Year: 2026

  • An overview of the rules, agency documents, and notices published in the Federal Register in the first quarter of 2026

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    The federal government added 16,150 pages to the Federal Register in the first quarter of 2026, spanning from Jan. 1 to March 31. This is more than in all quarters during the second Trump administration except the third quarter in 2025, during which the government added 19,256 pages. These pages constitute the 6,071 documents that…

  • A look at the notable Republican primaries for U.S. Senate happening in May

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    There are eight states holding primaries for U.S. Senate this month. Additionally, on May 5, Ohio is holding a primary for the special election to fill the rest of the six-year term that Vice President J.D. Vance (R) was elected to in 2022.  Eight Democratic primaries and eight Republican primaries are contested this month. Republicans…

  • 49 state financial officers and four insurance commissioners are up for election in 2026

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    In 2026, a total of 49 state financial offices are up for election, as are four state insurance commissioners. State financial officers include three positions: state treasurers, state auditors, and state comptrollers/controllers. Broadly, these officials are responsible for things like auditing other government offices, managing payroll, and overseeing pensions. In some states, certain SFOs are…

  • California will be the second state with a Democratic trifecta to vote on a voter ID ballot initiative

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    Welcome to the Thursday, April 30, 2026, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: California will be the second state with a Democratic trifecta to vote on a voter ID ballot initiative California voters will decide on a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment that would require voter identification and…

  • U.S. Supreme Court decides prominent redistricting case with implications for future map changes

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    On April 29, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a 6-3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, ruling that Louisiana’s congressional map that added a second majority-Black district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. In 2024, the Louisiana Legislature added the second majority-Black district in response to a previous lawsuit that argued the 2022 map diluted minority…

  • Campaign to make permanent additional income tax to fund public education in California submits signatures

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    A campaign sponsored by the California Teachers Association (CTA) submitted more than 1.6 million signatures on April 28 for a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment that would make permanent the additional income tax enacted with the approval of Proposition 30 in 2012, which funds education and early childhood programs. The additional income tax is set to expire…

  • Hall Pass: Your Ticket to Understanding School Board Politics, Edition #203

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    Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving  school board governance, the politics surrounding it, and education policy.  In today’s edition, you’ll find: Reply to this email to share reactions or story ideas! On the issues: The debate over standards-based grading In this section, we curate reporting, analysis,…

  • European Commission unveils $711 billion clean energy investment plan

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    In this week’s edition of Economy and Society: Around the world Sustainability standards board declines mandatory nature reporting requirement What’s the story? The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) announced on April 22, 2026, that it will develop a voluntary practice statement for companies to provide nature-related disclosures rather than issue a separate mandatory statement.  Practice…

  • Idaho amends voter ID affidavit process, enacts 14 other election bills in 2026

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    The Idaho Legislature adjourned its 2026 regular session on April 2 after enacting 15 election-related bills, all of which were signed by Gov. Brad Little (R).  Among those bills was S 1322, which amends the state’s option for voters to fill out an affidavit instead of providing a photo ID when voting. The new law…

  • Nebraska expands foreign funding ban for ballot measures, enacts four other election laws in 2026 session

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    The Nebraska Legislature adjourned its regular session on April 17 after enacting five election-related bills, all of which Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed. Among those bills was LB 1075, which expands the state’s ban on foreign contributions to ballot measure committees.   In 2022, Nebraska enacted a law banning direct and indirect contributions to ballot measure…