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Good morning, it’s Thursday, July 24, 2025. In today’s edition, Trump targets state AI rules; Texas holds first hearing on Hill Country floods; Dems sound redistricting alarms:
Top Stories
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: The Trump administration on Wednesday released an AI Action Plan to help development in the nascent industry, pledging to cut regulations to spur construction of data centers and energy capacity. The plan directs the FCC to investigate whether state AI rules conflict with federal authority over communications networks. (Pluribus News)
DISASTER RELIEF: The Texas House and Senate committees investigating this month’s deadly floods in the Hill Country held a nearly 12-hour hearing Wednesday, criticizing a local river authority for failing to move forward on plans to pursue a flood warning system. The state denied grant applications to the Upper Guadalupe River Authority to develop the warning system in 2017 and 2018. (Texas Tribune)
ABORTION: A Texas man is suing a California doctor for allegedly providing his girlfriend with abortion-inducing medication, a test of a new state law that allows private lawsuits against abortion providers in other states. The suit, filed in federal court, is the latest test of blue state shield laws. (Texas Tribune)
HOUSING: New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) has signed 10 bills limiting local zoning restrictions to encourage more home construction. One bill allows homeowners to build accessory dwelling units; another requires cities to allow multi-family residential construction in commercial zones. A third prevents cities and towns from creating parking minimums for residential construction. (New Hampshire Bulletin)
MORE: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has signed legislation to reimburse property owners who install new septic systems. Eligible residents will be able to recoup up to 50% of costs up to $10,000 for conventional systems, and 75% of the costs of an enhanced system up to $25,000. (State of Politics)
EDUCATION: Michigan Rep. Brenda Carter (D) has introduced legislation to resume teaching cursive in school districts. Cursive writing was dropped from state education standards the last time the curriculum was updated, in 2010. (Detroit Free Press)
CYBER SECURITY: Arizona officials have “moderate confidence” that an attempt to breach the state’s candidate web portal last month was the work of Iranian hackers. The attackers gained access to the Secretary of State’s server on June 23 and changed candidate profile photos to an image of Ayatollah Khomeini. (AZ Mirror)
In Politics & Business
REDISTRICTING: The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is warning party donors to prepare for the decennial redistricting process years before lawmakers actually put pens to maps. In a memo to donors, the DLCC said Democrats could face a lost decade of power if they don’t “reassess our failed federal-first strategy.” (Pluribus News)
FLORIDA: A new poll from the University of North Florida finds First Lady Casey DeSantis (R) barely ahead of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R) in a hypothetical gubernatorial matchup, 32% to 29%. Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) finishes a distant third at 8%. (Florida Politics)
VIRGINIA: Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) has chosen Corey Barsky as her new campaign manager, a week after reassigning her previous manager to a voter outreach position. The campaign’s political director has left his position for another campaign, Earle-Sears’s chief strategist told reporters. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
NEW JERSEY: Former Assemb. Jack Ciattarelli (R) has chosen Morris County Sheriff Jim Gannon as his lieutenant governor running mate. Gannon has won three terms in office in a Democratic-trending county represented by U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D), the Democratic gubernatorial nominee. (New Jersey Monitor)
By The Numbers
16%: The decline in crossings from the United States into Canada at the Niagara Falls Bridge in June, versus a year before. About 90,000 vehicles crossed the bridge headed into Canada that month. (State of Politics)
10%: The drop in Utah’s reservoir levels between June 1 and July 1, five times greater than the typical rate. The entire state is now experiencing moderate or severe drought. (Idaho Capital Sun)
Off The Wall
Sheriff’s deputies in Orange County, Fla., rescued an escaped emu that managed to break free of its house. Deputies posed for photos with the thirsty bird after giving it water and returning it to its owners. (UPI)
The Alamo paid tribute to the late rocker Ozzy Osbourne after his death on Tuesday, in spite of the well-known incident in which Osbourne urinated on the Texas landmark in 1982. Osbourne personally apologized for the incident a decade later and donated $10,000 to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. (AFP)
Quote of the Day
“Do I think it’s easy? No, I don’t think it’s easy. But if Democrats want to be drunk on the map, fine.”
— Wisconsin Republican Party chairman Brian Schimming, on the brewing battle for control of the state Senate, where Republicans hold an 18-15 majority. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)