Good morning, it\u2019s Wednesday, April 29, 2026. In today\u2019s edition, health care disenrollments surge; Idaho backs social media regulations; Florida House takes up redistricting plan today:<\/p>\n
Top Stories<\/p>\n
HEALTH CARE: States operating Affordable Care Act exchanges are reporting steep increases in the number of people who dropped plans in the first months of the year. Disenrollments over the first quarter were up 24% compared with last year, capturing the end of a 30-day grace period deadline by which consumers choosing new plans had to pay their first premiums. (Pluribus News<\/a>)<\/p>\n SOCIAL MEDIA: Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) has signed legislation requiring social media platforms to regularly estimate user ages, obtain parental permission for those under 17 to have an account and ban personalized feeds for those under 17. It\u2019s the first time a red state has weighed in on social media restrictions, following similar bills in California and New York. Idaho\u2019s version is unique in requiring age estimates. (Pluribus News<\/a>)<\/p>\n REDISTRICTING: The Florida House will vote today on legislation to redraw the state\u2019s congressional district maps. Republicans hope the maps, drawn by Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019s (R) office, will help them pick up as many as four additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. (Associated Press<\/a>)<\/p>\n The Florida House will not take up DeSantis\u2019s proposed AI Bill of Rights, or legislation changing childhood vaccination laws. (State Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n MORE: The Virginia Supreme Court has left in place a county judge\u2019s order temporarily blocking the state from certifying the results of last week\u2019s referendum redrawing state congressional district maps. The court heard arguments in a separate case this week challenging the referendum\u2019s legality. (Reuters<\/a>)<\/p>\n EVEN MORE: A three-judge panel has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin\u2019s congressional map as an anti-competitive gerrymander. The panel ruled that a 2022 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision found partisan composition of districts can\u2019t be challenged in state courts. (State Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n GIG ECONOMY: Colorado lawmakers will consider legislation to increase requirements for driver background checks by ride-hailing companies. The measure would set timelines for how companies respond to complaints and increase opportunities to record rides. Gov. Jared Polis (D) vetoed legislation increasing ride-share safety last year over privacy and implementation concerns. (CPR<\/a>)<\/p>\n ENVIRONMENT: The Pennsylvania House has approved legislation banning the use of toxic PFAS chemicals in consumer products. The ban applies to cosmetics, dental floss, juvenile products and menstrual products. (State Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n ENERGY: Maine lawmakers will meet today in a veto session, seeking to override Gov. Janet Mills\u2019s (D) veto of legislation to place a moratorium on data centers. It\u2019s unlikely that lawmakers will reach the two-thirds vote required to overturn the veto. (WABI<\/a>)<\/p>\n TAXES: The Louisiana Senate unanimously approved a package of bills offering property tax breaks to aerospace companies and sales tax rebates on initial investments of $1 billion that create more than 200 permanent jobs. Much of the rocket powering NASA\u2019s Artemis II mission was manufactured in New Orleans. (State Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n In Politics & Business<\/p>\n MICHIGAN: A new Glengariff Group poll for the Detroit Chamber of Commerce finds U.S. Rep. John James (R) leading the GOP gubernatorial primary with 37%, followed by businessman Perry Johnson (R) at 20% and former Attorney General Mike Cox (R) at 10%. Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R) comes in at 7%. (Detroit Chamber<\/a>)<\/p>\n INDIANA: Gov. Mike Braun (R) has launched IN AI, a statewide initiative designed to help employers adopt \u201chuman-centered\u201d artificial intelligence in practical ways. The program will create roadshows, virtual sessions, university partnerships and training resources to help employers incorporate AI into their workflows. (State Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n ARIZONA: A federal judge has dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking access to Arizona\u2019s detailed voter records. The judge, a Trump appointee, wrote that the Attorney General does not have the authority to request voter data. (State Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n CRIME BLOTTER: A 40-year old North Carolina man is facing criminal charges after he allegedly submitted fraudulent signatures for the Utah Republican-backed effort to repeal the state\u2019s fair redistricting law. A county clerk-auditor flagged 165 of the 305 signatures the man turned in as potentially fraudulent. (Salt Lake Tribune<\/a>)<\/p>\n PEOPLE: Former Washington Sen. Sam Hunt (D) has died at 83, after a short battle with leukemia. Hunt was serving as a regent at Washington State University after retiring from the legislature in 2025. (Washington State Standard<\/a>)<\/p>\n By The Numbers<\/p>\n $48.6 billion: The size of Colorado\u2019s state budget, sent to Gov. Polis on Tuesday. The budget pares back some programs and services to cover a $1.5 billion shortfall. (Colorado Sun<\/a>)<\/p>\n $3.97 million: The amount Ohio House and Senate candidates have spent on advertising ahead of next week\u2019s primary. Candidates spent $1.5 million on ad buys in just the last week. (State Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n 960: The number of ballots rejected in Yellowstone County, Mont., ahead of next week\u2019s school board elections. The rejected ballots came from voters who forgot to include their birth year on ballot envelopes, which is now required by state law. (Daily Montanan<\/a>)<\/p>\n Off The Wall<\/p>\n The southern Utah city of La Verkin has adopted a new mascot, the La Verkin Gherkin. \u201cLa Verkin doesn\u2019t rhyme with apricot, so we couldn\u2019t do apricot,\u201d the city administrator said. He said many people volunteered to wear the pickle suit during public appearances. (KSL<\/a>)<\/p>\n A group of volunteers in the Milwaukee area broke a Guinness World Record for the largest number of participants in a river clean-up this weekend. The 31st annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup drew 2,082 volunteers at more than 120 sites on Saturday. (UPI<\/a>)<\/p>\n Quote of the Day<\/p>\n \u201cWow, that was a bit of a mess.\u201d<\/p>\n