Good morning, it’s Thursday, January 8, 2026. In today’s edition, lawmakers work to lower health care costs; Florida plans redistricting session; U.S. population growth slows:
Top Stories
HEALTH CARE: Legislators coming back into session this year will introduce bills to expand oversight of pharmacy benefit managers, impose new restrictions on hospitals and pharmacies participating in 340B drug discount programs and manage spiraling costs from GLP-1 weight loss drugs in a push to combat rising health care costs.
States adopted 44 laws related to PBMs in 2025, the most in at least a decade. Lawmakers in Ohio, New Jersey and Missouri have already filed PBM bills this year. Sixteen states cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, up from 12 the previous year, though some states are already planning to drop that coverage as costs spiral. (Pluribus News)
REDISTRICTING: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has ordered the legislature to return to Tallahassee on April 20 to redraw the state’s congressional district lines. DeSantis wants lawmakers to act after the regularly-scheduled session to give the U.S. Supreme Court time to rule in Louisiana v. Callais, a suit challenging Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Washington State lawmakers have introduced a constitutional amendment to allow them to redraw district lines if another state pursues mid-decade redistricting. (Pluribus News)
Florida Republicans hope to target at least three, and as many as five, Democratic-held seats, GOP sources tell us.
IMMIGRATION: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) has ordered the National Guard to prepare for deployment after the killing of a 37-year old woman by federal immigration agents on Wednesday. Walz said the state would “stop at nothing” to seek accountability in the killing, which video shows took place as the woman drove away from officers. (Minnesota Reformer)
GUN POLITICS: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) will propose legislation to crack down on 3D-printed guns. The bill would make it a crime to sell digital instructions for the illegal manufacture of firearms without a license and require safety standards for 3D printer manufactures to ensure their products cannot make firearms or component parts. (State of Politics)
HOUSING: California lawmakers are considering a major shift to modular and factory-built homes to address the state housing crisis. Lawmakers held a hearing Wednesday featuring presentations from developers and modular builders. (State Affairs) California lawmakers also held an initial hearing on a proposed $10 billion affordable housing bond. Voters would be asked to approve the bond in November. (State Affairs)
FEDERALISM: Oregon lawmakers plan to introduce a bill this year allowing residents to sue federal agents for violating their constitutional rights. The bill comes after federal agents deployed to Portland allegedly violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Half a dozen other states already have such laws on the books. (Oregonian)
In Politics & Business
MAINE: Former Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason (R) will run for governor next year, the 12th Republican candidate in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Janet Mills (D). Mason was first elected to the legislature in 2010, at the age of 25. (Maine Public Radio)
MICHIGAN: Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist (D) is contemplating ending his bid for governor and running for Secretary of State. Incumbent Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) has built a fundraising and name-recognition edge over Gilchrist in the race to succeed retiring Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). (State Affairs)
CONNECTICUT: Democrat Iris Sanchez won a special election to fill a state House seat left vacant when Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D) resigned to become mayor of New Britain. Just about 600 voters showed up to vote in the special election, representing about 6% of registered voters in the district. (CT Mirror)
NEBRASKA: Lawmakers will vote next week on whether to expel Sen. Dan McKeon after he was accused of inappropriate behavior toward a legislative staffer during an end-of-session party last year. McKeon would be the first member ever expelled by the legislature. (Associated Press)
PEOPLE: Former New Mexico Lt. Gov. Roberto Mondragón (D) has died at 85. He served from 1971 to 1975, and again from 1979 to 1983. Mondragón was known for his passion for preserving the state’s Hispanic traditions. (Santa Fe New Mexican)
By The Numbers
15 million: The estimated growth of the U.S. population over the next 30 years, according to new estimates by the Congressional Budget Office. That growth will be slower than earlier estimates because of President Trump’s immigration policies and lower fertility rates. (Associated Press)
25,000: The number of federal jobs lost in Maryland in 2025, the highest number of federal workers cut loose in any state last year. Federal jobs represent about 6% of Maryland’s total employment, and 10% of the state’s overall wages. (Maryland Matters)
$10 million: The campaign warchest of Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) as he seeks re-election in 2026. According to Pillen’s campaign, that’s almost seven times what any previous incumbent had at the beginning of their re-election year. (Nebraska Examiner)
Off The Wall
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will print its last issue on May 3, after a long labor impasse. The paper traces its roots to 1786, when the Pittsburgh Gazette began publishing weekly editions. It became a leading advocate for the abolition of slavery in the 19th century. (Associated Press)
Police in Pennsylvania have captured an emu that ran loose for several days around Lower Windsor Township. The emu, named Bert, is safe and back home. (UPI)
Quote of the Day
“It’s a good position to be in.”
— Ohio Office of Budget and Management Director Kimberly Murnieks, on the state’s $518.2 million revenue surplus halfway through Fiscal Year 2026. (State Affairs)