go ahead; Williams opponents will need 60% of the vote from the 400-plus members of the state central committee to boot him from office. (Denver Post)
Williams angered fellow Republicans when he used state party resources to play favorites in primary elections — including his own failed bid for Congress.
By The Numbers
109: The number of Massachusetts state representatives, out of 160, who earn extra stipends for taking on leadership roles in party caucuses or as committee chairs. The number of leaders earning extra pay has nearly doubled since 2013. (Boston Globe)
More than 580: The number of bills sitting on New York Gov. Hochul’s desk. She has until January to sign or veto all those measures. (Spectrum News)
1,500: The number of funerary objects the Mississippi Department of Archives and History has returned to the Chickasaw Nation under a federal law requiring repatriation of Native American remains and artifacts. The department also turned over 95 human remains. (Mississippi Today)
Off The Wall
We told you earlier his week that New York trademark attorney Jeremy Green Eche had purchased the domain name HarrisWalz.com back in 2020, and that he was willing to sell it for $15,000. He got his asking price, from an anonymous buyer. And he’s looking ahead: He’s already bought ten domain names related to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in anticipation of a possible future presidential bid. (NPR)
A top official in Washington, D.C.’s Department of Buildings has resigned after an investigation found she had a second full-time job as a risk-management director at Freddie Mac. She also conducted business for a third job, as a city council member in Falls Church, Va., while on the clock in D.C. (Washington Post)
Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, a candidate for mayor, paid $6,400 in taxpayer money to a New York-based firm that specializes in updating Wikipedia pages. The firm made eight changes to his Wikipedia page at his request, though only four of those edits were approved. (Oregonian)
Quote of the Day
“This is sloppy. Everything about this is sloppy.”
— Nebraska Sen. Michaela Cavanaugh, on a special session over property taxes. Lawmakers have introduced a series of proposed changes with no clear plan. (Omaha World Herald)