Good morning, it’s Monday, May 11, 2026. We hope all our readers who are moms had a great day yesterday. In today’s edition, Virginia Supreme Court deals blow to Democrats on redistricting; Connecticut, Colorado move major AI bills; California Dems rethink top-two primary:
Top Stories
REDISTRICTING: The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down the voter-approved redistricting plan that would have helped Democrats pick up as many as four new seats in Congress. The ruling found the Democratic-controlled legislature violated the requirements to amend the state constitution by approving an initial version while voters were already voting during the 2025 elections. (Pluribus News)
The ruling, which came out just after we hit publish on Friday’s edition of the newsletter, represents a massive — but not fatal — blow to Democrats’ hopes of reclaiming the U.S. House.
MORE: The Trump administration has been in touch with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) and state lawmakers about redrawing the state’s congressional district maps to eliminate U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn’s (D) seat. The White House has also communicated with officials in Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee. (Wall Street Journal)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Connecticut will become the first state to establish a third-party system to test the safety of AI products. The four-year pilot project is included in an online safety bill passed last week. The Department of Consumer Protection would accredit up to five third-party auditors to assess AI systems for potential to cause harm. (Pluribus News)
MORE: The Colorado legislature has approved a rewrite of the state’s landmark AI safety legislation. The new measure will require AI companies to disclose to people when AI is used in deciding job applications, college acceptance or loan approvals. The bill drops previous requirements for AI companies to conduct risk assessments of their large language models. (Denver Post)
We covered the bill’s release, the product of two-plus years of negotiations, last week.
WATER: California, Arizona and Nevada have announced a plan to save up to 1 million acre-feet of Colorado River Water through 2028, on top of previous cuts aimed at saving enough water to serve 25 million people. The plan needs approval from federal officials and state lawmakers. Four months have passed since any substantive talks between the Lower Basin states and Upper Basin states of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. (Associated Press)
LGBTQ RIGHTS: New Jersey’s Senate health committee will vote today on legislation creating criminal and civil legal protections for healthcare providers who offer services related to gender dysphoria. The bill will codify protections established in an executive order then-Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed in 2023. (New Jersey Monitor)
HEALTHCARE: State employees in Maine who plan to take a GLP-1 drug for weight loss will be required to enroll in lifestyle and nutrition programs, under new changes adopted by the state employee health commission. One of the commission’s co-chairs says GLP-1 medications are now one of the highest expenses in the employee health plan. (Maine Public Radio)
ALCOHOL: The Rhode Island legislature has approved a bill allowing licensed establishments to sell alcohol until 3 a.m. during this summer’s World Cup tournament. Similar bills have been introduced in California, Missouri and Kansas, all of which will host tourists visiting for matches. The bills are meant to help restaurants capture extra revenue during the tournament. (Pluribus News)
In Politics & Business
ALABAMA: Alabama Democrats say they have the grounds to mount a legal challenge to legislation approved last week that would create a special primary election if the state is allowed to redistrict. Voters approved Amendment 4 during the 2022 election, which requires any election law passed by the legislature to be enacted within six months of a general election. (Alabama Reflector)
CALIFORNIA: A top Democratic political strategist has filed a proposed ballot measure that would repeal Proposition 14, the voter-approved measure that created the state’s top-two primary system. If it collects enough signatures, the measure would appear on the 2028 ballot. It comes amid fears that Republicans could shut Democrats out of the gubernatorial election if Democrats can’t coalesce behind a single candidate. (Los Angeles Times)
WISCONSIN: Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R), 84, is passing on another run for his old job. Thompson formally endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) for governor. (State Affairs) Thompson, who left office in 2001 to become George W. Bush’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, has flirted with comeback bids several times before.
INDIANA: The state Coalition for Public Education is expecting as many as 100 public school districts to ask voters to approve new property tax referenda this fall. State-approved property tax cuts will cost school districts an estimated $744 million through 2028. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
PEOPLE: Former Maine state Rep. Gerald Talbot (D), the first Black man elected to the state legislature, has died at 94. Talbot advocated for the state’s Fair Housing Act, which passed three years before the federal government approved a similar law. (Bangor Daily News)
CRIME BLOTTER: Federal prosecutors have added new charges against state Rep. Christopher Flanagan (D), who stands accused of wire fraud, falsification, money laundering and tax avoidance. Prosecutors allege Flanagan moved money from his campaign account to make personal payments on his mortgage and credit card debt. (State Affairs)
By The Numbers
13%: The amount of spring runoff expected to flow into Lake Powell, as a share of its annually expected flow. That’s the lowest level on record, and a threat to the reservoir’s power generation capability. As of last week, the reservoir was only 23% full. (Colorado Sun)
More than 1,000: The number of young adults hired by CalFire ahead of this year’s wildfire season. The new hires have all been trained and certified by the California Conservation Corps. (Governor’s Office)
Off The Wall
Olivia and Liam are the most popular baby names, again. The Social Security Administration said the two names topped the list of those given to babies born in 2025 for the seventh year in a row. Charlotte, Emma and Amelia are among the top baby names for girls, while Noah, Oliver and Theodore are near the top for boys. (Associated Press)
Want to see how popular your name is? Play around with the Social Security Administration’s look-up tool here.
Security cameras outside a Tennessee bakery caught an attempted break-in last week. The would-be robber: A bear apparently in search of cinnamon rolls. The bakery’s owner urged better behavior. “If you see this bear on the street, tell him to stop acting foolishly,” the owner wrote on social media. (UPI)
IndyCar has removed a t-shirt reading “One Nation, One Race” from its online store after backlash on social media. The racing company said it had removed the shirt after “some individuals found its phrasing concerning.” (KMPH)
Quote of the Day
“This is no longer a functioning board. So that’s the problem.”
— Kate Andrias, co-director of the Columbia Labor Lab at Columbia Law School, on California’s Fast Food Council, which hasn’t met in more than a year. (Pluribus News)