Via Kelcie Moseley-Morris: In a conference call hosted by the White House Faith Office on July 30, acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said he was committed to working to ensure that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision “becomes permanent in every single state.” https://ow.ly/5oes50ZwAkz

Via Anna Barrett: Five of the six Republican candidates in a special primary in Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District made their pitch to voters in Barbour County Tuesday night, one week before the election. https://ow.ly/yGXM50Zwpvq

Via Anna Barrett: The Alabama Fair Ballot Commission on Tuesday approved language to describe four statewide constitutional amendments that will be on the statewide ballot in November, including a measure mandating the broadcast of the National Anthem in schools. https://ow.ly/Rbq750ZwjhA

Missouri voters reject income tax phaseout, initiative petition changes #moleg #mogov

Missouri voters reject income tax phaseout, initiative petition changes • Missouri Independent

Missouri voters resoundingly rejected major Republican priorities on Tuesday as proposals to eliminate the income tax and change the way majorities are counted lost by large margins across the state.

missouriindependent.com

Early results show Kansans rejecting constitutional amendment by wide margin | via @journalist-sherman.bsky.social, Jacinda Hall and @kansascarpenter.bsky.social #ksleg

Early results show Kansans rejecting constitutional amendment by wide margin • Kansas Reflector

Kansas voters were set to evaluate a proposed constitutional amendment that would spike a 68-year-old system for selecting justices for the highest court

kansasreflector.com

Via Stateline: Three states this year became the first ones to enact laws restricting companies from using personal data such as browsing history or shopping habits to set individualized prices on goods and services, a practice known as surveillance pricing. https://ow.ly/tomZ50ZwlaS

Via Jacob Fischler: Alabama could lose up to $167 million in federal transportation funding if Congress does not renew funding authorized by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, set to expire on Sept. 30.

Alabama could lose $167 million in federal transportation funding | Alabama Reflector

The 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, which authorized highway and transit programs for five years, expires Sept. 30.

alabamareflector.com

The Alabama Public Service Commission Tuesday approved a 1,400-acre solar project in Macon and Barbour counties aimed at supporting a Montgomery data center.

Alabama Public Service Commission approves solar project supporting data center | Alabama Reflector

It is another solar project along with the one planned in Baldwin County that will support the planned data center in Montgomery.

alabamareflector.com

Via Ashley Murray: Two skeptical Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans voted to advance U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination to permanently lead the Justice Department Tuesday after Blanche signed a promise that President Donald Trump’s “anti-weaponization” fund is dead.

Blanche nomination for attorney general advanced by US Senate panel on party-line vote | Alabama Reflector

Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who had been withholding support for Blanche, voted with other members of the committee along party lines, 12-10, to send Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate.

alabamareflector.com

Via Stateline: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin this weekend implored states and cities to cooperate with federal immigration officials, which he said would lead to safer and lower-profile arrests and deportations.

Trump official urges governors to help with immigration arrests of ‘worst of the worst’ | Alabama Reflector

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin this weekend implored states and cities to cooperate with federal immigration officials, which he said would lead to safer and lower-profile arrests and deportations. Speaking to the National Governors Association summer meeting, Mullin called on local governments to help focus on removing the “worst of the worst” offenders, particularly targeting people without legal citizenship status who have criminal court convictions.

alabamareflector.com

Via Andrea Tinker: Schools in the University of Alabama System have removed LGBTQ+ inclusive language in their non-discrimination policies. https://ow.ly/YyE250ZvYJo

Via Ariana Figueroa: More than 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children Monday lost legal representation because the Trump administration has not entered into a new agreement to take over their legal services after it let a longstanding contract with a nonprofit expire. https://ow.ly/HILX50ZvYPf

Via Ralph Chapoco: Alabama Power reported an increase in its comprehensive income this spring compared to last year, according to a quarterly report filed by Southern Company, its parent company, last week. https://ow.ly/eqFA50ZvYvL

Via @timhenderson.bsky.social and Stateline: Today’s children could be the first generation since the 1970s to do better than their parents as young workers become more sought after and well paid. https://ow.ly/y6Sk50ZvKUw

Via Sam Gauntt: Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, on Sunday said Rep. Max Miller, also of Ohio and his former son-in-law, is not fit to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives as he faces allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife, who is Moreno’s daughter.

Ohio US Sen. Moreno says former son-in-law Rep. Max Miller unfit to serve in Congress | Alabama Reflector

The Ohio representative faces allegations of domestic violence from his ex-wife Emily Moreno, who is Sen. Moreno's daughter.

alabamareflector.com

Via Jacob Fischler: Leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee announced a bipartisan deal over the weekend that would keep the federal government funded through Dec. 11 and pause the Trump administration’s effort to add controversial new criteria for federal grants.

Spending deal freezes Trump proposal to gain power over federal grants, extends highway law | Alabama Reflector

Democrats championed blocking provisions that would increase spending for military action in Iran and allow transfers for immigration enforcement, while adding sections to extend housing and food assistance programs and a section blocking the proposed rule on grant funding.

alabamareflector.com

My column this week. To have any chance of winning this November, Alabama Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones has to draw a contrast with the GOP and try to break from the state's usual political patterns. His speech last week did both.

Doug Jones' agenda is a reminder: Alabama Democrats have to be bold | Alabama Reflector

Conservatives play the music in Alabama politics. They set the tempo, call out the steps and judge the dancers. So the ball is always the same. The right-wingers waltz with large business; do a bit of...

alabamareflector.com

Via Nada Hassanein and Stateline: States will have to meet a Jan. 1 deadline to implement new Medicaid work requirements, after a federal judge denied 25 Democratic-led states’ request to pause implementation of the rule. https://ow.ly/ANqy50ZvKIY

Editor Brian Lyman writes that Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones' policy agenda gives Alabamians a clear choice and looks like an attempt to break from the usual patterns of state campaigning by Democrats. https://ow.ly/J0oC50Zv5ES

Via Anna Barrett: Data centers have emerged as a top issue in Alabama’s midterm elections as concerns over public health impacts and a lack of transparency over the multibillion dollar facilities grow among communities and public health experts. https://ow.ly/2kX150Zvc4q

Via Anna Barrett: The Alabama Republican Party Saturday voted to add closed primaries to its official party platform but rejected a proposal to prevent those who bring “frivolous” litigation against the party from running for office for seven years. https://ow.ly/mxgN50ZvnR8

Via Kelcie Moseley-Morris: A new study found that recent increases in wildfire smoke air pollution have offset reductions in other types of pollution and could be contributing to negative outcomes for pregnant women and babies, such as low birth weight and preterm births. https://ow.ly/9m0B50Zv54q

Via Jane Norman: U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro moved Friday to dismiss charges against a former Olympian canoeist alleged to have damaged part of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Prosecutors drop vandalism charges for Reflecting Pool damage, blame ‘contractor error’ | Alabama Reflector

in a 20-page motion to dismiss filed by the U.S. attorney’s office, Pirro said her office wouldn’t have sought charges if the Interior Department, which manages the Lincoln Memorial, had initially shared more information about repair work on the Reflecting Pool.

alabamareflector.com

My column this week. Alabama Republicans are still the favorites to win in November. But they’ve made a series of unforced errors — from an odd DAR obsession to Tommy Tuberville insulting data center opponents — that could keep Democrats in the game.

Alabama Republicans seem to be making unforced errors | Alabama Reflector

A Daughters of the American Revolution obsession. Needless attacks on data center opponents. Has the state GOP lost the plot?

alabamareflector.com

And a visual presentation of the column, for those interested in hearing my adenoidal voice.

Via Stateline: A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is calling for an overhaul of the nation’s childcare system, which they say is failing children, parents and providers. https://ow.ly/MZ9O50Zv4LZ

Via Ashley Murray: President Donald Trump defended his highly criticized, nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” settlement fund Friday, as two key Republican senators withheld support for the president’s nominee for attorney general over Trump’s refusal to formally end the pot of money.

Trump defends massive settlement for ‘great American Patriots’ of Jan. 6, attacks GOP senators | Alabama Reflector

Trump’s settlement with the IRS faced opposition on multiple fronts, including from a federal judge who said Trump was trying to "manipulate" the courts.

alabamareflector.com

A bipartisan effort to rein in President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education has cleared its first major legislative hurdle in a bipartisan U.S. Senate committee vote.

US Senate panel advances bill to reject Education Department transfers | Alabama Reflector

The measure represents the most sweeping attempt from Congress so far in rejecting some of the interagency agreements, or IAAs, Education has signed with other departments as part of the administration’s push to eliminate the 46-year-old agency.

alabamareflector.com

Via Stateline: The escalating feud between states and online prediction markets was on full display at a summit of state lawmakers this week as legislators publicly scolded Kalshi and Polymarket, the two most prominent platforms.

Online prediction markets rile up state lawmakers | Alabama Reflector

The issue has sparked action from state regulators, new legislation, and a flurry of lawsuits from states, prediction markets, and the Trump administration, which has sought to sideline state oversight.

alabamareflector.com

Via Ralph Chapoco: In contrast to a contentious Republican primary for the office, Democratic attorney general nominee Jeff McLaughlin has kept a low profile, lacking a campaign website and filing campaign finance reports showing no fundraising. https://ow.ly/6x7T50ZuPwT