Good morning, it’s Monday, November 18, 2024. In today’s edition, pot supporters hit a wall; X sues to block California’s deepfake ban; New Jersey governor’s race gets crowded:
Top Stories
MARIJUANA: Efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use are hitting the wall after years of success. Ballot measures to open recreational markets failed in Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota this year, and cannabis advocates say they see few new opportunities to advance legalization in the 26 states that have not yet done so.
Only nine of those states have the ability to pass legalization by ballot measure, including Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. In other states, advocates will have to turn to legislators, who are still generally loathe to be seen embracing pot. We’re keeping an eye on Hawaii, the lone state where Democrats control government but recreational pot remains illegal. Read more at Pluribus News.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Idaho lawmakers on an artificial intelligence working group met Friday to craft potential legislation ahead of next year’s session. Lawmakers said they hope to hear more about how AI is being used in education. (Idaho Capital Sun)
Rep. Jeff Ehlers (R) closed the meeting with remarks he said were generated by ChatGPT.
MORE: The $4 billion economic development bill approved by Massachusetts lawmakers last week includes $103 million to fund the use of AI technology across economic sectors. The bill also set aside $40 million for a quantum innovation hub. (Boston Globe)
We wrote in August about a new competition among states to become the next hub for quantum computing.
SOCIAL MEDIA: The social media company X has sued California to block a new law requiring platforms to remove or label deceptive content related to elections. The company alleges the new law would cause sites to label or remove legitimate content out of an overabundance of caution. (Los Angeles Times)
EDUCATION: New Hampshire House Republicans are drafting legislation to provide universal access to Education Freedom Accounts, the Granite State version of savings accounts. Current law allows families with incomes below 350% of the federal poverty limit to access those accounts. (WMUR)
MORE: Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R) has ordered school districts to show students a new video unveiling an Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism. At least seven districts have declined to show the video, and the state attorney general’s office said Walters had no authority to require viewing. (The Oklahoman)
ENERGY: Utah Senate President Stuart Adams (R) wants to build micro-nuclear reactors on some of 27 properties owned by the state National Guard. Adams chairs the Military Installation Development Authority, tasked with developing land owned by the military in Utah. (Salt Lake Tribune)
In Politics & Business
NEW JERSEY: U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D) and Mikie Sherrill (D) launched campaigns for governor this weekend. Gottheimer pledged to bring down property and income taxes. Sherrill pledged to tackle housing and affordability issues. (New Jersey Globe, Asbury Park Press)
NORTH CAROLINA: The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a North Carolina law requiring candidates for federal office to disclose felony convictions. A congressional candidate twice convicted of gun crimes challenged the law’s constitutionality. (NC Newsline)
LEADERSHIP: New Mexico Democrats elected Rep. Reena Szczepanski (D) to serve as majority floor leader, while Republicans picked Rep. Gail Armstrong (R) to serve as minority floor leader. It’s the first time two women have held the leadership jobs at the same time. (Albuquerque Journal) Vermont Democrats elected Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D) to serve as majority leader, ousting incumbent Sen. Alison Clarkson (D). (VT Digger)
MORE: Ohio House Republicans meet this week to elect a new House speaker, two years after a similar election split the GOP and led to months of acrimony and animosity. Speaker Jason Stephens (R) will seek a second term in office, while Senate President and Rep.-elect Matt Huffman (R) challenges him. (Statehouse News Bureau)
PEOPLE: John McLean, a Democrat who ran for and lost a competitive Arizona Senate seat near Tucson, was killed in a traffic collision early Friday, Tucson police said. McLean’s vehicle was hit by a suspected drunk driver. (AZ Mirror) Our condolences to McLean’s community.
By The Numbers
11: The number of years Kentucky Sen. Robert Stivers (R) has served as Senate president. Stivers was re-elected to another two-year term on Friday, making him the longest-serving Senate president in state history. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
27: The number of international economic development trips Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) has taken while in office. Holcomb will make his final trip to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait before he leaves office in January. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
$274,978: The debt carried by an average household in Hawaii, the highest of any state in the nation. Mississippi residents have the lowest average household debt at $75,563, according to a WalletHub survey. (Sacramento Bee)
Off The Wall
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has pardoned Aidan Cluckinson, a turkey named for Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson. In picking Cluckinson, Whitmer apparently bypassed a turkey named for a Lions standout of yore, Cran-Barry Sanders. (MLive)
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) will return to Drumthwacket, the official governor’s mansion, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of his election victory in 2009. Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) office said he would welcome any former governor back to the mansion. (New Jersey Globe)
If we’re honest, we only included this item because it’s fun to say Drumthwacket, the coolest name for a governor’s mansion in the country.
Quote of the Day
“They’re like two pro wrestlers getting into their scripted fight while the fans of each cheer wildly.”
— Rob Stutzman, a longtime California Republican strategist, on Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) renewing his fight with President-elect Trump. (Washington Post)