JUSTTHENEWS (The Center Square Staff) - Tennessee state lawmakers want to fund Dolly Parton reading initiative at 100%
Imagination Library provides free books to children from birth to age 5.
THEFEDERALIST (Shawn Fleetwood) - Calls Grow For Trump To Appoint Director To Ensure ‘Accurate’ 2030 Census
A growing number of state lawmakers are urging President Trump to appoint a Census director to ensure an “accurate” 2030 Census, even as the White House remains mum on the subject. Last week, 142 state Republican officials signed an open letter organized by the State Freedom Caucus Network asking the president to nominate a full-time […]
JUSTTHENEWS (Christina Park) - Big tech, state lawmakers fight back against unexpected disinformation war on data centers
Facing NIMBY: Industry experts and lawmakers are pushing back against "disinformation" about data centers, arguing that they are vital for American jobs and technological leadership.
NPR (Daniel Montaño) - Amid allegations of abuse on Epstein's 'Zorro Ranch,' New Mexico opens new probes
Epstein owned a 10,000-acre property with a mansion. After calls by the public, the state attorney general searched the property and the state House created a "Truth Commission."
AMERICANGREATNESS (Prairie State Wire Staff) - Analysis: Illinois Has Most Blue-Haired State Lawmakers in the U.S.
Illinois has two state lawmakers who have dyed their hair blue—more than any other state. That’s according to an analysis of state lawmaker hairstyles by […] Source
NEWSNATIONNOW (HANNAH FINGERHUT, Associated Press) - State lawmakers rush to set rounding rules for when there are no pennies
The Treasury Department has said it will continue circulating the roughly 114 billion pennies that exist for “as long as possible.”
NEWSNATIONNOW (Sophie Brams) - Prosecutors launch Epstein ranch search
State lawmakers have also formed a bipartisan special committee to probe “Zorro ranch and the related allegations of criminal activity.”
JUSTTHENEWS (The Center Square Staff) - Mamdani considering NYC property tax hike to plug budget gaps unless state leaders cooperate
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has issued an ultimatum to Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers: approve his plan to tax the rich to plug gaps in the city's budget, or he'll be forced to increase property taxes across the board.
AXIOS (Russell Contreras) - Political violence and low pay are pushing young state lawmakers toward the exit
Political violence , stagnant pay and family-unfriendly legislatures are pushing Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers to consider leaving office — even as many say they still believe in public service, a new report finds. Why it matters: State legislatures are pipelines for Congress, governors and future national leaders. If younger lawmakers leave early, the system increasingly favors the wealthy, the retired or those insulated from threats and financial strain. The big picture: The report, first shared with Axios by Future Caucus , a nonpartisan nonprofit group for Gen Z and Millennial policymakers, finds that pragmatic young lawmakers are weighing whether to continue serving. - This is one of the first detailed studies into Gen Z…