Good morning, it’s Tuesday, March 31, 2026. In today’s edition, lawmakers tackle tick-borne illness; Colorado to require social media giants to comply with search warrants; Washington Gov signs first-ever income tax:
Top Stories
PUBLIC HEALTH: Lawmakers in at least half a dozen states are pursuing bills to require health officials to report instances of alpha-gal syndrome to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease, spread by ticks, can cause severe rashes, stomach pain and migraines, and sometimes an allergy to red meat. More than a dozen states already require such reporting as ticks spread across the nation. (Pluribus News)
SOCIAL MEDIA: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has signed legislation requiring social media companies to comply with state law enforcement warrants. The bill requires companies to comply within 72 hours, while creating a streamlined process for law enforcement to file search warrants. (Denver Post)
TAXES: Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) has signed legislation enacting a 9.9% levy on earnings of more than $1 million. Opponents of the tax announced legal challenges and a potential ballot measure campaign to repeal the tax, the first time Washington has levied an income tax of any kind. (Seattle Times)
LGBTQ RIGHTS: The Idaho Senate approved legislation requiring teachers and doctors to inform parents if they receive a request from children to participate in or facilitate a social transition. Parents would be informed if their children ask to use a different name, including a nickname, or to use pronouns, titles or restrooms that don’t conform to their sex assigned at birth. (Idaho Capital Sun)
GAMBLING: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) is rolling out a new plan to require betting companies to verify user ages, including the use of biometric identification tools. The plan aims to prevent minors from gaining access to gambling apps, and it includes safeguards for adults who demonstrate risky behavior or problem gambling habits. (State of Politics)
HEALTH CARE: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) has signed legislation allowing for clinical trials of the drug Ibogaine. The drug is used to treat PTSD and opioid withdrawal. The law would allow the Department of Health to form a consortium between a drug developer, a university and a hospital to conduct trials, with the goal of winning FDA approval. (Magnolia Tribune)
MORE: Drug makers Novartis and AbbVie have sued Washington State over a law restricting drug manufacturers from controlling who dispenses their medication. The law also adds transparency to the 340B program, which requires drug manufacturers to give discounts on outpatient drugs to rural hospitals and those that serve low-income patients. (Washington State Standard)
IMMIGRATION: The Tennessee Senate has adopted measures aimed at keeping undocumented immigrants from state and local government jobs. The bills would require the use of E-Verify before someone gets a government job or receives government benefits. (Tennessee Lookout)
In Politics & Business
NEW YORK: A new Siena College poll finds Gov. Hochul leading Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R) 47%-34%. That’s a big lead, but it’s down from a 51%-31% lead last month. A majority, 52%, say they approve of Hochul’s job performance. (Siena)
MISSOURI: A state Senate committee has advanced legislation banning candidates and political action committees from collecting recurring donations, unless a donor specifically agrees. Another provision in the measure ends recurring donations after an election has concluded. (Missouri Independent)
DELAWARE: The state House has approved a proposed constitutional amendment to codify early voting, in a bipartisan vote. The House approved another proposed amendment allowing voters the right to cast an absentee ballot without an excuse. (Delaware Public Media)
MINNESOTA: Forward Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Mike Newcome has ended his campaign. The party blamed the heightened partisan environment created by Operation Metro Surge, the ICE operations in and around the Twin Cities area. (MPR News)
CALIFORNIA: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R), running for governor, has suspended his investigation into unsubstantiated claims of election fraud around the 2025 vote over new congressional district boundaries. Bianco cited lawsuits brought by Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) in pausing the case. (Los Angeles Times) Lawyers for U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D) have demanded the FBI end efforts to release records from a decade-old investigation involving Swalwell and a suspected Chinese spy. (Associated Press)
By The Numbers
11%: The decline in pedestrian deaths in early 2025 over the previous year, the largest drop since the Governors Highway Safety Association began keeping track 15 years ago. The largest state decreases came in Alabama, California, Maryland, New Mexico and New York. (Alabama Reflector)
Just under 8 inches: The snow water equivalent at Oregon’s Crater Lake, a new record low. That level is four inches lower than 2015, the previous record low. (Oregonian)
Off The Wall
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has signed legislation renaming Palm Beach International Airport for President Trump. The law requires an agreement between Palm Beach County and Trump for the commercial use of his name. Trump’s companies previously trademarked his name in association with airports. (State Affairs)
Chesney the kangaroo spent three days on the lam after escaping a petting zoo in Necedah, Wis., last week. Chesney’s keepers rented a heat-seeking drone to track him down after he was spooked by some stray dogs. Chesney is now back home with his roommate, Kenny. (Associated Press)
Quote of the Day
“If we want control on what our students are being able to learn and being taught, we want to not have to be getting our textbooks from California.”
— Utah Rep. Tiara Auxier (R), on her bill to require schools to teach specific Bible passages referenced or alluded to in American historical documents. The bill does not specify which passages would be taught in schools. (Salt Lake Tribune)